Packers Season is Once Again on the Brink
This past Sunday in New England was a sight all too familiar to fans of the Green Bay Packers.
With the game tied and the Packers driving for a go-ahead score, all the momentum seemingly in their favor, Aaron Jones fumbled the ball. Just like Ty Montgomery fumbled the ball the week before. Two fumbles and two chances for a victory that went by the wayside.
Now, instead of sitting at 4-3-1 or 5-2-1, the Packers find themselves at 3-4-1, basically a game and a half behind both the Bears and Vikings in the NFC North. And with back-to-back road games against Minnesota and Seattle looming after this week's home tilt with Miami, Green Bay already has its back against the wall.
Certainly, the Packers have their moments. For long stretches in New England and Los Angeles, Green Bay looked like a contender. Unfortunately, moral victories don't count or matter in the NFL and Green Bay has had way too many of those lately.
It is time to right the ship because if things don't turn around quickly it will be too late.
One positive is that Mike McCarthy has often had the Packers close strong in November and December. Well, that time has come again and the Packers resurgence has to start Sunday against Miami.
Essentially, it's a must-win game. Even if the Packers beat the Dolphins, they would need to win one of two road games against Seattle and Minnesota just to be 5-5-1. That's after winning two of three games.
Outside of winning the division, the Packers will need to win at least nine or 10 games to have a chance at a wildcard. To be safe, 10 wins will probably be required. So that means even with two wins in three games, Green Bay would need to win out to get to 10-5-1. One loss in the final five games against Chicago, the Jets, Lions, Cardinals and Falcons would put Green Bay at 9-6-1. That might be good enough, but that's still not much room for error.
On some level, I wonder if it would be better for the Packers not to make the playoffs; maybe that would be the end of the McCarthy era and the end of some of this futility. McCarthy has achieved a lot in his tenure no doubt, however, if he doesn't turn things around soon, this time in Green Bay might come to an end.
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Chris is a sports journalist from Montana and has been blogging about the Packers since 2011. Chris has been a staff writer for CheeseheadTV since 2017 and looks forward to the day when Aaron Rodgers wins his second Super Bowl. Follow him @thepackersguru
Comments (71)
GBPDAN1
November 08, 2018 at 12:24 pm
I knew that road games against elite teams (Rams, Patriots) would be very difficult. I knew road games against division foes who have talent on their rosters (Queens, bears) would be challenging. I knew A road game against Seattle would not be a gimmy.
That's why I knew winning at Detroit and Washington, 2 teams that we should have been able to beat, was important. I felt then, when we lost both games, and feel now that losing those games would come back to haunt us. I hope I'm wrong, but I just don't see us winning 7 of our last 8 games. I would feel different about this if Rodgers and the offense were playing elite football, but that's not what we're witnessing.
Having a losing season , or no playoff season, would suck, but looking at the big picture, it would help moving on from MM and it would get us better draft picks, which we need.
TarynsEyes
November 08, 2018 at 12:39 pm
" it would help moving on from MM "...
The FO should not need anymore help in making a decision that should already have been decided...no matter what the season outcome...MM should be gone the moment it closes for the Packers. Though a loss this week to Miami in GB, might induce a much sooner departure.
jhalwas611.com
November 08, 2018 at 12:40 pm
Just as we thought last year?
hobowilly
November 08, 2018 at 11:41 pm
Hey Dan! Agree with your points here. I must share that although i've been very critical of MM over the years (non creative play calling and scheme planning) he & his staff did very well coming out of the bye vs the Lambs having a good plan which was executed well, except for the defiant run out by Monty. Last season, MM did horrible if you recall coming off the bye losing badly to the Lions. IMHO, i think there's been some comm issues between MM & AR on & off, which is understandable but it hasn't concluded in a second trip to the SB. MM's lack of situational awareness late in the NFC championship game against the Seadogs was MM at his worst. You raise a fine point that teams need to win games they might be expected to (re: skins & Lions) as it does add up for the playoff situation. yes, i think MM should be gone if GB misses them for a second year, especially if AR plays all 16 games. They've played themselves into a situation where they're definitely going to have to win say 3 of the 4 ROAD games and keep it clean @ home, it's doable.
