Snakebitten Pack Have Few Hopes for Rest of Season
Green Bay's embarrassing shutout loss Sunday represents the low-point of the season, but also serves as a microcosm of the issues plaguing the team.
By dnicholson
Green Bay's embarrassing shutout loss Sunday represents the low-point of the season, but also serves as a microcosm of the issues plaguing the team.
By dnicholson
Comments (95)
Gianich
November 20, 2017 at 04:17 pm
They suck
Free agent
November 20, 2017 at 06:13 pm
A little or a lot?
GBPDAN1
November 20, 2017 at 06:58 pm
"Snake Bitten Pack" I'm not superstitious, but how else do we describe/ explain this nightmare season? Unbelievable how many key players are lost weekly ! I'd be fine with just canceling the rest of the season, fire TT and DC, and start fresh next season.
Point-Packer
November 20, 2017 at 07:18 pm
Doubling down on Brett Hundley is classic Mike McCarthy. Stubborn. Stupid. And predictable. I have been saying for years that ol Mashed Potato Mike is the reason that #12 doesn't have at least one more Super Bowl. Every time I say so, I hear that "every other team minus NE" would scoop up old Missionary Mike in a split second. Where are those defenders now? C'mon, I want to hear why Mike McCarthy is such a good coach. Tell me. I really want to hear your defense.
Point-Packer
November 20, 2017 at 07:19 pm
(double post edited to now say nothing)
TKWorldWide
November 20, 2017 at 08:33 pm
I guess Ganja Jones won’t be the lead RB after he recovers from his MCL sprain.
More like THC sprain.
Ugh.
mikesherman
November 20, 2017 at 08:39 pm
Yea he will. Who cares about weed anymore?
TKWorldWide
November 20, 2017 at 09:04 pm
Um, the 5-0?
The commish?
Point-Packer
November 21, 2017 at 01:38 am
Weed as an illegal drug is bad public policy.
Gianich
November 21, 2017 at 03:44 pm
But it makes suits a lot of money with incarceration!
dobber
November 21, 2017 at 08:13 am
Roger Goodell...
cuervo
November 20, 2017 at 04:20 pm
After Rodgers was hurt I posted here that this would show everyone what kind of a coach MM is. I was quickly reminded by one of the writers that his 2-5-1 record the last time Rodgers was hurt was proof of his coaching ability.
I've now seen enough to come to the conclusion, that as many have suspected, MM is an average coach at best, let me explain how that conclusion is made:
He's supposedly a QB guru, how does a such a guru consistently have bottom of the barrel backups year after year? This goes back to the Seneca Wallace, Scott Tolzien,etc. and now Brent Hundley. Yeah...they got lucky with Flynn, and even he wasn't good enough to ever play for anyone else.
It took him forever to finally replace Sean Slocum when year after year their special teams were a mess. He's now replaced with a marginal upgrade. Not a sign of an accomplished coach.
Their defense has essentially sucked since 2011, with one year of average mediocrity interspersed. Same coordinator, no change, not the sign of an accomplished coach. Has any defensive coach for the Packers been pursued to coach for another team? Nope......what does that say?
His inabilty to become creative enough with his players, the offense (he's supposed to be a an offensive guru as well) is well documented. For too many the years the offense revolves around Rodgers making exceptional plays that no one else in the league could make. That my friends is not an accomplished coach, it's a lucky one
Yes, Hundley is bad but I have come to the conclusion that MM should be canned. I find it hard to belive that another Coach with a healthy Rodgers could fair much worse....another Coach with an injured Rodgers might be able to.
