McCarthys trend...

[Croquet]

True that Favre would have done that, probably with a concussion and thrown a pick too. Rodgers is smarter and has guts, i.e. playing through the torn calf for three straight games.

Actually Favre better with a concussion.

 

[Mondio]

People still on his nuts. Hindsight is 20/20, always has been always will be. There are plenty of times McCarthy has been anything but "conservative" or playing "not to lose" There are times when he's reigned it back. The only time people get pissed is when it doesn't work.

Be mad it didn't work, but for ****s sake, up 2 scores, if you execute your 4 minute offense, you win easily. Stay aggressive and yes you may win, IF, get that IF, you execute. IF you don't, there's a fumble, a quick 3 and out, and INT against a very tough and opportunistic defense looking for anyway to get back in the game and deep in your own territory there's also a good chance it all backfires and i'm fairly confident you'd all be *****ing then too. When the run doesn't work, we should throw more. When we throw too much and INT's happen and dropped balls happen, we should have run it. We know your schtick and it's old, really it is.

well Favre would have done this and Favre would have done that, and players need to mutiny on the field and tell mike what's up? you're so emotional your delusional. Teams that mutiny on the field, never find themselves in the Packers position anyway, they losers. Favre would have done what he wanted? yeah, we saw those years under Sherman. Really accomplished a lot huh? and I don't even want to remember how many of his last playoff games ended well. Seems like a nice INT was the way to go, the only good one was when he was a Viking.

 

[SoonerPack]

I don't think McCarthy at his core can be a ruthless pr*ck like Belichick. I wish he was but he isn't and I doubt he will change. McCarthy has had nine years to learn that you play the full 60 minutes and that as Herman Edwards said "You play to win the game!!!". McCarthy hasn't learned that lesson and this time the "playing not to lose" mentality cost a team in a prime position to win another SB. I look forward to much of the same next year with no real changes and another exit from the playoffs that leaves us all scratching our heads.

So you are just writing coach off and clearly believe he will not change in any way whatsoever just so he can say he "did it his way"? You have to be kidding me. He has shown the ability to change and I GUARANTEE you he will be speaking with his staff and veteran leaders in hopes of correcting the issues that cost them a shot at glory this season past. Sure he is stubborn and confident in his approach and to be honest anyone in a position of great power has both of those traits more times than not. As I stated in a previous post days back, let's say that he takes the team to the promise land next year and wins the whole enchilada. That would make 2 Lombardi's in 6 seasons. Would THAT be enough for people like to you to accept the fact that he is a pretty damn good coach for crying out loud?! Mike is a class act and represents the organization in a fantastic way. He provides stability and a steady approach from which all the players know where they stand. He is one of the best coaches in the league and I fully expect a more aggressive team next season and a ton of wins to come as well. Super Bowls aren't just handed out and our coach has one and I would bet he ends up with at least 2 if not 3 before he is done. He ain't perfect but I think he is the right man to lead us into the future regardless of how many people think he is a hack. Keep doing your thing coach, learn from the past and come back next year ready to feed some crow to fans and foes alike! G P G!!

PS: Fire Slocum yesterday...

 

[ARPackFan]

Everyone has an opinion. Mine is that while McCarthy is capable of change he has been slow to do so. Let's see how the next few weeks play out and what staff changes, if any, are made. Personally, I hope he proves me wrong.

 

[PackerDNA]

Not saying this is the case, just throwing it out there.
McCarthy is very detail oriented; for example how he structures and schedules his practices among other things. Could he be one of those people who is detailed to the nth degree but loses something during the ebb and flow of the game, when things aren't as structured and there isn't plenty of time to think, adjust and react?

 

[OldSchool101]

I guess the question from a lot of us is how he gets a pass, based on AR, for the last five minutes.

