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A defensive history of the Green Bay Packers.
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<blockquote data-quote="Packerlifer" data-source="post: 610744" data-attributes="member: 1242"><p>Part 6:</p><p></p><p> The Packers and Eagles traded coaches in 1999, even though there was no actual deal between the two clubs. Ron Wolf had ruled out promoting any of Mike Holmgren's assistants to succeed him so quarterbacks coach Andy Reid went to Philadelphia. And the Packers hired recently fired Eagles hc Ray Rhodes as their new head coach.</p><p></p><p> Rhodes had been Green Bay's defensive coordinator in 1992-93. In 1994 as dc in San Francisco he had helped the 49ers to a Super Bowl championship. He went on to head coach in Philly for four years. In his first two he turned a losing Eagles team around and made them a playoff club. He was NFC "coach of the year" in 1995. But in his last two years the team started losing and he was fired after a dismal 3-13 in 1998. Most of the blame for the Eagles' slide at the end of his tenure there, though, was being put on injuries and lack of a quarterback.</p><p></p><p> In Green Bay Rhodes would certainly not lack for a qb with Brett Favre still elite. And with Ron Wolf in charge to stock the team he figured to have enough to work with to at least keep the Packers a playoff team. The offense was still intact and with Sherm Lewis remaining as coordinator promised continuity.</p><p></p><p> There were still plenty of members remaining from the Packers' recent top tier, championship winning defenses. Santana Dotson, Gilbert Brown, Brian Williams, LeRoy Butler, Darren Sharper, Tyrone Williams. But Wolf realized some renovations were in order to keep the defense in shape.</p><p></p><p> Anticipating Reggie White's retirement Wolf had used the Packers first round pick in 1998 for de Vonnie Holliday and selected dt Jonathan Brown in the third round. After watching the Packer secondary get torched by the big, fast receivers in Minnesota and Detroit and letting Terrell Owens get open to beat them in the 49ers playoff Wolf loaded up with defensive backs in his 1999 draft. In the first round he took cb Antuan Edwards, in the 2nd Fred Vinson, Mike McKenzie in the third and s Chris Akins in the 7th. These were supposed to be a "young Turks" group that would match up better with the Randy Mosses, Cris Carters, Herman Moores of the NFC Central Division that the Packers would face twice each year; one-fourth of their annual season schedule.</p><p></p><p> For some veteran presence post-Reggie White the Packers added free agent veterans Vaughn Booker and Roy Barker. They also signed undrafted free agents lb Jude Waddy and cb Tod McBride. And for good measure along the line added a big dt Cletidus Hunt in the draft.</p><p></p><p> Accompanying Rhodes from Philadelphia as defensive coordinator was Emmitt Thomas, a ProFootball Hall of Fame safety in his playing days and already a veteran of almost 20 years of defensive coaching in the NFL. With the Eagles Rhodes and Thomas had kept Philly in the top half of the league in defense and in their first two years produced top 5 units.</p><p></p><p> Rhodes' coaching in Green Bay, though, would be short but not sweet. The team dropped to 8-8 and missed the playoffs for the first time in seven years. Posted their first non-winning record in eight.</p><p></p><p> The defense slipped to 19th in yardage and 20th in points allowed at 21.3ppg. They were 18th in pass defense, 22nd against the run. The beginning of the end for Rhodes was a Week 13 game in mid-December at Lambeau against Carolina. Leading 31-26 the Packer defense allowed the Panthers to drive 63 yds. in the final 3:52 with qb Steve Beurlein running the final five yards on a qb draw as time expired for the winning td. The defense's failure to hold and Rhodes clock management on that drive - he didn't use a single time out to leave any time at the finish for the Pack to attempt a comeback - helped convince Ron Wolf that a change was in order.</p><p></p><p> Just hours after the season ended the Packers fired Ray Rhodes and his entire staff. Ron Wolf went to an old familiar well with his third head coaching hire for the Packers Mike Sherman.</p><p></p><p> Sherman had been coaching in the NFL for only 3 years at that point but had been Packers' tight ends and assistant o-line coach in 1997-98 and went with Mike Holmgren to Seattle where he became the Seahawks' offensive coordinator in 1999. His connection to Holmgren and familiarity with Holmgren's West Coast offense, which was still being played in Green Bay, were undoubtedly what commended him to Wolf after he failed to get either of his first two preferences Marty Schottenheimer and Rams' offensive coordinator Mike Martz.</p><p></p><p> Sherman would restore the Packers to being a consistent winning, playoff making team. During his time in charge the Pack would make four straight playoff appearances, three consecutive as the first NFC North Division title winners. But Sherman would end up with the distinction of being the only head coach in Packers' history to have a winning record but never win or even reach a Super Bowl or conference championship game.</p><p></p><p> The offense during Sherman's time would rank high and even produce some historic results, though with a tendency to self-destruct in big mistakes at critical times. The defense would struggle to establish its identity and during Sherm's first 5 seasons would only rank at best in the middle of the league's units. The Packers would have 3 different defensive coordinators during Sherman's six year tenure, the most under any Packers' head coach; including a period near the end when they would have a different dc every year for 3 consecutive seasons.</p><p></p><p> During his last four drafts as Packers' GM Ron Wolf used first round picks on defensive players 3 times; selecting de Vonnie Holliday in 1998, db Antuan Edwards in '99 and in 2001 trading up for the 1oth pick for de Jamal Reynolds. Holliday would have a good, though not great career for the Packers. Edwards struggled with consistency and injury as both a corner and safety. Reynolds would simply be one of the biggest draft busts in club history.</p><p></p><p> <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HollVo20.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HollVo20.htm </a></p><p> <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/E/EdwaAn21.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/E/EdwaAn21.htm </a></p><p> <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/ReynJa20.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/ReynJa20.htm </a></p><p></p><p> Of the four defensive backs drafted in 1999 only third rounder Mike McKenzie produced any real value on the field for the Packers. Second rounder Fred Vinson was packed in the trade with Seattle that brought rb Ahman Green to the Packers in 2000. Safety Chris Akins would hang on for a couple of years before being released. He would be best remembered with the Packers for a bonehead personal foul penalty that helped the Falcons upset the Packers in a 2001 game that ultimately cost the team the division title and led to an "in your face" confrontation with Mike Sherman on the bench during that game.</p><p></p><p> <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/McKeMi20.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/McKeMi20.htm </a></p><p></p><p> With Santana Dotson winding down his career and 1998 third round pick Jonathan Brown turning out to be a bust, the Packers used their third round pick in the '99 draft for big dt Cletidus Hunt. <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HuntCl20.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HuntCl20.htm </a></p><p></p><p> Wolf continued to be a player in free agency. In 2000 he brought in two veteran, former first round draft picks. End John Thierry had been a one time first rounder of the Bears and tackle Russell Maryland was a mainstay on the Dallas' defenses that won 3 Super Bowls and was the first overall pick of his draft class in 1991. Maryland only played for the Packers one season; while Gilbert Brown was out dealing with weight issues and injuries. Thierry started for the Pack for two seasons in 2000-01, registering ten sacks.</p><p></p><p> Ed Donatell was the Packers first and longest serving defensive coordinator during the Sherman years. He came to Green Bay after coaching defensive backs for the Jets and Broncos for ten years but had never previously been a coordinator in the NFL. Donatell would run the Packers' defense for four seasons, producing rankings of 15th, 12th twice and 17th.</p><p></p><p> While never great Donatell's defenses weren't altogether terrible. They cracked the league's "top ten" in rushing defense twice and in 2002 were third against the pass. They were 5th in scoring defense in 2001, allowing 16.6 ppg. They set a new club record with 51 quarterback sacks in 2001 and notched more than 20 interceptions every year.</p><p></p><p> A big part of the reason for the Packers' efficiency in getting to the quarterback was the emergence of 2000 5th round draft pick de Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila. "KGB" would post double-digit sack seasons four straight years and would end up as Green Bay's all-time official qb sacks leader with 74.5 <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GbajKa20.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GbajKa20.htm </a></p><p></p><p> They got strong corner play from Mike McKenzie, Tyrone Williams and, later, Al Harris. They kept 2000 free agent pick-up Allen Rossum consigned to return duties; where he became the Packers' best return man since Desmond Howard.</p><p></p><p> <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillTy20.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillTy20.htm </a></p><p> <a href="http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-1/Al-Harris-retires-to-hearts-of-Packers-fans-everywhere/4c5162de-4510-4744-938e-d661d22575eb" target="_blank">http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-1/Al-Harris-retires-to-hearts-of-Packers-fans-everywhere/4c5162de-4510-4744-938e-d661d22575eb </a></p><p></p><p> The Packers suffered a major loss in 2001 when All-Pro safety LeRoy Butler sustained a broken shoulder blade and was consequently forced to retire. The Packers would struggle for the next four seasons, trying Antuan Edwards, Chris Akins, Marques Anderson, Bhaoh Jue and Mark Roman in the void, until another #36 would arrive in the 2005 draft to fill the need.