Now I know I’m dreaming.

In his sprawling weekly column, CNNSI’s hack eminent national NFL writer Peter King traditionally includes a “Coach of the Week” and lo and behold, look who he spotlights this week:

Coach of the Week

Bob Sanders, defensive coordinator, Green Bay. One would have to think that jobs were on the line at Lambeau Field Sunday, both on the field and on the coaching staff, with Green Bay’s sub-.500 record and two straight poor defensive performances. Sanders and his staff came back strong, orchestrating a scheme to hold Chicago to three points and 234 yards.

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• Woodson Should Be Number One

Looking at the game again last night, I confirmed something (in my mind, at least) that I had suspected after the Atlanta game.

Bob Sanders can’t design a quality defensive back pressure package. He CAN design a quality linebacker dog/blitz but doesn’t have any quality pass rushers at the linebacking position.

The worst offender is A.J. Hawk. He is simply dreadful when called upon to blitz from the line. If he comes free, he has a distant chance. If he is presented with any kind of resistance, forget it. He simply can not get around or shed any kind of block. He GIVES UP. Let me get this straight - he can’t cover. He can’t rush the quarterback. And we made him the 5th overall pick in the draft? Yikes.

Hawk is not alone, of course. For all the talk of Poppinga’s talent as a pass rusher, after all the puff pieces this summer about how the coaching staff was putting in new packages where Brady could show off his pass rushing prowess, we’ve gotten as much production from Poppinga in rushing the quarterback as we did last year. Namely - zippo. And don’t even get me started on Barnett, who has just forgotten how to play the game.

And then there are the defensive backs. Go back and watch the Atlanta game and then watch the Tennessee game again. Every time Sanders sends Woodson or Williams, a glaring hole is left in the coverage that both Matt Ryan and Kerry Collins easily exploit for big gains. It’s like Sanders just doesn’t take into consideration that offenses can adjust their routes on site. (Note to Bob: Ask your Head Coach about this. His offense does it all the time) I mean, pull up a seat and grab your popcorn when you see a Packer defensive back rushing the quarterback. It’s Amateur Hour!

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• Woodson Should Be Number One

Mike Montgomery and Jason Hunter are set to return to action this week after sitting out the last few games due to injuries. Now that they are back, Packer coaches appear set to relegate rookie Jeremy Thompson back to the bench.

That would be a big mistake.

Not only did Thompson more than hold his own against the likes of Walter Jones and Tony Ugoh the past two games, he was getting better with each snap. The jump he took from the Seattle game to the Indy game alone was notable. It would be a mistake to keep him on the bench, as he was playing better than Montgomery or Hunter. Here’s hoping McCarthy and Sanders keep Thompson in the rotation a good deal, if not the starter outright on Sunday. He at least should be playing in front of Hunter, who’s contribution outside of doing his best KGB-fly-safely-by-the-offensive-tackle imitation has been minimal, to say the least.

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• Back To Football For A Moment…

The Colts, in a losing effort, did provide one excellent wrinkle that Bob Sanders should try exploiting, especially as he has the personnel to pull it off.

The Colts, on most early downs, came out in a 4-4-3, with an extra linebacker in for a defensive back. This extra beef to the 28th ranked run defense kept the Titans run game in check. Where the Colts defense broke down was on third down, allowing Titan quarterback Kerry Collins to pick them apart, with sometimes baffling soft zone coverage. If the Packers can use a combination of an extra linebacker and/or an extra defensive linemen to keep the down and distance in their favor, they should be able to win on third down with their aggressive man coverage.