Chris Vachio
November 08, 2018 at 12:15 pm
There's a huge difference between the two fumbles. Montgomery made a massively dick-brained decision whereas Jones just was on the receiving end of a good defensive play. Plus, there was still plenty of time to recover from the Jones fumble, but the team basically closed up shop afterwards.
hobowilly
November 08, 2018 at 11:48 pm
excellent point Chris! Let's not forget Monty also missed a protection block shortly before the defiant run out. Did anyone notice he wasn't protecting the ball too well either it seemed to me. I still appreciated Monty's time in GB though, a good draft/player--i wish him well!
stockholder
November 08, 2018 at 12:19 pm
Don't lose to Chicago. Minnesota, the lions. Their In!
Leatherhead
November 08, 2018 at 12:32 pm
Precisely. Win those three games and if we win our other remaining home games we're in.
I swear...….have any of you ever ridden a roller coaster? It's fun. Try it sometime. I didn't expect the Packers to just roll through the season without any problems or losses. Did you?
Titles are not won in September or October. In 50 years that I've been following, that hasn't happened once.
If we play better, we can win and make the playoffs. If we don't play better, we don't deserve to.
ShanghaiKid
November 08, 2018 at 01:08 pm
I bet in your 50 years of watching you’ve seen a team finish October with a 2-6, or even a 4-4 record and have lose titles by not making the playoffs. What’s your point? Teams still need to rack wins in those months to position for a title run.
Nobody expected the Packers to go undefeated all the way through. But nobody expected the team to look this undisciplined and inconsistent with an all-pro QB. When you have one of the best QB’s of all time the bar of success changes, and rightfully so.
RCPackerFan
November 08, 2018 at 02:04 pm
Nobody expected the All-pro QB to be as undisciplined and inconsistent as he has been.
The problem with this year is we have one of the best all time QB's and he isn't playing at that level right now. If he had been, we would be a lot better then we are.
There have been way to many lulls in games that the offense didn't take advantage of what the defense was doing during games. During the Rams, and Patriots games the defense was playing well enough to allow the offense to take over and get a lead. They didn't. The biggest culprit has been the one with the ball in his hands down after down. Not all of it is his fault, but he is the one making the decisions and distributing the ball.
For the record, I think that starts improving and as of this week it starts!
HarlanHuckleby
November 08, 2018 at 04:12 pm
No need to go back 50 years. The Packers started 4-6 in 2016 and made the playoffs. If only ARod would have come up with a catch phrase that year...
Leatherhead
November 08, 2018 at 05:19 pm
We're 3-4-1 at the halfway point. The point is, that we're still in it. We're not 2-6.
And the undisciplined part? The offense is one of the most penalized, but the defense has the fewest penalties of any in the NFL. Overall, the Packers are about average.
The Great QB thing......so should the Saints fire Gary Payton? And truthfully, Rodgers was a great QB during the 2016 run, but before and since he's been good, but not an all-time great. Several teams have future HOFers at QB, but only one team gets a Super Bowl. We've been to the NFC title game 4 times under McCarthy AND won a Super Bowl. How many coaches in the history of the NFL can claim better?
Lombardi, Landry,, Shula Chuck Noll, Bill Walsh.....and where can I look at a bust of these guys? Do you get my point? McCarthy has been a very, very successful NFL coach. It is not likely the next guy is going to be better.
Rak43
November 08, 2018 at 06:03 pm
"should the Saints fire Gary Payton?" Wait.....When did the Saints hire the glove. That's quite a transition from NBA point guard to NFL coach, lol.
Sorry old school I just couldn't help myself. I know you meant Sean Payton.
Leatherhead
November 09, 2018 at 12:23 pm
Yeah, thanks for the catch. The Glove was awesome....he should have been a DB. But yeah, I meant Sean Payton.
