This has been discussed at length here and on other sites I'm sure. So my thoughts may not come across as original to many of you. I guess In some regards, I'll be validating some of your opinions/comments. Just felt like saying something at the half-way point of the season. Haven't chatted with anyone since the preseason... how are you cheeseheads doing?

[1] The 3-4 talent doesn't exist on this team... that will take time to get done, but will the franchise commit to this scheme longterm? Will they hire a coach with a different scheme or one that has the background? Capers may be your head coach next year if that is the case and he will require decision making authority on personnel.
[2] The defense has a lot of starters (and contributors) who aren't that smart. The scheme is technical and includes a lot of nuance to be played at the highest of levels. Aside from Woodson, what defensive player(s) is a consistent playmaker with football instincts of other great players in the league (Harrison, T. Palo, Lewis, E. Reed, etc.).
[3] Woodson is a great football player, not a great leader of men... when your best player doesn't practice or set a tone (see R. Lewis, T. Brady, A. Peterson) the team won't max out.
[4] The Packers need some SOBs on their team. This team is too nice on and off the field... too many guys on Twitter, Facebook & MySpace... players are more concerned about the music business, endorsements, celebrity. This team is distracted by key players more concerned about what being a Packers player can do for them rather than what they can give to the legacy of this franchise.

I'm really looking forward to see how they compete with the Cowboys on Sunday... after the game I'll spend time with some of your fave heroes.

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I wouldn't exactly say its not working seeing that were still ranked 4th in total defense. Other then that the 3-4 is new to this team. So you gotta give it some time.

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4th in total defense....yeah...take a look at the teams our defense "imposed" itself against.

We are a finesse team...as bad as when MS was here. You do not win with finesse in the NFL.

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Several reasons:
1) D gets stuck with short fields all day long,
2) Timing is slightly off. I see blitzes "just miss" throughout a game. Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Not in football. We need sacks, not "just misses."

I got others, but those are my two main reasons. Oh, most importantly, our best pass rusher is not on the line when he should be on the line. That's his strength - rushing from the line.

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B.J. Raji, Aaron Rodgers, Greg Jennings. Everyone else can go on the block, as far as I am concerned, including management.

Bring in Bill Cowher. He can decide who stays and who goes, including Ted. Ted could be subordinate to him as GM. It has been done before... A GM that reports to the head coach. Cowher is the perfect fit for creating a team to represent the frozen tundra. Cowher will find on offensive coordinator, hell, he can keep Mike for all I care.


Cowher makes Gruden look like a girl. I want him spitting in the face of an under-performing player. We might not win right away, we might, but there will be NO confusion of how Bill felt about it.

He'd be lighting into Dom Capers right now... I guarantee it. Our special teams coach would probably have had his ass beaten a couple of times by now.


This has footage of him when he is WINNING a football game, lol


[youtube]-DZqYrEhPNE&feature=player_embedded#[/youtube]

4th in YARDAGE who cares about that? Just like in 05? they were ranked #1 defense but that as just yards given up.

Change that to Td given up they are tied for 14th

Do I really need to go looking up kick/punt return average stats again? What does it tell you if a defense is among the best in the league at yards allowed and in the middle of the pack at TDs given up? First of all, it means that they're not great in the red zone, and that needs to be cleaned up. Second of all, it means that they're defending the red zone a lot, MOST OF THE TIME IT IS NOT THE DEFENSE'S FAULT THAT THEIR OPPONENT IS IN THE RED ZONE.

Apart from performing well in the red zone and putting successful pressure on the QB, this defense has been stellar. The defense is the last of this team's worries. Is there any unit/position/coach we HAVEN'T blamed yet?

My bad didn't know that. Tied for 14th in tds given up? I guess thats not too bad considering field position.

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Packers in '05
Total Defense - 7th
Passing Defense - 1st
Rushing Defense - 23rd

Not sure what you're talking about, but those are the yards per game rankings. And its no wonder we were first in passing defense, because teams were running all over us to preserve their leads. 🙂

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Why isn't the 3-4 working? Well, for starters this is the first season in the system. Captain Obvious, I know -- but as far as I'm concerned that's the single most valid explanation for where we're at. Personally I've been very impressed with the run defense in the new scheme. I also think there's a lot to our offense stalling or punting from deep within our own territory. There have been a number of short fields for the defense.

I don't think we're void of talent for the 3-4, either. I think Barnett has played one of his best seasons. There are far too many Barnett haters in Packer Nation. I get the sense no one watches him play, they just beat up on him for celebrating. Too many "style points" critiques. It's as though people are listening to old NFL films music when they formulate critiques. If only we had "tougher" guys who played with more "intensity." That's all good and well, but the great defenses are more than just tough, which the OP alluded to. We need smart players. I think Collins and Woodson are bonafide #1 starters. Hawk is also having a resurgent year (bullshit holding penalty on his interception in the last game). Matthews is flashing some nice things. Pickett has transitioned quite well to the 3-4. Jolly sans the personal foul has also done some nice things. Raji is only getting started in our defense and just based on his college production I think his game will translate well into the future and he'll be a mainstay (including as an inside rusher in nickel situations).

Our problems right now are more of the can't-seem-to-put-together-an-entire-game variety (which evidently removes any and all grey area/subtext/explanation and goes squarely on McCarthy's shoulders -- whatever, I'm all alone on this one).

I think the dividends of the new defense have paid off to some extent, but we are still gaining much needed comfort.

To say it isn't working is, in the first place, unfair.

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