NFL Friday Notes

-Dom Capers is interviewing today for the vacant defensive coordinator position for the Green Bay Packers. It really looks like the Packers want to run at least a 4-3/3-4 hybrid, if not just a base 3-4. Dom Capers was one of the architechts of the 3-4 zone blitzing scheme that has been so successful in Pittsburgh for the last two decades. He famously head coached the Carolina Panthers in their second year of existence using that scheme all the way to the NFC title game. His last job was defensive backs coach for the Patriots this past season. He has experience running a 4-3/3-4 hybrid when he was defensive coordinator in Miami, and he would presumably running that if hired in Green Bay. The Packers also interviewed Jim Haslett, who has experience running a 3-4 scheme when he was linebackers coach in Pittsburgh. Now that one of the hotter 4-3 candidates, Gregg Williams, have been hired off the market to be defensive coordinator in New Orleans, the chances are even higher that the Packers will be running alot of 3-4 next season. 

The Packers could still stay with a 4-3 base if they promote Linebackers coach and Assistant Head Coach Winston Moss to defensive coordinator. They could also hire Eagles Defensive backs coach Sean McDermott as their defensive coordinator. That would be an obvious nod to the success a former Eagles defensive assistant, Steve Spagnuolo, has had a defensive coordinator with the Giants.

The Packers would require a relatively drastic defensive personnel overhaul in going either direction excluding Winston Moss's who would presumably run the same cover one scheme as fired defensive coordinator Bob Sanders. The Packers rarely bitzed in Bob Sanders' scheme, and if they hire McDermott, he would bring over a scheme that blitzes quite liberally to say the least. The Packers tried implementing a little more blitzing into their scheme this past year, but we all know how that worked out. If they hire a 3-4 coordinator, while Ryan Pickett could fit in as a nose tackle and LB's Nick Barnett and Brandon Chillar would fit in well as inside 'backers, AJ Hawk would have trouble fitting in as a pass-rushing outside linebacker. Aaron Kampman would have to bulk up to play as a two gap end and that would certainly take him out of his comfort zone as a high motor 4-3 end.

The Packers defensive problems this past year could be blamed on the numerous injuries suffered by the unit; Atari Bigby, Cullen Jenkins, Al Harris and Nick Barnett all missed significant time this year. But the Packers seem devoted to making drastic changes on defense, and right now those changes appear imminent.

-Understatement of the year coming up: Jim Schwartz has alot growing pains coming up for him as head coach of the Lions. Especially on his own side of the ball, on defense. The Lions under Rod Marinelli fell too often into the trap of acquiring players that knew the Tampa Two scheme Marinelli was a part of in Tampa. Instead of trying to groom young players at a variety of positions on defense, they signed players who fit the scheme, but weren't giving the Lions long term options at those positions that they needed. CB Brian Kelly, 32, who was with Marinelli in Tampa, was benched midway through the year. They also acquired LB Ryan Nece DT Chuck Darby, and DE Dewayne White who all played in Tampa, as well as Travis Fisher who was familiar with the Tampa Two with his time in St. Louis playing under Lovie Smith.

Acquiring cheap veterans who know the playbook fills holes in the lineup but too many of them, especially when a team's not ready to contend, can stunt a team's growth. The Lion's fell into the trap of obeying Rod Marinelli's every wish. He felt like he had to win now with guys he was familiar with, instead of going through the growing pains of familiarizing himself with younger players, and his successor will have to pay for it.