Den
November 08, 2018 at 09:38 pm
Dumb penalties at critical moments and sloppy passes have kept GB from winning. Eliminate bone head penalties and get some decent practice time in for the QB & receivers and maybe Packers can get back on track.
LeotisHarris
November 08, 2018 at 04:24 pm
Rollercoasters are fun. Functioning, safe, well-run rollercoasters are a blast. Love 'em. This one we're on watching our beloved Packers,however, is broken and we're sitting in the hot sun waiting for the parts needed to fix it to arrive. There's diesel smoke blowing over from the ferris wheel, and it's making us nauseous. The 8 year-old in the seat directly behind me has vomited so now the entire area smells like sun-baked vomit. We can't get out of our seats because the bars are locked down. I can overhear the maintenance crew taking about how they're going to get it right, correct what is wrong, but it seems all talk as we're stuck...waiting...knowing rollercoasters can be fun, but this one we're on sucks.
TKWorldWide
November 08, 2018 at 04:45 pm
Sun baked tomatoes>sun baked vomit
Leatherhead
November 08, 2018 at 06:07 pm
That was excellent, Sir.
I coached HS football in Texas and the ups and downs and twists and turns are what make a game, and a season, fun, IMO. Having your starting QB declared academically ineligible and spending three days practicing the Wildcat with a direct snap to the tailback. That's fun. Having a stud's family move into your district. That's fun. It's the changes that makes it fun.
My elevator analysis of the 2018 Packers is that the offense....including our QB, isn't hitting on all cylinders. If it does, nobody can hold us to under 30 but we stop ourselves a lot. I think the pieces are there, and healthy enough for us to win.
My great hope is that they start to put it together and win this week, and then again on the road in Seattle to set up a meeting with the Vikings, which we'll have to win. We could be sitting 1/2 game out of first place before we have our Thanksgiving dinner digested.
I wouldn't ride a ride that sucks, but I've been riding this Packer train a long time.
LeotisHarris
November 09, 2018 at 06:38 pm
Well said, friend. I survived the 70s and 80s as well, and do realize it's a team game. Improvement would be great on the offensive side of the ball. I too hope for back to back wins and some swagger heading into Minnesota.
We can hope.
PackersTommy3
November 08, 2018 at 12:27 pm
The path to the playoffs is not via wild card but through the division. The division is weak enough that 9-6-1 should be able to win it. But it will take wins over those division foes.
jhalwas611.com
November 08, 2018 at 12:44 pm
It just feels different this year. Veteran stars are flaming out instead of stepping up. Those sitting out of practice time affecting the timing of plays or being out of position. Who's in charge of this mess McCarthy, Gute, Murphy? The big positive I see is Pettine's defense seems better.
zoellner25
November 08, 2018 at 12:47 pm
Man the loss to Detroit looks so bad now
EddieLeeIvory
November 08, 2018 at 06:01 pm
Yep Rodgers 2 gift fumbles & Crosbys missed kicks
flackcatcher
November 08, 2018 at 11:59 pm
And it gets worse all the time. (The first half on all 22 is vomit inducing...)
Razer
November 08, 2018 at 01:14 pm
I have never seen a better "horse flogging" than this disappointing Packer season. I am not sure what to think. It seems inconceivable that we are again 8 games in and the coaches are trying to right the ship. Players are trying to find an identity. And, our new GM is axing players like the grim reaper.
Severe under performance by both coaches and players. At this point, we don't deserve a playoff spot nor our continued debate about "what's wrong with -----". Maybe this weekend they can give us something against a very average opponent. Then next week we can come back here and flog the horse a little more.
Good luck Packers.
Guam
November 08, 2018 at 01:13 pm
I seriously doubt the Packers will win six or seven out of the remaining eight games. Should a miracle happen and they make the playoffs, does anyone consider them a serious threat to win the SB?
