2018 Green Bay Packers Season Thread: 6-9-1: Mike McCarthy Fired, Philbin Interim HC

[Bob Skube Snacks]

Bears Twitter - and keep in mind, I live in Bears territory far more so than Packers territory - was absolutely insufferable just a quarter into the game.

 

Glad the Packers bumped off the #& First Half Super Bowl champions.

 

What an epic game! Between that and the Schoop grand slam? It was an epic day!

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Bears Twitter - and keep in mind, I live in Bears territory far more so than Packers territory - was absolutely insufferable just a quarter into the game.

 

Glad the Packers bumped off the #& First Half Super Bowl champions.

 

What an epic game! Between that and the Schoop grand slam? It was an epic day!

 

Pretty nice weekend to be a Wisconsin sports fan.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

The most encouraging sign from last night's game was that the secondary was actually able to go one-on-one and make stops. Early and not the best offense they'll face but the infusion of young athletic corners might finally be getting somewhere.

[OnaBadger58]

Really hope Rodgers can play every week without the risk of re-injuring and/or making the injury worse. I still feel like Rodgers could miss 2-4 games as he was playing on pure adrenaline yesterday. That game was an absolute classic game by Rodgers.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I don't think he'll miss time unless he re-injures it, which could happen. Not excited about facing Minnesota's front with him gimpy.

 

The offense got better when he was hurt, because they went with the short, quick stuff and stopped the dance around until we find a home run offense. They do that so routinely it's become maddening to watch. On the touchdown to Adams to pull within 3, that is a play that Rodgers take off running 99% of the time. The only reason he didn't was because he couldn't.

 

Despite that he's getting torn apart, I thought Kizer actually looked ok if he does need to fill in for a couple weeks at some point. He had things moving until the strip sack, which was a great play by a great player, but he's gotta take better care of the ball.

 

I'm hanging the pick-6 squarely on McCarthy. They needed to get out of the half at 10-0, not call a timeout and force your backup QB to make something happen with 50 seconds left. That was absolutely terrible coaching.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I'm hanging the pick-6 squarely on McCarthy. They needed to get out of the half at 10-0, not call a timeout and force your backup QB to make something happen with 50 seconds left. That was absolutely terrible coaching.

 

1st half timeout management is something McCarthy is especially horrible at - it seems like there's an emphasis on preserving timeouts for most of the first half to be able to use them to try and get a score right before half. That's great and all, but he has no concept on whether to actually use them or just get to the half with the score as-is based on the flow of the game. I don't know how often the Packers score or punt with about 2.5 minutes left in the first half, then proceed to try and burn timeouts on defense to try and get the ball back only to prolong an opponent's drive that results in points for them when they would have otherwise played it closer to the vest to avoid giving the ball back to #12 anyways.

 

Just because you have 'em doesn't make it the best strategy to use all of you timeouts, Mike.

[tmwiese55]

If anything that second half should have forced them into the offense they should be running which is basically the same as New England's quick short passing game that, you know, wins the most games in the league almost every year. It will reduce the hits and injury risk to Rodgers and be less reliant on his athleticism/scrambling (as he slows with age), reduces exposing a blah offensive line. The calf injury the year they blew it to Seattle also had to be this way and they should've been in the SB without that crazy ending.

 

I think someone noted it earlier, but you can see the talent level in the secondary is much improved with the 3 tops picks the last two years. That's progress for the D.

[OnaBadger58]

If anything that second half should have forced them into the offense they should be running which is basically the same as New England's quick short passing game that, you know, wins the most games in the league almost every year. It will reduce the hits and injury risk to Rodgers and be less reliant on his athleticism/scrambling, reduces exposing a blah offensive line. The calf injury the year they blew it to Seattle also had to be this way and they should've been in the SB without that crazy ending.

 

I think someone noted it earlier, but you can see the talent level in the secondary is much improved with the 3 tops picks the last two years. That's progress for the D.

 

It's sad that it takes an injured QB for MM to figure this out. To me, it's so obvious this should be our offense, that I started wondering if that's what MM wants, but Rodgers tries to extend every play for the big play. There is no reason why James White is more effective than Ty Montgomery in the NFL.

[MrTPlush]

I don’t care if he saves timeouts for Rodgers...but a backup QB who didn’t plan on playing today? Yah...idk. Not the guy you want to make something happen. Because usually that something is not good.

[bjkrautk]

 

The offense got better when he was hurt, because they went with the short, quick stuff and stopped the dance around until we find a home run offense. They do that so routinely it's become maddening to watch. On the touchdown to Adams to pull within 3, that is a play that Rodgers take off running 99% of the time. The only reason he didn't was because he couldn't.

