Packers Defensive Struggles Go Beyond Capers

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Are Dom Capers’ days in Green Bay over?

Before you read further, I want to make one thing clear: This post is not a defense of Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers. After the Packers got shredded for almost 600 yards on Saturday night, Capers cannot be defended.

Go ahead and call for Capers’ firing and criticize him all you want. He deserves it.

However, Green Bay’s problems on defense go much deeper than Capers. I don’t think there was any magical scheme that Capers could have come up with that would have stopped the 49ers from winning Saturday. San Francisco was bigger, stronger, faster and tougher than the Packers. It’s too simple to just pin that performance solely on the guy with weird hair who sits in a booth high above the field.

Look at the Packers’ linebackers. Brad Jones, Erik Walden and A.J. Hawk are no match for a team like the 49ers. An elite offensive line combined with an athletic quarterback, bruising running back, and talented tight ends? The 49ers had to be salivating all week while watching film and preparing to face that unfearsome trio.

The Packers are built to take a lead, then play aggressive defense that relies on blitzes and creating turnovers. They’re not the type of team that is able to stand toe-to-toe against physical teams and out-tough them. That’s extremely frustrating, but true.

I suppose Capers deserves some blame for his defense’s lack of toughness, but I’m not sure what he’s supposed to do to prevent Walden from losing contain over and over or Jones looking helpless trying to chase down Colin Kaepernick.

Again, Capers’ gameplan was pathetic on Saturday (no spy on Kaepernick?). There’s no excuse for it. He probably deserves to get canned.

But even if he gameplanned better, I’m not sure if the Packers could have pulled that one off. The 49ers are a better team, a tougher team. Regardless of who is calling the plays, the Packers are not a team that is able to line up and feel confident that they’re better physically than their opponent.

Getting Desmond Bishop, Nick Perry and D.J. Smith back should make the Packers defense tougher next season. Further development from Jerron McMillian should also help.

Go ahead and vent about Capers. He deserves it. But don’t fool yourself into thinking that some magic scheme could have shut the 49ers down on Saturday.

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Adam Czech is a a freelance sports reporter living in the Twin Cities and a proud supporter of American corn farmers. When not working, Adam is usually writing about, thinking about or worrying about the Packers. Follow Adam on Twitter. Twitter .

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72 thoughts on “Packers Defensive Struggles Go Beyond Capers

  1. Put me at the front of the Dom Capers NEEDS TO GO line! While I agree that the 49’rs are an awesome team on both sides of the ball, Capers was clueless as to what was happening in front of him. I can’t think of one other Defensive Coordinator, even high school level, who would continue to call blitz packages with total man coverage down field and NO ONE in safety valve to contain the run. Especially after Kapernick ran time and time again for 15+ yards EVERY carry.

  2. O line will be fine, but they need depth. Don’t keep 4 or 5 tight ends.

    Saturday was a bad signing,but we did find a gem with Barkley, Harris, And EDS at center. Perhaps an establish run game, and changes on D, 2013 will be better.

  3. The 49ers killed them on the edge. The OLB and safetys are the players that have to stop the edge. If you noticed all year is when Burnett has a good game the defense has a good game. Burnett needs to become a playmaker. I think TT will try to get some bigger OLB like Perry to replace Walden and Zombo. Woodson did not fill the lane very well last night either. I think McMillan could be his relacemnet, could be, he has to become more consistent first. The defense needs to get tougher and the offense needs to be able to run the ball to get a first down now and then.

  4. For those calling for Caper’s head because his strategy to stop Kaepernick was abysmal, I just want to ask a show of hands..

    How many of you spent the last two weeks complaining about how Capers should be fired if he plays anymore “Soft Zone” in the playoffs, how the answer is CLEARLY to play aggressive- man coverage, and blitz the QB relentlessly?

    Okay, those of you who have your hands raised, you may now STFU and you’re going to have to take your feet out of your mouth if you want your opinion on Dom Capers’ employment to be taken seriously.

  5. If Caper’s is for cutting Eric Walden (the worst LB to hold the point in NFL history) I say give him one more chance, if not I’ll drive both to Austin Strabel Airport.

    1. Just remember, Lou, that Capers is the defensive coordinator.

      Not the Outside Linebackers Coach
      Not the Head Coach
      and certainly, not the General

      I would have to believe that Capers gets his gameplan approved by (or works on it with the consent of) Mike McCarthy.

      His involvement past that is probably to delegate- He probably sits down with all the defensive assistant coaches- the position coaches- and goes over the game plan, and allows those coaches to get the actual players up to speed and put the best players for the task at hand on the field, purportedly ready to do what is asked of them.

      Cutting a player would be up to Mike McCarthy and Ted Thompson.

  6. We need to remember that the average team is average, and we have an above average team. You know, we were in the playoffs. So the need is not for a wrecking ball but a little fine tuning.

    T.Thompson or somebody does a really good job of coming up with talent, so you know, they stay. But we do seem to have some kind of problem with defense. We get into defensive schemes that do not work all that well, and then for whatever reason, we make no adjustment. At the least somebody should bring this up with Capers and ask him what the hell is going on. Perhaps he can explain it. At the most we should be looking for a replacement.

  7. Look the defense was just outplayed last night fair and square. I feel bad because the defense has stopped the Packers from winning more playoff games than they have, and dare I say Championships. Dom Capers is a great d coordinator but his time here has drawn to a close. If San Fran, Seattle, and Washington are the offenses of the future, we need to find d coordinator who can stop them, meaning we are going to have to look at college coordinators who know how to stop these offenses which in turn can bring tougher smarter and faster players to our team. Cant wait to see what the future holds for the team, but I hope its brighter that last night’s debacle.

  8. Oppy, FTR, I never called for Dom to blitz Kaep like a madman, not once… Just Ponder. Two completely different QBs.

  9. If the Packers had kept Nick Barnett we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Easily the worst personnel decision of the Ted Thompson era.

  10. First: Let’s not panic: We got a great GM; a great coach 35 games over .500; a great quarterback and the best outside linebacker in the game. There is your foundation: Rebuild the offensive line-not that hard; [a second round pick]indeed, just like last year defense:defensive lineman [first round]linebacker or safety [third round] we got 2! Let’s just draft defense again! Maybe we get a Casey Hayward as a linebacker or defensive tackle. Finally, and sadly, Dom has to go. Three of the last four playoff defeats the opposing team averaged 530 yards per game: Arizona: 535; New York 420 and S.F 579. The book on Dom is that after year 3 teams watching enough film can figure out his basic schemes-even with the wrinkles. Finally, it is paramount that we protect Aaron. 50 sacks is an indictment against our offense: It was a miracle he was not hurt this year. These are not sexy picks but picks that Championship teams make. It is a shame that we could not see John Jolly; Justin Harrell; Jeremy Thompson on the field. But that just the luck sometimes when you build through the draft. As we Irish say, “keep strong; the night is almost over.” We will win through the draft.

  11. I don’t see why we can’t go back to a 4-3. Jerel Worthy’s strength is shooting the gap with his quickness, he even said that much and was the reason he was drafetd. Perry’s strength is at DE with his speed, at OLB its marginal. Worry and Raji in the middle and Perry and another DE. Matthews at OLB, Bishop at MLB and another OLB to cover. Sheilds and Hayward should be the corners along with McMillan at SS and Burnett at FS. Draft another LB and DE with some quickness of the edge. This defense has allowed 51, 37 and 45 points 3 out of the last 4 appearences. This isn’t a one time thing with Capers and his scheme.

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