Michael Grunewald
November 20, 2017 at 06:13 pm
You are correct on all counts. Been saying the same for years. They hired the guy despite two non-descript and short-lived stints as an OC. If not for inheriting Favre and having A-Rod - and as the OC in San Fran he preferred Alex Smith in draft day - I am convinced the guy would be coaching at the Division 3 level somewhere. Also, let's not overlook his often baffling game mamagement decisions.
rdent
November 20, 2017 at 06:30 pm
cuervo, I agree the jig is up on Mike McCarthy, he was exposed in 2013 and now again this year. He is not the coach and QB guru he was previously hyped up to be. I do not know how much input McCarthy has in the evaluation process but some if not all the blame should be on Ted Thompson. Lets look at the QB's that Former GM Ron Wolf drafted in his time in GB. Ty Detmer (ninth rd)
Mark Brunell (5th rd)
Matt Hasselbeck (6th rd)
Aaron Brooks (4th rd)
All went on to be starters for other teams and if I remember correctly most fetched draft picks. Now lets look at the QB's Ted Thompson has picked so far in his time in GB. Aaron Rodgers (fell in Thompsons lap in 1st rd at no.24)
Ingle Martin ( 5th rd)
Brian Bohm ( 2nd rd)
Matt Flynn ( 7th rd)
B.J. Coleman (7th rd)
Brett Hundley(5th rd) none of these QB's went on to be starters with other teams.
Note; Trevor Siemian was a 7th rd pick in 2015 the same year TT picked Hundley.
This points to the fact Ted Thompson and MM are inept at evaluating talent at the QB position.
Point-Packer
November 20, 2017 at 07:13 pm
Don't forget about Graham Harrell!
rdent
November 21, 2017 at 08:34 am
Point Packer, thanks I was trying to forget.
pooch
November 23, 2017 at 02:52 pm
Dont forget Ingle Martian
Qoojo
November 20, 2017 at 07:31 pm
Don't forget 49ers with MM as OC picking Smith over Rodgers too :)
The results definitely point to the TT/MM combo not being able to pick QBs. I have thought for years that the so called QB school in offseason must have been overrated based on results.
OrganLeroy
November 21, 2017 at 05:04 pm
You can't use the Alex Smith card, literally every GM and talent evaluator had Smith over Rodgers because of the system Rodgers came from @ Cal Smith's overall athleticism and Rodgers arrogance at the time. Jeff Tedford's QB's @ Cal all failed miserably in the NFL. As far as the other crap QB's that's all on Ted Thompson, MM has input but Ted makes all final decisions on personnel. BTW, I'm not particularly happy with MM either, but bad talent is squarely on Ted Thompson.
Qoojo
November 21, 2017 at 07:53 pm
I don't think TT operates in a vacuum where MM does not provide input. Talent evaluation is mostly on TT though, true. But not properly evaluating the talent given is a MM problem too.
Also, MM did favor Smith over Rodgers. There have a been a few stories about how rodgers used that as a chip on his shoulder.
HankScorpio
November 22, 2017 at 09:43 am
" Lets look at the QB's that Former GM Ron Wolf drafted in his time in GB. Ty Detmer (ninth rd)
Mark Brunell (5th rd)
Matt Hasselbeck (6th rd)
Aaron Brooks (4th rd)"
He also drafted Ronnie McAda (7), Kyle Wachholtz (7) and Jay Barker (5).
No doubt that Wolf paid better attention to the backup QB spot than TT. No doubt that he and Holmgren had more success than TT/MM. But fair is fair. If you're listing all the pick, list all the picks,
It's also fair to note that Hass and Brooks were both traded to teams that had former Packer coaches on staff. Hass re-united with Holmgren in Seattle, Brooks re-united with McCarthy in NO. No doubt that coaching familiarity played a role in things.
billybobton
November 22, 2017 at 11:10 am
then also list the accomplishments
results matter and highlighting them is also fair
also factor in trades and free agents
Wolf was the real deal and teddie a sad pretender
with fewer draft choices Wolf drafted 3 QBs who played in the pro bowl and traded for another
how many years did WOLF have and how many years has TEDDIE had?
Hematite
November 21, 2017 at 06:26 am
Well said!!!!!!
joelilli
November 21, 2017 at 12:10 pm
you are 100% correct. I's all over ESPN. Bad management from TT to MM to the Cape Man (Capers).
Gianich
November 21, 2017 at 03:49 pm
Too much cronyism and not enough accountability from the top down.
