GREEN BAY Charles Woodson is on a path toward the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Tramon Williams is well on his way to superstardom. But ask Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers where his defense would be without undrafted rookie free agent cornerback Sam Shields, and the veteran coach flashes a knowing smile.

Capers can tell you exactly where the Packers would be without Shields, because he was just there, last year: On the wrong end of some high-scoring shootouts because his third cornerback in the nickel defense wasnt able to match up with opposing receivers.

Forced to play the likes of Jarrett Bush, Brandon Underwood and Josh Bell down the stretch after two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Al Harris was lost for the season to a catastrophic knee injury, Capers watched almost helplessly as the Packers pass defense was carved up by Pittsburghs Ben Roethlisberger (a Steelers franchise-record 503 passing yards) and Arizonas Kurt Warner (379 yards and five touchdowns with only four incompletions) in the Packers final two losses of the year.

But this year, with Shields having emerged from the get-go in training camp, Capers has been able to use virtually his entire defensive playbook, using more nickel alignments than ever before and being unafraid to call a wide variety of blitzes including more using Woodson because he knows he can count on Shields.

If you've got guys like Tramon and Sam outside, it enables you to bring five (rushers) more. Because those guys end up (covering receivers) one-on-one, and you aren't always having to protect a guy on the outside, Capers explained as the Packers prepped for Sundays NFC Championship Game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.

And really, for the most part, most of the season, we haven't had to be concerned about that.

Thats why Woodson, who Shields says has been like a big brother to me, has been so impressed.

Man, he's been great, Woodson said. I think you have a young guy who came in who really had no fear. Came in with a ton of athletic ability, but he didn't have any fear. He took the challenge of being an undrafted player and having an opportunity to come in and play for this team, and he took coaching well.

Added Packers coach Mike McCarthy: I mean, my goodness, to come here as a free agent and earn his spot, it's exciting because you just see Sam getting better with all the different opportunities. When you have the flexibility to put your corners out there and play man-to-man, it really gives you all the options because you're not trying to cover up anybody. Everybody that's watched us play on defense, we don't really hold anything back schematically.

Harris never played another down for the Packers after his injury, and while Williams was a known commodity entering the season he played extremely well after Harris injury last year and his upward trajectory has simply continued from there Shields was a mystery man.

He came to Green Bay having played just 10 games at cornerback in college at the University of Miami (Fla.), where hed spent his first three years as a wide receiver. But he showed a knack during training camp, carried it through the preseason and ended up winning the third cornerback job easily over Underwood, Pat Lee and Bush, who still sees action on those rare occasions that Capers uses his dime unit.

When the Packers opened their Sept. 12 regular-season opener at Philadelphia in their nickel defense and stayed it in for 64 more snaps, with him on the field for every one Shields was credited with his first NFL start. And he hasnt looked back since.

Back when we were talking in preseason, we didnt know where Sam was going to be. We were looking at a lot of different combinations of guys, Capers said. We made a decision at the end of preseason, heres a guy whos made plays every game hed make a play and youd go, Wow, thats a really nice play. So you have to kind of bite the bullet and put him out there. Hes got the most playmaking ability. I think hes grown a lot. We kind of threw him out to the wolves that first Philly game. I think Sams obviously a more seasoned and confident player than he was when we played there in the opener.

For his part, Shields said this week that he gave up the luxury of viewing himself as a rookie after that first game against the Eagles.

Its been over, since preseason. Thats when I felt like a rookie, Shields said. But after that first, second game, I was like, OK, I aint no rookie no more. Ive been telling myself that, getting that mindset, ever since. When I get on the field, I have to play like a veteran do what Im supposed to do, making plays.

Shields enters Sundays game with 33 tackles, 12 pass breakups and a pair of interceptions (one against Dallas on Nov. 7 and the other against the New York Giants on Dec. 26) while allowing three touchdowns and four completions of 20 yards or more in 16 games, having missed two games with a calf injury. According to cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt, the 5-foot-11, 184-pound Shields is only scratching the surface of his ability.

He can cover. The kid can cover, Whitt said. Theres not many guys that can cover like him, that have the extreme cover ability that he has. Undrafted rookie or whatever, he covers as good as anyone or they would throw the ball at him. They dont, because he covers really well.

Actually, last Saturday night, the Atlanta Falcons did throw the ball at him 11 times, by unofficial count. Matched mostly against No. 2 receiver Michael Jenkins Williams generally matched up against Falcons star wideout Roddy White Shields allowed five completions for 48 yards against him and also was flagged for a 23-yard pass interference penalty, his first of the season. He was matched up on White and Williams was on Jenkins when Williams intercepted a Matt Ryan pass intended for Jenkins in the end zone late in the first half.

But he was unfazed by the pressure, largely because Woodson has made sure that the 23-year-old rookie understands the high expectations the seven-time Pro Bowler and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year has.

Youve got to bring your big-boy pads. Thats what Wood says, Shields said. When theyre coming at you, thats another opportunity to make plays. So thats something Ive got to be ready for.

They were coming at me, but thats what quarterbacks do. A rookie on that side, with a veteran receiver, I expect that.

He expects it again Sunday against quarterback Jay Cutler and the Bears receiving corps of Johnny Knox, Devin Hester and Earl Bennett, and while he admits hell be anxious when the game begins, he expects to settle in just as he has all year long.

Id go after me. But thats what I want, Shields said. Im going to be nervous, excited and everything, but I have to go in there, calm down, play my responsibilities and play like Ive been playing. Going against them, its a big competition out there, and thats what I like. I like competition. When the opportunity comes, youve got to make a big play. If it comes to you, you have to catch it.

"JASON WILDE" wrote: