Quote Originally Posted by Pugger View Post
https://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/a-look...-has-to-go-255
I've been waffling about whether our DC needs to be replaced. On one hand, the results are in black and white. We see it every week. Either our pass defense gives up big play after big play, or we play 2 deep and the opposing offense nickels and dimes us to death. Our run defense is a sieve when we play decent pass defense, or it holds strong and we can't stop a 3rd and 14 pass.

But, we need to put this into context. Patler provided some excellent analysis when he said:

Quote Originally Posted by Patler View Post
It's not just Shields.

Losing a guy like Collins so early in his career, when he was Pro-Bowl caliber and still ascending, hurt the defense for not only the years he would have played, but also for the missed opportunities with players at other positions as they tried to find his replacement. Would they have still drafted HHCD with Collins and Burnett on their roster? Who might they have drafted instead? Collins could be playing still today. He just turned 34.

Whether due to injuries or something else, Matthews career as a dominant player lasted just 4, maybe 6 years. Players of the type he was his first 4 years typically dominate for 8-10 years or so and are better than average for a while after that. They often have very long careers, especially when they have the rare combination of size, speed and strength that Matthews has. Only in his 9th year now, it has been a long time since he has worried OCs around the league.

Collins was the best player on defense when he was lost. Matthews was for a short time, then faded away very young. Shields was or could have been the best on defense, then he, too was lost. As a result there has been no one to build around. No one to rely on year after year. The defense has never established a foundation. Their best players never last for an expected career length. That is why the defense is constantly changing. It has had to.
Add in the seasonal injuries that we seem to always be facing, and I think that better explains the average to below average results.

On the other hand, defensive coordinators don't usually hold that job for as long as Capers has. If Stafford actually said that the Lions knew what plays the Packers were running, and some Packers players have said in interviews that it seemed like the Lions knew exactly what plays to dial up, then perhaps too much film is out there on our tendencies. It might be better to see if we can change things up by bringing in someone from outside the organization. It might also be better to see if someone else can coach some of the good players we have into what might be called a "special" player. With 2 or 3 of those, next year might look like 2010.