Silverstein blog: Packers-Steelers connection

[Captain Erv]

Pretty good read:

More on the Packers-Steelers connection
By Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel
Feb. 2, 2009 2:55 p.m.

-- There’s no way, in my opinion, that the Packers will be able to play true 3-4 defense as purely as the Steelers do. They don’t have the personnel to do it. GM Ted Thompson keeps pooh-poohing the personnel differences between 4-3 and 3-4 teams, but that’s not even close to reality. The Packers have a number of 4-3 players and they’re going to have to structure their defense around the personnel.

There is going to be a huge turnover on the roster on defense. Some of those defensive linemen they’re carrying will be replaced by linebackers. They’ll start looking for corners who can play zone.

The obvious question is what do they do with Aaron Kampman? It’s really not a big issue, in my opinion. Plenty of 3-4 teams use defensive ends like Kampman in their scheme and defensive coordinator Dom Capers will find a way to make use of him.

The Cardinals play a 3-4, but Bertrand Berry, more of an end than a linebacker, plays the same position Kampman will. The times he has to cover will probably be limited to dropping back into a zone.

The Steelers’ ends have to cover, sometimes man-to-man. Eventually, the Packers will get linebackers who can do that, if Capers uses the 3-4 he helped develop in Pittsburgh.

Kampman has one year left on his contract. It wouldn’t be surprising to see this be his last. He can command huge money on the market as an end and probably will be more valuable somewhere else. But for one season, the Packers can make good use of him.

-- If the Packers don’t make a dramatic improvement in special teams play, then you’ll know Shawn Slocum isn’t the right guy for the job.

Watching the Steelers, they have so many big guys who can run on their roster that they’re naturally good on special teams. It’s direct result of having so many athletic linebackers.

They’re consistently drafting guys who are considered ‘tweeners, players who are too small to play end and a little too big to be an outside linebacker in a 4-3. So you’ll see a lot of guys like Desmond Bishop and Brandon Chillar running down on special teams.

Providing Thompson adds the right guys, the special teams should be better.

-- The Packers are going to struggle the first year.

This is a complicated defense and one thing that’s abundantly clear is that the Steelers all know how it’s played. You don’t see a lot of rookies playing for them because so much of the defense is predicated on players playing off each other and being disciplined.

Linebacker Lawrence Timmons is athletically the best of the Steelers’ group and within time might be better than any of the four they have. But veterans James Farrior and Larry Foote are more reliable. So Timmons, a first-round pick in ’07, plays strictly in the nickel.

He’ll probably be a starter this fall, his third season in the NFL.

[MikeIsGood]

This will be our first year in the 3-4. I think it's pretty obvious we won't be as pure as the best.

How else do you make the switch besides acquiring the personnel? It's not going to be an overnight happening.

[Ayt]

I was thinking we'd be the Steelers overnight. Thanks for setting me straight, Silverstein.

[automatic44]

even though we will be running the same 3-4 as the steelers do, it would be stupid to try and compare us with the steelers right now. although it's a great scheme, were not going to see the same results for quite a while. they've been running this D since what, 92? there's no question we need different personnel, and it's gonna take some time for our current players to adjust. im guessing silverstien wrote this for naive fans who watched pittsburgh this post-season and were getting their hopes up

[Fandom]

Thanks, captain obvious (Tom).

[aaprigs311]

It's not like the defense can play much worse than last season. We should see some improvement, but obviously it's a work in progress.

[Captain Erv]

Perhaps I should have named the thread something else. My main intrigues from the article were this possibly being Kampman's last year in GB and Silverstein calling out TT for saying we have the personnel for the 3-4.

[Ayt]

What has TT said about the 3-4? I read MM's comments on our personnel, but I don't remember reading TT's.

Besides, why would he come out and say we don't have the guys to play it?

[notoriousTJ11]

What has TT said about the 3-4? I read MM's comments on our personnel, but I don't remember reading TT's.

Besides, why would he come out and say we don't have the guys to play it?

It could be based on off the record talks TT's had and thats why there are no quotes

[ReasonablySober]

Bucky Brooks makes a convincing argument. Much better than anything TS has done.

Link.