TarynsEyes
November 20, 2017 at 04:38 pm
" though offset by the fact that Jordy Nelson has been a complete non-factor."
This is what I commented about in another article that with the comfortable feeling Hundley has with Adams, the cost will be him not looking for Nelson unless he throws to him immediately as he'll never go back via progressions. Hundley will not chance the throws to get Nelson the ball and when he did deep he threw an un-catchable ball and all could see the frustration of Nelsons face. Hundley has decimated the passing offense no matter how many catches Adams gets.
Bearmeat
November 20, 2017 at 04:55 pm
They are done. I will once again say that I am hoping for a complete house cleaning.
flackcatcher
November 20, 2017 at 05:52 pm
THEY'LL BE BACK.......
al bundy
November 20, 2017 at 06:12 pm
Not gonna happen. Mike and crew will just point out Hundley wasnt ready and they got rogers what more do they need
badaxed
November 20, 2017 at 05:17 pm
SIZZZZZZZZLE! Stick a fork in MM,TT,MM, and DC. They are all well done in my eyes.
Lphill
November 20, 2017 at 05:18 pm
First off , McCarthy has been exposed as a poor coach not being able to have Hundley ready to go , as things are not bad enough now reports of 2 arrests of Aaron Jones for dwi and marijuana.
Michael Grunewald
November 20, 2017 at 06:15 pm
I thought he was exposed years ago.
rdent
November 20, 2017 at 06:32 pm
2013
holmesmd
November 20, 2017 at 11:28 pm
OMG. Not the"evil marijuna" charge!? Really? Lol. Who gives a crap about that? It's a stupid waste of resources. The fund manager who administrates your 401K probably does a pound of blow every week? Double standard? Get over the whole "weed" thing. No one outside of GB is surprised or gives a crap.
PETER MAIZ
November 21, 2017 at 12:48 pm
Right on, the weed enforcers are idiots.
Doug Niemczynski
November 20, 2017 at 05:18 pm
My name is Dom Capers i should have been fired since 2011 yesterday we played the Baltimore Ravens...joe flaco quarterback is not that good they have an okay offense line no real receivers to speak of and no real running back to speak of and yet they scored 23 points against my defense. It doesn't matter about the interceptions and fumbles or anything my defense was supposed to hold the other team and we didnt do anything. I have sucked as a coordinator for the past 6 years and I resign as defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers because I do not want to face the steelers and get beat 60_0 next Sunday thank you I've enjoyed my tenure with Green Bay goodbye
dnicholson
November 20, 2017 at 05:20 pm
The defense wasn't close to being the problem on Sunday.
jeremyjjbrown
November 20, 2017 at 05:49 pm
It's been the problem plenty of other times.
rdent
November 20, 2017 at 06:34 pm
Way way more often than not.
Doug Niemczynski
November 20, 2017 at 08:54 pm
The defense always sucks when we score 7 points the final score is 13 to 7 we lose when we score 40 points defense gives up 45 and we lose again doesn't seem to matter our defense sucks Dom Capers sucks it doesn't matter if you caught the Nitro defense the TNT defense explosive defense Dom Capers sucks
fthisJack
November 20, 2017 at 08:58 pm
they were playing one of the worst offenses in the league....they should have shut them out not given up 23 points.
Doug Niemczynski
November 21, 2017 at 12:08 pm
The defense always sucks when we score 7 points the final score is 13 to 7 we lose when we score 40 points defense gives up 45 and we lose again doesn't seem to matter our defense sucks Dom Capers sucks it doesn't matter if you caught the Nitro defense the TNT defense explosive defense Dom Capers sucks
Gianich
November 21, 2017 at 03:53 pm
It was the ravens and the bears and the pack played ok defense, while still making Flacco and Mitchell look waaaaaaay better than they are. Wait til big Ben plays Domfounded's defense this week.. 400yrds 3 yes. 0 times sacked
fastmoving
November 21, 2017 at 05:22 pm
You could not spell Trubisky....right?
fthisJack
November 20, 2017 at 08:54 pm
'Tenure?"
more like free ride!
