(After listening to this interview, I feel this is a better thread to post my comment than the "Exit Interview" thread. If re-posting a comment is a no-no, the mods have my permission to remove it. Thanks.)

There are going to be many opinions as to why the Packers lost against the 49ers. Even though we lost by only three points and by a last second field goal, that shouldn’t mask the problem. In their last drive the 49ers took the last five minutes of the game and our defense couldn’t stop them. We saw this same thing happen many times before this past season. In fact, McCarthy called it a “recurring problem.”

We have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Every year we should be in serious contention for the Super Bowl. It would be a monumental waste if Aaron Rodgers doesn’t have a good enough team around him to win at least one more Lombardi Trophy. The question is, what do we need to do to improve this team?

Now if we truly want to know what needs to be fixed in the offseason, we couldn’t ask for a better diagnostic tool than when Aaron Rodgers was lost for eight games. With AR, this team was 6-2. Without AR, 2-5-1. Having him off the field and seeing how this team played was like having an x-ray taken of this team for eight games.

And what did we see?

IMO except for one quarter of the Vikings game and one half of each of the Dallas and Atlanta games, we saw a defense unable to step-up and stop the opposing offense to help our crippled offense win games. We also saw our coaching staff on both sides of the ball unable to motivate and or scheme a way to make the players and the plays better.

Only five teams in the NFL have allowed more 4th quarter points than the Packers this year. Only seven teams in the NFL gave up more total yards per game than the Packers. Only seven teams gave up more total points than the Packers.
Whether you look at total points, or total yards given up, the Packers ranked 25th out of 32 teams in the NFL this season.

My questions for Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy is: If your goal is to have the best team in the NFL, how can it be acceptable that 75% of the teams in the NFL play better defense than the Packers? Who is accountable for that?

won't happen. packers don't like hurting other peoples including their coaches and players. soft organization

Just a recap of the action in regards to Capers defense. I will paraphrase the commentators: 'Wow Kaperdink had a guy wide open, no one around him for at least a 15 yard gain or more but instead took off with the ball and ran for 41 yards'.

Who was covering whom on this play and were are our guys. they are on the field they just lack the speed to keep up. Dom has to work with these guys, its what Ted drafts so who do you blame?

The Vikes have a shut down corner named Xavier Rhodes who was actually on the bench as a second string developmental player but came in to replace their all pro rookie from last year, Brad Smith. Then they put a bunch of third stringers in and they all but shut down the passing game of their opponents.
Oh, did I mention these guys were first and second round acquisitions acquired from trading has beens: Harvin, Winfield, Rice.
We let our pro bowlers go - Wells, Jenkins, and get nothing in return.

4-3, Matthews 2 MLB (ala urlacher/kuechly)

Raji, MD, Hawk, & Capers gone

Only way Dom is not back in 2014 is if he retires. Mac has already endorsed him as a strength (a few weeks back) & Mac loves looking the other way. Mac may end up paying the price eventually.

Going to ask and repost a fairly intelligent question here that I hope some pretty smart objective fan can help me answer instead the idiots who think TT and McCarthy don't believe in defense....

Justin Smith is the right defensive end for the 49rs and he is an every down player. All I hear is about is superhuman stength, his run stopping and pocket collapsing prowess.

JJ Watt is also a highly regarded defensive end.

BOTH of those guys play in a three-four.

Datone Jones is basically a physical CLONE of those guys, but he was used almost never this year except in situational passing downs.

I am tired about hearing about the BIGGER defenses out there.

Pounnd for pound we are probably the same on the D line as those teams.

WHY of God WHY if Datone Jones is the perfect specimen example of a 3-4 defensive end is he NOT playing? Please don't say it is because he is undersized!

I give you Justin Smith and JJ Watts as proof.

I know guys need time to develop, but I am afraid either Jones is a bust, or Capers just has a very different concept ot the 3-4.

Again DON"T say it's about stopping the run, because San Fran stops the run just fine with a 285 pound Defensive end named Justin Smith.

Help me understand????

I am undecided and objective. I am an amateur non-know-it-all like many here.

I honestly think Capers will be back, but how would he answer this question especially after they drafted Jones in the first frickin round?????!!!

Thanks for reading.

Good edition, Brian. I agree with you that at the end of the day, SF's QB outplayed our QB. That was the difference.

Is it even remotely possible that the organization talks to "Burn -ing TT's Money - net about re-structuring his overly compensating contract?

I have a hard time jumping on the Fire Capers bandwagon.

I don't think the problem is coaching or scheme. I think the problem is players. Ultimately that lies with Ted Thompson.

I think he needs to look at what he is assembling here because the players he is bringing in here are not good fits for Capers system. And I wonder why. Who is evaluating this talent so poorly?

Lastly I have to question the strength and conditioning team. Yes some of it is just bad luck but it seems like for the past 3 or 4 years we have a novel of players on the IR or hobbled by injuries. 1 year is bad luck, 2 years you pause, 3 years is cause for concern.

We're either drafting way too many fragile betties or we have some serious issues getting these guys conditioned right for the game.

Don't forget the brain drain that's been happening- the bottom-feeders (yes you KC and Sea) have taken our best evaluators- Dorsey, Schneider- and those teams are suddenly stocked. Mckenzie is also gone, but idk if he did much scouting.

