From Michael Lombardi:
6 January 2009
QUOTE: “Gentlemen, we are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing full well we will not catch it, because nothing is perfect. But we are going to relentlessly chase it, because in the process we will catch excellence. I am not remotely interested in just being good. “ ~ Vince Lombardi, first team meeting as Packers coach (1959), as reported in Chuck Carlson’s “Game of My Life”
FROM BOB MCGINN OF THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL... McCarthy notified defensive coordinator Bob Sanders by telephone Sunday after they talked at length last week. Then he met with the six members of the defensive staff on Monday morning and released four of them. At some point, McCarthy also found time to can Rock Gullickson, the strength coach. "He beat that record in one day," said Chuck Lane, the Packers' publicist from 1966-'80 who was reminiscing Monday about the day that Bart Starr fired him and others almost 30 years ago. "This sets some sort of new record."
Based on the number of emails in my in-box, there appears to be tremendous interest in the Packers. Heading into this season, the Packers had the look of a very talented defense. They had some young defensive linemen and some very talented coverage men, and they also had an offense that could complement their defense. They were coming off a tough loss to the Giants, but as I have written numerous times, they needed to expand their package and have the versatility to play some zone when the match-ups in man-to-man did not favor their personnel. However, they made mistakes last off-season and none of them had to do with Brett Favre. They refused to pay Corey Williams, who played so well in ‘07 that the Packers designated him their franchise player and then traded him for a second-round pick. They selected quarterback Brian Brohm with the pick and counted on Justin Harrell to step into Williams’ role.
Now, you must understand that to run the Packers’ defensive scheme, you have to dominate in the defensive line. This scheme is not based on creativity but rather on forcing the quarterback to feel pressure in every aspect of his play -- forcing him to make tight throws into tight windows and be very accurate. It requires the team to have a middle linebacker who can play pass first, and it wants to utilize seven-man fronts and hold up against the run. To defeat this scheme, the opponent must be talented in the offensive line and at wide receiver.
So with that as a backdrop, the Packers lost one of their best defensive linemen in Cullen Jenkins, and after trading Williams, they could not get any production from Harrell, making their once-dominating defensive line very blockable. Then they lost their starting Mike backer, Nick Barnett; their best coverage man, Al Harris, for an extended period; and their strong safety, Atari Bigby. The result: They could not compensate for all the injuries.
Injuries are never an excuse for a team, but in the case of the Packers, I really do not feel Bob Sanders would be in the unemployment line had these not occurred. This is the same man who was part of a 13-win season in ’07. The factors that cost them their jobs had more to do with injuries than Sanders’ lack of talent as a coach.
Where do the Packers go from here? Well, they have drafted and procured talent to fit this scheme. In addition, most of the players in their defensive backfield are only suited for this kind of defense. If they change the scheme, they will have to change some of the players, and this may result in some tough transitional times. They can stay with the scheme and enhance it with new ideas built around their base defense -- expand and add more defensive lineman to help get their defense back to the ‘07 level. If I were with the Packers, I would make sure we placed a higher importance on getting more defensive lineman and would never let a young one walk out of the building when it looked like he might be a great player in the league. No matter what direction the Packers choose, they must get some defensive linemen who can dominate.
My guess is that Winston Moss will be the new coordinator. He can help in the transitional phase since he is remaining on the staff, and I doubt very strongly he is going to want to work with a new coach and new scheme. Keeping Moss tells me the Packers may interview others, but they will end up hiring him. Why keep Moss if you are bringing in another coach? Mike Nolan would help enhance the scheme, but his idea of how to play defense and the Moss’ idea are slightly different. Not that either is wrong; it’s just that both are different in their approaches. Moss is a very good young coach who is interviewing for head coaching jobs and feels his time is now.
FROM NICHOLAS J. COSONIKA OF THE DETROIT FREE PRESS... The Lions have interviewed Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, whose teams had first-round byes, and Redskins secondary coach Jerry Gray, whose team missed the playoffs. It is unclear whether Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett is a candidate. He reportedly has removed his name from consideration, but some say that is untrue. Another name popped up Monday: Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh, who played quarterback at Michigan and spent time with the Lions before the 2001 season. Nationalfootballpost.com listed the Lions as one of three teams interested in him.
I mentioned on NFL Network and here at The Post yesterday that the Jets would try to talk to Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh, who I feel is one of the best young coaches in America. The Rams and the Lions are also going to speak with him.
I was fortunate to work with Harbaugh at the Hotel, and I hired his brother John in Philadelphia, his first NFL job. At the Hotel, we were looking for a former player who could come in, work with the quarterbacks and learn how to coach. John called me about his brother, and I have been a fan ever since. He will win; he will succeed in anything he does. He is rare in that he is a former player with head coaching experience.
He is the most competitive person I have ever been associated with, and he combines his competitive nature with a high degree of intelligence. An example of this competitive nature was never more evident than when we both attended a father-son basketball tournament while our boys were in the eighth grade. The event, called “Runts and Grunts,” included two-on-two games featuring fathers and sons. The fathers could not score, and the first team to seven won.