We all can agree that he was too conservative. I'm the 1st to agree. I think we can also understand being up and playing the clock, timeouts, etc. normally up 2 scores you can be effective at a particular threshold on the clock it becomes 95% probability you will win. Unfortunately there was 4+ minutes not 2 minutes when we went into shutdown mode. IF we then try to deduce why? I think is your contention if I'm reading you correctly?
It's not hard to see he was trying to protect Aaron and mitigate unnecessary collateral damage.
What I think Mike overlooked was the momentum swing that had happened. We had only put up 3 points in the second half to Seattles 12. That IMO has to be factored into the equation along with the fact it is a a championship match. That took probability from like 85% to the 65% range. Teams play at a more dynamic level and take bigger chances (Hence the fake FG) when all is a on the line.
I actually believe that IF a Aaron was 100%. It was very probable we rolled out and took a shot at a 1st down 2nd to last drive in regulation rather than running 3 consecutive times for a loss. I'm not condoning it. My philosophy would've been Just the opposite until we held the lead under 2 minutes. The pass comes due for the act of protecting his MVP QB who , by many arguable standards, shouldn't have been risking a serious reinjury. After watching AR run.. He was clearly still playing injured. This was a judgement call. I would even say if Aaron rolled out and pulled his calf and fell. We would question mikes ability to gauge probability and any Superhowl victory with Flynn would be an anomaly of the highest order
It is clear to me that this game was indirectly lost due to Aarons injury and if Aaron was his usual self we'd be preparing to check football air pressures this week.
Football is like the bible. We can't question and pick and chose what we like by OUR will. It's all... Or none.
I'm not jumping ship on MM. You can if you want to. The rail is low and the waves are high. As a fellow fan. I'd like to see you believe in him. I Can't make that choice for you

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Not saying this is the case, just throwing it out there.
McCarthy is very detail oriented; for example how he structures and schedules his practices among other things. Could he be one of those people who is detailed to the nth degree but loses something during the ebb and flow of the game, when things aren't as structured and there isn't plenty of time to think, adjust and react?

I have the impression that McCarthy is a phenomenal game planner but has troubles making in-game adjustments.

Especially this season there was a huge difference between the offensive production in the first compared to the second half of a game.

While the team was the highest scoring offense in the first half, outscoring the second best team by 49 points, they were only ranked 19th in second half points.

I wonder if an OC actually calling the plays would make a difference.

 

[SoonerPack]

We all can agree that he was too conservative. I'm the 1st to agree. I think we can also understand being up and playing the clock, timeouts, etc. normally up 2 scores you can be effective at a particular threshold on the clock it becomes 95% probability you will win. Unfortunately there was 4+ minutes not 2 minutes when we went into shutdown mode. IF we then try to deduce why? I think is your contention if I'm reading you correctly?
It's not hard to see he was trying to protect Aaron and mitigate unnecessary collateral damage.
What I think Mike overlooked was the momentum swing that had happened. We had only put up 3 points in the second half to Seattles 12. That IMO has to be factored into the equation along with the fact it is a a championship match. That took probability from like 85% to the 65% range. Teams play at a more dynamic level and take bigger chances (Hence the fake FG) when all is a on the line.
I actually believe that IF a Aaron was 100%. It was very probable we rolled out and took a shot at a 1st down 2nd to last drive in regulation rather than running 3 consecutive times for a loss. I'm not condoning it. My philosophy would've been Just the opposite until we held the lead under 2 minutes. The pass comes due for the act of protecting his MVP QB who , by many arguable standards, shouldn't have been risking a serious reinjury. After watching AR run.. He was clearly still playing injured. This was a judgement call. I would even say if Aaron rolled out and pulled his calf and fell. We would question mikes ability to gauge probability and any Superhowl victory with Flynn would be an anomaly of the highest order
It is clear to me that this game was indirectly lost due to Aarons injury and if Aaron was his usual self we'd be preparing to check football air pressures this week.
Football is like the bible. We can't question and pick and chose what we like by OUR will. It's all... Or none.
I'm not jumping ship on MM. You can if you want to. The rail is low and the waves are high. As a fellow fan. I'd like to see you believe in him. I Can't make that choice for you

Man that was good. Love the Biblical reference and I use that same one often. It is so easy to pick and choose and not be thankful for the things we DO have. We DO have a first class organization and Mike is a quality individual leading the way. We DO have a ton of talent and I don't see Mike standing pat and not looking for ways to get us over the hurdle next season. I also agree 100% with the Rodgers injury hurting us the most in the end. There were numerous plays where his legs would've extended drives and those extended drives would've made a world of difference in the outcome. Bottom-line is our boys didn't get it done but I feel we have a lot to look forward and just like Lobes said I am standing with Mike. G P G!