I think the larger issue now is McCarthy. I see serious issues with an unimaginative offense and undisciplined play and those are coaching problems. However MM was also given a seriously depleted roster by TT, one that Gute could not fix in one year. Does the FO let go a winning coach with a roster that they had to know was short on talent and experience?
I don't know the answer and even if I did, it would mean nothing. The important question is what does Gute/Murphy think? Gute I think might pull the trigger, but Murphy I am much less sure about. I suspect he may be inclined to give MM one more year out of concern for the "Marty Shottenheimer" syndrome. Should be an interesting next few months.....
Bearmeat
November 08, 2018 at 01:20 pm
Great post.
TarynsEyes
November 08, 2018 at 01:43 pm
Will players want to play for a lame duck HC or will they be more inspired with a new HC having multiple years .
Keeping MM would demand a huge vote of confidence that he can change or even adapt a good portion of the new NFL. The obvious answer is no. Will Fa's want to come and play for a lame duck HC and those that do are likely just looking for the money.
If come mid season next year he appears to have adapted and the team is playing to SB level, do you extend him or still let him walk at seasons end regardless of success.
Lame duck is a horrible position for all involved...either he's in or he's out after this season.
Guam
November 08, 2018 at 02:33 pm
Depends on who the new HC is. A bad new HC could well be worse than MM which is why I cited the "Shottenhiemer" syndrome. I agree that keeping MM would require a huge vote of confidence in his unproven ability to change, but how much of that decision would also be colored by the lack of talent and experience he is currently dealing with? It can be hard to separate coaching ability and lack of talent. Despite his current shortcomings, he does have a proven track record given enough talent.
And if he performs well next year, why wouldn't you reward that?
I am not saying we should keep MM - I personally think his message has gone stale with the Packers and he should move on. However I don't see this decision as anywhere near a given due to the talent issue and Murphy making the decision.
Lare
November 08, 2018 at 02:05 pm
"Gute I think might pull the trigger, but Murphy I am much less sure about."
The only possible reason for Murphy to take away the GM's authority to hire & fire the Head Coach would be to protect McCarthy. So would Murphy ever get rid of McCarthy (under any circumstance) or will the Executive Board have to fire Murphy first in order to get a coaching change?
Personally, I think there's a better chance that McCarthy tells Murphy he wants to leave and they figure out some way to make it happen so they can all save face and the organization can move on.
Guam
November 08, 2018 at 02:37 pm
Excellent point about Murphy's decision to have MM report directly to him - why do that unless to protect him from an aggressive new GM? I hope you are right about MM wanting to move on as the current situation just doesn't seem constructive.
stockholder
November 08, 2018 at 06:12 pm
Ever watch Hang em High. MM is not going to hang himself.
Leatherhead
November 08, 2018 at 06:15 pm
Time will tell if we can win six out of eight. I'll get back to you on that.
I think the larger issue is why you think the #5 Total Offense is unimaginative? Does it LOOK like the defenses are wise to our tricks, or does it look like the offense stops itself a lot?
Our scoring offense is below our expectations, but it's not because we aren't moving the rock, it's because we have lots of penalties and some bad throws/routes/catches and some turnovers and missed kicks.
The 'lack of discipline' narrative doesn't seem to explain the disparity between a frequently penalized offense and a league least penalized defense. Combined, it's about an average team, penalty-wise.
If Gute thinks the Packers need to replace McCarthy at the end of the season, that's fine. He's the GM and it's his sandbox. He deserves to succeed or fail with his guys and I have no problem with that. McCarthy will be hired elsewhere, I'm sure.
But let's not make up reasons why McCarthy is somehow not a good coach, because the reality is that he is a very successful NFL Head Coach.
freddisch
November 08, 2018 at 06:30 pm
average team penalty wise? On average everyone in the US has one testicle! Beware of averages
TKWorldWide
November 08, 2018 at 06:50 pm
The gun show.
Guam
November 08, 2018 at 10:44 pm
Undisciplined play is more than penalties. Montgomery's return out of the end zone was not a penalty, but it was an undisciplined play. Rogers ignoring the underneath receiver for a first down and choosing to throw long to a covered receiver was not a penalty, but it was an undisciplined play. Penalties are part of the issue, but not all of it.
