Packers fire defensive coordinator

JSOnline ^ | 01/11/04 | self

[brewcrew]

Five days after the Packers bowed out of the playoffs in frustrating fashion, Ed Donatell was fired as the team's defensive coordinator. Tight ends coach Jeff Jagodzinski was also let go. Story to come

[Libertarian4Bush]

Rams had a good defense to backup their offense

That same defense lost ONE player and stunk the following year. It's easy to look good as a defense when you're playing from 11 points ahead all game.

I think a lot of coaches are buying too much into this "west coast offense"... i.e. the aforementioned 2nd-and-1 call... however, play selection, run/pass ratio haven't changed much over the past 10 years, and a large part of the modern passing game is shovels, screens, flat patterns to backs, nothing more than runs with a bit more risk/reward.

[discostu]

I think it screwed them up for the rest of the game. Sherman seemed to lose all confidence in the running game at key times. 3rd and 3 is a running down, especially when your start back is averaging 6.4 yards a game, and yet they passed on that twice without having Green even on the field. Makes no sense, unless that 4th and goal just shook them up.

[discostu]

It was deliberate, I hate Kordell Stewart and I blaim many of Pittsburgh's woes on him. He's a lousy QB who shouldn't even be in the league. And the non-exagerated stats you brought up show that. One of the keys to humor is exageration, obviously there isn't anybody in the league who averages three INTs in the league and has a career spanning multiple seasons. Sorry you didn't get the joke.

Yes to the same spot, at least on the plays that made the big gains. I never said they used the same play, going to the same spot with a different formation or different subs or different motion makes it a different play.

You said I made claims about the game being fixed. I didn't. That means when you said that you were either lying or stupid. You've now shown you knew I didn't make that claim but you won't retract, that makes you a liar.

Corey Simon still doesn't have the grass stains out of his pants from all the time he spent on his butt.

[Northern Yankee]

... there was a reason Wahl was back a yard?...

According to Wahl, this was the first time they had ever run that play during the season. He started to pull and then realized it was suppose to be a cross block into the line.

But certainly give the Eagle defense credit for playing well at that stage of the game.

[Libertarian4Bush]

Yes to the same spot, at least on the plays that made the big gains.

ummm... no.

Corey Simon still doesn't have the grass stains out of his pants from all the time he spent on his butt.

unlike brett favre, he has a reason to clean them. oh right, favre was afraid of contact, no stains for him... on the outside.

[discostu]

The same defense lost their head coach and still stinks to this day.

West-coast offense = pass whacky. It uses short passes to replace runs. Yes ratios haven't changed much in the last 10 years, that's because the league has been pass whacky for at least 15.

[discostu]

umm yes. Greens 30 yard run was right through that spot. Green averaged 6.4 yards a carry and went to that spot frequently. No suprise because going left usually lost yard. There's really only 5 places to run: straight ahead, off tackle right, off tackle left, end around left, end around right. The right was working for the Pack all day long, the left wasn't. Middles was so-so. Philly tightened up when they needed to, they did a good job of bending without breaking, doesn't change the fact that the Pack moved the ball very consistently by running right at Simon.

[Libertarian4Bush]

There's really only 5 places to run

I'll be sure to tell my 14-year-olds this and send you the laugh track.

the Pack moved the ball very consistently by running right at Simon.

On at least six occasions in the FIRST HALF ALONE, Simon/Walker tied up three linemen only to have Mark Simoneau miss the tackle. And a big reason the Pack had success to the right is that Bobby Taylor doesn't tackle ANYONE. Simon's MAIN responsibility ends, one way or another, shortly after the snap on a conventional running play. Whether the gain is 5 yards or 50 has little to do with him.

it's called "my football book".

[jaugust]

You swerved into something which I had thought all along. Given that there have been no repeat SB winners since the Broncos, parity has divided the league into average teams (most) slightly above average teams (very few, New England)slightly below average teams (Arizona, Detroit). AZ and Det both beat playoff teams and NE lost to two teams who were nowhere near making the playoffs. The reak challenge for any team is whether or not they can hang on to its good players, and if not, whether they can acquire a solid player through the draft/trade circuit.

[Libertarian4Bush]

also, a team really can't afford to overpay for players, given the salary cap. just look at the money washington had invested in an over-the-hill DE and two undisciplined LBs, and it's no surprise they were 5-11.

[discostu]

Got other places to run?

What you mnean is that on at least six occasions Simon got knocked off the play so completely that the runner was past the line of scrimage before anybody got a chance to hit him and because the runner had speed and room to move he managed to evade tackle by the linebacker.

