What's Happened to the Green Bay Packers?

[weeds]

As Rodgers says "Relax" ... at least for the Bears game. Once Lacy ups his game, sure we'll be back on track.

"Relaxing" isn't a problem where this offense has been concerned, however, relaxation to the point of falling asleep is an issue that has to be addressed.

No doubt in my mind this team will come around slowly but surely. I'm used to these MM teams starting slowly. Here's the rub though, right now, the Pack are 0-1 in the division and 0-2 in the conference. Time to panic after 3 games? Phft...it's not going to change whether I panic or not, but man o' livin', so far there hasn't been grounds for optimism neither.

Thing that concerns me most is that Rodgers has appeared out-of-sync. Blame it on the turnover in the receiving corps...blame it on an inconsistent O-line ... blame it on Jupiter not aligning with Mars -- whatever ... it's not new...it's the beginning of the season in Packerland and we're used to these teams doing a slow roll-out, year after year.

OK. Let me put it this way...I'm an old geezer. Schooled in Packer lore and history and that curriculum drives home the point that no matter how crappy a season turns out, "...you better beat the Bears..." NOT the Vikings ... the Bears. The Vikings are the Pack's arch-enemy only in the eyes of the ESPN generation and later.

They damned well better beat the flippin' Bears ... regardless of how good or marginal the Bears may be in any given season.

This game could be the trigger moment for the turn-around.

Go Pack.

 

[PackerDNA]

"Relaxing" isn't a problem where this offense has been concerned, however, relaxation to the point of falling asleep is an issue that has to be addressed.

No doubt in my mind this team will come around slowly but surely. I'm used to these MM teams starting slowly. Here's the rub though, right now, the Pack are 0-1 in the division and 0-2 in the conference. Time to panic after 3 games? Phft...it's not going to change whether I panic or not, but man o' livin', so far there hasn't been grounds for optimism neither.

Thing that concerns me most is that Rodgers has appeared out-of-sync. Blame it on the turnover in the receiving corps...blame it on an inconsistent O-line ... blame it on Jupiter not aligning with Mars -- whatever ... it's not new...it's the beginning of the season in Packerland and we're used to these teams doing a slow roll-out, year after year.

OK. Let me put it this way...I'm an old geezer. Schooled in Packer lore and history and that curriculum drives home the point that no matter how crappy a season turns out, "...you better beat the Bears..." NOT the Vikings ... the Bears. The Vikings are the Pack's arch-enemy only in the eyes of the ESPN generation and later.

They damned well better beat the flippin' Bears ... regardless of how good or marginal the Bears may be in any given season.

This game could be the trigger moment for the turn-around.

Go Pack.

Yep, agree Weeds.
Again, for me, the biggest reason for optimism is that the proven players we have- Rodgers, Nelson, Lacy, Peppers , Matthews- we'll probably step up their games; they've done it before, they can do it again.
But there are definite issues here, and looking at 1-3, 0-2 in the division and 0-3 in the deep NFC , no it's not early anymore. This is the 1/4 mark of the season and staring into a big hole.
Another thing, IMO, is that every fan base overestimates it's teams talent going into a season. Overall, this team is not as good as the majority of us- myself included- expected it to be.

 

[OCBP]

Do we need to go out and get "Megatron"? Would we have enough play makers then? Geez.

No TT needs to draft players that have an impact. You say GB has all these solid players, the best this/the best that. Why then are they 1-2, pounded in both losses?

 

[I asked LT to delete my acct]

OK. Let me put it this way...I'm an old geezer

No argument here

 

[OldSchool101]

I'd rather make the playoffs as anything can happen if the team gets hot at the right moment.

Exactly.
I cant see the future anymore than anyone in here. But My gut tells me we've got more of a "underperforming" issue than a "outperformed" issue.
I can give countless examples of teams that played poorly several games into a season. If you recall we blew the Giants out in 2007 like game 2? By multiple TDs. If you had stated here that the Giants, who lost 5 home games, would beat GB in the NFC Championship game and go on to rough up a 16-0 team for the Lombardi. Whatya think the response would be in here? I can answer that I can even tell what usernames would be 1st to jump you. That Giants D. although talented was not cohesive (sound , familiar).
That same D worked their tails off and NEVER gave up.
I contest that in this league... Your a Rook for the initial 3-5 years. That's when you begin to peak. Assuming you agree, GB has a host of players ready to bud.
You can't judge a harvest in May. You gotta understand that if you are an experienced farmer with adequate Capital to farm properly and you buy good quality seed and then prepare the land properly(MM basically is saying this soil is loaded with nutrients) that with a little help from above there is no denying that crop. Now. With that being said, we may not adequate rain or a tornado could rip through.. Or not

