Alex Van Pelt

[Mondio]

I would say

1) It's not a very good time right now to be known as the QB/WR coach for the Packers

and

2) MM probably overthought the coaching responsibility changes last offseason and the duel responsibilities and lack of structure probably has a lot to do with the lack of structure and confusion in the offensive execution.

I do think they have too many coaches with their hands on the plan sometimes it seems. and the confusion is obvious. So far removed from the streamlined machine they've consistently been. A bit of paralysis by analysis I think, and one weakness of this staff. But then a lot of their success has come from this this level of detail as well, so take the good with the bad. Just like Favre could make things happen, they weren't always good. Rodgers doesn't throw a lot of INT's, but he takes sacks, MM can break down any game, and sometimes it creates confusion for the players. If they can find their balance again, anything is possible, but now where down to one game at a time, and if they don't figure it out, we'll be out early.

 

[TJV]

The coaching structure/setup/confusion has to trickle on the field,otherwise WHY does it take so long to run a play after a successful play/gain on the previous play and they end up having to call a TO when it isn't warranted?

This isn't a new phenomenon this season but it drives me nuts, particularly in the second half of games. IMO once the play clock ticks down to a certain point, if they haven't called in the play, Rodgers should make the call.

 

[El Guapo]

Here is a good article talking about each coaches' job responsibilities and speculating on whom may get fired at the end of the season:

http://packerstalk.com/2016/01/06/p..._campaign=Feed:+PackersTalk+(PackersTalk.com)

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Play clock management, or lack of, has been a Pet Peeve of mine for years with AR and the Packers. Granted, I don't watch a lot of non-Packer games, but I don't see a lot of other teams burning timeouts due to letting the play clock run down to zero. I understand its going to happen once in awhile, but 1-2 times/game? To make it even worse, often the use of a valuable timeout in that situation, to save 5 yards is just nuts. Take the damn penalty and save the timeout for when you REALLY may need it (final 2 minutes, challenges, etc.). AR knows this offense well enough, that when he breaks the huddle or no huddle and that clock is under 15 seconds, he just needs to quickly call a play at the LOS or take the penalty but not a timeout! Unless, its 3rd/4th and inches on a meaningful drive.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Here is a good article talking about each coaches' job responsibilities and speculating on whom may get fired at the end of the season:

Thank you for posting that, been trying to find out what "experts" beside us think on the topic.

IMO, the article is spot on!

 

[Pkrjones]

Very good article on position coaches, learned a bit about Clements' relationships. Also agree that MM won't be going anywhere.
- Van Pelt does a very good job (IMHO) with the QB's and really helped Tolzien develop, so I'd "demote" him and leave him in place as QB coach.
- Edgar Bennett did a fantastic job in the past as RB coach, and then WR coach hammering on fundamentals with both groups and both groups enjoying considerable success under his tutelage. Not sure what his additional duties are as OC (considering it's MM's offense with eye-in-the-sky assistance from Clements), but doubt Bennett does much of the pregame planning. His promotion was mostly to keep other teams from stealing him with an in-name-only promotion to Assistant OC or double-secret Assistant HC. Bennett needs to stay (as OC in name) and re-claim the WR positional coaching responsibilities AND continue to aid in pregame planning.
- Clements' biggest value would be as a buffer between MM & AR if there is one required. Could very easily see him get canned, but MM better have a great plan in mind for working with AR, then. If anyone needs to be the fall-guy I would think it would be Clements, but don't think Green Bay needs to play games by firing someone just to fire someone.

I know AR, in the past, has checked-out of running play in favor of passes and that ruffled MM's feathers at times. That method allowed AR to become a 2-time MVP posting gaudy stats AND wins. I think that flexibility is required by AR, but an equitable happy-medium needs to be decided on between the two. Maybe only after the 1st 3 offensive drives so that MM has a chance to set-up a running game if one is going to happen? Maybe AR only gets to "veto" MM 3 times per half? There's got to be a way for them to coexist and not befuddle the offensive flow.

 

[TJV]

The only thing I disagreed with in that article was, "Yet at the end of the day the buck stops with the offensive coordinator when it comes to quality." Under normal circumstances that's true, but there are two people above Bennett. As the article says, just what exactly are Clements' duties? And what are Bennett's now that McCarthy is once again the de facto OC? I would really like to see a new OC from outside the organization. I don't think any other fresh face will have the power to effect change. I do think Clements should be gone and Van Pelt can serve as QB coach only and be the intermediary between McCarthy and Rodgers if that's needed. If that means Bennett has to leave so be it, but I'd prefer he return to being the WRs coach - he could keep the OC title and the new de facto OC's title could be Grand Poobah of the Packers offense.

