Coach Mike McCarthys switch to a 3-4 defense with coordinator Dom Capers has shored up one of the great deficiencies for the Green Bay Packers last season their run defense.
Last January, McCarthy fired defensive coordinator Bob Sanders because the 2008 Packers didnt stop the run (No. 26 in the NFL in yards allowed and yards allowed per carry) or rush the passer (No. 25 in sacks percentage).
Capers this season has made a modest gain getting after the quarterback the Packers rank No. 18 in sacks percentage a little past the halfway point.
But with essentially the same personnel, he has turned one of the NFLs worst run defenses into among its best. The Packers rank No. 4 in yards allowed and average rush per carry.
Going into the season, Mike asked me many times, can we stop the run? Capers said this week. Based off of last year (on videotape), I know we didnt always stop the run, but I felt we would because of our people. But I was concerned after the Cincinnati game. I didnt have a good feel after that game, but Ive had a pretty good feel since that point in time.
The Packers run defense has met the challenge aside from the Week 2 home loss to Cincinnati when Cedric Benson controlled the day while rushing for 141 yards and a 4.9-yard average per carry.
And its not like the Packers have fattened their stats against patsies. Theyve had two strong performances against Minnesotas Adrian Peterson (50 carries for 152 yards and a 3.0-yard average in two games); a more-than-good-enough day against St. Louis Steven Jackson (27 carries for 117 yards, 4.3-yard average); and good day against Dallas quality tandem of Marion Barber and Felix Jones (a combined eight carries for 32 yards, 4.0-yard average).
This week, theyll face another of the leagues better halfbacks in San Franciscos Frank Gore, who is averaging 5.2 yards a carry. The 49ers are limited offensively, so coach Mike Singletary is looking to play close, low-scoring games that include a steady dose of Gore to keep the clock moving.
McCarthy, who was the 49ers offensive coordinator in Gores rookie year of 2005, described Gore as a power runner with the ability to squeeze through small holes and finish runs unusually well.
Very instinctive, tough runner, the ability to run behind his pads, McCarthy said. He is definitely one of the better running backs I have seen do that.
Gore will be facing a Packers run defense that has made substantial gains because of several factors, beginning with Capers.
When McCarthy hired Capers, he talked about the difficulties he had as an offensive coordinator running against the 3-4. He said hed have to throw out half the run plays in his playbook because the blocking schemes fit poorly against the 3-4, where in essence five players are lined up on the defensive line (three linemen and two outside linebackers).
Perhaps its just a coincidence, but nine of the top 10 run defenses in average yards allowed per carry, and seven of the top 10 in average rush yards per game, play 3-4 defenses. Counting Arizona as more of a 3-4 than a 4-3 the Cardinals run a mix of both then less than half (13 of the 32) of the teams in the league run a 3-4.
Capers, like almost every defensive coordinator in NFL history, espouses the need to stop the run first, even though the NFL is primarily a passing league.
Several defensive players said Wednesday they havent noticed Capers spending an unusual amount of time on run defense compared to previous coordinators, but they think the 3-4 seems better for stopping the run, probably because the defensive line essentially consists of three defensive tackles in nose tackle Ryan Pickett and defensive ends Cullen Jenkins and Johnny Jolly, or occasionally rookie B.J. Raji.
Its working for us, so theres got to be something to it, Jenkins said.
Capers also has called plays with the commitment to the run in mind. Most notably, his game plan against Minnesota was to shut down Peterson, who might be the best halfback in the NFL. But that meant calling fewer blitzes than Capers would have liked for fear Peterson would gash the blitz for a big play, and the Packers didnt sack quarterback Brett Favre in the two games. Nevertheless, the commitment was to stop Peterson first.
If youre playing a good running team, youve got to have some run (stopping) calls in there, Capers said. If you think youre going to just win one-on-ones against a good running team, thats not always going to be the case.
Several players are having a better season stopping the run than last year.
Pickett has taken well to the move to nose tackle in the 3-4 and is one of the Packers unsung performers holding up blockers and not getting washed out of the middle of the line. Inside linebacker Nick Barnett is playing faster the farther removed he gets from his knee-reconstruction surgery last year. Jolly ranks No. 4 on the team with 49 tackles.
I think Jolly has stepped it up when you talk about the past playing the run, said Reggie McKenzie, a Packers director of football operations. I can say hes definitely playing the run better, because hes more of a playmaker mentality, hell get after the passer, hell do stuff like that. Thats one guy. I just think theyre all playing. Pickett is real stout.
Jenkins said the key to the run defense is cornerback Charles Woodson. He is the teams best defensive back and has a team-leading five interceptions, but hes also the clubs second-leading tackler with 55. Hes been a fearless and sure tackler when filling lanes and shooting gaps on outside runs, which has set a standard for the defense.
Sometimes you get a little worried about him hitting some of those backs, Jenkins said. But I tell you what, he gives up his body for the team out there, he plays hard. You cant ask anything more from him.
The only shaky run defense came against Cincinnati, when Benson consistently picked up solid gains on his 29 carries his long run was for only 14 yards. He rushed for 78 yards on 13 carries in the Bengals 21-point first half and helped them control the ball and clock for much of the game.
Because that was Week 2, Cincinnati was able to use several formations and plays it hadnt shown in the preseason, and the Packers had trouble adjusting within their new scheme. The chances of getting unexpected looks diminishes as the season goes on, and the players growing familiarity with the 3-4 can make it easier to adjust on the fly.
A lot of the earlier stuff has to do with learning the defense and knowing where youre supposed to be, Barnett said, learning when they do an overload how were supposed to set the front. Its building blocks. This is the first year of the 3-4 defense, but were learning.