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Bates' magic only goes so far
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<blockquote data-quote="Steel Wheels" data-source="post: 13878" data-attributes="member: 237"><p>COMMENTARY: Bates' magic can only go so far</p><p>8/01/05</p><p></p><p>Tom Oates Wisconsin State Journal </p><p></p><p>GREEN BAY - The ever-active Green Bay rumor mill - you know, the one that has John Madden buying a home in Ashwaubenon every time the Packers lose two games in a row - has spit out another dandy.</p><p></p><p>Jim Bates takes his daily walk on the Fox River.</p><p></p><p>Not along the Fox River, not in the Fox River, on the Fox River.</p><p></p><p>No question about it, Bates is the savior in Green Bay this season. He's the miracle worker who is supposed to give the Packers a defense that won't make their high-powered offense work overtime every week. And, based on the dearth of personnel moves the Packers made during the offseason, he's supposed to do it all by himself.</p><p></p><p>"A new coordinator can make a world of difference," Packers linebacker Nick Barnett said as training camp opened Friday.</p><p></p><p>Not necessarily.</p><p></p><p>University of Wisconsin fans might disagree with that last statement after watching the profound effect first-year defensive coordinator Bret Bielema had on the Badgers last season. A considerable amount of that was Bielema's doing, but the truth is he inherited a unit with experience and talent.</p><p></p><p>As Bates, the highly regarded defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins for the past five years, tackles the task of turning around one the NFL's most porous defenses with largely the same cast in Green Bay, a more accurate comparison might be Gunther Cunningham in Kansas City last season.</p><p></p><p>Cunningham, a successful defensive coordinator with the Chiefs from 1995 through '98, was brought back last year to elevate the NFL's 29th-ranked defense into a group that wouldn't get in the way of the second-ranked offense and hopefully turn a 13-3 team into a Super Bowl contender.</p><p></p><p>Sound familiar, Packers fans? It should. The Packers offense ranked third in the NFL last season and the defense ranked 25th.</p><p></p><p>Unfortunately, Cunningham couldn't work miracles. With every starter back from 2003 and only a couple of rookies (none of them first-round picks) added to the mix, the Chiefs defense fell two spots to 31st in the NFL and the team's record dipped to 7-9 last fall.</p><p></p><p>So confident are the Packers in Bates' abilities they've left their defense largely intact, too.</p><p></p><p>Other than safety Darren Sharper, the unit's biggest name but also a declining player, everyone returned. The only veteran additions were linebacker Ray Thompson and safeties Arturo Freeman and Earl Little, all marginal starters let go by other teams. And even though they had three picks in the first two rounds of the NFL draft, the Packers took only one defensive player, second-round safety Nick Collins.</p><p></p><p>Coach Mike Sherman, whose job may depend on Bates' ability to make something out of nothing, believes Bates' high-energy teaching style and simple, synchronized scheme is exactly what the Packers need.</p><p></p><p>"I'm certainly confident that if our players know what they're doing that we'll get the job done, and I believe they're getting to that point," Sherman said. "Certainly it's not going to be a magic-wand, overnight deal. But each day, each practice ... I anticipate to see progress. I saw some (Friday). I saw guys making plays that they hadn't made before. Hopefully that will continue."</p><p></p><p>Sherman isn't among those who thinks Bates is on his own this season. He thinks the many players who were in their first or second seasons in 2004 will show improvement after struggling in the complex defense of deposed coordinator Bob Slowik. Sherman thinks the combination of Bates' scheme and added experience means the Packers will stop beating themselves.</p><p></p><p>"We've played 80 (regular-season) ballgames since I've been here and have lost 27," Sherman said. "Of those 27, somebody just whipping you only happened probably less than a handful of times. So if you just don't beat yourselves ... I thought last year, because of our youth and inexperience and the changeover in defense that maybe we did that a few too many times. It was nobody's fault; we were developing young players. But they're better developed. I think we're a little more simple in our approach this year with them and I think their talent will play out."