3 years ago we won it all and got our front office picked. Food for thought.

I can understand what jameson is saying. On the other side, if you watch our secondary throughout the year there was alot of confusion. I know capers has who he has to work with. This means he may have to simplify his scheme a little. A great scheme not executed is nothing compared to a simple scheme executed to perfection.

Lombardi beleived he could tell the opposing team the play and it wouldnt matter.

I think a mistake made by the packers was letting Cullen Jenkins go. D line has not been the same. He is a stud

With, or without, our starters, I have watched the same breakdowns for multiple seasons. "we'll work on it..." now shifts to next year.

Dire need to find leadership for this D.
Its not Hawks or Clays nature.

If there is one play that supports the Capers must go crowd it was the TD catch by Davis yesterday. A good coach simply does not expose AJ in coverage like that. In addition to the scheme issue, the Packers D was stationary on that play for at least 10 seconds pre-snap, giving even a mediocre QB like CK plenty of time to figure out where to exploit the mismatch. Good coaching keeps players out of situations like that.

I can go either way with Capers. But T. Williams is absolutely correct when he says the defense badly needs some veteran players. The draft & develop is OK but because of injuries, spotty drafting and slow development TT will have to concede and try to get a couple of vet FAs this off season to make any headway with the defense. The safety position is in dire need of both talent and experience. We just can't wait for a draft choice to "develop" at safety. Also, a vet LB either ILB or OLB would be very nice.

1. Too bad they didn't re-sign Woodson. He would have come cheap, would have served as a veteran leader, and could not possibly have been worse than any of the other safeties they put on the field this season.

2. No announcement on Capers' being fired yet means he's not going to be fired. Everyone better just get used to him being around.

3. We have no idea what this team would have looked like when completely healthy. Offense didn't help the defense, defense didn't help the offense, special teams didn't help anyone.

4. While I agree that Capers didn't have a lot to work with... I don't think he put the players he did have in the best positions for them to succeed. Daniels/D. Jones/Worthy/Raji/even Jolly are not "hold the point" D-linemen. They are better shooting gaps. There has to be a way to play a 3-4 while allowing your DL'men to do what they do best... if there isn't, then they shouldn't be running a 3-4. Talent is being wasted by the scheme. Some of you may say "but they play sub packages anyhow." I say bullshit - that's the problem EVERY OFFENSE CAN TELL WHEN WE HAVE A RUN DEFENSE ON THE FIELD OR A PASS DEFENSE ON THE FIELD AND ATTACK US ACCORDINGLY. The Packers have to do a better job of playing run or pass out of their base D.

5. There will not be an impact FA defender signed during the offseason... don't even think about it/get your hopes up. It's not how the Pack does business.

6. Re-sign Shields, Lattimore, Raji (if affordable) or Wilson (if Raji costs too much $). Jolly's not coming back (inj).

7. Even though I'm not in favor of it - I think they need to move Hyde to Safety.

8. Gotta pray that a lightbulb goes on for Perry, D.Jones, and Worthy... as scary as it is - those guys are the keys to the Packers' defense for the next 2 years.

9. Don't get caught "reaching" to fill positions of "need" in the draft... that's what got us into this position in the first place (Perry/Worthy/Hayward/Daniels/McMillian/Manning).

10. Pick the best player on the board. If it's a WR, pick him. If it's a CB, pick him. If it's a TE, pick him... regardless of round... regardless of need. The NFL is won with PLAYMAKERS... go find some. Hell, if Ebron is the best player on the board at pick 22 PICK HIS ASS AND MAKE THE OFFENSE RIDICULOUS. The defense isn't going to be improved by any rookie anyhow.

11. I'm not upset with the strength coaches. If it was a bunch of muscle injuries that sidelined our playmakers, that would be one thing but Cobb broke his leg, Rodgers broke his clavicle, Matthews broke his thumb, Perry broke his foot, Jolly broke his neck, and Finley broke his neck... THESE ARE BONE INJURIES... a different conditioning program would not have helped avoid them.

12. Red zone offense was abysmal. I feel that the reason for this is that when the field gets smaller, it gets more congested. In that situation you need someone who can physically dominate an opponent (Finley, Megatron, Gronk, Graham, etc.) or a player who can gain separation in a tight space (Sproles, McCoy,etc.). the Packers only have one player that fits either of those descriptions (Cobb) and he was out most of the year (if we're lucky, Harris and Franklin can help here). I love Nelson, Jones, Quarless, Lacy, and Boykin but none of them are exceptionally quick or exceptionally dominating when the ball's in the air. A giant receiver/tight end is needed.

13. Hey Rodgers... Go watch some tape of Manning, Brady, and Brees... GET RID OF THE FUCKING BALL AND USE YOUR FUCKING CHECK DOWNS!

"ontest tied, San Francisco reached third-and-8 at the Green Bay 38 with 1:13 remaining, holding one timeout. On a very cold day, this is not realistic field goal range: Green Bay doesn't need a sack, just an incompletion. That cannot seriously be a seven-man blitz! Why defensive coordinator Dom Capers would call an all-out blitz against a mobile quarterback whose team was out of field goal range is anybody's guess."

Courtesy of TMQ. Damn, I didn't look at it that way at first...