My concern is not that MM has turned into a bad coach, but that his team has tuned out his message. It has happened to good coaches before and it may be happening here. Undisciplined play is one of the symptoms of that problem.
Additionally Gute will not make the decision on MM. MM reports to Murphy and Gute will have input, but Murphy will be making the final decision.
dobber
November 09, 2018 at 11:04 am
"does anyone consider them a serious threat to win the SB?"
Any team that wins 8 in a row or 7 out of 8 to finish the season needs to be taken seriously. The fans might scoff, but I guarantee you that the coaches on the other side of the field will notice.
Lphill
November 08, 2018 at 01:26 pm
unless the Packers win the Super Bowl this year no way McCarthy returns next season , he is getting nothing but negative press on most of the sports shows and he has to be aware of it, no hiding from it. he will get hired right away anyway so why should MM care , plenty of teams will be looking for a new HC next season.
Since'61
November 08, 2018 at 01:28 pm
If we let MM go after this season we are basically scrapping everything and starting over. It will be difficult to bring in a new HC who will not want his own staff. That means Pettine and Philbin are probably gone and we're starting with a new offense and yet another new defense in 2019.
Maybe Pettine gets the job and we have some continuity of defense. With a QB like Rodgers do we really need another offensive minded coach? A good OC and Rodgers can probably get the job done. Let Pettine chuck Moss and other assistants and bring in his own people.
But unless it's Pettine or Philbin we're starting all over and it could take 2-3 seasons before new systems click on both sides of the ball. Regardless of the HC decision Zook should be chucked for sure. We need a legit ST coach and we haven't had one since the Holmgren era. Thanks, Since '61
cuervo
November 08, 2018 at 01:40 pm
Didn't take the Rams, Chiefs, Seattle, and many many more 2-3 years to figure out how to play top level football with new coaching staffs, it's done every year in the NFL.
This and the "who would we replace him question" are just trojan horses to not do what needs to be done. We will not go another SB with MM, so if SB's are your objective the answer is to fire MM.
We might be worse off with a new coach, you won't know until it's done but that's not a reason not to attempt to improve the team.
100% agree on the ST coach comment...why we've been so bad for so long is a mystery.
Since'61
November 08, 2018 at 04:39 pm
In the case of the Rams prior to 2017 the last time the Rams made the playoffs was 2004. Since then they went through 7 head coaches, none of who had a winning record. McVay took over a team with years of drafting in the first 10 of every round. I'm not taking anything away from McVay but except for his QB MM has not had the talent anywhere close to the talent the Rams currently have.
As for the Chiefs, Andy Reid has been the Chiefs HC since 2013 and his playoff record in 1-4. Prior to Reid the Chiefs went through 5 HCs since 1998 when Shottenheimer left. Again Reid took over a situation with years of top draft picks.
In Seattle Pete Carroll made the playoffs in his first season (2010) as HC but it took until 2014 (5 seasons) for Seattle to win the SB.
So using your 3 coaches if we are willing to wait 5 seasons for another SB then we should fire MM. If we use making the playoffs as playing at a high level then I would argue that MM making the playoffs for 8 consecutive seasons and probably 9 consecutive seasons if Rodgers isn't injured in 2017 is better than any of the three examples you gave.
I'm not saying MM shouldn't be fired but there no guarantees that firing him gets us to a Super bowl or even to the playoffs, especially with our current roster. So if we believe that Gute will continue to improve our roster are we better off keeping MM or starting over? Thanks, Since '61
Lare
November 08, 2018 at 01:51 pm
Perhaps scrapping everything would be the best thing that could happen to this team. Otherwise, there's no way McCarthy is going to get rid of the other stale coaches (Moss, Campen, Philbin, Zook, etc.) on his staff and we're still stuck with a poor offensive scheme.
