Bob McGinn wrote an interesting piece on what others were saying about Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy at the combine, which is like a sewing circle for NFL types. The most interesting part of the piece is that some Packers players are still upset with McCarthy because of the NFC Championship game loss.
Here’s the important part.
At the same time, one player said several of his teammates still were upset with the head coach. In the week leading up to the NFC Championship Game, the player said McCarthy promised the team he would keep the pedal down if the Packers gained the lead. After the Packers led by as many as 16 points, some players think McCarthy did nothing of the sort and instead displayed a glaring lack of killer instinct.
We have some real problems with this attitude, but first, let’s play devil’s advocate.
Could McCarthy have “kept the pedal down?”
Yes, there’s no doubt about that. He could have put the ball in Aaron Rodgers’ hands late in the game and went for the dagger while the Packers still had a lead. He didn’t and we all know what happened.
We thought McCarthy called a hell of game, but that’s really a moot point here. He said he was going to do something and he didn’t do it, which erodes trust. And now you have to wonder whether he’s lost some of the guys in the locker room.
That scenario could be devastating to team chemistry. You regularly see NFL teams where you know some players don’t like or respect the head coach. Brad Childress’ final season in Minnesota comes to mind. Marc Trestman last year in Chicago. Teams in that state are always garbage.
This is clearly a problem.
But the attitude of these players is the real issue here.
So there are some guys who want to point the finger at McCarthy for the loss? Well, I’ve got something to say to that and this is coming from the last guy on the block to ever defend McCarthy.
Fuck you.
Look in the fucking mirror.
McCarthy didn’t lose that game. The players lost that game.
The NFC Championship game came down to execution and the players didn’t execute. They were put in a position to win and they failed to do so. In fact, it’s laughable how many chances they had to secure that win. Literally one made play here or there could have done it.
But let’s be mad at the coach for not being more aggressive.
If I were McCarthy, I wouldn’t tolerate this shit.
He should find these players, root them out and get them the hell off the team. They are obviously not accountable and you can’t win championships with guys who are not accountable, who point fingers or offer excuses.
Shitbags like that can go play for the Vikings.
There is, of course, one exception to this rule and that’s Aaron Rodgers.
Yes, we can easily see Rodgers being one of the guys who’s angry with McCarthy. He did complain about the play calling after the game, after all. But you don’t jettison the best regular season quarterback in the game. Some day, maybe he’ll actually play well in the playoffs and become the best quarterback in the game, period.
McCarthy needs to sit Hollywood down though and tactfully point out what he seems to be ignoring — that he played like shit in that game, is the primary reason the Packers lost and, if he’s the leader he says he is, needs to shoulder his share of the blame.
Everyone else who wants to point fingers?
Fuck ’em. Send them to Minnesota.