Did Michael Lombardi Watch The Game?
By PackerAaron
How else do you explain this:
The Cardinals’ wide receivers weren’t just open, they were wide open, and this must force defensive coordinator Dom Capers to make adjustments. Clearly, the Cards copied the game plan of the Steelers by stacking their wideouts and creating problems for the Packers’ defensive backs. When playing a pure man-to-man team, stacking the wideouts allows the receivers to get off the line cleanly, but it also places a burden on the defense to sort out the coverage and communicate with each another — something the Packers failed to do. When a team can attack the scheme as well as the Cardinals and Steelers did, it has to force the Packers into making adjustments.
I know the Packers were missing veteran cornerback Al Harris, who would have helped sort through some of the calls, but if the Packers want to continue to play all this man-to-man coverage, they’ll need to add more corners. This may come from free agency, but knowing that Packers GM Ted Thompson doesn’t embrace free agency, I’m sure they’ll draft another corner.
First of all, the Steelers and Cardinals did use stacks...to screw up the Packers' MATCH schemes which are a bit different than straight-up man-to-man. Yes, guys end up matching up with a single receiver, but only after the receiver comes into their area. Once they have him, yes it's a man concept.
Which leads me to the second bolded point - ALL this man-to-man? Seriously? Again, yes, Capers used plenty of man concepts, but he used just as much zone. And to say they are a 'pure' man-to-man team is absurd.
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Comments (7)
January 14, 2010 at 11:50 am
From what I saw the Packers were using Zone primarily off the snap. Woodson was all over the place doing different things. My thought was the zone went too deep in the middle allowing Warner to hit the open receiver in the middle of the field without any obstruction. The absolutely awful tackling on the part of the DB's and LB's allowed huge RAC numbers. I wish they had played more true m-t-m and they might have gotten the 2nd stop that would have made the difference.
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Let's be honest the defense used was not effective against Minn., Pitt, and now the Cards. Either Capers was afraid to risk applying pressure or he felt that coverage alone would stop Warner. He was wrong on both counts. Admittedly, his backup DB's are crap. If that is the case, why would he expect them to do a good job in coverage against the stacked receivers and great QB of the Cards? I hate to say this because he has already done so much to improve the team defense. The loss was his.
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He is still a great DC and I would hate to see him gone. Let's hope TT gives him a hand to strengthen the DB's and we'll see marked improvement next year.
January 14, 2010 at 12:05 pm
My concern is that we already did a lot of firing and replacing of defensive coaches, players, etc., last year after a 6-10 season and now this year we finished by giving up 51 points in a wild card game. Can TT and MM fix this problem for next year ? Questions remain.
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January 14, 2010 at 12:10 pm
Trade Hawk for a stud inside LB and get pressure on the QB and we won't have these problems in the secondary. Don't over analyize the problems by focusing only on the obvious. There is cause and effect here. Constant break problems in a car can be solved by changing mechanics over and over agian, or changing the driver or the driver's driving habits.
January 14, 2010 at 02:08 pm
Yes. Trade a not-so-stud ILB for a stud ILB. Done and done.
PackerAaron
January 14, 2010 at 02:17 pm
hyper - thanks. That's exactly what I was thinking. TT: 'I'll give you A.J. Hawk for Patrick Willis" - Done!
January 14, 2010 at 05:47 pm
Lombardi's takes mean nothing to me. His view is about as worthless to me as the new and not improved Schefter... Jason Laconfora... WORTHLESS. I know Lombardi has been around the game for some time, but nothing he says ever makes me feel any more informed or educated.
GBP 4 LIFE
January 14, 2010 at 10:33 pm
Lombardi -
"He should really give great thought to trying to add a player of the caliber of the Panthers’ Julius Peppers. If Peppers is a free agent, he’ll command a huge pay day, but he would be a perfect fit coming off the edge to help Clay Matthews rush. One more blue-chip player would really make a difference to the Packers on defense."
PLEASE, tell me I don't have to hear about Peppers for another offseason... NOT GONNA HAPPEN (would be pretty sweet though)!
GBP 4 LIFE