Doug Niemczynski
November 20, 2017 at 05:33 pm
More importantly than what has happened this year are the attitudes of the Green Bay Packers fans. I can almost guarantee the Packers will say or do something before the season end and fans will so easily forget...MM will be back. ..Dom capers will be back...we call our def. the TNT defense..A.Rogers will be throwing again...there will be more talk of signing free agents..then we will talk about our high draft picks. . The news reporter's will say how good the new packer players look thru spring and summer camps . Then we will we in 3_4 of our preseason games. I will be making critical posts during the year and i will be criticized by you the fans for being negative. The 2018 Packers will win some games with Rogers covering up once again the Packer flaws and maybe we have a decent back up and all will be forgotten but by the end of the season fans will say TT should be fired along with MM and Dom Capers etc.
flackcatcher
November 20, 2017 at 05:51 pm
Not at all Doug. The rest of us Packer Fans will just ignore you, until next year when we will have the same silly augments again.
al bundy
November 20, 2017 at 06:14 pm
Ya there will be no house cleaning. The Packers have their gem Rogers and know with him they can win even with a Capers POS defense. Your right on same old same old different year
NickPerry
November 21, 2017 at 06:19 am
But they can't win Al Bundy, not the game they WANT to win and really NEED to win for Rodgers and the fans and SHOULD with a QB like Rodgers. All this crap about making the playoffs every year is just that..CRAP. Who gives a damn when more times than not you get smoked.
I want a GM who will take a chance, not stockpile 6th and 7th round draft picks only to see them all cut within a year or two.
I want a D-Cord who's defense doesn't give up a 1st down on a WR Screen on 3rd and 18 or play a zone defense were receivers run free without a defender within 10 yards.
I want a HC who brings new creative formations and play calls to the offense each year, not one that uses the SAME 11 personal formations that take forever to develop and your franchise QB is then running for his life because the GM keeps trying to replace the BEST G tandem with 34 year old men and UDFA. In those players defense they HAVE played okay, but Sitton and Lang their not.
Rodgers SHOULD have at least 2 rings, maybe 3. The ONLY thing keeping Rodgers from being the GOAT is a GM and HC. Trust and believe Brady wouldn't have 5 rings had Capers been gone after 2011. That falls on MM and TT.
Doug Niemczynski
November 20, 2017 at 08:46 pm
Are we gonna clean house this year or what. . Mcarthy is done..he had his run and its over. 1 super bowl..wow..thats it and having 2 hall of fame QBs. ..Can him!!! Can capers!! We want change!! This is bull crap
flackcatcher
November 20, 2017 at 05:47 pm
Good summing up Dave. I hate to say this, but yesterday's loss is 80% on Hundley, and he knows it. For the Packers there is no real choice. It's Hundley or bust. We all keep forgetting that Hundley is seeing real NFL defenses for the first time. Learning curve is steep. And painful, very, very painful.
hybridauth_Facebook_1361790417
November 20, 2017 at 05:52 pm
Observations,
Pack did not improve their personnel during the off-season, in fact they probably took a step backwards.
If a coach stays too long, eventually he will be fired. This goes for front office also. And is the present situation in G B....
rdent
November 20, 2017 at 06:39 pm
And their biggest FA signing M Bennett wanted to bail and got his wish and is back with a SB contender so it turned out to be pointless to even sign him.
Bure9620
November 20, 2017 at 06:05 pm
Blaming Hundley for the inadequacies of the offense would be lazy. Their problems begin at the top and also MM's inability to construct an offensive game plan Hundley can execute. I disagree with Jason Wilde on many things however he is correct that this situation is nothing like 2013. Hundley was Ted's guy they traded up in the 5th round for. He has been in the offense for 3 years. Mike McCarthy has to have an idea of his strengths and weaknesses by now and how he would call a game in the event Hundley was his signal caller. He must have an emergency game plan for him no? This is why the Minnesota game concerned me more than others.
