For the Green Bay Packers to get back into contention for a Super Bowl, the defense is going to need to be better, which is why they decided to let go of Dom Capers this NFL offseason, and bring in former Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine.
The defense gave up too many big plays last year, and it was a defensive scheme that didn't seem to adjust to the modern game of football.
Even though Capers is gone, a lot of the rest of the defensive staff stayed in place, including Joe Whitt who is the defensive passing game coordinator this year. Whitt says the most significant change he has seen so far is just how simplistic the defense is that Pettine is putting is in place.
“What I will say is, what we’re doing right now, we’re trying to make sure that everything is as simple as possible so when they run through that tunnel, we remove doubt out of the equation,” Whitt said, via Jason Wilde of the Wisconsin State Journal. “If we can remove doubt out of the equation as coaches, that allows them to play fast and now you can see the true athletic ability and play-making ability of the players. If they’re out there thinking, [that’s problematic].
It's important to know that simply doesn't mean a dumbed down defense. This will still be a high level of defense, but the way the players are learning it, is simplistic, and that is very important.
If the defense can play even a little better this year, the Packers are going to be a real force in the NFC, and that is what they are hoping for with the addition of Mike Pettine.
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