Green Bay Watching from the sidelines as Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen wreaked havoc against the Green Bay Packers with 4.5 sacks Monday night, Aaron Kampman acknowledged it harkened back to some of his own performances.
Of course, that was before coordinator Dom Capers installed the 3-4 scheme, took Kampman out of his three-point stance, stood him up and dropped him into coverage a third of the time.
Four games into the switch, it appears to be a mismatch - at least statistically.
So far, Kampman has registered just one sack. It's his lowest four-game total since 2004. He had four at this point last season.
According to statistics supplied by the coaches, Kampman has been credited with two quarterback pressures/hurries, both in the opener against Chicago. He had nine through four games last season.
(It should be pointed out that the Packers said Kampman leads the team with 11 quarterback hits. But it's not known what the criteria for that are. Last year's staff combined hits with pressures.)
"No, it is what it is so we're going to try to execute our defense the best that we know how," Kampman said Wednesday when asked if his lack of production has been frustrating.
Kampman isn't the sole person responsible for creating pressure on the quarterback, but his lack of production has to be a factor in the Packers ranking 28th in third-down defense (43.9%) and dead last in the red zone (75%).
With an identical 2-2 record at this point last year under former coordinator Bob Sanders, the Packers ranked 17th (37.5%) and sixth (26.7%).
The Packers are also tied for 26th with five team sacks. They were ranked tied for 14th with nine after Week 4 last season.
"I've been pleased with what Aaron's done through four games," Capers said this week. "The things we've asked him to do, I think he's done and done a good job. I think he had some good pass rushes (against the Vikings). It didn't show up in terms of sacks and that type of thing, but he did a nice job."
ESPN analyst Jon Gruden, the former coach of the Oakland Raiders and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, had a different view during the Packers' loss.
"He looks a little awkward and different," Gruden said early in the second half. "This is a premier player in pro football. But he's playing in a two-point stance, dropping into coverage. He's doing some things he's never done before. I think they have to put his hand down and let him rush. They miss his physical presence."
Kampman declined to say whether he thinks the Packers should look at using him differently.
"It's not my say or my call," Kampman said. "We'll just continue to get better at what we're doing and execute our defenses."
Before this season, Kampman was one of the league's best pass rushers. His 37 sacks from 2006-'08 ranked third in the league behind DeMarcus Ware (45.5) of the Dallas Cowboys and Allen (37.5).
"When the opportunities come, I've just got to try to be as fruitful as possible," Kampman said. "(The opportunities) are less than they used to be."
Capers maintains that what Kampman is being asked to do isn't all that different from what he did at end in the 4-3. But Kampman did say going from rushing with one or two hands on the ground (three- or four-point stances) to standing up (two-point) has been a change.
"I've talked about launch angles," Kampman said. "You're launching more out of your knees and things like that as opposed to being in a three-point or four-point stance that I'm more accustomed to. You're coming more out of your hips. Your pad level is obviously a little higher coming out of a two-point stance. So there's some differences."
Capers wouldn't indicate whether Kampman's role will change when the coaching staff convenes over the bye week.
"What we'll do is take a good look at everything in terms of what we feel will give us the best chance to be successful defensively," Capers said.
In the personnel department of the Packers, that might include at least discussing the possibility of trading Kampman before the Oct. 20 trade deadline.
Kampman is in the final year of his contract. Even if there is no new collective bargaining agreement in place before the 2010 season, Kampman will be an unrestricted free agent in a market without a salary cap. For a player of Kampman's reputation, that would certainly be an enticing proposition.
If Kampman is not signed to a contract extension before the end of the season, he could walk away and the Packers would get only a compensatory pick no higher than in the third round in return.
If the Packers trade Kampman, he could bring higher draft picks and/or players.
Of course, the Packers would have to be content with Brady Poppinga or Jeremy Thompson starting opposite rookie Clay Matthews.
And the Packers would need to be OK with trading their only bonafide pass rusher, who hasn't been that four games into the switch.
"I'm getting better every game trying to find ways to execute the defenses that are called the best that I'm able to do," Kampman said. "There's no substitute for experience. So the more experience that I get and the defense gets hopefully the better we can get."