Is Hundley good? No of course not, but I feel there is no reason he can't be reasonably productive with a well constructed game plan. Short routes, slants, outs, curl/flats concepts, get the ball out quick. Scheming WRs open with simple reads. This can be done, but McCarthy won't do it. And if he did, and Hundley isn't doing any of this then he shouldn't be on the field. This offense is so predictable every defense knows what we are going to do. It's just that you cannot cover receivers for 7-10 Seconds or defend a perfect pass, which is what Rodgers forces them to do.
Let's be clear Rodgers is not just a great QB but a TRANCENDENT player. He can execute any offense at a high level and still win simply because he is that good. He makes playing QB look easy, BUT IT ISN'T EASY!! Rodgers has Carried MM for years and it's time to go.
flackcatcher
November 20, 2017 at 06:26 pm
I thought the game plan as shown on the field was winnable. We fans don't know because Hundley interceptions early on, and Mays fumbles. Really cut the legs out from MM on play calling. Hundley and Mays mental mistakes were killers in a limited possession game. On the bright side, the secondary was good today. This group has been playing together and knows their assignments. Agree on Rodgers, he really that special. But as Rodgers has made MM offense go, so has MM made Rodgers the QB he is today. Now for the reality check. Ted and Mike and in all likely hood Dom will be back. Their overall track record is too good not to have one more crack at a super bowel. Theirs is not a record of failure. While a small minority of fans and sport talk types have the big mics for the moment, what count is the success over the long term, which belongs to MM Ted and Dom. (Let the whining begin :)
rdent
November 20, 2017 at 06:50 pm
Flackcatcher, I cannot agree that MM made Aaron Rodgers the QB he is today. Just the opposite is true, Aaron Rodgers made Mike McCarthy the coach he is today! 2013 more than proved that.
billybobton
November 22, 2017 at 11:15 am
can you answer how MM had to alter the game plan because of a fumble and lack of trust?
We had a back who was fully healthy, young and able to carry maybe 20 times? how many carries did he get?
RIP is still on the team and has had success at running back
MM is preaching a lie and fable and has millions of reasons of incentives to do so.
rdent
November 20, 2017 at 06:45 pm
Bure9620, I must agree! Good post.
Bure9620
November 20, 2017 at 08:19 pm
Strange too at least 3-4 times per game we used to run a bubble screen even with Rodgers. The WR gets out and picks and the inside WR blocks and it's an 8-10 yard gain. This is a really simple play, easy read and throw. Why can we not run this with Hundley? Scheme this with other easy concepts of short throws? stack formations? Scheme These guys open in space, we have pretty good WR that can run after the catch. These are all West coast concepts.
fthisJack
November 20, 2017 at 09:07 pm
it wasn't Hundleys fault when he handed the ball off on third and one and then handed the ball off on 4th and one and they didn't make a yard. MM's specialty is not being able to pick up a yard for a first down. happens every year. maybe he should try a different play than hand off and run up the gut. insanity!
Bure9620
November 20, 2017 at 11:20 pm
Like I said, really not blaming Hundley, Its McCarthy
Thegreatreynoldo
November 21, 2017 at 06:31 am
Belichick could transform Hundley from really terrible QB into a bad QB.
Free agent
November 20, 2017 at 06:04 pm
I have a few hopes left:
That Rodgers has a full recovery and plays better than ever next season.
That TT, MM and his entire coaching staff are gone within a week of the last game.
That the Vikings only play 1 game in the playoffs.
Also, I’m thankful the Packers are not playing a game Thanksgiving day.
dobber
November 21, 2017 at 08:16 am
"Also, I’m thankful the Packers are not playing a game Thanksgiving day."
I don't think I have enough antacids to deal with that...
al bundy
November 20, 2017 at 06:16 pm
The real defense will show up next Sunday and you will see the o is just as bad as the d on this team.
Would not be surprised to see Hundley have a big cramp or groin complaint this week?