</p><p></p><p> Darren Sharper, however, gave the Packers strong play at the other safety post. Although frequently criticized for his at times shaky tackling and frustration that he didn't show up big in the big moments of the biggest games Sharper was a 3 time Pro Bowler during his six years with the Packers, leading the league with 9 interceptions in 2000 and returning 5 of his career 36 INT's with Green Bay for touchdowns. <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SharDa00.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SharDa00.htm </a></p><p></p><p> Knee injuries curtailed the once promising career of lb Brian Williams after 1999 and in 2002 5 year starting mlb Bernardo Harris left in free agency forcing the Packers into a perenniel search for linebacking help in the 2000's. They brought in free agent Nate Wayne and drafted Na'il Diggs who played the outside positions but were sorely disappointed in the outcome of the drafting of Torrance Marshall. Even worse was a quality drafted player the Packers let get away from them and acquired by the Bears. Hunter Hillenmeyer was a 4th round pick of Green Bay in 2003 and was waived at the end of the preseason. He would go on to become a starter on</p><p>Chicago's league leading defense that took the Bears to a Super Bowl in 2006. When Nate Wayne left in free agency for the Eagles in 2003 the Packers signed a free agent veteran Hannibal Navies from Carolina.</p><p></p><p> <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WaynNa20.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WaynNa20.htm </a></p><p> <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DiggNa20.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DiggNa20.htm </a></p><p> <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/N/NaviHa20.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/N/NaviHa20.htm</a></p><p></p><p> To replace the departed Bernardo Harris in 2002 the Packers signed former Pro Bowl free agent Hardy Nickerson from Jacksonville. The Packers had been interested in Nickerson when he was with Tampa Bay in their 1996 load-up for Super Bowl XXXI but he then decided to stay with the Bucs. In '02 the 5 time Pro Bowler was 37 years old and his age showed in his one season with the team. Undrafted free agent Paris Lenon was only a fair back-up or alternative. The Packers were prompted by need to use their first round pick in 2003 on Nick Barnett.</p><p></p><p> <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BarnNi20.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BarnNi20.htm </a></p><p></p><p> At first the Packers seemed to be following the same pattern under Mike Sherman that they had under Mike Holmgren toward the Super Bowl. They went 9-7 in 2000 and in 2001 returned to the playoffs after a two season absence as a strong 12-4 wild card playoff team.</p><p> <a href="http://www.packershistory.net/2001PACKERS.html" target="_blank">http://www.packershistory.net/2001PACKERS.html. </a></p><p></p><p> In their Wild Card playoff at Lambeau the Packers resumed their mastery over the 49ers with a 25-15 win and with the defense holding the Niners to 290 yds. That sent the Pack on to the divisional round at St.Louis, where the defense would face one of the historically great offenses in league history; the Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf."</p><p></p><p> The Rams had won a Super Bowl only two seasons before and appeared headed to another in 2001. They had the league's MVP qb Kurt Warner, dual threat back Marshall Faulk, and a swift set of receivers led by Tory Holt and Isaac Bruce. <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/ram/2001.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com</a></p><p><a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/ram/2001.htm" target="_blank">/teams/ram/2001.htm. </a></p><p></p><p> The Packers defense did a credible job under most difficult circumstances in the game; "limiting" the Rams to 292 yds. and 24 pts. The offense, though, turned the ball over 8 times, including 6 interceptions off Brett Favre and returned 3 for touchowns to turn the game into a 45-17 scoreboard rout.</p><p></p><p> Though disappointing the loss was likened to the playoff losses to Dallas in the '90's, preceding the run up to the Super Bowl XXXI season and the Packers were still regarded as a contender in 2002.</p><p></p><p> Ron Wolf retired as Green Bay's GM following the 2001 draft and, on his recommendation, the Packers promoted Sherman to replace him. In complete charge of the Packers football operations Sherman was determined to show he could "go big" on getting the Pack and Brett Favre back to the Super Bowl. In 2002 free agency he signed de Joe Johnson from New Orleans. <a href="http://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2002/03/26/Packers-sign-Joe-Johnson/92601017193956/" target="_blank">http://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2002/03/26/Packers-sign-Joe-Johnson./92601017193956/ </a></p><p></p><p> The Johnson signing was immediately reminiscient of the signing of Reggie White nine years earlier <a href="http://a.espncdn.com/nfl/columns/pasquarelli_len/1355070.html" target="_blank">http://a.espncdn.com/nfl/columns/pasquarelli_len/1355070.html. The reality of what actually resulted was anything but. </a></p><p></p><p> "JJ" was ineffectual in the few early season games he did play, then he got injured and was lost for the season after only 5 games. He would get himself in trouble on pot charges <a href="http://accesswdun.com/print/2004/3/174192" target="_blank">http://accesswdun.com/print/2004/3/17419. All the Packers would ever get for their $16 million investment on Johnson was 11 games with 2 sacks, 12 tackles and four assists and one fumble recovery. The deal would leave the club in a serious salary cap bind and make the organization ever after "gun-shy" about doing big money deals with big name free agents. </a></p><p></p><p> Fortunately, on the field, the Packers got a steal in the 2002 draft in 5th round pick Aaron Kampman. "Kampy" would step in immediately to fill the void created by the Johnson bust and over the next 8 seasons would become a Pro Bowler and Green Bay's most consistent and best defensive player of the 2000's. <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/K/KampAa99.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players./K/KampAa99.htm </a></p><p></p><p> Despite the Joe Johnson fiasco the Packers had the look and feel of a team bound for the Super Bowl for much of the 2002 season. They started fast, 8-1, and ran away with the first NFC North Division title; finishing the season 12-4 and six games ahead of the rest of the division. But injuries kept adding up and in the last weeks of the season they were starting to "wheeze" to the finish line.</p><p></p><p> <a href="http://www.packershistory.net/2002PACKERS.html" target="_blank">http://www.packershistory.net/2002PACKERS.html </a></p><p></p><p> The Packers missed a chance at a first round bye and home field advantage for the playoffs by getting blown out in their season final at the Jets and so went into the Wild Card round. They would host a Southern dome team with a rookie quarterback in a winter game at Lambeau and, at that point, no Green Bay team had ever lost a home field playoff game in club history.</p><p></p><p> But the rookie qb the Packers would meet against the Atlanta Falcons was Michael Vick, who had taken the league by storm that year. The Packers had seen Vick first hand in the season opener at Lambeau, when he ran and passed for 281 yds. against them in forcing them into a 37-34 overtime shoot-out.</p><p></p><p> And, in an ironic twist of history, the Falcons' head coach Dan Reeves was halfback on the Dallas team that had lost in the iconic "Ice Bowl" at Lambeau in 1967. Reeves threw the halfback option td pass in the fourth quarter of that game that nearly denied the Packers their "threepeat."</p><p></p><p> This time wouldn't be an Ice Bowl either in weather conditions or outcome. The Packers came out flat and disorganized from the start and the result was an historic, shocking loss. <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=230104009" target="_blank">http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=230104009 . </a></p><p></p><p> During the 2003 offseason Sherman faced a dilemma with the pending free agency of de Vonnie Holliday and dt Clete Hunt. A former first round draft pick, Holliday had a good career but was injury prone. The Packers had Aaron Kampman and KGB at end and Sherman still hoped to get something from Joe Johnson and Jamal Reynolds.</p><p></p><p> <a href="http://www.packertime.com/2001/101401/photos/3-12.jpg" target="_blank">http://www.packertime.com/2001/101401/photos/3-12.jpg </a></p><p></p><p> Hunt was a little younger and the Packers did not seem so set at tackle. Gilbert Brown was aging and winding down. Santana Dotson was already retired. Besides Hunt the only available prospects at that position were a pair of underwhelming back-ups Steve Warren and Rod Walker and a trio of unproven rookies Kenny Peterson, James Lee and Terdell Sands.</p><p></p><p> Sherman chose Hunt, giving him a six year $25 million contract with a $6 million signing bonus. Holliday would go on to play 9 more years in the league with 5 different clubs and in a turn of the wheel would face the Packers 7 years later in a Wild Card playoff shoot-out in Arizona as a Cardinal. <a href="http://www.azcardinals.com/assets/images/imported/ARI/photos/article/MainNovember2012/HollidayNotesMAIN.jpg" target="_blank">http://www.azcardinals.com/assets/images/imported/ARI/photos/article/MainNovember2012/HollidayNotesMAIN.jpg . </a></p><p></p><p> Once he got the big contract, however, Hunt became another bust. <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=2188620" target="_blank">http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=2188620 (to be continued.) </a></p><p></p><p> Sherman went heavy on defense in the Packers' 2003 draft. He took lb Nick Barnett with the first round pick and 6 of the 9 players drafted that year were on the defensive side. He tried to put beef into the line with the selections of 6-3,295 lb Kenny Peterson and 6-5,325 James Lee and added on waivers 6-7,337 lb Terdell Sands. The Packers also added a speedy corner Chris Johnson.