2002 W1: Vick 9 attempts 72 yards (W)
2002 WC: Vick 10/64 (L)
2003 W1: Culpepper 9/50 (L)
2003 W4: Kordell Steward: 12/71 (W)
2003 DV: McNabb 11/107 (L, 4th+26 game)
2004 WC: Culpepper 6/54 (L)
2008 W1: Tarvaris Jackson 9.65 (W)
2010 W1: Vick 11/103 (W)
2010 W4: Shaun Hill 4/53 (W)
2011 W2: Newton 10/53 (W)
2012 WC: Webb 7/68 (W)
2012 DV: Kaepernick 16/181 (L)

* Some of the most painful memories from the last 11 years
* Thank God Sherman is gone, anyway
* I think that game against the Vikings would’ve been a lot closer if they had stuck to that run-heavy offense they used on the first drive.

The other thing that really pissed me off was that no defensive player or coach spoke to reporters after the game. They all walked out like a bunch of cowards. You played flat. Put on your big boy underwear and man up to it.

But I will say this.

I am very unhappy about what I saw in San Fran last week. Specifically the game planning and the adjustments made.

It makes me sick to watch how our defense was called and how nothing changed throughout the course of the game.

What I really want to stress is this simple point. It’s one thing to be in position to make a play, but not make the play. It’s another to not even be there to make the play.

And quite frankly I’d say we were for most of the game NOT in position to make the play, especially on the QB.

What pisses me off most is the fact anybody should of known they do an option read style offense with kaepernick now at QB and he does run the ball whenever he gets the chance. It should not of been a surprise for any fan, let alone defensive coordinator.

So with them clearly knowing their style of offense, why did we leave so much open field giving him the ability to run. Nobody there at all to stop Kaepernick from running.

I didn’t mind the idea of playing a lot of man coverage. That’s fine. I think Capers was hoping to send a lot of pressure and play man coverage not giving him time to throw and nowhere to go. But it wasn’t working.

The pressure was not getting their fast enough. That showed because the times he threw and made big completions was largely in part because he had enough time for the WR to get open. And when we had good coverage, he ran past all the blitzers and then there is absolutely nobody in the second level.

I honestly don’t recall ONE TIME where I saw somebody even close to him when he decided to run. It’s a first down EVERY TIME. Over and over. You don’t give up 180 rushing yards to a QB if your doing something right.

Thing is, didn’t we prepare? We spent a week on what? What did we EXPECT to happen?

And most importantly.. WHY didn’t we do something throughout the game. We would play alright defense, but 3rd down, he runs and picks it up. We had a chance if we changed it up. Even if it didn’t work, what we had been doing clearly wasn’t working either.

So you tell me? Did it look like we did a good job of game planning? Because to be quite honest, it didn’t even look like we game planned for Kaepernick. If I had to guess, I would of said we planned to be playing Alex smith instead. Just that alone makes me very worried. How can a defensive coordinator do that.

And did we ever see any adjustments? Like I said, if the guys were just missing and not making the play its one thing. But you can’t make a play if the guy isn’t there in the first place. Capers needs to be calling the right plays, and having the guys in the right places to stop the offence. And all I saw the whole game was the same thing. Nobody there to stop the QB from running, ever. And it showed, 180 yards later.

Disgusted. I know injuries have hurt, but put a guy in position to make a play. Even a couple stops MAY of been enough to win that game. The offence wasn’t terrible (where the HELL was Cobb) and we had a few bad breaks (PR fumble).

Either way, not impressed in the defensive coaching. Whether he keeps the job or not, I will never forget how bad of a performance Capers showed up with last Saturday. And it does worry me that he may make the same mistakes in the future.

– In 2008, the Packers had the 22nd ranked defense (points allowed), and they lost 10 games, many because the defense couldn’t hold a 4th-quarter lead.

– Since Capers took over as DC, every season the Packers have won at least 10 games and qualified for the playoffs. And, of cuorse, won a Super Bowl.

– Let’s give the 2010 defense the props they deserve. They dominated in the regular season, and played a big part in every playoff win in that Super Bowl run.

– Yeah, 2011 was a disappointing drop off (in part because they were so good the year before). But don’t forget Nick Collins was lost in week 2. He was a big-time playmaker I think near the same level as Woodson and Matthews, but never seemed to get the same level of recognition.

– The defense was better in 2012, ranked 11th in points allowed. In spite of some pretty major injuries (Desmond Bishop, D.J. Smith, Nick Perry). Charles Woodson sat out a big chunk of the season, and Clay Matthews missed 4 games.

If TT and MM are willing to keep him on, I don’t have a problem with Capers getting another year. On the other hand, I think it does have to be a make-or-break year for him; the defense needs to continue to show improvement or we need to find another DC.

D∈T

Anyway, seems to me we pretty much had trouble with that part of the field, 5-15 yd zone right in the middle, all year.

The simpler path would be to find a bone crushing ILB to play next to Bishop and to find a havoc causing OLB to play opposite Matthews. Do those two things and this defense goes from average to top-5.

Capers isn’t going anywhere UNLESS they think one of two things:

1. Capers doesn’t have the drive or worth ethic anymore to get the job done.

2. Darren Perry is ready to lead the defense. (because he is going to be a DC for someone soon anyways)