The Green Bay Packers lost their second game of the season and with it maybe three more starters to injury including their best players on both sides of the ball, Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews. Tight Jermichael Finley hurt his knee and is out 3-6 weeks, while the jury is still out on Rodgers and Matthews.
The Packers’ loss though, had nothing to do with the injuries, but had everything to do with poor play topped off with poor coaching. I have no clue what has happened to Mike McCarthy, this throw the ball 30 yards down field on every play doesn’t work, all it does it get your quarterback killed. When I said I wanted them to throw it more I meant more short passes ala West Coast Offense style, move the damn chains!
For some reason McCarthy thinks he’s Al Davis. “Let’s get vertical” is the new catch-phrase at 1265 I guess. I know the Packers don’t have any running backs, and that is Ted Thompson’s fault, but you have to at least try to run the ball. When a back breaks a 71-yarder early the game, you might want to give him the ball a few times.
The play calling in the red zone was horrible as well, it’s like McCarthy has no clue anymore. McCarthy and Rodgers are not on the same page regardless of what they each say, Rodgers is right when he says the Packers need to find their identity. If I asked you what their “staple” play was could you answer it? It used to be when the Packers were in the red zone we’d just “run our little fade” route to Brooks for the touchdown. You knew it was coming but you couldn’t stop it. The Packers have no such play now.
One week they try and force the run the next they try and force the pass. During the Packers’ 7-1 stretch to close out last year they would at least only make subtle changes to the game plan. Rodgers would say “we’re going to go out run our stuff” and that is what they did. Like my dad use to tell me on the golf course when I asked what club to use, it didn’t matter the distance, just “hit what you hit best” he would say. Knocking it up there 100 yards with a five-iron sure beat 2-feet with a wood. The Packers should run what they run best, in turn other opportunities will open up and they’ll start scoring.
McCarthy needs to take the pressure off the QB with the short passing game and give his defense some help. The defense played lights out until overtime when they were completely gassed again because the offense goes to sleep in the second half. Their wasn’t any doubt who was going to win the game when Mason Crosby blew his millionth game-winning field goal. Crosby is useless but we are stuck with him for the rest of the year.
The big play has certainly been lacking this year as well, Charles Woodson’s pick-six last week was the only really big play of the year so far but his unbelievable number of penalties has overshadowed that already. The Packers have a lot of solid players but outside of Matthews, Rodgers and Woodson they have no big-play players. If Finley wasn’t hurt every five to ten games he could be one, but he is brittle and will likely never be the player he could be.
With all the injuries it isn’t likely the Packers make the playoffs this year as I would now put them behind the Bears and Vikings in the odds to win the NFC North bet. If Rodgers can’t play next week that is a for-sure loss and then the old co.., er, gunslinger comes to town. Without Matthews’ pass rush Favre will pick apart the Packers’ secondary.
All I want is for them to show some pride. Suck it up and do the best you can and who knows what might happen. Don’t let it turn into 4-12. If they could at least be in the hunt for a playoff spot come December it would be a great story. Keep Rodgers in one piece and that could happen. It starts with the play calling.