</p><p></p><p> Barnett became an immediate starter and a fixture on the Packers defense for 8 seasons but the Packers got nothing from the rest. They released lb Hunter Hillenmeyer, who was claimed by the Bears and went on their trip to a Super Bowl in 2006. Another member of the Packers' draft class of '03 would also make a Super Bowl with another club. Chris Johnson would cap a 9 year NFL career with 4 teams by joining Baltimore in time for their Super Bowl winning season in 2012 after the Packers traded him in 2004.</p><p></p><p> Among the prospects the Packers passed on in that '03 draft were cb Asante Samuel, de Robert Mathis and lb Tully Banta-Cain. And Joe Johnson and Jamal Reynolds continued to bust.</p><p></p><p> The Packers started out the 2003 season losing four of their first seven games and finding themselves 3 games behind the hot starting Vikings in the NFC North race. In the first half of the season the defense gave up 300-plus yards in 7 of 8 games, over 100 yds. rushing in 5 and opponents scored 30 or more points against the Pack 3 times.</p><p></p><p> As it looked like the season was slipping away two events occurred which changed things completely. The Packers signed a big, veteran Pro Bowler dt Grady Jackson on waivers from New Orleans. And Minnesota would have one of the epic second half collapses in league history.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JackGr20.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JackGr20.htm </a></p><p></p><p> Jackson charged the Packer defense. After he joined the team only once in the second half of the season did an opponent gain as much as 300 yds. against them- and the Pack still won that game. Only one opponent in the second half scored over 21 points on the Packers- and Green Bay still won that game. In the first half of the season the Packers had only 11 turnovers; in the second half 20.</p><p></p><p> The Packers won 7 of their last ten games while Minnesota, after a 6-0 start, lost 7 of their final ten. Still, the Packers prospects for the playoffs looked dim as they entered the final game of the season. They were at a disadvantage in any tiebreaker with Seattle for a wild card spot or Minnesota for the division. They needed to win and have the Seahawks and/or Vikings lose their final game of the season.</p><p></p><p> The Packers trampled the Broncos 31-6 in their regular season finale at Lambeau to finish the season 10-6. Then the team and most of the fans stayed on the field to watch the final seconds of the Vikings-Cardinals game in Arizona to see whether they would have another.</p><p></p><p> Entering the final two minutes Minnesota held a 17-6 lead on the 3-12 Cards. But Arizona converted a 4th & 26 and scored to cut the margin to 5 pts. Then they recovered the on-side kick. And literally on the last play of the last game of the season they would score the touchdown that gave the NFC North, after a season long chase, to the Packers:</p><p></p><p><a href="https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqIRyk3FVRisA24r7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTByZWc0dGJtBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDMQ--?p=cardinals+knock+vikings+out+of+the+playoffs&vid=3bfdd4a07bc9a4acfb806bc233c65e01&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DWN.K0kZ5EaF1cW1oTveDWOwWg%26pid%3D15.1%26h%3D225%26w%3D300%26c%3D7%26rs%3D1&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DmL8S4G9zFK8&***=The+Cardinals+have+knocked+the+Vikings+out+of+the+playoffs!&c=0&h=225&w=300&l=26&sigr=11bup9qtc&sigt=11rc9st87&sigi=12ku13qhn&age=1358301104&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av&fr=sfp&tt=b" target="_blank">https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqIRyk3FVRisA24r7w8QF; (_ylu=X3oDMTByZWc0dGJtBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDMQ--?p=car dinals+knock+vikings+out+of+the+playoffs&vid=3bfdd4a07bc9a4acfb806bc233c65e01&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DWN.K0kZ5EaF1cW1oTveDWOwWg%26pid%3D15.1%26h%3D225%26w%3D300%26c%3D7%26rs%3D1&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DmL8S4G9zFK8&***=The+Cardinals+have+knocked+the+Vikings+out+of+the+playoffs!&c=0&h=225&w=300&l=26&sigr=11bup9qtc&sigt=11rc9st87&sigi=12ku13qhn&age=1358301104&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av&fr=sfp&tt=b </a></p><p></p><p> The Packers met their former head coach Mike Holmgren and former back-up qb Matt Hasselbeck in the Wild Card playoff at Lambeau. The game was a well played contest by both teams and probably should be regarded as an NFL playoff classic. Fittingly, it was tied 27-27 at the end of regulation.</p><p></p><p> During the coin toss to start the OT, which the Seahawks won, Hasselbeck was picked up on the mike saying, "We want the ball and we're going to score." On his first play from scrimmage Hasselbeck threw a short out route toward the sideline which Packers cb Al Harris jumped, intercepted and returned for the game winning td.</p><p> <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200401040gnb.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200401040gnb.htm </a></p><p></p><p> There was by now a feeling that "destiny" might be guiding this Packers team. If they had peaked too early in 2002 they were peaking at just the right time this season. The road to the Super Bowl from the NFC seemed open for them at this point. However, that road would run through Philadelphia, where the Packers would have one of their bitterest defeats and where the defense of the 2000's would acquire its defining moment: 4th & 26.</p><p></p><p> <a href="https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqITA13JVHy8AtmH7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTByZ2N0cmxpBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDMg--?p=4th+%26+26%2C+Packers+vs+Eagles&vid=70b7de9f595f83fe0d15b7b57d4b8a8a&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts2.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DWN.aoHyMqT%252flxkq6Hdck4OUhw%26pid%3D15.1%26h%3D168%26w%3D300%26c%3D7%26rs%3D1&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DFTv7Z-1uH08&***=Eagles+vs+Packers+Division+Playoffs+2003%2C+%26quot%3B4th+and+26%26quot%3B+Conversion&c=1&h=168&w=300&l=242&sigr=11b31deru&sigt=12b4hdj7a&sigi=12m3ots30&age=1411398170&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av&fr=sfp&tt=b" target="_blank">https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqITA13JVHy8AtmH7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTByZ2N0cmxpBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDMg--?p=4th+&+26,+Packers+vs+Eagles&vid=70b7de9f595f83fe0d15b7b57d4b8a8a&turl=http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=WN.aoHyMqT%2flxkq6Hdck4OUhw&pid=15.1&h=168&w=300&c=7&rs=1&rurl=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTv7Z-1uH08&***=Eagles+vs+Packers+Division+Playoffs+2003,+&quot;4th+and+26&quot;+Conversion&c=1&h=168&w=300&l=242&sigr=11b31deru&sigt=12b4hdj7a&sigi=12m3ots30&age=1411398170&fr2=p:s,v:v&fr=sfp&tt=b </a></p><p></p><p> <a href="http://www.packerwire.net/read.php?2,18217" target="_blank">http://www.packerwire.net/read.php?2,18217 </a></p><p></p><p> It wasn't the first and would not be the last time the Packers would experience bitter frustration over a playoff game they were expected to or seemingly had won by a single catastrophic mistake but it has ever since been the one to be recalled and revisited whenever such happens. The play has been haunting the Packers and their fans ever since.</p><p></p><p> <a href="http://articles.philly.com/2004-12-02/sports/25386361_1_ed-donatell-mcnabb-eagles" target="_blank">http://articles.philly.com/2004-12-02/sports/25386361_1_ed-donatell-mcnabb-eagles </a></p><p></p><p> In the wake of the playoff loss Ed Donatell was fired as defensive coordinator. Although denying that "4th & 26" was the reason Mike Sherman's vague, even torturous attempts at explaining his decision created an impression in many that Donatell was being scapegoated for a game lost more by several of Sherman's coaching decisions in it.</p><p></p><p> Sherman promoted Bob Slowik to be Green Bay's next dc. Slowik had been on Sherman's staff since 2000 coaching the defensive backs and had prior NFL defensive coordinator experience with Chicago and Cleveland. Sherman and Slowik promised a more aggressive, dynamic defense but before any new philosophy could be implemented the club found itself in a confrontation with one of the unit's key members.</p><p></p><p> Mike McKenzie had been the only one of the 4 defensive backs drafted by the Packers in 1999 to amount to anything much for the Packers or in the NFL. The five year vet had intercepted 15 passes and, though never selected to a Pro Bowl was a caliber player. McKenzie had signed a 5 year, $17.1 million contract extension with the Packers in 2002 but became miffed when several lesser corners around the league signed larger deals after. Under the influence of his agent, the famous (or infamous) Drew Rosenhaus, McKenzie demanded to renegotiate his deal or be traded and held out of the Packers training camp, preseason and opening regular season games.</p><p></p><p> The Packers, i.e. Mike Sherman, stood fast in refusing the player's demand as a matter of policy and principle. Most opinion was against McKenzie and even Brett Favre weighed in with talk about honoring one's word and fulfilling a contract. When McKenzie finally came in he did everything he could to exasperate the Packers and force them to trade him. He prepared and played poorly and then was injured- though many believed it was faked- until finally fed up Sherman dealt him to New Orleans for a pointless back-up qb J.T. O'Sullivan and a 2005 second round draft pick.(Which the Packers would parlay into Nick Collins.)</p><p></p><p> Mike McKenzie: the rest of the story <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_McKenzie_%28American_football%29" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_McKenzie_%28American_football%29 </a></p><p></p><p> Sherman, though, let the McKenzie situation drive him in the 2004 draft. Whether looking for a replacement or wanting to send a message and leverage the veteran into relenting Sherman took two fast but raw cornerbacks with the Packers' first two picks. Ahmad Carroll out of Arkansas in the first round and Joey Thomas from Montana St. in the third. Both players were regarded as "reaches" at the time and subsequent developments would only confirm that evaluation.