Packers Coaching Staff Profiles, Defense

Defensive CoordinatorThe 2008 defense was horrific, ranking 20th in the league, but just 26th against the run and 25th in sacks. Worse, the defense blew seven fourth-quarter leads; the only one they held was against the winless Detroit Lions in week two. Defensive coordinator Bob Sanders failed to make the adjustments necessary, including some that should have been obvious, like blitzing to get pressure while relying on a very talented secondary to cover one-on-one. That is why I would grade his performance a D-, and that is why he was fired. Enter Dom Capers, master of the 3-4 defense and former head coach of the Houston Texans and Carolina Panthers. He set an NFL record for best start by an expansion franchise with the latter team, leading them to a 7-9 season and winning Coach of the Year; they made it to the NFC Championship Game the next season, losing to the Green Bay Packers. His defenses are noted for instant success. Leading Pittsburgh's defense from 1992-1994, no team in the NFL yielded fewer touchdowns. He took over 1998's 25th-ranked defense in Jacksonville and turned them into the fourth-ranked defense in 1999. He took over 2005's 18th-ranked defense in Miami and made them the fourth-ranked defense in 2006. I would not expect the Packers to finish in the top four in the league, but top eight is a reasonable expectation considering this unit, when healthy in 2007, was already 11th in the league. Linebackers/Assistant Head Coach Winston Moss is set to enter his fourth season coaching the Packers, and his third as assistant head coach. He started as a linebackers coach and maintains those responsibilities, although he now coaches only inside linebackers because of the addition of Kevin Greene to the staff. Moss has done well to get production out of late round picks and undrafted free agents like Brandon Chillar and Desmond Bishop, but has failed to develop A.J. Hawk into a linebacker worthy of the fifth pick in the draft in 2006. However, Hawk did well in transitioning to middle linebacker, a position he is more suited for, when unit standout Nick Barnett went down with injury. That injury certainly affected the unit's production, as did Hawk having to play through one in the first month of the season. But the bottom line is that this unit was not as hard-hit as the others on defense, yet did not perform. Thus, he can get no more than a D+ for his 2008 efforts, as well.Outside LinebackersKevin Greene played for Dom Capers on the NFC runner-up Carolina Panthers squad, and recorded 160 sacks as an outside linebacker in a 3-4, ranking him third all-time. He takes over the outside linebackers from assistant head coach Winston Moss, and it is his first full-time NFL coaching position. Defensive Line Mike Trgovac takes over a defensive line that is under transition after falling from 13th to 25th in sack production. He has the unenviable position of coaching one rookie and several other players who will be in their first year in a new position. Even players like Cullen Jenkins and Ryan Pickett, playing where they did in 2008, will have different responsibilities. Trgovac was the Packers defensive line coach in 1999 when Mike McCarthy was the team's quarterbacks coach. He spent the last six seasons as coordinator of a very good Carolina Panthers defense. Last year, this post was held by Robert Nunn (defensive tackles) and Carl Hairston (defensive ends). Obviously, this unit struggled to either rush the passer or control the line of scrimmage. This was partly due to Cullen Jenkins going down with an injury. But the line still possessed one good and one decent defensive tackle in Ryan Pickett and Johnny Jolly, respectively, and a Pro Bowl defensive end in Aaron Kampman. That is why I can give neither Nunn nor Hairston a good grade--each gets a D.Secondary/Cornerbacks CoachAnother coach whose significance is small enough for him not to be on Flickr, Whitt has been promoted from Defensive Quality Control Coach. This move is puzzling to me, as he has only five years coaching experience and none of it at the level this post calls for. There is no particular reason to believe he was exceptional at his last post. He did not even play cornerback in college, much less the NFL.He takes over most of the responsibilities formerly held by Lionel Washington, who coached cornerbacks and the nickel package. That package, despite a lack of a pass rush, was largely responsible for the single most positive Packers defensive statistic: NFL's lowest percentage of first downs through the air. That is why I give Washington an A for his work and can only attribute his being replaced with the fact that a new coordinator usually wants to bring in his own personnel, especially when switching systems entirely.Safeties CoachDarren Perry played safety for Capers with the Steelers, and now has been hired to coach that position for his former coach. He spent the last two season coaching the Oakland Raiders secondary, but before that, he was in the NFL with Bill Cowher's Steelers staff, where he was credited with the rapid development of Troy Palamalu. (Digs on the Raiders aside, he did oversee a unit that ranked fourth in the league in opposition completion percentage.)Perry takes over most of the responsibilities formerly held by Kurt Schottenheimer. While the rest of the defense failed miserably, the Packers secondary performed well. Three of the Packers defensive backs were sent to the Pro Bowl.The Packers defense was tied for third in the league in interceptions and leading the league in defensive scores; they finished 12th in the league in pass defense despite a pass-rush that ranked 25th in sacks. Thus, Schottenheimer deserves an A- for his efforts; he would have gotten an A+ if not for the abomination that was the Saints game. Defensive Quality Control Scott McCurley has so little in his background that there is not even a picture on Flickr of him. He has been hired this season as the team's Defensive Quality Control coach, after spending the last two seasons as a coaching administrator. He began his association with the team as a coaching administrative intern in April, 2006.His role will be to break down film and chart opposition offensive tendencies. He has previously assisted in preparing the weekly gameplan, game film preparation, compiling player statistics and grades, and working with the scout teams in practice. Last year this position was held by Joe Whitt, Jr. As the coaching staff did not formulate adequate gameplanning to counter the late-game drives that led to defeat, it can be assumed that Whitt's assistance was not adequate to overcome those weaknesses: D.