Where was Clay Matthews?

[PackerDNA]

We need more funding to study braincramps. The Packers performance on Sunday will be the main case study.

 

[dbain21]

Clay's act is starting to wear real thin on me as well. Not to the point where I want to get rid of him by any means becasue I believe he is a very good player. But from his disappearing in games at times, to what happened Sunday to his injury history he is not living up to his contract. He needs to step up and earn his contract and become a leader on this team, not being out there for those 2 drives was not a good start.

Agreed. I honestly think Kevin Greene has a lot to do with some of those leadership type things. Seems like Kevin Greene was almost a father figure to clay at times. You could tell he expected a lot from clay from a leadership standpoint, highlighted by his "It is time" speech on the sidelines in the Super Bowl.

Maybe it says a lot that Clay wasn't voted a playoff captain

 

[Ace]

Agreed. I honestly think Kevin Greene has a lot to do with some of those leadership type things. Seems like Kevin Greene was almost a father figure to clay at times. You could tell he expected a lot from clay from a leadership standpoint, highlighted by his "It is time" speech on the sidelines in the Super Bowl.

Maybe it says a lot that Clay wasn't voted a playoff captain

This may very well be true and if it is that might make me feel worse about him & his future. He shouldn't need that, he shouldn't need a coach to motivate him. He's gotten a taste of a championship, he's been paid I mean dear lord if it takes a coach to motivate him to want to get back there or to be a guy who steps up and takes control I don't what to expect out of him going forward.

 

[grampi]

Given MM's propensity to put the team in "coast mode" when they get a lead, it wouldn't surprise me if it was MM's decision to pull Matthews to save him for the SB...

 

[ls1bob]

I would like to know what was going on too. Like someone had posted earlier, he gets a lion's share of the money on defense,was here in the SB team, yet a FA we just signed this year is a captain and not him. ( I like Peppers by the way) you would think Clay would be the motivator, mentor, what have you since he has been here a while, but he continuously runs himself out of plays. Also in his interviews he seems aloof at times and is more concerned with Clay not Green Bay as it comes to the team. Just my take, not bashing

 

[MadCat]

Given MM's propensity to put the team in "coast mode" when they get a lead, it wouldn't surprise me if it was MM's decision to pull Matthews to save him for the SB...

I wondered that myself. They pulled our offense back, and pulled our defense back too. No push to get one more score on the board after Burnett's interception. No defensive pressure on Wilson towards the end when we needed it the most. Clay on the sidelines would fall right in line with that. I hope not. Who knows what they were thinking... although it's not like we haven't seen this trend plenty of times before. Just never thought we'd see it in a game this big.

 

[adambr2]

I wondered that myself. They pulled our offense back, and pulled our defense back too. No push to get one more score on the board after Burnett's interception. No defensive pressure on Wilson towards the end when we needed it the most. Clay on the sidelines would fall right in line with that. I hope not. Who knows what they were thinking... although it's not like we haven't seen this trend plenty of times before. Just never thought we'd see it in a game this big.

But they would have at least put him back in when Wilson scored to pull within 19-14....right?

This whole thing is just baffling.

 

[easyk83]

But they would have at least put him back in when Wilson scored to pull within 19-14....right?

This whole thing is just baffling.

Even more baffling that the team hasn't bothered to produce an explanation, have any of the press asked about Matthews?

As for the injury rumor, he didn't look half bad yesterday at the Pro Bowl and he didn't look half bad playing in OT.

 

[adambr2]

Even more baffling that the team hasn't bothered to produce an explanation, have any of the press asked about Matthews?

As for the injury rumor, he didn't look half bad yesterday at the Pro Bowl and he didn't look half bad playing in OT.

There's no way he had any injury that should have kept him out of the last 5 minutes of the NFC Championship Game. Guys sit out the Pro Bowl for paper cuts. If he was healthy enough to play in the Pro Bowl, there's absolutely no way he should have been watching from the sidelines one week earlier as his defense frittered away a 19-7 lead in their most important game of the year.

There has still been no explanation provided. It feels like they are trying to sweep it under the rug until everyone forgets about it.

 

[ExpatPacker]

Something to read from TotalPackers:

http://www.totalpackers.com/2015/01...enched/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

[Mondio]

I don't think it's so much trying to wait till everyone forgets as it is that the headcoaches brother died the morning he was to give his press conference..

I get the impression McCarthy comes from a close family and I'm sure it took priority, as it should have. I guess I haven't paid a lot of attention, but I don't think any of the staff have had any types of press conferences? I'm sure McCarthy wants to stand there and answer questions and take the criticism first, and I'm sure he will. At this point it will probably be after the super bowl and I guess I'm ok with it.

It's not going to change anything. I saw the collapse just like everyone else and the reasons for it were many. Like most things in life it's a chain of events, not an instant that determines the outcome.