</p><p></p><p> <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CarrAh20.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CarrAh20.htm </a></p><p> <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/ThomJo21.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/ThomJo21.htm </a></p><p> <a href="http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/29179849.html" target="_blank">http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/29179849.html </a></p><p></p><p> In so focusing on the corner position Sherman took a pass on several other notable talents that were available to him instead: cb Chris Gamble, s Bob Sanders, lb Karlos Dansby, dt Darnell Dockett and de Jared Allen.</p><p></p><p> To compenate for earlier draft and free agent misses on the line Sherm took 6-6,330 dt Donnell Washington with another third round pick and from him the Packers would get "bupkus." And if punting is considered as part of a team's defensive posture Sherman traded up into the third round for B.J Sander. Sander had won the Ray Guy Award as college football's top punter at Ohio St. but immediately became a basket case in the pros. (to be continued.)</p><p></p><p> <a href="http://www.acmepackingcompany.com/2011/4/13/2108600/top-10-draft-busts-since-1980-mike-shermans-2004-draft" target="_blank">http://www.acmepackingcompany.com/2011/4/13/2108600/top-10-draft-busts-since-1980-mike-shermans-2004-draft </a></p><p></p><p> Finishing up his preseason moves by bringing in a new safety Mark Roman and de R-Kal Truluck Sherman was ready to launch his new and improved defense for 2004. The Packers opened the season at Carolina against the defending NFC champion and Super Bowl runnerup Panthers in a "would, coulda,shoulda" match up of the previous season's conference championship game had the Packers not choked away their playoff in Philly. And the Packers dominated the game 24-14.</p><p></p><p> <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200409130car.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200409130car.htm </a></p><p></p><p> The defense played to script the first time out. They held the Panthers to only 38 rushing yards and shut down rb Stephen Davis, a 1,400 yd. rusher the prior season, to only 26 yds. on 9 carries. They got two sacks and forced two turnovers and limited the Panthers to only 1 third down conversion in 5 attempts. But that was as good as the defense would be in 2004 as the Packers ended up with their worst defensive season in 20 years.</p><p></p><p> The Packers would end up with the 25th ranked defense in the league; 23rd against the pass, 14th against the run and 23rd in points allowed. They would allow opponents 300-plus yds. in 8 games and in 7 were gashed for 400 or over, including 542 in a 30 point blow-out loss at Philadelphia. Three times during the season opponents would score 45 or more points on the Pack and over half their games would see the opposition run up at least 30 on them. Although some of that was due to the opponents scoring off the Packer offense's turnovers.</p><p></p><p> Although they would manage a respectable 40 quarterback sacks the Packers managed only 8 interceptions and 9 fumble recoveries. Somehow they managed to turn those meager 17 turnovers into 5 defensive td's. Fan wrath turned early on new dc Slowik but Mike Sherman came in for heavy criticism for his moves with the team's defense.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.dack.com/archive/bob-slowik-must-be-fired.html" target="_blank">http://www.dack.com/archive/bob-slowik-must-be-fired.html </a></p><p></p><p> Despite the defensive liability the Packers still managed to make the playoff for the fourth straight year and won a third consecutive NFC North title. Rallying from a 1-4 start they won 9 of their last 11 to finish 10-6 again and again overtook a late choking Minnesota team for the division title. They clinched on Christmas Eve in the Metrodome with a game remaining and they looked in tune for the postseason with an impressive 31-14 beating of the Bears at Soldier Field in the season finale.</p><p></p><p> The Vikings, however, managed to back in to the playoffs that season despite only an 8-8 record and would meet the Packers at Lambeau in the Wild Card playoff. The Packers had beaten Minnesota twice during the season in a pair of 34-31 shoot-outs but the Vikings were highly motivated and intensively prepared for the Packers in the playoff. Unfortunately Green Bay did not match their level.</p><p></p><p> For the second time in club history and in three seasons the Packers lost a home playoff game. Though considering the opponent and the occasion this one was probably more upsetting to Packers' fans than the loss to the Falcons two years before. It sent reverberations through the Packers organization.</p><p></p><p> <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200501090gnb.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200501090gnb.htm </a></p><p></p><p> To no one's surprise Bob Slowik was fired as defensive coordinator after just one season. But in a development not many saw coming club president Bob Harlan relieved Mike Sherman as GM and brought in Ted Thompson from Seattle as the new executive vice president of football operations. Sherman remained as head coach.</p><p></p><p> Thompson had been an assistant to Ron Wolf with the Packers in the 1990's and had gone to Seattle as part of the Holmgren exodus in '99. As vice president of operations for the Seahawks "TT" had played a major role in identifying and scouting players for the draft and his work preparing Seattle's draft boards had yielded an impressive series of drafts that had the Seahawks on course for a Super Bowl trip in 2005.</p><p></p><p> Harlan hoped that by bringing in TT and allowing Sherman to concentrate on coaching the team the Packers would get the kind of results that transpired during the Ron Wolf & Mike Holmgren arrangemt the previous decade. Sherman, though, wasn't pleased by his loss of power in the franchise and, though there was no obvious conflict between the coach and GM, the team remained essentially Sherman's in 2005 and Thompson would move at his first opportunity to bring in his own man to coach the team.</p><p></p><p> Improving the defense was the obvious priority for the '05 season and the Packers would make their major effort on that side of the ball by improving its coaching. Fortunately one of the league's best defensive coaches happened to be available for the Packers' job; Jim Bates.</p><p></p><p> Bates had been coaching defense in the NFL since 1991 after a long career in college ball. As defensive coordinator in Miami for four years he turned out consistent top 6 defensive units and never had one ranked lower than tenth. During a brief stint as interim head coach he took over a 1-8 team and won 3 of the last seven, including one over Super Bowl champion New England, and hoped to become the next head coach of the Dolphins. But Miami hired Nick Saban instead and Bates moved on to Green Bay.</p><p></p><p> Bates' hire was hailed as the best defensive coaching move by the Packers since the hiring of Fritz Shurmur 12 years earlier. And he brought with him from Miami two of his line assistants Bob Sanders and Robert Nunn to further bolster the staff and help in the implementation of his system.</p><p></p><p> The Packers still had a core of good defensive players: Aaron Kampman, Grady Jackson, Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, Nick Barnett, Al Harris. And hope was still alive that the two highly drafted young corners Ahmad Carroll and Joey Thomas might still progress. Three relatively unheralded young linemen were also getting more notice. Corey Williams had been a 6th round selection in the '04 draft and Cullen Jenkins an undrafted free agent in '03 while another big body Colin Cole was claimed on waivers as an undrafted free agent in '04.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JenkCu20.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JenkCu20.htm </a></p><p><a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillCo21.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillCo21.htm </a></p><p><a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/ColeCo20.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/ColeCo20.htm</a></p><p></p><p> The team lost their leading interceptor of the 2000's when safety Darren Sharper left as a free agent for Minnesota. The Packers drafted two safeties to fill the void, taking Nick Collins in the second round and Marviel Underwood in the fourth.</p><p></p><p> Ted Thompson used 6 picks in that year's draft for defensive players. LB Brady Poppinga was taken with a second fourth round pick. CB Mike Hawkins in the 5th. DE Mike Montgomery in the 6th. And a small but very fast lb/db "tweener" Kurt Campbell in the 7th.</p><p></p><p> In a late preseason trade the Packers sent cb Chris Johnson to the Rams for former first round lb Robert Thomas.</p><p></p><p> The Packers also cleaned out some of the "dead wood" that had been piling up on the defense. They had already cut their losses with Joe Johnson and Jamal Reynolds the year before and, after paying out a $1.25 million injury settlement, cut loose Clete Hunt.</p><p></p><p> Jim Bates was a minor miracle worker with the Packers' defense in 2005. The unit rose from 25th to 7th in the league rankings and led in pass defense. However modifying some of the progress was the team ranking 23rd against the run and managing only 10 interceptions and 12 fumble recoveries. They did produce 34 qb sacks and despite giving up hefty yardage on the ground did yield only 7 rushing td's.</p><p></p><p> However, the offense came apart that year. The offensive line was decimated by free agency losses, as the club found itself in a tight salary cap bind from Sherman's GM years and giving out big contracts to the likes of Joe Johnson and Cletidus Hunt. A plague of injuries wiped out the runningback and receiving corps. Brett Favre tried to "gunsling" his way through the crisis and ended up pitching 29 interceptions and barely reaching 20 td passes.</p><p></p><p> The Packers went 4-12, their first losing season in 15 years and tying the club record for most losses in a season. It was the first and only losing season they ever had under Mike Sherman's coaching but it was enough for Ted Thompson to fire him the day after the season ended.