 

[Mondio]

Could it also be that it's not being " conservative" but maybe confidence? Maybe he's perfectly able to ***** and see ebbs and flow

I have the impression that McCarthy is a phenomenal game planner but has troubles making in-game adjustments.

Especially this season there was a huge difference between the offensive production in the first compared to the second half of a game.

While the team was the highest scoring offense in the first half, outscoring the second best team by 49 points, they were only ranked 19th in second half points.

I wonder if an OC actually calling the plays would make a difference.

Do you think he's unable to make adjustments? or do you think he's confident in their game plan and coaches and players that usually change with the direction of the wind may win here or there, but they don't win consistently. More often than not, they don't even get to big games.

There's as much, if not more chance, that momentum swings even further the other way when you start to do things that aren't your strong suit, or in the plan. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Do you think he's unable to make adjustments? or do you think he's confident in their game plan and coaches and players that usually change with the direction of the wind may win here or there, but they don't win consistently. More often than not, they don't even get to big games.

There's as much, if not more chance, that momentum swings even further the other way when you start to do things that aren't your strong suit, or in the plan. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't.

I don't think McCarthy is good at making in-game adjustments. It's one thing being confident in the game plan but calling plays over and over again that obviously don't work is one of his worst habits.

I'm still shaking my head over McCarthy's comment about it being important to him to get to a specific number of run plays in the second half vs. the Seahawks.

 

[Mondio]

I don't think McCarthy is good at making in-game adjustments. It's one thing being confident in the game plan but calling plays over and over again that obviously don't work is one of his worst habits.

I'm still shaking my head over McCarthy's comment about it being important to him to get to a specific number of run plays in the second half vs. the Seahawks.

You could be right, I've been left scratching my head at in game decisions more than once. But will it be better? I mean he did call the number 1 offense in the league, how many people do it better?

I get the impression that overall he and his staff develop a game plan and then the coordinators do their coaching and the defense calls their game and the offense calls theirs and special teams theirs for the most part with McCarthy just managing trends in the game. Obviously he calls all the offensive plays.

Let's say he does let someone else call the plays, like his OC that develops the gameplan during the week. How does that work on game day then? I'm pretty sure that up by 12 with 5 minutes left, MM isn't giving them the green light to air it out at that point with a hobbled QB. I'm sure they're still in "4 minute" offense which is what we got and poorly executed.

I'm just not sure that any difference will be "better" in terms of the talent of the person making the calls, and even if they are, do they get to override the head coach in the game?

 

[Deleted member 6794]

You could be right, I've been left scratching my head at in game decisions more than once. But will it be better? I mean he did call the number 1 offense in the league, how many people do it better?

I get the impression that overall he and his staff develop a game plan and then the coordinators do their coaching and the defense calls their game and the offense calls theirs and special teams theirs for the most part with McCarthy just managing trends in the game. Obviously he calls all the offensive plays.

Let's say he does let someone else call the plays, like his OC that develops the gameplan during the week. How does that work on game day then? I'm pretty sure that up by 12 with 5 minutes left, MM isn't giving them the green light to air it out at that point with a hobbled QB. I'm sure they're still in "4 minute" offense which is what we got and poorly executed.

I'm just not sure that any difference will be "better" in terms of the talent of the person making the calls, and even if they are, do they get to override the head coach in the game?

As I mentioned earlier McCarthy is a phenomanel game planner, there's no doubt about that in my mind.

Maybe an offensive coordinator actually calling the plays would simplify making proper in-game adjustments for McCarthy. I'm not sure about that though and you bring up a good point by wondering if MM would allow his OC to stay aggressive late in games.

 

[Mondio]

It will be interesting to see how this shakes out. I'm not expecting huge changes, I mean we were in the NFC championship game that we won and lost all in the same day. How much needs to change? But I don't expect him to do nothing either. He's always had something to stamp the next season with, and by and large, he's been pretty good and seeing those things thru.