 

[adambr2]

Good read. There's a reason they're trying to tiptoe around this question. It's because it's going to paint someone in a very, very poor light.

 

[yooperpackfan]

I was shocked to see him in the Pro Bowl last night considering the alleged issues of last week.

 

[adambr2]

https://mobile.twitter.com/Softykjr/status/557705131563950082

Probably the closest we'll get to an answer.

 

[longtimefan]

https://mobile.twitter.com/Softykjr/status/557705131563950082

Probably the closest we'll get to an answer.

I dont trust a random answer from a guy I do not know and the reporter isnt quoted as saying it

 

[adambr2]

I dont trust a random answer from a guy I do not know and the reporter isnt quoted as saying it

So what are the other logical possibilities and can you think of any that would be excusable reasons that Clay missed the last 5 minutes of the NFC Championship?

 

[Mondio]

Twitter will never be a source of anything more than aggrevation for me. It's something people put into a "news story" to apparently give information. I think people should try putting time and investigation and build relationships and gain legitimacy. Instead we now have some words and someone guy's twitter feed screen shot. Like that means anything

 

[Mondio]

So what are the other logical possibilities and can you think of any that would be excusable reasons that Clay missed the last 5 minutes of the NFC Championship?

maybe he was, maybe that's the exact reason he was out, but how does "Dave Softy" know anything, and who is he and why should I want to know what he says?

 

[longtimefan]

So what are the other logical possibilities and can you think of any that would be excusable reasons that Clay missed the last 5 minutes of the NFC Championship?

benched so he didnt get hurt

if tired how was it he played in overtime..he had 20 mins at least to rest near the end..

he wasnt hurt as he played in ot and the probowl

benching t save for SB is my logical guess

 

[Sanguine camper]

Cm3 was either benched or quit. Both of those reasons are wrought with stinky implications. If Clay quit on his team there is no excuse and he would be a cancer that would have to be traded. I doubt he did which leads me to believe we witnessed one of the most baffling and idiotic coaching decisions ever. Taking your best player off the field with the season on the line would make zero sense. Can anybody pose a valid reason why CM3 was on the bench? Sure as hell did not look like it was an injury.

 

[Ace]

Twitter will never be a source of anything more than aggrevation for me. It's something people put into a "news story" to apparently give information. I think people should try putting time and investigation and build relationships and gain legitimacy. Instead we now have some words and someone guy's twitter feed screen shot. Like that means anything

Well I hate to break it to you but it isn't going anywhere anytime soon. It's our (maybe not yours) jobs as subscribers to it to not live and die on everything that's posted on there. Sift through the garbage, catch the tidbits and wait for confirmation from credible sources. It's a very useful tool/resource if used right.

 

[HardRightEdge]

https://mobile.twitter.com/Softykjr/status/557705131563950082

Probably the closest we'll get to an answer.

In the McGuin/Dunne podcast from the 25th, Dunne said "we need more clarity". The matter will certainly be probed further at the wrap-up press conference once McCarthy gets back.

 

[adambr2]

benching t save for SB is my logical guess

When it was 19-14 and Seattle had just recovered an onside kick with over 2 minutes left, Capers was benching Clay in order to save him for the Super Bowl? I've been harsh on Dommy over the years, but I'd like to think he hasn't gone so bonkers that he needs to be committed.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Cm3 was either benched or quit. Both of those reasons are wrought with stinky implications. If Clay quit on his team there is no excuse and he would be a cancer that would have to be traded. I doubt he did which leads me to believe we witnessed one of the most baffling and idiotic coaching decisions ever. Taking your best player off the field with the season on the line would make zero sense. Can anybody pose a valid reason why CM3 was on the bench? Sure as hell did not look like it was an injury.

Maybe Capers benched Matthews for the series when the Packers were up 19-7 but there´s absolutely no way the defensive coordinator keeps his best player out of the game with the game being within one score after the recovered onside kick.

 

[Mondio]

Well I hate to break it to you but it isn't going anywhere anytime soon. It's our (maybe not yours) jobs as subscribers to it to not live and die on everything that's posted on there. Sift through the garbage, catch the tidbits and wait for confirmation from credible sources. It's a very useful tool/resource if used right.

I know it's not going anywhere. It's just a continuation in the degradation of the delivery of news. How is it useful? How has it helped this or any situation? because all we have here is speculation on speculation that somebody on a message board had speculated during the game, except now it was "tweeted" like it was "news". I still don't know why we should care what some #nonameguywithanopinionandcantypewithpoundsignsandwithoutpuncutaionorspaces has to say about it? Has he helped us get to the bottom of the Clay Matthews story?

Twitter is like this. People can fling **** at the wall all day long, and occasionally something sticks. By the time that happens though, someone else that is really doing some investigating and reporting has a lot more to the story. Gee, thanks twitter

Or you can use it as a public short email to give a shout to someone you're a fan of, just a morphed "MySpace"