 

[OCBP]

Exactly.
I cant see the future anymore than anyone in here. But My gut tells me we've got more of a "underperforming" issue than a "outperformed" issue.
I can give countless examples of teams that played poorly several games into a season. If you recall we blew the Giants out in 2007 like game 2? By multiple TDs if you had stated here that the Giants would beat GB in the NFC Championship game and go on to rough up a 16-0 team for the Lombardi. Whatya think the response would be in here? The Giants D. although talented was not cohesive (sound familiar).
That same D worked their tails off and NEVER gave up.
I contest that in this league... Your a Rook for the initial 3-5 years. That's when you begin to peak. Assuming you agree, GB has a host of players ready to bud. You can't judge a harvest in May. You gotta understand that if you are an experienced farmer, you buy good quality seed and you prepare the land properly(MM basically is saying this soil is loaded with nutrients) that with a little help from above there is no denying that crop. Now. With that being said, we may not adequate rain or a tornado could rip through.. Or not

If a 1 or 2 round draft choice is a Rook for the first 3-5 years philosophy is correct GB is in trouble. Based on recent drafts either you are right or rationalizing. Either way, sowing seed and reaping the benefits 3-5 years down the road is a trainwreck in farming or the NFL.

 

[OldSchool101]

If a 1 or 2 round draft choice is a Rook for the first 3-5 years philosophy is correct GB is in trouble. Based on recent drafts either you are right or rationalizing. Either way, sowing seed and reaping the benefits 3-5 years down the road is a trainwreck in farming or the NFL.

Or possibly, while hastily being the critic and not thinking it through.. You end realizing that not all the 1st and 2 nd rounders are from the 2014 draft. But I want to thank you for making my point on my revision about the naysayer, perfect example of "the jumper" lol.

 

[OCBP]

Or possibly, while hastily being the critic and not thinking it through.. You end realizing that not all the 1st and 2 nd rounders are from the 2014 draft. But I want to thank you for making my point on my revision about the naysayer, perfect example of "the jumper" lol.

Not a jumper. Have been a season ticket holder and fan since '64. Just a realist. I know it's early in the season. However, if you don't see gaps in GB personal and embrace that players should have 3-5 years to develop, you should just jump.

Not really concerned about the 2014 draft class. Nix will be a very good player, likely this year. As he should be as a #1. The center is holding his own and the WR's have promise. More concerned about the previous 3 years of draft choices. However, I guess Spring seems eternal as the buds are ready to bloom into a magnificent bouquet.

 

[OldSchool101]

Not a jumper. Have been a season ticket holder and fan since '64. Just a realist. I know it's early in the season. However, if you don't see gaps in GB personal and embrace that players should have 3-5 years to develop, you should just jump.

Not really concerned about the 2014 draft class. Nix will be a very good player, likely this year. As he should be as a #1. The center is holding his own and the WR's have promise. More concerned about the previous 3 years of draft choices. However, I guess Spring seems eternal as the buds are ready to bloom into a magnificent bouquet.

Not a jumper. Have been a season ticket holder and fan since '64. Just a realist. I know it's early in the season. However, if you don't see gaps in GB personal and embrace that players should have 3-5 years to develop, you should just jump.

Not really concerned about the 2014 draft class. Nix will be a very good player, likely this year. As he should be as a #1. The center is holding his own and the WR's have promise. More concerned about the previous 3 years of draft choices. However, I guess Spring seems eternal as the buds are ready to bloom into a magnificent bouquet.

 

[OldSchool101]

I respect that.
By the way then you probably heard me screaming in the south enzone vs Jets. By the time we got to Sardine Can my voice was about gone.

 

[OCBP]

I respect that.
By the way then you probably heard me screaming in the south enzone vs Jets. By the time we got to Sardine Can my voice was about gone.

Had quite a bit of action on the Southend against NY. 1st 25 minutes was a wreck.

Boy do they this game against the Bears.