Well, Jim’s son was a good player but was suffering from the flu, and the best player in the eighth grade had a father who played Division I ball in college. Without going into details, Jim played this game as if it was the Super Bowl. He had drive and passion, and his only thought was winning -- which he did. That experience made me a believer.
Jim has a thirst for knowledge. He is always trying to improve, and he is always thinking of his team. He has the drive and the determination to be a success, and the fact he is a coach who was a former player will give him an instant credibility in the locker room.
During the twilight of Bill Walsh’s life, I used to visit and have lunch with my hero, and we would talk about Jim. Bill loved Jim and loved the potential he saw in him. It was as if Bill saw a younger version of himself. He wanted to open up his head and pour all his knowledge into Jim. We both knew that Jim would one day win in the Pac-10, win a Super Bowl and be a legendary coach. I know he loves Stanford and is in the process of finalizing an extension there. But one day, he will be in the NFL and will be a great hire.
FROM MIKE CHAPPEL OF THE INDY STAR... Marvin Harrison's place in NFL history is set, but he could be history with the Colts. In an unforgiving business, he might not be considered worth the investment. Harrison, 36, is due a $9 million base salary in 2009 and will count $13.4 million against a league salary cap that's expected to be in the $123 million range. Management faces some difficult decisions regarding its veteran free agents. The list includes three-time Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday, starting cornerback Kelvin Hayden and backup running back Dominic Rhodes.
I watched Marvin Harrison all season and really have great respect for his game, but I am confident, based on the tape I have seen, that he will not be back in Indy next year. He cannot make the plays he needs to make, but his cap number creates a problem for the Colts. I am sure that as classy as the Colts are, they will handle this decision with care and try to make it as painless as possible. However, the market for Harrison will not be strong and he will have to face the reality that the end of a magnificent career is near.
FROM MIKE KLIS OF THE DENVER POST... In the past three seasons, Montrae Holland has played for three of the NFL's most ingenious offensive coaches — Sean Payton, Mike Shanahan and Jason Garrett. Payton and Shanahan were head coaches. Garrett will try to become one today when he interviews for the Broncos' head coaching job at Dove Valley. "He was like a head coach without being the head coach," Holland said of Garrett, the Dallas Cowboys' offensive coordinator. "I think he has the swagger of a head coach. He'd be a big get for you, if they pull the trigger." Holland is an offensive guard who played for Payton's New Orleans Saints in 2006, when Payton was named the NFL's coach of the year. Signed by the Broncos after that season, Holland started all 16 games for Shanahan in 2007, but he got beat out in 2008 after reporting to training camp overweight.
It is very interesting to see the Broncos go in an offensive direction. I really feel the team needs to improve its overall toughness and needs to find a way to improve the defense. As I mentioned yesterday, Jeremy Bates and Rick Dennison of the Broncos’ staff are very good coaches and have accomplished much more in the NFL than Mr. Garrett. Garrett is struggling to handle the Cowboys’ situation; what makes anyone feel he can handle an entire team? Even in coaches, past performance predicts future achievement. If Garrrett is on the list, then why not talk to Harbaugh? He has been a head coach, he has coached an entire team and he has played in the NFL. He has all the qualities that Garrett is selling, but with more experience.
My oldest son had the best line the other day when I was complaining about how some of these teams are interviewing coaches with lawyers and accountants, and not football men. I kept asking him, “How would they even know what to ask a coach?” His reply: “Dad, they are not interviewing coaches, they are interviewing people.” That Fordham Jesuit education is well worth it. Enough said....
Lets not forget that the D.A.'s office in Philadelphia might have something to say about where Marvin Harrison is spending his time next year.
Once again thank you for your valuable insight.
I do think keeping Moss around is odd, and reading some quotes floating around it seems like Moss really wanted to change the way they were doing things, when it was apparent that nothing was working, but Sanders didn't want to.
So maybe Mike M knew about that, and knew or liked what Moss wanted to do, and that is why Moss is still there.
Mike - I agree that had GBs defensive injuries not occured their staff would likely remain but the situation exposed a huge flaw in Sanders defensive scheme. If a couple of injuries leaves your scheme unworkable, then it's a poor scheme. The Giants lost personnel to injury and age, they are still a great defense. The Titans have struggled with injury issues all year, they are still a great defense. Or Washington, Philly or Minnesota - they've all had injury issues too, they all run a 4-3 defense with less talent in the secondary, and combined, that's five of the top seven defenses this year. Injuries are part of football and it's unrealistic to expect a team to maintain a constant base of five or more Pro Bowl level defensive linemen. At some point, you have to be able to adapt to injuries, whether long term or short.
Given Jim Harbaugh's controversial remarks about the UM Wolverines football program, he may not want to come back to Michigan. Also, does he have enough knowledge of NFL personnel that could contribute on his staff? Joe Harbaugh at least had Rex Ryan. There are no decent coordinators in the Lions franchise.
