Packers Game Changing Moves: Fix The Pass Defense?
by Brandon on Jun 28, 2010 8:00 AM CDT
in Green Bay Packers Analysis
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There were a lot of things that went wrong during the Green Bay Packers Wild Card loss to the Cardinals, but the biggest, glaring problem was the complete inability to stop QB Kurt Warner. The Packers finished the 2009 regular season ranked as the No. 5 overall pass defense officially, and No. 4 according to Football Outsiders. During the regular season they only allowed only 201.1 yards/game and 29 TDs to 30 INTs. During the Wild Card loss they allowed 375 yards passing, 5 TDs, and 0 INTs.
What did they do this offseason to fix their pass defense?
1. They're bringing back the same defensive coaches.
2. By re-signing restricted free agents FS Nick Collins, CB Tramon Williams, and (eventually) SS Atari Bigby, they're bringing back the same starting four in the secondary.
3. Drafted S Morgan Burnett in the 3rd round. At least CB Charles Woodson thinks that Burnett is good.
And that's why this post is titled with a question mark. Mike McCarthy and Ted Thompson got together after the season and decided that the best thing they could do is give the same players and coaches another chance. Based on the Wild Card game alone, the suggested change might have been to blow up the roster. According to Pro Football Focus, every one of the starting DBs (plus everyone's favorite nickel back Jarrett Bush) and both starting inside linebackers had a negative pass coverage rating in that game.
Maybe inaction is the best course of action in this situation. I don't want to see LB Nick Barnett released because he couldn't keep up with the Cardinals WR bunch formations. And I didn't want to see them sign the best available unrestricted free agents to replace the starters because NFL free agency doesn't usually have the cure to any team's problem.
The 2010 Packers aren't going anywhere if they can't slow down the high powered pass attacks, like the Saints, during the playoffs. Whether standing pat is the game changing move that puts their pass defense over the top is something to watch for next season.
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Bitching and patience
I hitting the point where the questions about the Pack’s secondary are starting to become funny. In each of the games where the passing D gave up large amounts of yards it was a two way street, but we never hear how the Steelers’ or Card’s pass defense is broken. Sure Farve shredded us, but Rodgers actually threw for more yards against the Vikes, and we were just one Donald Lee dropped touchdown from winning the first game, but people don’t discuss the Vikings pass defense as so broken as the Packers D.
To fix the passing D I don’t think the answer lies in the secondary. Rather, the answer lies int he front seven. First, the linebackers, especially ILB’s (I’m looking at you Hawk) need to get better in coverage. Next, there needs to be more pressure on the QB. If the sacks go up, then the secondary will get much better. The real thing that caused the “elite” QB’s from shredding us and the rest from getting picked, was that the D couldn’t get Big Ben to the turf and Farve and Warner read the D’s quickly. Well that and Capers has some sort of phobia against blitzing old man Farve.
The first issue I don’t know if anyone at 1265 has talked about yet, but they do like to preach on the second issue. Here we get the stump speech on inside pass rush and the hope and prayer Raji, Neal, and Wilson will be good. I get that, but I’m starting to itch to see an OLB opposite Matthews get picked up.
The real thing that caused the "elite" QB’s from shredding us and the rest from getting picked, was that the D couldn’t get Big Ben to the turf and Farve and Warner read the D’s quickly. Well that and Capers has some sort of phobia against blitzing old man Farve.
Yeah, I don’t know how bad the Steelers game would have been had we actually sacked Ben a couple more times instead of missing a couple tackles. The lack of blitzing against the Vikings was frustrating. Giving Favre 5 seconds to throw every play isn’t a great game plan. And what made it even worse is that when we actually did blitz in our game @ Lambeau we got to Favre quick a few times and stopped their offense twice because of it. I get the whole, it’s hard to blitz against a veteran Qb angle but at the same time, it’s hard to stop a veteran Qb when only rushing 3-4 guys and allowing him to scan the field for 5 seconds.
But yeah, I don’t think the secondary players have all that much too worry about. Woodson and Williams are good starters. After them, Harris, Underwood, and Lee hopefully will be able to hold down the nickel and dime spots. I think the pass rush will be the determining factor in the effectiveness of our pass defense. Though, Capers game plan will determine some things also. I don’t think he can be as conservative against some of the better Qb’s like he was with Favre and Warner.
by packallday555 on Jun 28, 2010 11:17 AM CDT up reply actions
I think its backlash
from us being named the top defense at one point last season. I agree though no one is talking about that though.
Let's do a reality check here
This was the first year of the defense operating under an entirely new scheme with a completely new defensive coaching staff, up to and including the DC.
Does anyone remember the ‘08 season? You know, the one with 10 losses? How many of those games did the Packers lose because the defense couldn’t a 4th-quarter lead?
Dom Capers has produced a remarkable turn-around in the Packers’ defense in just a single season of work. Yeah, there’s still some work to be done. But there’s no reason to think that last year represents the best Capers can do.
EXACTLY!
