Mass Purging in Packerland

Apparently, Green Bay Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy was paying attention to the poor defensive play from the team in 2008. He announced Monday morning that six coaches will given their outright release.  The principal coaches released are Defensive Coordinator Bob Sanders and Strength & Conditioning Coordinator Rock Gullickson.

Other released coaches are Defensive Ends Coach Carl Hairston, Defensive Tackles Coach Robert Nunn, Secondary Coach Kurt Schottenheimer, and Defensive Nickel Package/Cornerbacks Coach Lionel Washington. That's everyone except for Linebackers Coach Winston Moss.

These firings fall after Special Teams Coordinator Mike Stock announced his retirement on Friday.

After losing seven games by four points or less (5 by a FG or less), something had to be done.  The 6-10 Green Bay Packers scored 419 points, 4th most in the NFC (Saints, Cards and Giants) and 5th most overall (Chargers). They just couldn't win the close ones.

According to Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal, one statistic looms very large.  Out of the approximately 600 times that opposing quarterbacks dropped back, they fumbled one time.  This points directly to the lack of pass rush.

McCarthy has said all the right things about the high regard in which he holds all the coaches and how he thanks them for their service to the team.

Sj-hypocycloidAll-American

344 days ago

Score 0

As you note, something had to be done. Most often, the coaching is not really at fault, but someone has to take the fall. It seems that the GM should be looked at as well. Sounds like they need to address a lack of capable defensive players.

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CheezerAll-Star

344 days ago

Score 2

The injury bug hit pretty hard as well.

Watching the team play, they were unable to generate a pass rush with their front four and the blitzes were predictable an ineffective. It was through the exemplary play of athletes Collins and Woodson that they were able to generate any turnovers at all this year. It's the same as last year when reports out of Lambeau were that the only time the secondary made plays was when they diverged from the Sanders/Schottenheimer game plan and relied on their own instincts and abilities.

GM Ted Thompson is not without blame as both of his 2006 and 2007 first round picks, AJ Hawk and Justin Harrell appear to be first round busts.

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