What's wrong with the Packers?

The Packers lost at Tampa Bay today to fall to 4-4. They are essentially out of the NFC North race, having been swept by Minnesota. This is team that everyone seems to think has a bunch of talent; they at least shouldn't be losing to the Tampa Bays of the world. So what's the problem?

Where's the pass rush? In the off-season, the Packers hired Dom Capers to be their defensive coordinator and switched to a 3-4. They then moved Aaron Kampman to OLB to fit the 3-4. As a result, Kampman has become a thoroughly worthless player. He has 2.5 sacks this season, after getting 15.5, 12 and 9.5 over the past three seasons. Essentially, by hiring Capers they've made their pass rush worse, the exact opposite effect of what was supposed to happen. Defensive linemen like Cullen Jenkins, Ryan Pickett and Johnny Jolly are good players but they aren't pass rushers. Outside of Kampman, nobody on this roster can rush the passer and Kampman has been ruined in the 3-4.

Where's the protection? Aaron Rodgers was sacked 6 times today by a Tampa Bay defense that had recorded 11 sacks all season. Right tackle Allen Barbre gets my vote for worst offensive lineman of the season; they re-signed Mark Tauscher and started him today but he got hurt. Chad Clifton has been hurt, and they don't have a viable replacement behind him. As I read at football outsiders, if Jared Allen played against Green Bay every week he'd be in the Hall of Fame by December. Rodgers has now been sacked 37 times, and some of that certainly goes on him. He shows a terrible pocket presence at times, and holds the ball too long. But this team screwed up when the drafted B.J. Raji in the first round instead of Michael Oher. Oher could have stepped in immediately and played RT, with the ability to play LT as well. Instead they drafted a backup nose tackle.

Is this team really that talented? Big-play teams like the Packers tend to get overrated, because people see the big plays to Greg Jennings and Donald Driver, but miss all the sacks Rodgers takes and the lack of pressure they generate on opposing QBs. And who are the teams the Packers have beaten this year, you might ask? The even-bigger-mess Bears, the Lions, Browns and Rams. They've lost to the Vikings twice, the Bengals and now the freaking Buccaneers. This team hasn't proven to be any better the worst teams in the league, and until they do it's time to stop giving them the benefit of the doubt. This team has some nice pieces (passing game, secondary, defensive tackles galore) but struggles with too many important aspects of the game (pass protection, pass rush). Until that gets fixed, they'll continue to beat the dregs of the league (except Tampa Bay) and nothing more.

Luckily for them...They do have Aaron Rodgers, and if he ever learns how to handle a pass rush, he'll be really good. He already is, really. His QB rating entering today was 110, and when he's in rhythm, few QBs throw as accurate a ball. Get this man a RT, add a pass rusher on defense and this team can be in business. Or move back to a 4-3 and move Kampman back to his comfort zone; they do, after all, already have a dominant pass rusher on the roster if they'd use him properly.