And if it does happen, it won't take another 2-3 years in order to be competitive again. They've already got a 1-year head start on that this year. All they really need is a new starting RG, RT, TE, DL, 2-OLBs and 2-Safeties and with new offensive schemes they should improve dramatically.
Giving Gutekunst around $50 million in cap space in 2019 alone along with around 20 draft picks in the next two drafts and they'll be a very good team in 2020.
Since'61
November 08, 2018 at 04:50 pm
OK, so if we are going to fill all of these holes are we better off keeping MM to see what he can do with a talented team or are we better off with an unknown HC who may or may not have a better offensive scheme. The better scheme is an assumption. And all they need is 8 players based on your post. Again an assumption that the players we add are better than what we have now. Huge assumption.
You say that they will improve dramatically. What does that mean? Will they do better than 8 consecutive playoff seasons? Will Rodgers do better than double digit wins every season except when he was injured in 2013 and 2017? Suddenly a new HC, fill numerous holes in the roster and a new offensive scheme means annual Super Bowls. If it was that easy why isn't it happening for all 32 teams.
Do you think that teams like the Jets, Giants, Bears, Lions, Cardinals, Bucs, Bills, Cowboys and others haven't been trying to do the same things over the years? Ask them how easy this is to do successfully.
Yes, we may be a very good team in 2020 but that doesn't mean we go to the Super bowl. Thanks, Since '61
Thegreatreynoldo
November 09, 2018 at 02:43 am
Teams usually change HC's because they are bad teams. I would suggest that putting a new HC in place when the team has talent shouldn't lead to a malaise.
splitpea1
November 08, 2018 at 03:23 pm
I really don't understand the trepidation about moving on from MM. If the front office does their research, which they will, they'll find a replacement that will get us out of this rut and into Super Bowl contention. Hopefully Pettine will stay. If the Packers find out later that they've made a mistake, they can fix the problem; it's not as if the head coach is a Supreme Court justice.
Lare
November 08, 2018 at 04:17 pm
My only trepidation is Murphy hiring the next HC from in-house. Pettine, Whitt and Philbin won't add anything to what we already have offensively.
TKWorldWide
November 08, 2018 at 04:52 pm
I would want Pettine to stay on as DC.
Rak43
November 08, 2018 at 06:12 pm
I agree, I like Pettine a lot and he has said he has no desire to be a HC in this league again. I see no reason why if the Packers hire a new HC to replace McCarthy that Pettine can't be retained. I wonder even more so than who the head coach will be, who the next play caller will be and who's playbook will be used, after all they will need to be on the same page with AR.
Since'61
November 08, 2018 at 06:04 pm
Big assumption that another coach will get us into Super Bowl contention.
Do you think that the Jets, Giants, Lions, Bears, Bucs, Cardinals, Bills and other NFL teams didn't do their research before they hired the numerous HCs they have had since MM took over in 2006?
How long does it take to realize the Packers hired the wrong guy? 1,2,3 seasons or more?
Do you realize that since MM was hired in 2006 27 NFL teams have hired 107 head coaches. That is an average of 4 head coaches per team, averaging slightly more than 3 seasons per coach. Looks to me like it is not so easy to find each coaches that take their teams into Super Bowl contention.
I'm not arguing to keep MM, I am just trying to provide a little perspective on very possible outcomes. It is much easier to manage expectations with facts than with assumptions. Thanks, Since '61
splitpea1
November 09, 2018 at 11:26 am
Apparently these other teams did NOT do their research. With the exception of the Giants, all those other organizations you mentioned SUCK--in a major way. To compare the Packers to these other teams is downright insulting.
What do you want to do: stay stuck in neutral, slide backwards, and watch MM turn into a fossil or try a new approach that will hopefully get us back into, yes, Super Bowl contention?
Leatherhead
November 09, 2018 at 12:30 pm
Excellent breakdown. And let's look at the 107 coaches hired since 2006. How many of them won Super Bowls? Well, Doug Pederson. Pete Carroll? One or two others? So there's a 4% chance that we'll hire a guy that can win a Super Bowl?