But McCarthy is unlikely to make such a drastic change so maybe returning Philbin to second in command of the offense would be something he's willing to do. But I wouldn't blame Philbin if he didn't want to return to Green Bay as it could stir up bad memories for him and his family.

 

[El Guapo]

There will obviously be a lot of internal and external pressure to make some drastic changes. It will interesting to see it all pan out.

Then again, if we make some kind of miracle run to the NFC title game it might alter some of the conversations.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I don't see anything "drastic" changing, unless someone like TT or MM decide to retire or move on, which would be drastic to me. Otherwise, I see dropping either Clements, Bennett or Van Pelt and a reshuffling of the rest of the offensive staff in the way of their titles and duties and an "all is well" being said afterwards. Player personnel changes better not get lost in that shuffle either. If TT thinks getting Jordy back is going to magically fix the offense, he is sadly mistaken IMO.

 

[Shawnsta3]

Articles dedicated to which coaches should get the axe at the end of the year for a playoff team is one of the things that's wrong with the current NFL IMO.

If McCarthy chooses to restructure the offense, I could see it clearly but does anyone actually believe after 10 years of great offense (last year #1 scoring offense) these guys suddenly can't coach anymore?

Or that Capers could coach, then he couldn't and now he can again? Or on a broader scale nearly a 1/3 of the head coaches get fired in the NFL every year only to be replaced again two years later.. wash soak repeat..

 

[TJV]

Articles dedicated to which coaches should get the axe at the end of the year for a playoff team is one of the things that's wrong with the current NFL IMO.

You mean "wrong with the media covering the current NFL", right?

 

[PFanCan]

Good to hear I am not the only one who took a goat to a toga party!

Well, at least you don't have chronic déjà vu!

 

[PFanCan]

Good to hear I am not the only one who took a goat to a toga party!

Well, at least you don't have chronic déjà vu!

 

[PackerDNA]

Articles dedicated to which coaches should get the axe at the end of the year for a playoff team is one of the things that's wrong with the current NFL IMO.

If McCarthy chooses to restructure the offense, I could see it clearly but does anyone actually believe after 10 years of great offense (last year #1 scoring offense) these guys suddenly can't coach anymore?

Or that Capers could coach, then he couldn't and now he can again? Or on a broader scale nearly a 1/3 of the head coaches get fired in the NFL every year only to be replaced again two years later.. wash soak repeat..

I agree. I also still believe that there comes a time when too long in one place leads to being stale and it being time to part ways. Whether or not that's where we are at with the current regime remains to be seen.

 

[Shawnsta3]

You mean "wrong with the media covering the current NFL", right?

Yes, I have a problem with the media coverage pressuring ownership into these decisions but also in the second half of my post where I stated nearly 1/3 of head coaches as well as coordinators and GM's get fired every offseason by ownership.

I might be too young too point this out but it seems we've become too impatient these days. We have to see quick results. Going into your second year with a rookie QB Lovie Smith, and you can't make the playoffs? Fired. (I'm sure that will be great for the young mans development) Tom Coughlin's won two rings, is almost universally well respected by his former players, but has two losing seasons with what everyone can see is due to a lack of talent? Fired.

We all know Bill Belichick got fired in Cleveland too soon. Tom Landry didn't have a winning record his first six seasons. Give these guys a break..or at least a couple seasons to truly evaluate their performance. It takes time to build a winner, fans, media and owners alike could afford some patience.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I think all of the coaches mentioned in this thread; McCarthy, Clements, Bennett, Van Pelt all are good coaches and in one way or another have proven that during their careers. However, as TJV pointed out early in the thread and what I was alluding to by starting the thread, the coaching on the offensive side seems to be top heavy, disjointed and out of sync. This all got started when MM decided to step down from play calling in order to oversee all aspects of the team better. He liked his offensive staff from last year and retained them by reorganizing their duties and titles. Now maybe there really wasn't much of a shift in responsibilities of each coach, but it just appears from the outside that things aren't clicking. Why? Coaching, Players, Play Calling, Injuries or all of the above?

I'm not necessarily saying I agree with firing any of the coaches, but would prefer to see them resume the same positions in 2016 that they had in 2014. Will they accept that "demotion" or lateral move? Only the people involved know. Very hard to convince me that our WR's are being well coached by their performances on the field. Putting VanPelt in charge of both the QB's and WR's seems to have had negative results when you compare what Adams and Cobb are doing this year VS. last year.

Finally, I would love to see Philbin or another great offensive mind be brought in to call plays.