</p><p></p><p> Bates coveted the Packers' head coaching job and had some considerable support from the fan base as a candidate during the search which followed. Thompson did interview him for the job, but more to be thorough and fair and as a courtesy in hopes of getting him to stay on as defensive coordinator under a new regime.</p><p></p><p> The top two candidates were soon narrowed to Sean Payton, assistant and protege of Bill Parcells in Dallas, and Mike McCarthy, at the time offensive coordinator of the 49ers. McCarthy, of course, became TT's choice.</p><p></p><p> The Packers wanted Bates to stay on with the defense but miffed about being passed over for the head job he decided to move on.</p><p></p><p> <a href="http://chippewa.com/sports/packers-coaching-search-continues/article_233ba935-fae0-56f9-a139-8ef0eeca6e15.html" target="_blank">http://chippewa.com/sports/packers-coaching-search-continues/article_233ba935-fae0-56f9-a139-8ef0eeca6e15.html </a></p><p></p><p>End of Part 6.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p> <a href="http://www.packerwire.net/read.php?2,18217" target="_blank"> </a></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Packerlifer, post: 610744, member: 1242"] Part 6: The Packers and Eagles traded coaches in 1999, even though there was no actual deal between the two clubs. Ron Wolf had ruled out promoting any of Mike Holmgren's assistants to succeed him so quarterbacks coach Andy Reid went to Philadelphia. And the Packers hired recently fired Eagles hc Ray Rhodes as their new head coach. Rhodes had been Green Bay's defensive coordinator in 1992-93. In 1994 as dc in San Francisco he had helped the 49ers to a Super Bowl championship. He went on to head coach in Philly for four years. In his first two he turned a losing Eagles team around and made them a playoff club. He was NFC "coach of the year" in 1995. But in his last two years the team started losing and he was fired after a dismal 3-13 in 1998. Most of the blame for the Eagles' slide at the end of his tenure there, though, was being put on injuries and lack of a quarterback. In Green Bay Rhodes would certainly not lack for a qb with Brett Favre still elite. And with Ron Wolf in charge to stock the team he figured to have enough to work with to at least keep the Packers a playoff team. The offense was still intact and with Sherm Lewis remaining as coordinator promised continuity. There were still plenty of members remaining from the Packers' recent top tier, championship winning defenses. Santana Dotson, Gilbert Brown, Brian Williams, LeRoy Butler, Darren Sharper, Tyrone Williams. But Wolf realized some renovations were in order to keep the defense in shape. Anticipating Reggie White's retirement Wolf had used the Packers first round pick in 1998 for de Vonnie Holliday and selected dt Jonathan Brown in the third round. After watching the Packer secondary get torched by the big, fast receivers in Minnesota and Detroit and letting Terrell Owens get open to beat them in the 49ers playoff Wolf loaded up with defensive backs in his 1999 draft. In the first round he took cb Antuan Edwards, in the 2nd Fred Vinson, Mike McKenzie in the third and s Chris Akins in the 7th. These were supposed to be a "young Turks" group that would match up better with the Randy Mosses, Cris Carters, Herman Moores of the NFC Central Division that the Packers would face twice each year; one-fourth of their annual season schedule. For some veteran presence post-Reggie White the Packers added free agent veterans Vaughn Booker and Roy Barker. They also signed undrafted free agents lb Jude Waddy and cb Tod McBride. And for good measure along the line added a big dt Cletidus Hunt in the draft. Accompanying Rhodes from Philadelphia as defensive coordinator was Emmitt Thomas, a ProFootball Hall of Fame safety in his playing days and already a veteran of almost 20 years of defensive coaching in the NFL. With the Eagles Rhodes and Thomas had kept Philly in the top half of the league in defense and in their first two years produced top 5 units. Rhodes' coaching in Green Bay, though, would be short but not sweet. The team dropped to 8-8 and missed the playoffs for the first time in seven years. Posted their first non-winning record in eight. The defense slipped to 19th in yardage and 20th in points allowed at 21.3ppg. They were 18th in pass defense, 22nd against the run. The beginning of the end for Rhodes was a Week 13 game in mid-December at Lambeau against Carolina. Leading 31-26 the Packer defense allowed the Panthers to drive 63 yds. in the final 3:52 with qb Steve Beurlein running the final five yards on a qb draw as time expired for the winning td. The defense's failure to hold and Rhodes clock management on that drive - he didn't use a single time out to leave any time at the finish for the Pack to attempt a comeback - helped convince Ron Wolf that a change was in order. Just hours after the season ended the Packers fired Ray Rhodes and his entire staff. Ron Wolf went to an old familiar well with his third head coaching hire for the Packers Mike Sherman. Sherman had been coaching in the NFL for only 3 years at that point but had been Packers' tight ends and assistant o-line coach in 1997-98 and went with Mike Holmgren to Seattle where he became the Seahawks' offensive coordinator in 1999. His connection to Holmgren and familiarity with Holmgren's West Coast offense, which was still being played in Green Bay, were undoubtedly what commended him to Wolf after he failed to get either of his first two preferences Marty Schottenheimer and Rams' offensive coordinator Mike Martz. Sherman would restore the Packers to being a consistent winning, playoff making team. During his time in charge the Pack would make four straight playoff appearances, three consecutive as the first NFC North Division title winners. But Sherman would end up with the distinction of being the only head coach in Packers' history to have a winning record but never win or even reach a Super Bowl or conference championship game. The offense during Sherman's time would rank high and even produce some historic results, though with a tendency to self-destruct in big mistakes at critical times. The defense would struggle to establish its identity and during Sherm's first 5 seasons would only rank at best in the middle of the league's units. The Packers would have 3 different defensive coordinators during Sherman's six year tenure, the most under any Packers' head coach; including a period near the end when they would have a different dc every year for 3 consecutive seasons. During his last four drafts as Packers' GM Ron Wolf used first round picks on defensive players 3 times; selecting de Vonnie Holliday in 1998, db Antuan Edwards in '99 and in 2001 trading up for the 1oth pick for de Jamal Reynolds. Holliday would have a good, though not great career for the Packers. Edwards struggled with consistency and injury as both a corner and safety. Reynolds would simply be one of the biggest draft busts in club history. [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HollVo20.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HollVo20.htm [/URL] [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/E/EdwaAn21.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/E/EdwaAn21.htm [/URL] [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/ReynJa20.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/ReynJa20.htm [/URL] Of the four defensive backs drafted in 1999 only third rounder Mike McKenzie produced any real value on the field for the Packers. Second rounder Fred Vinson was packed in the trade with Seattle that brought rb Ahman Green to the Packers in 2000. Safety Chris Akins would hang on for a couple of years before being released. He would be best remembered with the Packers for a bonehead personal foul penalty that helped the Falcons upset the Packers in a 2001 game that ultimately cost the team the division title and led to an "in your face" confrontation with Mike Sherman on the bench during that game. [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/McKeMi20.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/McKeMi20.htm [/URL] With Santana Dotson winding down his career and 1998 third round pick Jonathan Brown turning out to be a bust, the Packers used their third round pick in the '99 draft for big dt Cletidus Hunt. [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HuntCl20.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HuntCl20.htm [/URL] Wolf continued to be a player in free agency. In 2000 he brought in two veteran, former first round draft picks. End John Thierry had been a one time first rounder of the Bears and tackle Russell Maryland was a mainstay on the Dallas' defenses that won 3 Super Bowls and was the first overall pick of his draft class in 1991. Maryland only played for the Packers one season; while Gilbert Brown was out dealing with weight issues and injuries. Thierry started for the Pack for two seasons in 2000-01, registering ten sacks. Ed Donatell was the Packers first and longest serving defensive coordinator during the Sherman years. He came to Green Bay after coaching defensive backs for the Jets and Broncos for ten years but had never previously been a coordinator in the NFL. Donatell would run the Packers' defense for four seasons, producing rankings of 15th, 12th twice and 17th. While never great Donatell's defenses weren't altogether terrible. They cracked the league's "top ten" in rushing defense twice and in 2002 were third against the pass. They were 5th in scoring defense in 2001, allowing 16.6 ppg. They set a new club record with 51 quarterback sacks in 2001 and notched more than 20 interceptions every year. A big part of the reason for the Packers' efficiency in getting to the quarterback was the emergence of 2000 5th round draft pick de Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila. "KGB" would post double-digit sack seasons four straight years and would end up as Green Bay's all-time official qb sacks leader with 74.5 [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GbajKa20.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GbajKa20.htm [/URL] They got strong corner play from Mike McKenzie, Tyrone Williams and, later, Al Harris. They kept 2000 free agent pick-up Allen Rossum consigned to return duties; where he became the Packers' best return man since Desmond Howard. [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillTy20.