Yeah. IF you think you can beat odds like that, you should get on a plane to Vegas right now.
Leatherhead
November 08, 2018 at 06:19 pm
Trepidation? Hardly.
Out of this rut? Would that be the rut of 4 Championship games in 10 years?
splitpea1
November 09, 2018 at 11:04 am
Yes, this RUT. 2016 is ancient history, and championship games aren't Super Bowls. Who remembers the championship game losers, anyway? All you MM loyalists out there need to get some higher expectations. What are you afraid of or beholden to? The Packers record over the last season and a half is 10-13-1. They've shown repeatedly that they can't beat the good teams. Let's get that door revolving right now!
Tundraboy
November 09, 2018 at 03:25 pm
Great points Since 61,
"With a QB like Rodgers do we really need another offensive minded coach?"
That should be the case now. Let MM focus on the big picture and especially special teams.
Either way it is time for MM to go. The way I look at it, MM no longer has any unscouted coaching looks, predictable is an understatement if there ever was one, and to me he exudes absolutely no confidence. In fairness, the talent on Offense has steadily declined since 2012 and after we lost Collins,Finley and Woodson got old, TT did nothing to fix the holes with very few exceptions. But at this point,it's on MM, he is running the same system come hell or high water. And it stinks. Games are becoming painful to watch. It's so frustrating. Used to be only the fullback dive or 2 yard tight end pass play that made me crazy ,but now it's so much more. The constant clock running down,no timeouts.......
Since'61
November 08, 2018 at 06:14 pm
Tundra - The clock running down is on Rodgers. He needs to stop trying to draw opponents off sides on every play. That approach is more effective once or twice a game and usually later in a game when the opponent thinks they know the snap counts.
MMs scheme can work with effective execution. Until we lost Sitton and Lang we had a better OL and better execution. When Rodgers is healthy he can still make plays but he is playing hurt and his receiving corps is not as good as it was, especially on the scramble drill.
I'm not arguing to keep MM I'm just trying to provide a different perspective (Devil's Advocate). It's not that easy to find successful head coaches. Since MM was hired 27 teams have hired 107 head coaches.
Pats, Steelers, Saints, Bengals and Packers have had the same coach since 2006 or before. Thanks, Since '61
cuervo
November 08, 2018 at 09:56 pm
You're missing my point 61, with MM we aren't going to another SB, period. Other than a historically, probably never to be repeated streak of luck and exceptional player performance in 2010, MM is the modern day Marty Schottenheimer ( actually I don;t think he's that good).
If you are sure you can't win a SB with the coach you have, you move on. May be better, may be worse, may be the same. Or you can stay the course and live in upper level mediocrity forever..which seems to be what your proposing.
Since'61
November 08, 2018 at 10:33 pm
No I am not proposing remaining at any level of mediocrity. I'm merely pointing out that whenever we move on from MM we could be opening a revolving door of HCs for a long time. I actually believe that it's necessary to try something or someone new rather than doing nothing. If this season goes South I would be OK with moving on from MM. Let's just manage expectations.
Thanks, Since '61
Tundraboy
November 09, 2018 at 12:48 am
True on Rodgers, but I was hoping MM would want to conserve some time outs, and would keep him in check. At this stage I don't think he can and Rodgers isn't going anywhere , so It's time to move on. Not going to be easy, but it has to be done.
Thegreatreynoldo
November 09, 2018 at 02:46 am
We need another offensive-minding HC precisely because AR is the type of QB he is. Aaron Rodgers NEEDS TO CHANGE how he is approaching the game.
Since'61
November 09, 2018 at 10:13 am
TGR - I agree that Rodger's approach needs to evolve. We need to look at the root cause for Rodger's approach. I'm wondering if his injuries and the battering that he has been taking is affecting his approach.
Maybe he is throwing downfield rather than the short quick throws because he is hoping to score and get out of harms way quickly. Maybe he is playing in pain and wants to get off the field. Or maybe he is worried about getting seriously injured and ending his career. Whatever the reason his approach does need to change because right now he is contributing to the Packers beating themselves. Thanks, Since '61
splitpea1
November 09, 2018 at 01:42 pm
"Until....when....if....but....."