 

...

 

Despite that he's getting torn apart, I thought Kizer actually looked ok if he does need to fill in for a couple weeks at some point. He had things moving until the strip sack, which was a great play by a great player, but he's gotta take better care of the ball.

 

I'm hanging the pick-6 squarely on McCarthy. They needed to get out of the half at 10-0, not call a timeout and force your backup QB to make something happen with 50 seconds left. That was absolutely terrible coaching.

 

You knew the Bears would be pinning their ears back to go after the QB and show off their new toys (Mack, Smith)...I don't really understand why they didn't come out with the quick-passing game to begin with.

 

Really disappointed by the effort of the O-Line in the first half, before and after the Rodgers injury. They came out flat and were out-matched by the effort coming from the Bears front 7. The pick 6 is a perfect example of that, as Linsley's failure to sustain his block for even a second send the Bears defender diving at Kizer's feet before the screen could be set up. (The center is supposed to slow down the defender before releasing up-field; his failure to slow up the defender blew up the play.) With extra time to read and react, Kizer could have moved laterally to open up a passing lane to Montgomery...or just thrown the ball in the vicinity of the RB to avoid a grounding call.

 

Kizer does need to work on his ball security, as the strip-sack in the red zone cost Green Bay 3 points. It was at least nice to see him moving the ball down the field when he had time to throw. I'm not going to entirely absolve Kizer on the Pick-6, since he would have been better off taking the sack than throwing that ball, knowing the situation and the time remaining in the first half. When he had time to throw, he made good decisions with the ball...which is something to build off for a young QB.

 

 

When he went off on the cart, I thought Rodgers was done for the game. I still can't believe they managed to win that one, and that he looked as good as they did in the second half.

 

Also really happy with the play of the Packers secondary. While there will be larger tests, the Bears did put a lot of free agent effort into upgrading the talent in their receiving corps, but the play of Alexander, Jackson, and King really limited what the Bears were able to get done in the second half. Hoping the run defense improves as players get better acclimated to the new system; seemed like quite a few players were over-pursuing & then failing to set an edge to force things back inside.

 

 

...and since the Packers didn't trade for Mack, the best news of the day was the Saints defense getting lit up by Ryan Fitzpatrick (at home). Another 15 games like that out of the Saints, and the Packers will be getting a pretty good pick by moving a few spots down and still getting the CB they wanted.

[homer]

If anything that second half should have forced them into the offense they should be running which is basically the same as New England's quick short passing game that, you know, wins the most games in the league almost every year.

 

Totally agree and I think Rodgers might be catching on to this as well. For as quick a release as he has he rarely gets rid of the ball right away. He is always scanning the field which allows the pocket to collapse and then he scrambles. Yeah great things can happen when he does that but why take the risk? That offense was a thing of beauty in the 2nd half last night. more of that please.

 

Also, I think the Bears were dead tired in the 2nd half.

[pacopete4]

Let's be honest, they were very lucky to have won that ballgame after their horrendous first half. It's great that they pulled it out as all wins matter in the end but things need to be cleaned up in a hurry if they want to compete with Minnesota this week.

[hurricanecrush]

If anything that second half should have forced them into the offense they should be running which is basically the same as New England's quick short passing game that, you know, wins the most games in the league almost every year.

 

Totally agree and I think Rodgers might be catching on to this as well. For as quick a release as he has he rarely gets rid of the ball right away. He is always scanning the field which allows the pocket to collapse and then he scrambles. Yeah great things can happen when he does that but why take the risk? That offense was a thing of beauty in the 2nd half last night. more of that please.

I have thought for a long time that a lot of this is Rodgers. I don't think the play calls were any different, I think that Rodgers doesn't want the quick play for 5 yards when he's been able to get the 25 yard play consistently.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

On the dropped INT there is a no-call illegal contact. Adams is basically decked off his route and that's why nobody is near the ball but Fuller. Just something I didn't notice live.

[homer]

On the dropped INT there is a no-call illegal contact. Adams is basically decked off his route and that's why nobody is near the ball but Fuller. Just something I didn't notice live.

 

yeah there was a lot of contact there but I thought it was between Adams and Cobb to be honest. Haven't seen a replay though.

[OnaBadger58]

On the dropped INT there is a no-call illegal contact. Adams is basically decked off his route and that's why nobody is near the ball but Fuller. Just something I didn't notice live.

 

yeah there was a lot of contact there but I thought it was between Adams and Cobb to be honest. Haven't seen a replay though.

 

It was man coverage and Cobb's defender basically hip checked Adams 5 yards down the field. Ball was already in the air, so there should have been something called on that play.