 

[OldSchool101]

Had quite a bit of action on the Southend against NY. 1st 25 minutes was a wreck.

Boy do they this game against the Bears.

This is a momentum threshold game I believe. I liken if to when your down by 3 but you have just caught up and you just got the ball back. Even though we have a losing record it's all about momentum. We win this we should go 5-3 or 4-4. 1st half season. We lose it becomes like falling through the ice and trying to get back out a bit slippery. We begin to rely on others to help us. We come out cold and weak at best. lol.

 

[TJV]

I contest that in this league... Your a Rook for the initial 3-5 years. That's when you begin to peak. Assuming you agree, GB has a host of players ready to bud.

If "Rook" = rookie I'm not sure what you mean. There's a substantial middle ground between a player playing like a rookie and reaching his peak, isn't there?

 

[AZpackerbacker]

It's time to put up or shut up for the Packers, I have been accused of being a "drama queen"......whenever I point out that this team is going the wrong way. Too many seasons, we settle, a playoff win and done. The only reason we were in the playoffs last year is that our division was completely horrible. We were just the luckiest, or least horrible team in that division. Yes, part of it was Rodger's absence.....but most of it was poor O Line and poor defensive play. It's one thing to be a fan.....yet another to be totally blind and not see that this team has some major identity issues. A lot of it is basic leadership, and that starts with coaching.......next......players need to stand up and take responsibility of being leaders....that is the only thing that will turn this team around..........

 

[red4tribe]

Correct me if I'm wrong, was there not a season a couple of years ago(maybe 2012? 2010? 2009?) where we started off with no huddle at the beginning of the year and fell flat on our face? Only to abandon it and star performing well? I'm pretty sure I remember that. I'm not a fan of it so far. MM can sit there and say "our goal is to get x number of plays in during the course of the game blah blah blah", but I'd much rather have ten less plays a game that are of much higher quality...

 

[7thFloorRA]

I don't understand this obsession he has with getting 75 offensive plays. Get 1 win.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I don't understand this obsession he has with getting 75 offensive plays. Get 1 win.

I don't that get that either. It's not important how many offensive plays a team gets during a game but how succesful a team is during that plays.

And BTW, if McCarthy really wants to run 75 plays a game here's an idea for him: The no huddle is not the key to it, getting first downs and establishing some long drives without having three and outs is.

 

[PFanCan]

What if the Sun were a couple of billion years older than it is and its heat evaporated all the water on Earth??!!

Even if the sun was a couple billion years older and its heat evaporated all the water on the Earth...

The Bears would still suck!

 

[NOMOFO]

Gotta tell ya guys... some of you sound more like Bears fans than Packer fans.

There are things that need to be fixed and certainly some guys are not playing up to snuff right now and some picks have not proven themselves... but there's hardly anything that should cause this doom and gloom.

For God's sake ...a couple less than stellar games and we're ready to toss the baby with the bath water?

 

[7thFloorRA]

The disappointment is relative to high expectations.

 

[PackerDNA]

Gotta tell ya guys... some of you sound more like Bears fans than Packer fans.

There are things that need to be fixed and certainly some guys are not playing up to snuff right now and some picks have not proven themselves... but there's hardly anything that should cause this doom and gloom.

For God's sake ...a couple less than stellar games and we're ready to toss the baby with the bath water?

Here's the thing though; who's doing that? Why can't there be a discussion which includes negative comments on the lousy play of this team thus far without said people being called Bears fans or doom and gloomers. The doom and gloom is from the teams performance- not anyone pointing out the fact.

 

[AZpackerbacker]

I hope to God the Packers win today.....but if they don't......what are the apologists going to say? When do you address the problems? All you had to do is listen to the call in program after the game last week, and the consensus of all the calls were people expressing their disapproval, especially with the offense. We have become accustomed to bad or mediocre defensive play, so when the defense plays ok......the offense surely sputters. We don't have WRs, except for Jordy that can get separation. Running game is horrible. And absolutely no TE to speak of. I don't sound like a Bears fan, I am a 40 plus year Packers fan that went through the crap of the 70s and 80s, and don't really feel like repeating that over again.....lol.

