Long time coach Dom Capers has been picked to replace Bob Sanders as Green Bay’s defensive co-ordinator, McCarthy announced Monday.  Capers brings 20 years of NFL experience as both a co-ordinator as well as a head coach to the table. 

McCarthy is getting a coach who utilizes a 3-4 system the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens used in their AFC Championship Game battle Sunday.  He also ran a 4-3 in Jacksonville under coach Tom Coughlin and a mix 3-4/4-3 under Miami coach Nick Saban and New England coach Bill Belichick.  Right now the Packers don’t currently field a team capable of running the 3-4 defense so it should be an interesting off season which could be very dependent from a personnel standpoint on which defense the Packers choose to use.

Capers has had some poor defensive units, but he has also had some impressive ones.  In three seasons in Pittsburgh, the defense ranked 13th, third and second. In Carolina, they ranked 10th, 15th and 30th. In Jacksonville, they ranked fourth and 12th and in Miami they ranked fourth and 23rd.

In our opinion it is a good hire.  In Capers the Packers get a battle tested co-ordinator who has seen it all.  If the Packers can get their offense playing to it top five potential and a top 15 defense, they could once again be in contention for the NFC title.

That really is the biggest question so far for the Green Bay Packers, a choice that will no doubt effect the coaching tenure of Mike McCarthy and the early success of Quarterback Aaron Rodgers.  Coach McCarthy and General Manager Ted Thompson appeared to lose out on bids for two very capable coordinators earlier this week.  In true Thompson regime style the Packers didn’t make overly strong pushes for Mike Nolan (now in Denver) or Gregg Williams (now in New Orleans) , at least not strong enough to lure them in had that been the desired effect.  Now all eyes turn to Jim Haslett, McCarthy’s former boss in New Orleans while Haslett was coaching there.

Haslett is certainly capable enough at coaching players, but his defensive reputation seems to be better than his actual record.  Haslett’s Ram defense was near the bottom of the league last year and his New Orleans defenses were always average.  Perhaps Thompson and McCarthy believe they have a team that could compete for a championship with just a solid, average defense and a dominating offense.  With the success the Cardinals are having in the playoffs right now it’s hard to argue with them. 

If the Packers don’t jump on a known commodity like Haslet then it may indicate they are waiting for an assistant with a current playoff team.  Since NFL rules don’t allow for teams to communicate with coaches during the season, they will have to wait until that coach’s team is eliminated.  A lot of chatter is being generated about Philadephia assistant Sean McDermott, a younger guy who has trained under legendary blitz happy coach Jim Johnson for the last decade.  Either way we should see something very soon.

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In a key divisional match-up, the Green Bay Packers went on the road and defeated the Minnesota Vikings 20-17 to remain within striking distance of the division-leading Chicago Bears. With time running out and the score tied at 17-17, Packers kicker Mason Crosby hit a 51-yard field goal to clinch the Packers victory.

The Packers and Vikings traded scores all day. In the first quarter, the Vikings got on the board first with a 9-yard touchdown run while the Packers answered with a 7-yard touchdown strike from Aaron Rodgers to Greg Jennings. The quarterbacks traded touchdown throws with Rodgers finding wide receiver Donald Driver on a 7-yard pass in the third quarter and the Vikings Gus Frerotte hitting Bernard Berrian on an 11-yard pass.

The two quarterbacks were both picked off during the game. Frerotte threw two picks, one to Atari Bibby in the second quarter and another to Al Harris in the fourth. Rodgers was picked off by Madieu Williams in the third quarter.

Whether McCarthy knew it all along and wanted Atlanta to prepare for two QBs or it really was a game time choice, either way Aaron Rodgers has been announced the starter for today’s game.

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After the hot start to the season, the Packers now find themselves at 2-3 thanks to a startling loss to the upstart Falcons, 20-19.

The Packers lead the game 19-13 with only 1:05 left on the clock in the fourth quarter. But trying to convert a first down that would’ve iced the game for Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers threw an interception that was returned 57 yards for the winning score.

Matt Ryan continued his strong play under center, completing 21/31 passes for 197 yards and one touchdown as he leads his Falcons to an eye-opening 3-2 start.

The Green Bay Packers travelled to Raymond James Stadium and beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-10. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers put together back to back touchdown drives in the fourth quarter to put the game away. A 2-yard pass to Greg Jennings broke the tie and Packers didn’t look back.

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Photo/Mark Hoffman

In a stunning turn of events, Al Harris may be lost for the season.

After leaving the game Sunday night Harris had some of the symptoms of a ruptured spleen, including blood in his urine, following a collision with teammate A.J. Hawk.  Harris is seeking a second opinion today and until all of the teams physicians are satisfied with a correct diagnosis, the Packers are mum.  Tramon Williams would take over for Harris.  Williams is finally having the fine season the Packers have been looking for and may provide a decent fill in, but the situation creates a nightmarish lack of depth in the nickel and dime formations.

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Computers think they’re so smart don’t they?

Well this week Madden predicts the Cowboys coming in to Lambeau and pulling off the win.  Despite a strong start in the first half, Rodgers two touchdowns put the Pack up 14-0, Dallas rallied back.  With 1:20 left in the fourth quarter Romo threw his second touchdown on the day hitting, who else, T.O. for the game winner.

Oh yeah madden, well us humans win the future war.  (See Terminator 2)

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Once again we turn to what is the most incredible forecasting software available, Madden 2009, to predict Sunday’s tilt with the Lions.

If possible I would suggest the game has been using crack.  Despite Aaron Rodgers 303 passing yards and 3 touchdowns, the Lions recovered an onside kick and took the ball down the field for the winning TD.

Lions 34 Packers 27

Oh the horror!

(OK, a quick edit here now that it’s Monday morning.  In retrospect it’s kind of remarkable how close this simulation was.)

“He played extremely well,” Favre said about Rodgers. “He played well under a lot of pressure, but I’m not surprised by it. . . . He’s got tremendous talent. He watched and learned from me, and that’s good and bad.”

Steve Mariucci interviewed Favre for NFL network, an interview that will air on Sunday for those lucky enough to either have Direct TV or a cable company sane enough to carry that channel.