</p><p></p><p>Maybe so, but don't expect Bates to work miracles. No matter what you've heard, he won't snap his fingers and turn Hannibal Navies into Lawrence Taylor and he won't by himself turn the Packers into a dominant defense. As with most rumors in Green Bay, this one will have to be seen to be believed.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Steel Wheels, post: 13878, member: 237"] COMMENTARY: Bates' magic can only go so far 8/01/05 Tom Oates Wisconsin State Journal GREEN BAY - The ever-active Green Bay rumor mill - you know, the one that has John Madden buying a home in Ashwaubenon every time the Packers lose two games in a row - has spit out another dandy. Jim Bates takes his daily walk on the Fox River. Not along the Fox River, not in the Fox River, on the Fox River. No question about it, Bates is the savior in Green Bay this season. He's the miracle worker who is supposed to give the Packers a defense that won't make their high-powered offense work overtime every week. And, based on the dearth of personnel moves the Packers made during the offseason, he's supposed to do it all by himself. "A new coordinator can make a world of difference," Packers linebacker Nick Barnett said as training camp opened Friday. Not necessarily. University of Wisconsin fans might disagree with that last statement after watching the profound effect first-year defensive coordinator Bret Bielema had on the Badgers last season. A considerable amount of that was Bielema's doing, but the truth is he inherited a unit with experience and talent. As Bates, the highly regarded defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins for the past five years, tackles the task of turning around one the NFL's most porous defenses with largely the same cast in Green Bay, a more accurate comparison might be Gunther Cunningham in Kansas City last season. Cunningham, a successful defensive coordinator with the Chiefs from 1995 through '98, was brought back last year to elevate the NFL's 29th-ranked defense into a group that wouldn't get in the way of the second-ranked offense and hopefully turn a 13-3 team into a Super Bowl contender. Sound familiar, Packers fans? It should. The Packers offense ranked third in the NFL last season and the defense ranked 25th. Unfortunately, Cunningham couldn't work miracles. With every starter back from 2003 and only a couple of rookies (none of them first-round picks) added to the mix, the Chiefs defense fell two spots to 31st in the NFL and the team's record dipped to 7-9 last fall. So confident are the Packers in Bates' abilities they've left their defense largely intact, too. Other than safety Darren Sharper, the unit's biggest name but also a declining player, everyone returned. The only veteran additions were linebacker Ray Thompson and safeties Arturo Freeman and Earl Little, all marginal starters let go by other teams. And even though they had three picks in the first two rounds of the NFL draft, the Packers took only one defensive player, second-round safety Nick Collins. Coach Mike Sherman, whose job may depend on Bates' ability to make something out of nothing, believes Bates' high-energy teaching style and simple, synchronized scheme is exactly what the Packers need. "I'm certainly confident that if our players know what they're doing that we'll get the job done, and I believe they're getting to that point," Sherman said. "Certainly it's not going to be a magic-wand, overnight deal. But each day, each practice ... I anticipate to see progress. I saw some (Friday). I saw guys making plays that they hadn't made before. Hopefully that will continue." Sherman isn't among those who thinks Bates is on his own this season. He thinks the many players who were in their first or second seasons in 2004 will show improvement after struggling in the complex defense of deposed coordinator Bob Slowik. Sherman thinks the combination of Bates' scheme and added experience means the Packers will stop beating themselves. "We've played 80 (regular-season) ballgames since I've been here and have lost 27," Sherman said. "Of those 27, somebody just whipping you only happened probably less than a handful of times. So if you just don't beat yourselves ... I thought last year, because of our youth and inexperience and the changeover in defense that maybe we did that a few too many times. It was nobody's fault; we were developing young players. But they're better developed. I think we're a little more simple in our approach this year with them and I think their talent will play out." Maybe so, but don't expect Bates to work miracles. No matter what you've heard, he won't snap his fingers and turn Hannibal Navies into Lawrence Taylor and he won't by himself turn the Packers into a dominant defense. As with most rumors in Green Bay, this one will have to be seen to be believed. [/QUOTE]
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