4thand1
November 20, 2017 at 07:06 pm
We now know what a lot of other franchines feel like. The lions, Bears, Browns, Jags, Jets, etc. etc. We suck and it sucks sucking. Year after year of playoffs and 2 decades of really good football teams. We are now bottom feeders and how did it happen? It wasn't cap hell, every year we have extra cash. A lot of missed draft picks? We pick at the bottom every year thanks to winning. Bad coaching seems to be at the top of the list. It seemed this time would come but this fast? Injuries injuries injuries every year. We'll get em next year.
billybobton
November 22, 2017 at 11:18 am
look deeper
you can blame low draft choices but how many them stay in GB for the first contract and then are out of football?
How many great players do we pass on?
Seattle now has 2 dbacks better than anyone on GB and 3 that are better injured...check when they were drafted and on how many times we passed on them
it is not a sudden thing, it has been years in the making and covered up by ROdgers, it is only the sudden exposure not the reality that you are seeing
Art Vandalay
November 20, 2017 at 08:28 pm
Anyone know what is going on with Montravious Adams? I never see anything about him, and he was a scratch yesterday. A third round pick who seems invisible and no real talk about him, so curious about his status.
Thegreatreynoldo
November 21, 2017 at 06:34 am
As far as I can tell, he was a healthy scratch as I did not see him on GB's injury reports last week. I kind of expect to see him on this weeks injury report. No one would play Dial ahead of Adams, right?
dobber
November 21, 2017 at 08:17 am
With Clark's injury, I think we'll get to see a lot of Adams going forward.
Tundraboy
November 22, 2017 at 03:35 am
Classic MM.
Tundraboy
November 22, 2017 at 03:36 am
.
fthisJack
November 20, 2017 at 09:17 pm
the idiots running the asylum aren't going anywhere. even though they haven't had a SB team for 7 years, the fact that they make the playoffs every year give MM,TT,Capers immunity. they have the Injury to Rodgers Card they can play for this year. status quo into 2018 boys!
pacman
November 20, 2017 at 10:06 pm
Sad to say "I told you so" as a few of us have been saying all this for a few years. It seems virtually unanimous now. And it doesn't matter what we think - just like it hasn't for the last few years of complaining.
Will BOD/Murphy do something day 1 after the season or give MM/DC one more chance (with Rodgers) as they always seem to do? There are plenty of injury excuses for MM to bring up to defend himself. TT - not so much. DC - somewhat.
Seems like nobody is expecting any changes mid-season. But if they are going to do it at the end of the season, I say do it now and get the interviews started. Lombardi is rolling over watching the lack of responsibility. Could be a loss to Cleveland might do it.
holmesmd
November 20, 2017 at 11:38 pm
Piling on...that's constructive or shows great prophetic abilities.
Tundraboy
November 22, 2017 at 03:49 am
" Lombardi is rolling over watching the lack of responsibility."
Could you imagine what he would say to TT? . Someone who once a year comes down from his mountain to give the world a few sentences., and the gall of it especially after an embarrassing playoff loss.
Since'61
November 20, 2017 at 11:33 pm
It might be a good time to step back from the cliff. After the Pats the Packers have been the best team in the NFL during the MM/TT tenure. TT came in 2005 and hired MM for the 2006 season. Within one year the Packers were 13-3 and came within one play of the 2007 SB thanks to a Brett Favre pick in OT against the NY Giants. We lost that game to an excellent Giants defense and the last of many poor decisions by Brett Favre towards the end of his Packer career. TT/MM turned a 4-12 team into an SB contender in 2 seasons.
We missed the playoffs in 2008 as the Packers went 6-10 in Rodgers first year as a starter but we all saw that Aaron Rodgers could play QB in the NFL. Since 2008 we have 8 straight playoff appearances and one SB. Second only to NE during that time frame.
Regretably the one constant that we have had since the 2010 SB win has been a defense that has gone from mediocre to inconsistent play at best. They have consistently failed to make plays during the playoffs, fail to get off the field on 3rd downs, poor tackling, a weak pass rush and a plague of injuries. The plague of injuries has impacted the offense as well especially with 2 injuries to A. Rodgers.
So how do we assess TT/MM/DC? On a scale of 1 -10 with 1 being completely ineffective and 10 being great/HOF level my evaluations of TT/MM/DC are:
TT building a team: Compared with his peers during his tenure as Packers GM.