I guess we'll find out.

 

[jaybadger82]

I wish we would add a "game manager" to the coaching staff- I've lost faith in McCarthy in this capacity.

We stopped playing the Seahawks- and started playing the clock- midway through the third quarter... ****ing ***.

 

[Packer Fan in SD]

I laugh. When we have a lead and pass it is because we get away from the run. If we run with the lead it is conservative. Dude can not win for losing. Thank the whatever (for you PC guys) that none of us is the coach.

He owns the division, has a SB to his name and will get more. From reading this forum at the beginning of the season we had no chance to even be in position to challenge the entire NFC West, let alone the NFC Championship. The 49'ers were far superior. Seahawks unbeatable, Philly was too good, Bears and Lions would whoop us. We seemed lucky to even smell a playoff spot. Heck, some were thinking that AR was done.

As a coach you play the odds. From that point it is on the players. Should we make a change on ST coaching, yeah. But many were calling for Capers head for the last several years and he did a great job of changing personnel this year. Gloom and flippin doom. Lets just tear this thing up. Maybe we can get Gruden in here. Some of you need to lighten the heck up.

 

[jaybadger82]

I´m not sure about McCarthy being able to change. After the game he said he didn´t regret anything, if he was serious about that he will continue to get too conservative once we get the lead against really good teams.

...Yep.

Yeah, but you know he is quietly second guessing himself right now.

How do we know that? -Answer: We don't, which should make fans uneasy.

He owns the division, has a SB to his name and will get more.

Well, the NFCW seems to own MM.

Don't get me wrong: the body of work is damn solid. I'm not saying you replace McCarthy on the basis of the NFC Championship but he ****** that game up and his unwillingness to acknowledge his tactical blunders is disappointing. (IMO, he's just not a great game tactician.)

I always thought of McCarthy as a guy that valued accountability. Hard to watch him to throw his players under the bus without acknowledging his own failures- it was hypocritical, really.

 

[pacmaniac]

I just found out McCarthy's first gig was under Marty Schottenheimer. No wonder he is who he is.

 

[Poppa San]

I just found out McCarthy's first gig was under Marty Schottenheimer. No wonder he is who he is.

MM's post seasons seem to be following his mentors career. One fortuitous run to the trophy will buy him a lot of attempts it seems.

 

[Jeff armstrong]

The last play of the half just now goes a long way in explaining why Seattle is in this game and green bay is not. Mccarthy would have kicked the field goal.

 

[pacmaniac]

The last play of the half just now goes a long way in explaining why Seattle is in this game and green bay is not. Mccarthy would have kicked the field goal.

No, MM would have kneeled at his own 20 with less than 2 minutes in the half, and gone into the locker room down 14-7.

 

[Carl]

No, MM would have kneeled at his own 20 with less than 2 minutes in the half, and gone into the locker room down 14-7.

Like vs. Dallas when we got a FG right before the half ended?

This is just complaining about stuff MM hypothetically might have done.

 

[Powarun]

Things just did not play out in the NFC Championship. Honestly it felt like the wheels fell off. As for McCarthy, the guy is a great coach. While I'd like the crush your throat kind of coach sometimes, the what if's could go against us too. Say Rodgers throws another pick in the last 5 minutes, or a random injury to Nelson or what not. McCarthy is a good coach and we are lucky to have him. Packers are still a top team and McCarthy is one of the reasons for it.

 

[Mondio]

The last play of the half just now goes a long way in explaining why Seattle is in this game and green bay is not. Mccarthy would have kicked the field goal.

It's a damn good thing Seattle stayed aggressive

 

[Carl]

It's a damn good thing Seattle stayed aggressive

Great post.

Seattle was up 10 and they didn't just run the ball like we did, but they also lost.

Maybe running the ball more would have won them the game. We don't know though. Just like we don't know if Rodgers would have had another pick if we stayed aggressive.

Also, the game shows passing in the red zone doesn't guarantee points.

Perfect examples of execution being more important than the calls.

 

[Jeff armstrong]

They made the same mistake as green bay at the most critical moment. They did not keep the ball in the hands of their best player in that situation. You go with your strength when the game is on the line.