 

[ls1bob]

We need a couple of things for sure. Better protection up front and a high caliber receiver who can go deep(if the line can protect)to take pressure off of Jordy. Maybe if we are in contention by the trade deadline TT can go find a FA wide receiver like Wolf did with Rison on the way to Super Bowl XXXI

 

[TJV]

That's the fundamental concept of running the no huddle. The problem with it though is that it doesn't work if the defense has a favorable personnel group on the field and MM is too stubborn to make any adjustments (I think I heard somebody else talk about that this week ), keeping the same guys on the field play after play and praying that it will miraculously create the desired mismatches at some point.

I think it has more to do with the failure of players. For example if the Packers had a RB that was adept at running the ball, pass protection, and as a receiver, that player could fill all those roles without having to be substituted for. Lacy should be that player but he’s not running the ball well this season. That’s not all his fault, the OL has to take responsibility for that as well. If Lacy were running the ball as well as he did last season, the no huddle would look much better. If the Packers had a TE who could pass protect and run block from the TE and backfield position, and who could get separation as a receiver that would be ideal for the no huddle. If that player also had the speed to challenge two-deep coverage he’d be the whole package. But that player isn’t on the roster, even without the speed component. Those two players would really make the no huddle go – they could stay on the field on third and short, third and long, and everything in between while the D is static because it can’t change personnel. Lacy is supposed to be the player described above but the Packers don’t have the TE described – Finley, although inconsistent, was that player. So that’s the criticism I think McCarthy deserves for his extensive use of the no huddle – he’s missing a key part that would make it work very well.

OK, so why not go back to 4 WRs or empty backfield formations more as he’s done in the past? He really doesn’t have the players for that, either. Boykin has been a disappointment so far and so has Cobb IMO. I think Adams will be good but Rodgers probably doesn’t completely trust him and he doesn’t appear to trust Janis at all. That could and should change as the season goes on, but competence at WR and the trust of the QB in those WRs is crucial in the Packers offense. Also, the OL has to perform up to McCarthy’s assertion that it’s the best group he’s had in Green Bay. It hasn’t performed like that. Finally add in Rodgers not being his deadly accurate self and the result is what we’ve seen so far.

IMO McCarthy may be using the no huddle too much, but that’s a secondary issue when compared to the play of the OL, the WRs, Lacy’s inability to run as well as he should, and Rodgers relative inaccuracy.

 

[AZpackerbacker]

I think it has more to do with the failure of players. For example if the Packers had a RB that was adept at running the ball, pass protection, and as a receiver, that player could fill all those roles without having to be substituted for. Lacy should be that player but he’s not running the ball well this season. That’s not all his fault, the OL has to take responsibility for that as well. If Lacy were running the ball as well as he did last season, the no huddle would look much better. If the Packers had a TE who could pass protect and run block from the TE and backfield position, and who could get separation as a receiver that would be ideal for the no huddle. If that player also had the speed to challenge two-deep coverage he’d be the whole package. But that player isn’t on the roster, even without the speed component. Those two players would really make the no huddle go – they could stay on the field on third and short, third and long, and everything in between while the D is static because it can’t change personnel. Lacy is supposed to be the player described above but the Packers don’t have the TE described – Finley, although inconsistent, was that player. So that’s the criticism I think McCarthy deserves for his extensive use of the no huddle – he’s missing a key part that would make it work very well.

OK, so why not go back to 4 WRs or empty backfield formations more as he’s done in the past? He really doesn’t have the players for that, either. Boykin has been a disappointment so far and so has Cobb IMO. I think Adams will be good but Rodgers probably doesn’t completely trust him and he doesn’t appear to trust Janis at all. That could and should change as the season goes on, but competence at WR and the trust of the QB in those WRs is crucial in the Packers offense. Also, the OL has to perform up to McCarthy’s assertion that it’s the best group he’s had in Green Bay. It hasn’t performed like that. Finally add in Rodgers not being his deadly accurate self and the result is what we’ve seen so far.

IMO McCarthy may be using the no huddle too much, but that’s a secondary issue when compared to the play of the OL, the WRs, Lacy’s inability to run as well as he should, and Rodgers relative inaccuracy.

Very astute and well thought out. I agree......until we find that TE, get some decent WR's, and get the O Line anchored correctly, the offense will never be consistent. As bad as our defense can be sometimes, I think the more pressing issue is our offense. Rodgers is not even a top ten QB right now.......we have to get out of the funk quick or this season could slip away very quickly.