Staff/scouting - 8.5
Draft picks - 8.0
Free agents - 6.5
UDFAs - 6.0
Overall - 7.5
MM winning games as compared with his peers during his tenure as Packers Head coach.
Offense - 9.0
Defense - 6.5
Special Teams - 5.0
Assistants - 5.5
Regular Season - 8.5
Playoffs - 5.5
Overall - 7.5
Dom Capers - compared with his peers during his tenure in GB
Defensive Scheme - 6.5
Defensive assistants-4.0
Tackling - 3.5
Pass defense - 5.5
Run defense - 4.5
Protecting a lead- 3.0
Creating turnovers 4.0
Third Downs 2.5
Overall - 4.5
What does this mean?
1. To me, it's time to move on from TT and bring in a new approach to building a team. TT has been very successful but his teams are always lacking something whether it is backup QBs, not enough RBs in 2016, no TE forever, some good FA signings, e.g. Woodson, but not enough, too long with poor safeties, too long with poor CBs, average ILBs forever, overpaying for poor/mediocre performance, e.g. Nick Perry. TT deserves credit for winning an SB but since then he has left the team with solvable problems for too long and when Rodgers has been hurt the wheels fall off both the offense and the defense because Rodgers is not there to cover the on going weaknesses, mistakes and lack of talent. Time to move on.
MM - I have always supported MM but he has had numerous questionable decisions with his game management, play calls, game plans especially against the Ravens last Sunday. Plus he keeps coaches who obviously aren't helping the team especially on defense and special teams. He is a solid football coach who brings integrity, resilience, experience, care for his players and belief in his players and system to the Packers. His biggest failures have come during the playoffs when his team either fails to close out a winnable game or just gets blown out of the park. I would prefer to keep MM to maintain continuity and to keep Rodgers (Rodgers may actually make the call here). However he needs to make changes to his staff specifically at DC and Special Teams to maintain credibility for me.
Dom Capers defense has failed this team on far too many occasions to even attempt to recount them all. Even when the Packers win the game it's difficult to get comfortable unless the Packers have a 3 or 4 score lead with less than 2 minutes to play. This defense turns laughers into nail biters for no explicable reason. Capers defense has cost the Packers home field and playoff seeding nearly every season since 2010 and has allowed an average of 36 points per game in the Packers playoff losses. When the team needs the defense to carry them when the offense has a poor game or when Rodgers is hurt they just fold up like a house of cards and give the offense no chance to stay in the game. This has gone on for far too long and Capers just needs to go.
Change is long overdue. If the Packers want to send the team and their fans the message that they are serious about getting back to the SB they need to fire Capers and probably his entire staff at the end of the season. Hire a Defensive coach who expects his players to tackle at a minimum and who can generate a pass rush. That alone would probably get us 2 more wins per season. With the 10 we get from Rodgers that's 12 wins and probably a number 1 or 2 seed. FIRE CAPERS.
Lastly we need better players. Better OL on the right side and at least average backups. Better RBs, a TE and and a game break receiver. On defense we need at least one pass rusher preferably 2. Better DLs after Clark and Daniels and a shutdown corner to play opposite King.
It's time for the Packers to make the hard decisions necessary to get this team back to the SB while Aaron Rodgers is still with the team. There is no guarantee that he will stay with the team if they don't upgrade the supporting cast. Once he's gone its back to the 70s as we've already seen with Hundley and maybe worse. For now this team has fixable problems but they need to be addressed and it needs to start at the top with TT. The Packers have reached a crossroads and it's now or never.
I have been here since the Lombardi era and I will always be here but that doesn't mean I won't be disappointed or that I won't advocate for change when I think it is necessary. Thanks, Since '61
Thegreatreynoldo
November 21, 2017 at 06:37 am
Why did you use a scale from 5 to 10 for TT and MM and a scale from 1 - 20 for Capers?