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillTy20.htm [/URL] [URL='http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-1/Al-Harris-retires-to-hearts-of-Packers-fans-everywhere/4c5162de-4510-4744-938e-d661d22575eb']http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-1/Al-Harris-retires-to-hearts-of-Packers-fans-everywhere/4c5162de-4510-4744-938e-d661d22575eb [/URL] The Packers suffered a major loss in 2001 when All-Pro safety LeRoy Butler sustained a broken shoulder blade and was consequently forced to retire. The Packers would struggle for the next four seasons, trying Antuan Edwards, Chris Akins, Marques Anderson, Bhaoh Jue and Mark Roman in the void, until another #36 would arrive in the 2005 draft to fill the need. Darren Sharper, however, gave the Packers strong play at the other safety post. Although frequently criticized for his at times shaky tackling and frustration that he didn't show up big in the big moments of the biggest games Sharper was a 3 time Pro Bowler during his six years with the Packers, leading the league with 9 interceptions in 2000 and returning 5 of his career 36 INT's with Green Bay for touchdowns. [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SharDa00.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SharDa00.htm [/URL] Knee injuries curtailed the once promising career of lb Brian Williams after 1999 and in 2002 5 year starting mlb Bernardo Harris left in free agency forcing the Packers into a perenniel search for linebacking help in the 2000's. They brought in free agent Nate Wayne and drafted Na'il Diggs who played the outside positions but were sorely disappointed in the outcome of the drafting of Torrance Marshall. Even worse was a quality drafted player the Packers let get away from them and acquired by the Bears. Hunter Hillenmeyer was a 4th round pick of Green Bay in 2003 and was waived at the end of the preseason. He would go on to become a starter on Chicago's league leading defense that took the Bears to a Super Bowl in 2006. When Nate Wayne left in free agency for the Eagles in 2003 the Packers signed a free agent veteran Hannibal Navies from Carolina. [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WaynNa20.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WaynNa20.htm [/URL] [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DiggNa20.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DiggNa20.htm [/URL] [URL]http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/N/NaviHa20.htm[/URL] To replace the departed Bernardo Harris in 2002 the Packers signed former Pro Bowl free agent Hardy Nickerson from Jacksonville. The Packers had been interested in Nickerson when he was with Tampa Bay in their 1996 load-up for Super Bowl XXXI but he then decided to stay with the Bucs. In '02 the 5 time Pro Bowler was 37 years old and his age showed in his one season with the team. Undrafted free agent Paris Lenon was only a fair back-up or alternative. The Packers were prompted by need to use their first round pick in 2003 on Nick Barnett. [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BarnNi20.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BarnNi20.htm [/URL] At first the Packers seemed to be following the same pattern under Mike Sherman that they had under Mike Holmgren toward the Super Bowl. They went 9-7 in 2000 and in 2001 returned to the playoffs after a two season absence as a strong 12-4 wild card playoff team. [URL='http://www.packershistory.net/2001PACKERS.html']http://www.packershistory.net/2001PACKERS.html. [/URL] In their Wild Card playoff at Lambeau the Packers resumed their mastery over the 49ers with a 25-15 win and with the defense holding the Niners to 290 yds. That sent the Pack on to the divisional round at St.Louis, where the defense would face one of the historically great offenses in league history; the Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf." The Rams had won a Super Bowl only two seasons before and appeared headed to another in 2001. They had the league's MVP qb Kurt Warner, dual threat back Marshall Faulk, and a swift set of receivers led by Tory Holt and Isaac Bruce. [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/ram/2001.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com /teams/ram/2001.htm. [/URL] The Packers defense did a credible job under most difficult circumstances in the game; "limiting" the Rams to 292 yds. and 24 pts. The offense, though, turned the ball over 8 times, including 6 interceptions off Brett Favre and returned 3 for touchowns to turn the game into a 45-17 scoreboard rout. Though disappointing the loss was likened to the playoff losses to Dallas in the '90's, preceding the run up to the Super Bowl XXXI season and the Packers were still regarded as a contender in 2002. Ron Wolf retired as Green Bay's GM following the 2001 draft and, on his recommendation, the Packers promoted Sherman to replace him. In complete charge of the Packers football operations Sherman was determined to show he could "go big" on getting the Pack and Brett Favre back to the Super Bowl. In 2002 free agency he signed de Joe Johnson from New Orleans. [URL='http://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2002/03/26/Packers-sign-Joe-Johnson/92601017193956/']http://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2002/03/26/Packers-sign-Joe-Johnson./92601017193956/ [/URL] The Johnson signing was immediately reminiscient of the signing of Reggie White nine years earlier [URL='http://a.espncdn.com/nfl/columns/pasquarelli_len/1355070.html']http://a.espncdn.com/nfl/columns/pasquarelli_len/1355070.html. The reality of what actually resulted was anything but. [/URL] "JJ" was ineffectual in the few early season games he did play, then he got injured and was lost for the season after only 5 games. He would get himself in trouble on pot charges [URL='http://accesswdun.com/print/2004/3/174192']http://accesswdun.com/print/2004/3/17419. All the Packers would ever get for their $16 million investment on Johnson was 11 games with 2 sacks, 12 tackles and four assists and one fumble recovery. The deal would leave the club in a serious salary cap bind and make the organization ever after "gun-shy" about doing big money deals with big name free agents. [/URL] Fortunately, on the field, the Packers got a steal in the 2002 draft in 5th round pick Aaron Kampman. "Kampy" would step in immediately to fill the void created by the Johnson bust and over the next 8 seasons would become a Pro Bowler and Green Bay's most consistent and best defensive player of the 2000's. [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/K/KampAa99.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players./K/KampAa99.htm [/URL] Despite the Joe Johnson fiasco the Packers had the look and feel of a team bound for the Super Bowl for much of the 2002 season. They started fast, 8-1, and ran away with the first NFC North Division title; finishing the season 12-4 and six games ahead of the rest of the division. But injuries kept adding up and in the last weeks of the season they were starting to "wheeze" to the finish line. [URL='http://www.packershistory.net/2002PACKERS.html']http://www.packershistory.net/2002PACKERS.html [/URL] The Packers missed a chance at a first round bye and home field advantage for the playoffs by getting blown out in their season final at the Jets and so went into the Wild Card round. They would host a Southern dome team with a rookie quarterback in a winter game at Lambeau and, at that point, no Green Bay team had ever lost a home field playoff game in club history. But the rookie qb the Packers would meet against the Atlanta Falcons was Michael Vick, who had taken the league by storm that year. The Packers had seen Vick first hand in the season opener at Lambeau, when he ran and passed for 281 yds. against them in forcing them into a 37-34 overtime shoot-out. And, in an ironic twist of history, the Falcons' head coach Dan Reeves was halfback on the Dallas team that had lost in the iconic "Ice Bowl" at Lambeau in 1967. Reeves threw the halfback option td pass in the fourth quarter of that game that nearly denied the Packers their "threepeat." This time wouldn't be an Ice Bowl either in weather conditions or outcome. The Packers came out flat and disorganized from the start and the result was an historic, shocking loss. [URL='http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=230104009']http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=230104009 . [/URL] During the 2003 offseason Sherman faced a dilemma with the pending free agency of de Vonnie Holliday and dt Clete Hunt. A former first round draft pick, Holliday had a good career but was injury prone. The Packers had Aaron Kampman and KGB at end and Sherman still hoped to get something from Joe Johnson and Jamal Reynolds. [URL='http://www.packertime.com/2001/101401/photos/3-12.jpg']http://www.packertime.com/2001/101401/photos/3-12.jpg [/URL] Hunt was a little younger and the Packers did not seem so set at tackle. Gilbert Brown was aging and winding down. Santana Dotson was already retired. Besides Hunt the only available prospects at that position were a pair of underwhelming back-ups Steve Warren and Rod Walker and a trio of unproven rookies Kenny Peterson, James Lee and Terdell Sands. Sherman chose Hunt, giving him a six year $25 million contract with a $6 million signing bonus. Holliday would go on to play 9 more years in the league with 5 different clubs and in a turn of the wheel would face the Packers 7 years later in a Wild Card playoff shoot-out in Arizona as a Cardinal. [URL='http://www.azcardinals.com/assets/images/imported/ARI/photos/article/MainNovember2012/HollidayNotesMAIN.jpg']http://www.azcardinals.com/assets/images/imported/ARI/photos/article/MainNovember2012/HollidayNotesMAIN.jpg . [/URL] Once he got the big contract, however, Hunt became another bust. [URL='http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=2188620']http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=2188620 (to be continued.) [/URL] Sherman went heavy on defense in the Packers' 2003 draft. He took lb Nick Barnett with the first round pick and 6 of the 9 players drafted that year were on the defensive side. He tried to put beef into the line with the selections of 6-3,295 lb Kenny Peterson and 6-5,325 James Lee and added on waivers 6-7,337 lb Terdell Sands. The Packers also added a speedy corner Chris Johnson. Barnett became an immediate starter and a fixture on the Packers defense for 8 seasons but the Packers got nothing from the rest. They released lb Hunter Hillenmeyer, who was claimed by the Bears and went on their trip to a Super Bowl in 2006. Another member of the Packers' draft class of '03 would also make a Super Bowl with another club. Chris Johnson would cap a 9 year NFL career with 4 teams by joining Baltimore in time for their Super Bowl winning season in 2012 after the Packers traded him in 2004. Among the prospects the Packers passed on in that '03 draft were cb Asante Samuel, de Robert Mathis and lb Tully Banta-Cain. And Joe Johnson and Jamal Reynolds continued to bust. The Packers started out the 2003 season losing four of their first seven games and finding themselves 3 games behind the hot starting Vikings in the NFC North race. In the first half of the season the defense gave up 300-plus yards in 7 of 8 games, over 100 yds. rushing in 5 and opponents scored 30 or more points against the Pack 3 times. As it looked like the season was slipping away two events occurred which changed things completely. The Packers signed a big, veteran Pro Bowler dt Grady Jackson on waivers from New Orleans. And Minnesota would have one of the epic second half collapses in league history. [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JackGr20.