Capers=God

[red]

the D has a whole new attitude about them this year

and they are buying into his system 110%, and seem to love it

its great to see after the last couple of years of vanilla bob

[bobblehead]

Yep, liking what i'm reading and what I saw in the first game. The D doesn't have to be dominant, it only has to be good. (and not piss away 4th quarter leads).

[oregonpackfan]

Two preseason games does not a make a season.

Yes, the results of two preseason games are encouraging. I choose and wait to see how the starting defense responds after a few regular season games before I start giving accolades to Dom Capers.

[gbpackfan]

I also like what I see. However, as the Packers play more games....more game tape will be available. Teams will study these tapes and make adjustment accordingly. Smart QBs will sniff out CB / S blitzes and make the Packers pay if their coverage doesn't roll over in time.

BUT - The Packers are playing with a whole new swagger. And they sure are fun to watch!

[rbaloha1]

Just shows how bad Sanders was basically the same players.

The attacking and swarming defense is what Packer fans have been waiting for.

[Partial]

Just shows how bad Sanders was basically the same players.

The attacking and swarming defense is what Packer fans have been waiting for.

Certainly doesn't hurt that the level of coaching talent seems much higher now. That + intense coaches like Trogvrac (sp) and Greene + players ticked off after a bad year = increased intensity.

Part of this has to go to MM. I have to believe that he is preaching harder hitting, higher intensity/tempo practices. This team looks nothing like last years team. Especially the OL. They went from finesse last year to just straight up mean so far this year. They look much, much better in run blocking.

[MOBB DEEP]

Especially the OL. They went from finesse last year to just straight up mean so far this year. They look much, much better in run blocking.

i know the Ds performance led to our demise last year but this is key to me; if the run game is up to snuff i see a div crown and a trip AT LEAST to conference semis....

i agree with the poster who says the D doesnt have to rise to the level of the reggie/sean jones days but just be stout enough to make key stops 2-4 times a game (mainly 2nd half)

game tape WILL shake things up tho and clev/buf not good barometers despite 3-4 D and decent QBs

[Tarlam!]

I'm encouraged more by what's coming out of M3's interviews. His stature is that of a man at peace with himself, like he's seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

I can't remember any previous pre-season where his sentences weren't punctuated with sighs and groans. Especially when discussing the "D".

Having observed that doesn't have me predicting anything for the season ahead by way of results. But I think M3 is glad to have a Capers-run Defense instead of one run by Vanilla Bob.

[Scott Campbell]

Capers = God


I sure wish he'd hurry up and raise Justin Harrell from the dead.

[mraynrand]

Capers = God


I sure wish he'd hurry up and raise Justin Harrell from the dead.

O, Ye of little faith!

[KYPack]

Don't forget one other coach. Darren Perry is a great secondary coach. He was a marginal player who stayed in the league with his wits. He's teaching our cover guys coverage tricks and little reads that are improving their play. I' ve always thought Darren will be a top DC in the NFL and I still do.

Those 3 guys are allowing Capers to focus on introducing schemes that take advantage of the guys skills. he knows the personnel groups will be aggressive and know what they are doing. Dom can coordinate and come up with additional schemes that stop the other teams.

[pbmax]

Forget getting excited about the games, I got excited just reading from McGinn that Capers put Poppinga inside Jenkins and had Jenkins stand up in a two point stance in order to shut down a particular run play.

I am out of practice, and its been years, but I think that's called an adjustment. Sounds dangerous!

[Bretsky]

We replaced the two worst coaches on our staff with solid ones. Win or lose things will be far more enjoyable to watch this year.

We won't be able to call the defensive schemes from the stands or television as much anymore

[Patler]

I am out of practice, and its been years, but I think that's called an adjustment.

Adjustment? Are you allowed to do that on defense? Who knew? :lol: :lol:

[KYPack]

I look for Dom to eventually intorduce that "muddle" or "shuffle" defense that NE and Indy play from time to time. we have a lot of guys who have been DL's and LB's in their career. Bishop, Kamp, thompson, and Popp could mingle around at the line and then either rush the passer or play the run. That thing is all but impossible to read and could be another arrow in Caper's quiver.

A lot better than Sanders and his "single bullet theory".

[Patler]

We replaced the two worst coaches on our staff with solid ones. Win or lose things will be far more enjoyable to watch this year.

We won't be able to call the defensive schemes from the stands or television as much anymore

That is something we talked about before on here. I think it is an important factor. The original staff had coaches with minimal success and rather unimpressive resumes. Several were first time hires in the highest positions they ever had. Contrast those backgrounds with guys like Capers, Trgovac and Perry.

[Fritz]

I am happy too but just want to remind everyone that in the preseason teams don't usually blitz much and offenses are not as well prepared as they will be during the regular season...

And some of the sacks came against Buffalo rooks, I think.

But for now, it's good.

[red]

I am happy too but just want to remind everyone that in the preseason teams don't usually blitz much and offenses are not as well prepared as they will be during the regular season...

And some of the sacks came against Buffalo rooks, I think.

But for now, it's good.

its just nice to see a blitz where we send more then one guy, and he doesn't have to stand 5 yards off the line and count to 3 mississippi before starting his rush

[pbmax]

We replaced the two worst coaches on our staff with solid ones. Win or lose things will be far more enjoyable to watch this year.