PETER MAIZ
November 21, 2017 at 01:06 pm
'61, I must say I always enjoy reading your commentary. You are normally pretty objective and back up your analyses. You think it through. Dom should have been gone long ago and it's time for TT to retire. MM's only strength is playcalling and being pretty ethical. His weakness is not getting rid of the coaches that are bad actors. If you are a bad actor, why show up for theatre time. I just remember how long they kept Slocum and it makes me sick.
OrganLeroy
November 21, 2017 at 05:20 pm
Couldn't of said it better myself Since '61. I too am a Lombardi era fan and you hit the nail on the head. I have never been a big TT fan and IMO, He and Capers have to go. I don't think MM's going anywhere soon. I do believe that Capers will be gone after the season, despite injuries, his defenses only look good against very weak offenses even when healthy.
billybobton
November 22, 2017 at 11:20 am
It means you have to much time on your hands
and refuse to see beyond the obvious
flackcatcher
November 22, 2017 at 10:19 pm
Fair assessment '61. One of the overlooked factors effecting the Packers is the CBA/Training Camp. The time to train up and evaluate players is way too short in today's NFL, and it finally shown up in the terrible play on the field for most of this season. Nor do I think the number of injuries we have seen this year is a accident. Also the number of teams that are following the Packers model has cut the Packers ability to fine 'diamonds in the rough'. Still, Mike Murphy has made it clear it's Ted call when he goes. And we both know that unless handled carefully, we could see a return to the 70's. Be very careful what you for, you might get it...
packrulz
November 21, 2017 at 05:12 am
I guess what bothers me the most is watching the Vikings lose their starting QB AND their starting RB and yet they lead the NFC North division and just beat a hot and rising Rams team. I hate to say it, but that's good coaching. I feel like ARod's best years are being wasted.
OrganLeroy
November 21, 2017 at 05:22 pm
The Vikings aren't really where they are this season because of coaching, it's a top 5 defense, it's better personnel and better veteran depth at key positions, Zimmer isn't a better coach.
Lphill
November 21, 2017 at 05:54 am
Packer fans from Green Bay are slow to criticize the team , it's time to make some noise , paint that fence with fire MM now or something, he we see it everyday .its not like he is here reading the comments.
4zone
November 21, 2017 at 06:02 am
Sticking with BH means we are focusing on the draft. With this team, we will be lucky to beat the Brownies. Springs is the next Barclay....sieve!
TommyG
November 21, 2017 at 07:36 am
The best hope is to work out the younger players on the field and see what they have. While the season itself is lost this is a great opportunity for evaluating talent.
pacman
November 21, 2017 at 08:38 am
You mean the one guy on the planet that still thinks Brett Hundley has potential should be evaluating the whole team?
BH has got to be the luckiest player in the world to be given so many chances in light of some very bad play.
joelilli
November 21, 2017 at 12:06 pm
Has anybody given some thought as to a change in coaches.
freddisch
November 22, 2017 at 07:40 am
Look at Jim Lenard , DC Coord for UW, to replace Capers.
Doug Niemczynski
November 21, 2017 at 12:09 pm
How can you say the defense played good yesterday when you look at the NFL statistics we always finish in the lower 20 the 32nd in the standings why don't you go back to history and look at our freaking defense or the last 5-6 years it's been awful and it's almost been off almost all the time
Doug Niemczynski
November 21, 2017 at 12:15 pm
The only time our defense looks like it's any good maybe it's just when Rodgers is on the field to prolong the drive so the defense can stay on the sidelines
Doug Niemczynski
November 21, 2017 at 12:15 pm
The only time our defense looks like it's any good maybe it's just when Rodgers is on the field to prolong the drive so the defense can stay on the sidelines
Leo V Smith
November 21, 2017 at 04:51 pm
Matthew Clayton Flynn is American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft.
al bundy
November 21, 2017 at 06:57 pm
Hey Ted Case Keenum was available or Cutler, or Glennon or or or .... all free agents with experience to back up Rogers as a just in case. Why would be need to pay Hundley for three years and have zilch to show for it.
Draft and development is for losers. Most guys are gone or in last year of contract by the time they get their shot so you developed people to go eleswhere ya that works ted