Interesting, before according to you the Pack didn't have success running to the right. Now you've changed your tune and admitted they had success to the right but it's because every but Simon over there sucks. As a defensive tackle Simon's responsibility doesn't end until the ball passes the line of scrimage either in the air or on foot, until that moment he is supposed to plug holes and hit ball carriers, which he didn't do very well last week.

If that book is where you got all your football knowledge it should be converted to TP.

[jaugust]

Talk about a team that has underachieved. It does go to show that all the money in the world will not buy a championship. With Clifton being free agency eligible there's talk of putting the franchise tag on him. But there again it'll cost the team a great deal to do so. Sometimes I hate the parity, but...

[Freebird Forever]

according to the "stats" you cite,

Actually, I didn't cite any statistics, I made reference to them. Sorry if the distinction is lost on you.

Sorry, but not surprised.

vinny testaverde will also be in the Hall. should he be?

In answer to your question, I will now cite some stats:

Ol' Vinnie has been in the NFL 4 years longer then Brett, but they've started the same number of games (189) although Vinnie has played in eight more.

During their respective careers, Brett has thrown 95 more touchdowns (346 v.251); 4,783 more yards (45,726 v. 40,943); 626 more completions (3960 v. 3334). Brett also holds the advantage in completion %, YPA, career passer rating & has thrown fewer interceptions. And lets not forget all those consecutive starts.

Vinnie's had a very good career, no doubt. His stats are better than HOF QB's from previous eras. But if Brett stays healthy & continues to play, he has a real shot at being (statistically) the best of all time.

So, should Vinnie be in the Hall?

Sure, why not?

Ultimately, it's nothing but a modern version of the Roman bread & circus anyways.

[Physicist]

You can go on all you like about how bad Corey Simon is, but he's still going to the Pro Bowl.

Cornerback Sheldon Brown, on the other hand, got beaten like a rented mule. When Favre shot down that duck in overtime, I was hoping and praying that it would not come down in the vicinity of #24.

[Freebird Forever]

But his frequent bad judgments and awful plays keep him from being truly great

"Truly great", as you've phrased it, is completely arbitrary.

Will Brett be Bradshaw or Montana great?

In terms of rings won, probably not. But statistically, Brett's already left them in the dust.

In fact, with the exception of these four guys (Dan Marino, John Elway, Warren Moon, Fran Tarkenton) no one has ever been better!

But he is not in the upper tier of alltimers the way the media makes him out to be.

Who resides in the all time "upper tier" by your standards, and how did they earn that status?

Hence overrated.

Those that can,do. Those who can't, criticize.

[F16Fighter]

"Favre has a tendency to heave up ducks all the time especially at the worst time....Didn't he throw something like 6 picks against the Falcons in the playoffs last year or the year before and kill GB's further playoff hopes? He also wasn't that great when the Broncos beat GB a few years ago in the SB. "

Yep, last week, plus your examples = a Brett Favre who ought to be getting smarter as a veteran QB, rather than making decisions as though he's still a rookie...

BTW, the Giants quit before even half-way through the year -- that IS nothing less than pathetic.

Catch up with you after the weekend....

[over3Owithabrain]

Those that can,do. Those who can't, criticize.

Man that's really weak. We're talking SPORTS here, everyone, including yourself, offers up both praise and criticism depending on the athlete being discussed. You mentioned Bradshaw/Montana, we'll start there. Neither of them had so many completely awful postseason performances. And I don't care what formula you're using to put Moon and Tarkenton at the top of alltimers, but that's weak too.

I've said Favre is HOF caliber, but he just makes too many dumb throws and boneheaded plays mixed in with the great ones to be up there with the creme de la creme. And of course it's arbitrary and my opinion, so no need to make it personal dude.

[F16Fighter]

"If your blitz's are working - and they were which is part of the reason McNabb got into 4th and 26 - then keep blitzing him."

Made sense to you, Huff, and I, everybody -- except the now unemployed Packer defensive coordinator.

Prevents do nothing but give life and hope to dead and dying offenses.

[TaMoDee]

I understand what you say. My point is that a "coach" must rise above the ordinary and let it all hang out. Sherman did not have nor does he have that type of personality or
coaching style. While he is there we poor Packers Fans will see 12-4 and 11-5 and never a Super Bowl.
When Favre retires prepare yourself for 2-10.
(Hopefully the "2" are the Bears.)

[discostu]

I said he was bad last week, not across the board. And last week he was bad.