"It's not that easy to find [highly] successful head coaches..." Are you sure MM hasn't taken over your soul?
Doug Niemczynski
November 08, 2018 at 01:55 pm
I don't care so much about losing as so much the way we lose ex. sloppy weather, ripped off by a ref. bad call etc.
But, MM coaching sucks and players not playing to their strengths because of bad coaching.
This team even if they win out are not very good and would more than anything love to have the fans start thinking this team is going to turn it around and start giving fans false hope.
Sorry, but in the end it comes down to coaching and our coach MM is not going to get any better. It would be best to cut him NOW!!
dobber
November 09, 2018 at 11:17 am
"This team even if they win out are not very good and would more than anything love to have the fans start thinking this team is going to turn it around and start giving fans false hope."
First off: bad teams don't win 8 in a row (and 4 road games) in today's NFL. Any team that wins 8 in a row to finish a season needs to be taken seriously.
What makes you think anyone at 1265 is taking fan polls at this point?
Tundraboy
November 08, 2018 at 03:42 pm
8 games in and the season is on the brink? Mostly self inflicted. Scrubbed playbook my ass.
Lare
November 08, 2018 at 04:25 pm
If McCarthy had truly wanted to evaluate the playbook he wouldn't have had a bunch of cronies and yes-men do it. My guess is he heard a lot of "It looks good to me boss."
Leatherhead
November 08, 2018 at 06:25 pm
Is this the playbook that has our offense near the top of the league and our current offense #6 in Total Offense?
We are stopping ourselves with penalties (one of the most penalized offenses), bad throws/routes/catches, sacks (including some that should have been avoided) and turnovers. That's not the playbook, and it's not the opposing defense.
FAN24583
November 08, 2018 at 07:23 pm
Old school = MM lapdog. And you are really clueless.
Den
November 08, 2018 at 10:07 pm
A team that practices several weeks in a row without the starting QB has no chance of getting in sync and being ready for the next game. How can Rodgers and the receivers or any of the other players on offense be on the same page?
The resulting lack of coordination and communication may also be contributing to crucial momentum killer penalties.
And how much better could the defense be if they practiced against the first team with all starters running on all cylinders?
I'm sure the secondary would benefit from more reps against Rodgers and vice versa.
TXCHEESE
November 08, 2018 at 03:36 pm
"Didn't take the Rams, Chiefs, Seattle, and many many more 2-3 years to figure out how to play top level football with new coaching staffs, it's done every year in the NFL."
People have to remember, especially with the Rams and Seattle, multiple down years allowed them to accumulate talent with high draft picks. If the Packers let MM go, I would almost guarantee, Jerry Jones would have him hired within the week. At the beginning of this year, many realized this was not going to be a cake walk. If you did, then you need to remember, the defense was working in to a new scheme, A-rod lost his most trusted receiver, and the OL was going to be patchwork, due to the many draft picks it required to finally get some decent talent in the secondary, that didn't allow for draft capital to be spent on it.
If the Pack makes the playoffs, that will mean they have gone on somewhat of a run to get there, and as long as injuries aren't piling up, they would be a very formidable foe in the post season. My gosh there's an entire half season left, so many things can happen in two month's time.
Lare
November 08, 2018 at 06:21 pm
So the Packers potential Head Coaching job opening is ranked as the most attractive one in the NFL. Hopefully Murphy (and the Packers Executive Board) is reading this.
stockholder
November 08, 2018 at 06:42 pm
MM is staying. Don't get your hopes up. You people seem to think MM is done no matter what. After Favre was traded. How many people wanted TT Gone. Even a petition didn't work. Management knows MM hasn't screwed up. The club is heading in Gutes direction. They know what MM can do! He's been Loyal. And like you now pointed out. There have been to many coaching changes to think that they don't have the right man.