We won't be able to call the defensive schemes from the stands or television as much anymore

That is something we talked about before on here. I think it is an important factor. The original staff had coaches with minimal success and rather unimpressive resumes. Several were first time hires in the highest positions they ever had. Contrast those backgrounds with guys like Capers, Trgovac and Perry.
There is also a matter of time and perception. Jim Bates was given tremendous credit (and almost promoted to HC) for simply being competent. He had several of the same coaches (Nunn, Sanders, Washington) but quickly corrected some of the worst flaws of the Slowik catastrophe.

I am not sure that Mark Duffner or Joe Baker were the difference, but few coaches have been so celebrated by simply being average. That team was 19th in points allowed and 7th in yardage. A negative turnover differential of 24 didn't help. Some of the numbers that year were misleading (they faced more runs than all but five teams as everyone was trying to run out the clock with a lead) but Football Outsides had them ranked 21st in the league in 2005 a marked improvement over being ranked 29th in 2004.

[ThunderDan]

We replaced the two worst coaches on our staff with solid ones. Win or lose things will be far more enjoyable to watch this year.

We won't be able to call the defensive schemes from the stands or television as much anymore

I was at the game last week and commented on having to concentrate to figure out what the D was doing instead of knowing where every player was supposed to be!

[Lurker64]

So far so good, it's interesting to note that the preseason defensive playbook is about 1/3 of the total defensive playbook, and doesn't contain any of the disguised blitzes or pressures.

[MichiganPackerFan]

For now I'm very pleased to see a different personality on defense. I like aggressiveness and swagger. It's just the pre-season, and any real swagger will develop as the season progresses. I'd rather see an aggressive defense rather than a Mike-Sherman-esque one that plays not to lose.

[The Leaper]

Capers is an excellent coach...so much more experience and savvy than Sanders could ever hope for.

Love the intensity and focus of the assistants as well. This was the kind of coaching staff McCarthy should've put together to begin with.

[Chevelle2]

So far so good, it's interesting to note that the preseason defensive playbook is about 1/3 of the total defensive playbook, and doesn't contain any of the disguised blitzes or pressures.

I suspected this was true, but did Dom ever address this specifically?

[Noodle]

I'm sure folks saw the article where Rogers was talking about how much harder it was to go against this D in practice than in years past. He basically said what many here have been saying: you always knew what the old D was going to do -- same press coverage, same front looks, same same same.

Now, it's bodies flying in from all sorts of angles, leading to quicker decisions, leading to more mistakes, leading to . . .

The only question I have is why it took so dang long to figure out the team need to make a change.

[MOBB DEEP]

Now, it's bodies flying in from all sorts of angles, leading to quicker decisions, leading to more mistakes, leading to . . .


similar to the way capers had kirkland and the boys gettn it done for steelers

LETS GOOOOOO........!!!

[Tarlam!]

This was the kind of coaching staff McCarthy should've put together to begin with.

Hindsight is 20/20. The Bates defense M3 inherited was run in Season 1 by a Bates disciple. Season 2, that same disciple/defense goes 13-3. Finally, Season 3 shows the true fallibility of the disciple, not necessarily the Bates defense.

You don't fire your defensive coach after going 13-3, do you?

[Tarlam!]

... Rogers was talking about how much harder it was to go against this D in practice than in years past. He basically said what many here have been saying: you always knew what the old D was going to do -- same press coverage, same front looks, same same same.

The teams around the league probably are in the same boat, but coming from Rogers, it's not surprising.

He practiced week in week out against that defense. Eventually, your instincts for it are gonna peak. I'll bet he didn't say anything remotely negative about the Bates defense when he was first challenged by it.

[sharpe1027]

We replaced the two worst coaches on our staff with solid ones. Win or lose things will be far more enjoyable to watch this year.

We won't be able to call the defensive schemes from the stands or television as much anymore

That is something we talked about before on here. I think it is an important factor. The original staff had coaches with minimal success and rather unimpressive resumes. Several were first time hires in the highest positions they ever had. Contrast those backgrounds with guys like Capers, Trgovac and Perry.

I think it was an honest mistake. It is likely that the previous coaches misread the following and were implementing Pee Wee rules:

The rules of youth football are generally thought to be the same as the National Football League (NFL) rules. However, many local organizations modify youth football rules for their own leagues in order to protect the boys, or allow for more "even play." Here is a list of a few rule changes that have been implemented in various locations around the country:

•No defender may line up in a gap
•No blitzing
•There must be two backs in the offensive backfield
•No special-teams plays
•No rushing punts or place kicks
•Only the 6-2 defense may be used
•No heavy kids running the ball or playing linebacker
•Only balanced offensive lines may be used
•The quarterback may not run with the ball
•Scouts may not record anything using video, audio, or even pencil and paper
•On a change of possession (i.e. turnover or a punt) any lineman in the game at the time of the turnover, both offense and defense, must come off the field for 3 plays. Minimum of 5 lineman must leave the field for each team.
•All defenders must be stationary at the snap
•No more than 5 men on the defensive line, and at least 2 men 10 yards off the ball
•Linebackers are not allowed to blitz. The linebackers must read the play before moving forward. This call is subjective on the part of the refs, but if they believe that a linebacker is immediately rushing towards the line of scrimmage when (or just before) the snap, they will throw a flag.
•Quarterback must take the snap with his hands under the center.
•If a boy carries the ball over the line of scrimmage in the one half, he may not do so in the other.
•If your team is winning by more than 18 points you have to take out your 4 best players also known as "franchise players" (the other coaches pick them)
While these rules may seem too easy, they are for the kids' protection. Importantly, you'll find that as your child ages, the game will become more and more like professional football, particularly in high school and college ball.