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• From One Impossible Challenge To Another

Watching the Titans-Colts game last night, three things become readily apparent:

1. This is a Titans team that can be beat
2. This is a Titans team that can be beat by the Packers
3. This is a Titans team that can be beat by the Packers passing game

With the expected return of James Jones, McCarthy will have his full arsenal of receiving weapons at this disposal for the first time since the opening Monday night game against the Vikings. Look for more than one or two offensive snaps in the Big Five formation, which, judging by last night, should find several favorable matchups for the Packers. (Why the Colts insisted on keeping Gonzalez on the sideline for a good portion of the night last night, I’ll never know…)

On the other side of the ball, the task is indeed a tough one. Stopping Chris Johnson and Lendale White will not be easy, but one thing working in the Packers favor is the absolute non-threat represented by the Titans receivers. What a bunch of stiffs. This may actually be the perfect game for Al Harris to get his sea-legs back, because goodness knows he won’t be up against much of a challenge. And Woodson can take anyone on this team in his sleep.

Which, of course, means Sanders will bring Atari Bigby down into the box to help against the run, which, of course, means Mike Heimerdinger will throw often on first down to get the safety out of the box, rinse and repeat…

Sometimes this is a simple game.

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• From One Impossible Challenge To Another

Welcome news.

Bigby’s return is, of course, a great development for the Packers struggling defense. They need all the help they can get. But I can’t stop the nagging feeling from deep down in dark places that only cause misery and despair when they are visited, that LeRoy Butler in his prime could take the field on Sunday, but Bob Sanders and his Magical Schemes Of Ineptitude would ensure that Butler was used in the most ineffective manner possible.

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• Hanging Their Hat On Defense

Seriously.

The guy is out of work after one season in Denver where he was working with completely inappropriate personnel. (Note how his departure has made the Bronco defense even worse?)

I know Bates declined to be on McCarthy’s staff because he felt the head coaching job should have been his. That was four years ago. I’m sure if the Packers made a strong offer they could get Bates to join the team as Defensive Coordinator. There is enough talent, and what is lacking can be masked by someone of Bates’ caliber.

Because right now, the Green Bay Packers, a professional football team in the National Football League, are relying on a defensive line coach who got lucky and found himself in the right place at the right time. Last season, he rode a relatively healthy squad and a schedule that featured a lot of mediocre quarterbacks to the NFC Championship Game. But this season, with some key players missing, but with enough talent on the field for a competent coordinator to hide their deficiencies, Sanders is being exposed as being in waaaaayyyyyy in over his head. One need look no further than the offensive series where rookie quarterback Matt Ryan basically acted like Peyton Manning in his pre-snap adjustments and drove the ball 90 yards down the field for a touchdown. Oh, and by the way - the real Manning comes to Lambeau in two weeks.

Today’s game taught us one other thing - we found out why Sanders doesn’t like to blitz: Because he has no clue how to coach it or when to call it. He has absolutely no idea how to disguise the blitz or how players should be aligned pre-snap. Not to mention the fact that he seems to think the rules state that the defensive backfield is not allowed to blitz. I mean, when the same 8 yard ‘In’ route is being used against you to beat your blitz, but you keep calling the same linebacker blitz, and the receivers keep coming WIDE OPEN for first downs, it’s time to rethink your profession.

So throw Jim Bates a lifeline. Call a professional. Because right now, Aaron Kampman, Charles Woodson and company are being coached by an amateur. And it’s killing the Packers.

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• McCarthy’s “Shoop Phase” Continues

This needs to be said.

The defensive players for the Green Bay Packers are terrible, I mean God awful, tacklers.

I know it flies in the face of conventional wisdom, not to mention years of modern NFL practice, but McCarthy would be well served to put his team in pads this week and have live hitting on everyone save for the quarterbacks. This team needs the practice. Not only that, he should have Sanders start all over and have a week where the defense does nothing but work on tackling technique.

And that’s just it - another perfect example of how Bob Sanders is exposed as a defensive coordinator. Look at last nights Bears/Eagles games. Those teams can tackle. Why? Because they are well coached and practice it. I mean, anytime the offense catches the ball, that’s the end of it. Hit after hit, tackle after tackle, last nights game was like a clinic. The Packers, by comparison, are Junior Varsity in the tackling department.

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• What To Expect From the Eagles