Capers is more respected around NFL circles than he is with Packers fans because those that know his defense understand he has not been afforded the same luxury as his Pittsburgh Steelers counterpart, **** LeBeau.
In a recent story in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, LeBeau, who together with Capers and head coach Bill Cowher transformed the Steelers into a 3-4 defensive powerhouse in the early '90s, basically said he wanted no part of rookies playing in his defense.
"The formula for us has been to get these guys and let them get assimilated into the defense and watch the veterans run it," LeBeau said. "If I had my choice I'd let (them) learn from the veterans and let them step into it as they become real comfortable in the defense."
When you look at people, you're going study them and you're going to try to attack them with things you think they don't have as much experience on," Capers said. "That's kind of where we've been throughout the course of the year. We're playing a lot of young guys.
"If you're dealing with injuries week in and week out, you have to adjust. And you have to make decisions on what you think guys can do and do it efficiently enough to give you a chance to win the game."
Capers said he has simplified the defense as much as possible, but there are still elements of it that require experience and football smarts to be successful.
Former Steelers all-pro defensive back Rod Woodson played under both Capers and LeBeau and brought up a term heard every time the Packers give up a big play: communication.
"If you watch Green Bay play this year, they have a lot of young guys in the secondary and at linebackers and you see guys running wide open," Woodson said. That's not how the coaches called it.
If everyone isn't seeing the offense the same way, the defense falls apart.