That is what I try to tell people. Its not just players maturing and getting better as all teams hope for and expect, but its the entire defense knowing a new scheme better. I think this team could take a nice leap in year two though Capers is known for getting a D off to a quick start and then they kinda regress at some point. I hope that doesn’t happen here though.
expectations
I think everyone has really HIGH expectations for the D this year. I know I do… Don’t care about the ranking so much, but want to see how they progress in specific situations. Knowing and having another year of experience in Capers scheme should help w/ those. I am talking about our problems w/ bunch formations and the success of Big Ben and Warner specifically. Both Ben and Warner had coaches that exposed and took advantage of Capers schemes and the Packers inexperience in it… Pitts coaches and players and Whisenhunt in AZ took advantage of the Packers inexperience. Especially in regards to the communication necessary to defend the bunch formations both teams utilized… Repeatedly getting WR either matched up on LB or the inability of our DB’s to communicate effectively enough to stay w/ their responsibilities/coverages in those route combinations.
Larry Fitzgerald vs. Poppinga or Chillar = Packers are screwed
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Jun 28, 2010 6:37 PM CDT up reply actions
Looking back on the WC game last January...
L.Fitz had a lot of help from Steve Breaston and Early Doucet inflicting damage on the Packers’ secondary.
Also, don’t forget that’s not Warner throwing to Fitzgerald anymore. How good Leinart will be remains to be seen, but if he produces anything like KW, it will be a major surprise…
by DaveInTucson on Jun 28, 2010 8:15 PM CDT up reply actions
matchups
One of Doucets TD’s vs the Packers in the playoffs was w/ Barnett in coverage… THey schemed for it and used it in other instances in the game. Face it any WR vs LB is a major mismatch!!!
And, it's more than just experience.
Knowing and having another year of experience in Capers scheme should help w/ those.
Don;t forget that the installation of the 3-4 didn’t happen overnight; nor did it all happen last year!
During OTAs this year, new aspects of the defense have been implemented; stuff that required a complete understanding of what was installed last year before it could be implemented.
In short, the players won’t just be trying to improve on what they were doing last year – they’ll be learning to do more.
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The glass is more than half-full.
In short, the players won’t just be trying to improve on what they were doing last year – they’ll be learning to do more.
Good point NorthStarr! I’m excited to see how the defense looks this upcoming season!
by packallday555 on Jun 29, 2010 12:45 PM CDT up reply actions
Patience is the key to success
Patience as in letting the players develop. If Joey Porter and Jason Taylor couldn’t get the job done together in Miami’s issues in stopping the deep pass, there’s no way he’s going to help our issues in Pass D, not to mention probably hurting our D more with his inability to stop the run.
We need to let our young players develop and gain experience. With another year of experience, we should expect progression. I do wish we had a good pass rusher at LOLB though. I can agree with that. Although, we also had a desperate need for an OT. It’s a coin flip, but I think we did good in drafting Bulaga.
"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi
I think everything starts up front and reverberates outwards...
it is pressure on the QB that makes it work. Blitz heavy and then back it up to see if you can get pressure in base packages. Going to make this a shorter post, but I believe there will be more of an emphasis on getting to the QB than coverage concerns. Except Bush…hope is lost.
by Bush League All Star on Jun 28, 2010 1:10 PM CDT reply actions
Packers should keep their eyes open for a veteran CB.
Not to start in place of AH or CW, though. That wouldn’t go over too well…
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Jun 28, 2010 6:36 PM CDT up reply actions
Pass Defense
5 of the Packers top 8 defensive backs were out of the Cardinals game. They’ve added Burnett, Neal and Wilson.
They should be better than in that game.
by Sunshine MN on Jun 29, 2010 11:00 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Fairness in evaluation
Everyone knows about the Packer’s deficiencies against the “elite” QB’s. But let’s take a serious look before proclaiming the Packer’s did little to fix the problem.
First, there is NO defense in the NFL today that can consistently stop a hot QB with weapons. There are just not enough coverage backfields to handle all the threats. Ironically, the best defense is an offense that controls and keeps the ball away from the hot QB.
Against the Vikings two major problems. An ineffective OL and the new defense had not jelled. Against the Cardinals the Packer D was down to scrubs. The defensive line could not pressure the pocket. Warner was way to smart for blitzes to work. Drafting Neal and Burnett was Thompsons response. The inside rush needs to be more effective. At CB (although the “edge” was not a problem) return of Harris and Lee plus development of Underwood will strengthen unit. Burnett a big addition to Safety. Either he’ll push Bigby or replace him. Any scenario is better than Martin’s play.
Finally, in general, 2nd year of 3/4 should bring significant improvement.
good post..
I have been saying similar for awile… First vs Minn, Favre didn’t exactly tear us apart! 271 and 244 yds in the games. He was efficient but not lethat. He also threw for 3 and 4 TD’s but we all know that #4 is prone to change running plays for passes to pad his TD record.
THe games vs Pitts and AZ were facing coordinators that knew Capers 34 D inside and out… They took advantage of our relative inexperience in the 34 D… The bunch formations of WR put one against a LB and also created confusion among the DB about who should take who… and how to play coverage on them! Thats were the inexperience and another year in the system were critical.
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