Thank you for your great insight. As a Packers fan, it is very odd to me that Moss is kept, but at the moment I think it has to do with his interviews with other teams. The Packers may not want to fire him, if he is hired by the Rams or another team as head coach, they may not have to give him his salary. If they fire him now, they may have to pay him the remainder of his salary for the rest of the contract. Just a thought. I also do not necessarily agree with "his is a very good young coach". Linebackers play has been very disappointing this season, and hearing or reading about interviews with young guys like Desmond Bishop, it is as if they never felt they had a chance unless someone was injured. Even after Bishop had probably the best game of any LB this year, he was benched in favor of Chillar, while Hawk and Poppinga were left on the field while producing results that were mediocre at best. Of course I don't know how it works internally, but I am not sure the Defensive coordinator necessarily determines who is the starter and who comes in in Nickel or Dime situations, but I would guess as LB coach / Asst. HC, Moss would have had great influence at least for his position group. One head scratching statement for me was recently, when the papers give their "season ending grades", Moss said that Poppinga was the best LB this year. Call me naive or having no clue about the game, but to me Chillar was the best LB when he played, followed by Bishop and Barnett. I was surprised that Poppinga constantly played. He cannot cover TEs or RBs (that's why they moved Hawk to cover TEs last year already), and often during blitzes just seems lost, running by the player with the ball and just blindly going after the QB. I am not sure it is a fair assessment, but he almost seems to get by with his effort alone, and seems to lack instincts to play on this level. In the same insterview, Moss said also that next year Bishop would have a chance to be a starting LB. Why not this year? If the goal is to ahve the best players out there, why not play them no matter whether they are rookies or 15 year veterans? So I am not sure Moss would be someone I could trust in even evaluating players, but at the same time, I am just a fan watching the games and public practices and have never played myself as a pro, so probably have a twisted view of this. It is a concern for me, however, and I'd rather see the organization going outside and getting a new DC who can run a 4-3, for instance someone from Eagles or Titans coaching staff.
I've read accounts that say Moss isn't going to the the DC because the posistional coaches were fired also and Moss would likely want to fill some of those posistions with the guys who were fired. They kept him because he's a good coach, no other reason. They will bring someone in to start fresh...hire their own coaches.
Also Nolans a 3-4 guy, not sure how he would fit. We better not switch to a 3-4 our defensive stalworths dont fit that scheme. By Kampman, by Al Harris etc.
It would have been nice to have Corey Williams in GB for depth this year, but not for the huge price the Browns are paying. With his roster bonus and salary for 2009, Williams will cost Cleveland $8 million this year. He is coming off a season with zero-point-five sacks and one forced fumble. Look back at the games he played as a STARTER in GB and you will see he was not impressive. The Packers learned what happens when you pay a situational lineman to be a starter with KGB's huge (eventually terminated) contract.
I wish I had an ounce of confidence in the Broncos search. Adam Schefter seems convinced that McDaniels is the choice, and even with his great potential fully considered, it doesn't make an ounce of sense. I think maybe Bowlen still believes Shannahan's basic mantra (and great denial) that the defense just needs to execute and tackle better and that Cutler and Co. can overcome the rest. All I can figure is that he might try to pry Morris away from TB as D coordinator, match him up with head coach McDaniels, and have the young phenom 'dynamic duo' working his sideline. Remember, Denver was able to steal Alex Gibbs away from KC in a lateral move by giving him the title assistant head coach,which got them around the rule that assistants under contract cannot break the contract to make a lateral move.
I'm hoping the Broncos are just playing oppossum on Spagnuolo and that he is the guy. If not, the Frazier interview is huge for Bronco nation. He might be a true fork in the road that decides if Denver can contend very soon or if we Bronco fans need to gear up for an extended era of futility.
Can't really blame the GB linebacking corps for the defensive's problems. The front four had absolutely no production.
Chicago Hooligan - I am not sure you are fair to Corey Williams. Cleveland is playing a different scheme, and judging a DLineman by sacks alone is not telling you all. If you compare his stats with other DEs in a 3-4 scheme, in Pittsburgh, Dallas, or Baltimore, then you will see that he matches production in all categories with the exception of sacks. But talking about sacks, his last 2 seasons with the Packers, he had 7 sacks each season. He provided inside pass rush for the Packers, and they don't have anybody now who can pass rush from the DT position since Jenkins was moved to DE. Numbers of salary doesn't mean much to me, now the Packers may have saved the money, but how must did it cost them to not have even one DT who can provide some pass rush inside, since Pickett, Jolly, Cole, and Harrell cannot do that? It cost them the postseason at least. And if they don't find someone, it may cost them next postseason also. I would love to have Corey Williams as a Packer. He is still a young player and could get better. Fact is, the DLine went from keeping 11 guys and being a position of strength to being the biggest weakness on the team, and that is Ted Thompson's responsibility with his offseason moves and having faith in Justin Harrell, who couldn't stay healthy in College and who was a non-factor for the Packers so far, and I doubt he ever will be someone the Packers can count on. And he is paid very highly...
Williams was strictly a rotation guy in 4-3, and it was huge value to get a 2nd round pick for him. I don't think any Browns fans think they got the good end of that deal.
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Jan 06, 2009
11:17 AM
"but I am confident, based on the tape I have seen, that he will be back in Indy next year."
I believe you meant to say, "he will *not* be back in Indy" ...