[trwi7]

On the dropped INT there is a no-call illegal contact. Adams is basically decked off his route and that's why nobody is near the ball but Fuller. Just something I didn't notice live.

 

Rodgers released the ball before the contact so it should've been PI. I wouldn't say Adams was decked but he was run into because the Bears defender was trying to get to the outside to cover Cobb. Would have been interesting if Fuller would've actually picked it off. Do they let it stand or do they throw a flag because the contact caused the interception. Not that letting it go because the INT was dropped was a good call.

[nate82]

On the dropped INT there is a no-call illegal contact. Adams is basically decked off his route and that's why nobody is near the ball but Fuller. Just something I didn't notice live.

 

The NFL is letting these plays go at least this is what they have told the refs and it makes sense as the league has gone rub and pick happy. If you are going to run a rub play and the defender runs into another player trying to cover someone else there will be no flag.

 

So that wasn't an illegal contact as long as the defender is going to cover another player which it looked like he was.

 

There is going to be more roughing the passer calls this year. So that should make up for the rub plays causing PI or illegal contact.

[igor67]

I would agree that I think Rodgers really prefers to go for the bigger plays, which works very well most of the time but I do think they need to be more willing to go to the old school West Coast style as the better defenses can force the big play offense into hibernation for long stretches.

[JohnBriggs12]

I'm more than a little worried that Rodgers gutted out that half on a seriously injured knee. I remember Gallardo going out and pitching an inning or two after he tore his ACL. The fact that nothing's been said about this week's game has me more concerned. Makes me think they are trying to see if they can build a brace that will allow him to play albeit with seriously limited mobility ala Joe Namath in his latter years.

[pacopete4]

Take away Rodgers mobility and it will be very interesting to see the type of QB he becomes. He loves holding onto that ball and allowing receivers to break free.

[lcbj68c]

Clearly the Packers have done all the diagnostics tests on Rodgers knee. The lack of a public diagnosis is concerning me. If he's good, just say he's good, you aren't fooling the Vikings. I think that something is torn (I guess a sprain is a tear, by definition). After watching Kiser and Hundley last year, I sure hope they go a different route if somebody else has to start. Go get Kaepernick or something and kill that collusion case. A veteran, something. Look what a Fitzpatrick can do vs Kiser/Hundley/etc.

[superfly]

Clearly the Packers have done all the diagnostics tests on Rodgers knee. The lack of a public diagnosis is concerning me. If he's good, just say he's good, you aren't fooling the Vikings. I think that something is torn (I guess a sprain is a tear, by definition). After watching Kiser and Hundley last year, I sure hope they go a different route if somebody else has to start. Go get Kaepernick or something and kill that collusion case. A veteran, something. Look what a Fitzpatrick can do vs Kiser/Hundley/etc.

 

Why would we want Kapernick? The guy hasn't played in 2 years...and he literally has not been good in like 4-5. And that's purely a football opinion...nothing to do with the absolute clownshow circus he'd bring into town nor his politics. Kizer is just fine...we're done if Rodgers is MIA for the year anyway.

[Jenkins5]

Think that was the best part of comeback, his whole career the one knock is holding onto the ball. Other night, he got it out quick & let his arm play. Like Brady, being able to pick apart a team in pocket & getting ball out can be really productive thing.

 

Personally, I don’t mind them not saying. I personally rather give him a week off over face a defense that is elite & gets a lot of hits on QB.

 

We do need Jones back. Williams is a grinder who puts head down & runs hard but man his vision doesn’t really exist. A lot of cut back lanes other night missed. Jones offers that lightning & vision to hit those.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Clearly the Packers have done all the diagnostics tests on Rodgers knee. The lack of a public diagnosis is concerning me. If he's good, just say he's good, you aren't fooling the Vikings. I think that something is torn (I guess a sprain is a tear, by definition). After watching Kiser and Hundley last year, I sure hope they go a different route if somebody else has to start. Go get Kaepernick or something and kill that collusion case. A veteran, something. Look what a Fitzpatrick can do vs Kiser/Hundley/etc.

 

Why would we want Kapernick? The guy hasn't played in 2 years...and he literally has not been good in like 4-5. And that's purely a football opinion...nothing to do with the absolute clownshow circus he'd bring into town nor his politics. Kizer is just fine...we're done if Rodgers is MIA for the year anyway.

 

Kaepernick was actually quite effective numbers wise his last year with San Fran, other than his record. He's be a much, much better option than Kizer. I agree it would be a circus, but if your goal is to still make the playoffs, Kaepernick would stand a better chance of helping you do that most assuredly.