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JackGr20.htm [/URL] Jackson charged the Packer defense. After he joined the team only once in the second half of the season did an opponent gain as much as 300 yds. against them- and the Pack still won that game. Only one opponent in the second half scored over 21 points on the Packers- and Green Bay still won that game. In the first half of the season the Packers had only 11 turnovers; in the second half 20. The Packers won 7 of their last ten games while Minnesota, after a 6-0 start, lost 7 of their final ten. Still, the Packers prospects for the playoffs looked dim as they entered the final game of the season. They were at a disadvantage in any tiebreaker with Seattle for a wild card spot or Minnesota for the division. They needed to win and have the Seahawks and/or Vikings lose their final game of the season. The Packers trampled the Broncos 31-6 in their regular season finale at Lambeau to finish the season 10-6. Then the team and most of the fans stayed on the field to watch the final seconds of the Vikings-Cardinals game in Arizona to see whether they would have another. Entering the final two minutes Minnesota held a 17-6 lead on the 3-12 Cards. But Arizona converted a 4th & 26 and scored to cut the margin to 5 pts. Then they recovered the on-side kick. And literally on the last play of the last game of the season they would score the touchdown that gave the NFC North, after a season long chase, to the Packers: [URL='https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqIRyk3FVRisA24r7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTByZWc0dGJtBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDMQ--?p=cardinals+knock+vikings+out+of+the+playoffs&vid=3bfdd4a07bc9a4acfb806bc233c65e01&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DWN.K0kZ5EaF1cW1oTveDWOwWg%26pid%3D15.1%26h%3D225%26w%3D300%26c%3D7%26rs%3D1&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DmL8S4G9zFK8&***=The+Cardinals+have+knocked+the+Vikings+out+of+the+playoffs!&c=0&h=225&w=300&l=26&sigr=11bup9qtc&sigt=11rc9st87&sigi=12ku13qhn&age=1358301104&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av&fr=sfp&tt=b']https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqIRyk3FVRisA24r7w8QF; (_ylu=X3oDMTByZWc0dGJtBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDMQ--?p=car dinals+knock+vikings+out+of+the+playoffs&vid=3bfdd4a07bc9a4acfb806bc233c65e01&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DWN.K0kZ5EaF1cW1oTveDWOwWg%26pid%3D15.1%26h%3D225%26w%3D300%26c%3D7%26rs%3D1&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DmL8S4G9zFK8&***=The+Cardinals+have+knocked+the+Vikings+out+of+the+playoffs!&c=0&h=225&w=300&l=26&sigr=11bup9qtc&sigt=11rc9st87&sigi=12ku13qhn&age=1358301104&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av&fr=sfp&tt=b [/URL] The Packers met their former head coach Mike Holmgren and former back-up qb Matt Hasselbeck in the Wild Card playoff at Lambeau. The game was a well played contest by both teams and probably should be regarded as an NFL playoff classic. Fittingly, it was tied 27-27 at the end of regulation. During the coin toss to start the OT, which the Seahawks won, Hasselbeck was picked up on the mike saying, "We want the ball and we're going to score." On his first play from scrimmage Hasselbeck threw a short out route toward the sideline which Packers cb Al Harris jumped, intercepted and returned for the game winning td. [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200401040gnb.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200401040gnb.htm [/URL] There was by now a feeling that "destiny" might be guiding this Packers team. If they had peaked too early in 2002 they were peaking at just the right time this season. The road to the Super Bowl from the NFC seemed open for them at this point. However, that road would run through Philadelphia, where the Packers would have one of their bitterest defeats and where the defense of the 2000's would acquire its defining moment: 4th & 26. [URL='https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqITA13JVHy8AtmH7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTByZ2N0cmxpBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDMg--?p=4th+%26+26%2C+Packers+vs+Eagles&vid=70b7de9f595f83fe0d15b7b57d4b8a8a&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts2.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DWN.aoHyMqT%252flxkq6Hdck4OUhw%26pid%3D15.1%26h%3D168%26w%3D300%26c%3D7%26rs%3D1&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DFTv7Z-1uH08&***=Eagles+vs+Packers+Division+Playoffs+2003%2C+%26quot%3B4th+and+26%26quot%3B+Conversion&c=1&h=168&w=300&l=242&sigr=11b31deru&sigt=12b4hdj7a&sigi=12m3ots30&age=1411398170&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av&fr=sfp&tt=b']https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqITA13JVHy8AtmH7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTByZ2N0cmxpBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDMg--?p=4th+&+26,+Packers+vs+Eagles&vid=70b7de9f595f83fe0d15b7b57d4b8a8a&turl=http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=WN.aoHyMqT%2flxkq6Hdck4OUhw&pid=15.1&h=168&w=300&c=7&rs=1&rurl=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTv7Z-1uH08&***=Eagles+vs+Packers+Division+Playoffs+2003,+"4th+and+26"+Conversion&c=1&h=168&w=300&l=242&sigr=11b31deru&sigt=12b4hdj7a&sigi=12m3ots30&age=1411398170&fr2=p:s,v:v&fr=sfp&tt=b [/URL] [URL='http://www.packerwire.net/read.php?2,18217']http://www.packerwire.net/read.php?2,18217 [/URL] It wasn't the first and would not be the last time the Packers would experience bitter frustration over a playoff game they were expected to or seemingly had won by a single catastrophic mistake but it has ever since been the one to be recalled and revisited whenever such happens. The play has been haunting the Packers and their fans ever since. [URL='http://articles.philly.com/2004-12-02/sports/25386361_1_ed-donatell-mcnabb-eagles']http://articles.philly.com/2004-12-02/sports/25386361_1_ed-donatell-mcnabb-eagles [/URL] In the wake of the playoff loss Ed Donatell was fired as defensive coordinator. Although denying that "4th & 26" was the reason Mike Sherman's vague, even torturous attempts at explaining his decision created an impression in many that Donatell was being scapegoated for a game lost more by several of Sherman's coaching decisions in it. Sherman promoted Bob Slowik to be Green Bay's next dc. Slowik had been on Sherman's staff since 2000 coaching the defensive backs and had prior NFL defensive coordinator experience with Chicago and Cleveland. Sherman and Slowik promised a more aggressive, dynamic defense but before any new philosophy could be implemented the club found itself in a confrontation with one of the unit's key members. Mike McKenzie had been the only one of the 4 defensive backs drafted by the Packers in 1999 to amount to anything much for the Packers or in the NFL. The five year vet had intercepted 15 passes and, though never selected to a Pro Bowl was a caliber player. McKenzie had signed a 5 year, $17.1 million contract extension with the Packers in 2002 but became miffed when several lesser corners around the league signed larger deals after. Under the influence of his agent, the famous (or infamous) Drew Rosenhaus, McKenzie demanded to renegotiate his deal or be traded and held out of the Packers training camp, preseason and opening regular season games. The Packers, i.e. Mike Sherman, stood fast in refusing the player's demand as a matter of policy and principle. Most opinion was against McKenzie and even Brett Favre weighed in with talk about honoring one's word and fulfilling a contract. When McKenzie finally came in he did everything he could to exasperate the Packers and force them to trade him. He prepared and played poorly and then was injured- though many believed it was faked- until finally fed up Sherman dealt him to New Orleans for a pointless back-up qb J.T. O'Sullivan and a 2005 second round draft pick.(Which the Packers would parlay into Nick Collins.) Mike McKenzie: the rest of the story [URL='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_McKenzie_%28American_football%29']http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_McKenzie_%28American_football%29 [/URL] Sherman, though, let the McKenzie situation drive him in the 2004 draft. Whether looking for a replacement or wanting to send a message and leverage the veteran into relenting Sherman took two fast but raw cornerbacks with the Packers' first two picks. Ahmad Carroll out of Arkansas in the first round and Joey Thomas from Montana St. in the third. Both players were regarded as "reaches" at the time and subsequent developments would only confirm that evaluation. [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CarrAh20.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CarrAh20.htm [/URL] [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/ThomJo21.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/ThomJo21.htm [/URL] [URL='http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/29179849.html']http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/29179849.html [/URL] In so focusing on the corner position Sherman took a pass on several other notable talents that were available to him instead: cb Chris Gamble, s Bob Sanders, lb Karlos Dansby, dt Darnell Dockett and de Jared Allen. To compenate for earlier draft and free agent misses on the line Sherm took 6-6,330 dt Donnell Washington with another third round pick and from him the Packers would get "bupkus." And if punting is considered as part of a team's defensive posture Sherman traded up into the third round for B.J Sander. Sander had won the Ray Guy Award as college football's top punter at Ohio St. but immediately became a basket case in the pros. (to be continued.) [URL='http://www.acmepackingcompany.com/2011/4/13/2108600/top-10-draft-busts-since-1980-mike-shermans-2004-draft']http://www.acmepackingcompany.com/2011/4/13/2108600/top-10-draft-busts-since-1980-mike-shermans-2004-draft [/URL] Finishing up his preseason moves by bringing in a new safety Mark Roman and de R-Kal Truluck Sherman was ready to launch his new and improved defense for 2004. The Packers opened the season at Carolina against the defending NFC champion and Super Bowl runnerup Panthers in a "would, coulda,shoulda" match up of the previous season's conference championship game had the Packers not choked away their playoff in Philly. And the Packers dominated the game 24-14. [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200409130car.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200409130car.htm [/URL] The defense played to script the first time out. They held the Panthers to only 38 rushing yards and shut down rb Stephen Davis, a 1,400 yd. rusher the prior season, to only 26 yds. on 9 carries. They got two sacks and forced two turnovers and limited the Panthers to only 1 third down conversion in 5 attempts. But that was as good as the defense would be in 2004 as the Packers ended up with their worst defensive season in 20 years. The Packers would end up with the 25th ranked defense in the league; 23rd against the pass, 14th against the run and 23rd in points allowed. They would allow opponents 300-plus yds. in 8 games and in 7 were gashed for 400 or over, including 542 in a 30 point blow-out loss at Philadelphia. Three times during the season opponents would score 45 or more points on the Pack and over half their games would see the opposition run up at least 30 on them. Although some of that was due to the opponents scoring off the Packer offense's turnovers. Although they would manage a respectable 40 quarterback sacks the Packers managed only 8 interceptions and 9 fumble recoveries. Somehow they managed to turn those meager 17 turnovers into 5 defensive td's. Fan wrath turned early on new dc Slowik but Mike Sherman came in for heavy criticism for his moves with the team's defense. [URL='http://www.dack.com/archive/bob-slowik-must-be-fired.html']http://www.dack.com/archive/bob-slowik-must-be-fired.html [/URL] Despite the defensive liability the Packers still managed to make the playoff for the fourth straight year and won a third consecutive NFC North title. Rallying from a 1-4 start they won 9 of their last 11 to finish 10-6 again and again overtook a late choking Minnesota team for the division title. They clinched on Christmas Eve in the Metrodome with a game remaining and they looked in tune for the postseason with an impressive 31-14 beating of the Bears at Soldier Field in the season finale. The Vikings, however, managed to back in to the playoffs that season despite only an 8-8 record and would meet the Packers at Lambeau in the Wild Card playoff. The Packers had beaten Minnesota twice during the season in a pair of 34-31 shoot-outs but the Vikings were highly motivated and intensively prepared for the Packers in the playoff. Unfortunately Green Bay did not match their level. For the second time in club history and in three seasons the Packers lost a home playoff game. Though considering the opponent and the occasion this one was probably more upsetting to Packers' fans than the loss to the Falcons two years before. It sent reverberations through the Packers organization. [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200501090gnb.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200501090gnb.htm [/URL] To no one's surprise Bob Slowik was fired as defensive coordinator after just one season. But in a development not many saw coming club president Bob Harlan relieved Mike Sherman as GM and brought in Ted Thompson from Seattle as the new executive vice president of football operations. Sherman remained as head coach. Thompson had been an assistant to Ron Wolf with the Packers in the 1990's and had gone to Seattle as part of the Holmgren exodus in '99. As vice president of operations for the Seahawks "TT" had played a major role in identifying and scouting players for the draft and his work preparing Seattle's draft boards had yielded an impressive series of drafts that had the Seahawks on course for a Super Bowl trip in 2005. Harlan hoped that by bringing in TT and allowing Sherman to concentrate on coaching the team the Packers would get the kind of results that transpired during the Ron Wolf & Mike Holmgren arrangemt the previous decade. Sherman, though, wasn't pleased by his loss of power in the franchise and, though there was no obvious conflict between the coach and GM, the team remained essentially Sherman's in 2005 and Thompson would move at his first opportunity to bring in his own man to coach the team. Improving the defense was the obvious priority for the '05 season and the Packers would make their major effort on that side of the ball by improving its coaching. Fortunately one of the league's best defensive coaches happened to be available for the Packers' job; Jim Bates. Bates had been coaching defense in the NFL since 1991 after a long career in college ball. As defensive coordinator in Miami for four years he turned out consistent top 6 defensive units and never had one ranked lower than tenth. During a brief stint as interim head coach he took over a 1-8 team and won 3 of the last seven, including one over Super Bowl champion New England, and hoped to become the next head coach of the Dolphins. But Miami hired Nick Saban instead and Bates moved on to Green Bay. Bates' hire was hailed as the best defensive coaching move by the Packers since the hiring of Fritz Shurmur 12 years earlier. And he brought with him from Miami two of his line assistants Bob Sanders and Robert Nunn to further bolster the staff and help in the implementation of his system. The Packers still had a core of good defensive players: Aaron Kampman, Grady Jackson, Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, Nick Barnett, Al Harris. And hope was still alive that the two highly drafted young corners Ahmad Carroll and Joey Thomas might still progress. Three relatively unheralded young linemen were also getting more notice. Corey Williams had been a 6th round selection in the '04 draft and Cullen Jenkins an undrafted free agent in '03 while another big body Colin Cole was claimed on waivers as an undrafted free agent in '04. [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JenkCu20.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JenkCu20.htm [/URL] [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillCo21.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillCo21.htm [/URL] [URL]http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/ColeCo20.htm[/URL] The team lost their leading interceptor of the 2000's when safety Darren Sharper left as a free agent for Minnesota. The Packers drafted two safeties to fill the void, taking Nick Collins in the second round and Marviel Underwood in the fourth. Ted Thompson used 6 picks in that year's draft for defensive players. LB Brady Poppinga was taken with a second fourth round pick. CB Mike Hawkins in the 5th. DE Mike Montgomery in the 6th. And a small but very fast lb/db "tweener" Kurt Campbell in the 7th. In a late preseason trade the Packers sent cb Chris Johnson to the Rams for former first round lb Robert Thomas. The Packers also cleaned out some of the "dead wood" that had been piling up on the defense. They had already cut their losses with Joe Johnson and Jamal Reynolds the year before and, after paying out a $1.25 million injury settlement, cut loose Clete Hunt. Jim Bates was a minor miracle worker with the Packers' defense in 2005. The unit rose from 25th to 7th in the league rankings and led in pass defense. However modifying some of the progress was the team ranking 23rd against the run and managing only 10 interceptions and 12 fumble recoveries. They did produce 34 qb sacks and despite giving up hefty yardage on the ground did yield only 7 rushing td's. However, the offense came apart that year. The offensive line was decimated by free agency losses, as the club found itself in a tight salary cap bind from Sherman's GM years and giving out big contracts to the likes of Joe Johnson and Cletidus Hunt. A plague of injuries wiped out the runningback and receiving corps. Brett Favre tried to "gunsling" his way through the crisis and ended up pitching 29 interceptions and barely reaching 20 td passes. The Packers went 4-12, their first losing season in 15 years and tying the club record for most losses in a season. It was the first and only losing season they ever had under Mike Sherman's coaching but it was enough for Ted Thompson to fire him the day after the season ended. Bates coveted the Packers' head coaching job and had some considerable support from the fan base as a candidate during the search which followed. Thompson did interview him for the job, but more to be thorough and fair and as a courtesy in hopes of getting him to stay on as defensive coordinator under a new regime. The top two candidates were soon narrowed to Sean Payton, assistant and protege of Bill Parcells in Dallas, and Mike McCarthy, at the time offensive coordinator of the 49ers. McCarthy, of course, became TT's choice. The Packers wanted Bates to stay on with the defense but miffed about being passed over for the head job he decided to move on. [URL='http://chippewa.com/sports/packers-coaching-search-continues/article_233ba935-fae0-56f9-a139-8ef0eeca6e15.html']http://chippewa.com/sports/packers-coaching-search-continues/article_233ba935-fae0-56f9-a139-8ef0eeca6e15.html [/URL] End of Part 6. [URL='http://www.packerwire.net/read.php?2,18217'] [/URL] [/QUOTE]
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