Mike McCarthy is Aware James Starks Still Exists
Everyone likes to bitch about the Green Bay Packers running game this season, from Buffoon on down to the fans, and with good reason. The Packers are 28th in the league in rushing offense through four weeks.
They’re averaging a pathetic 73 yards per game on the ground. Not getting it done.
Similarly, everyone has a solution to this problem. A week after blaming Eddie Lacy — and pad level, of course — for the running game’s ills, Buffoon decided today that not enough attempts is the problem.
“We have to get the attempts up,” McCarthy said. “Any time you have a successful run game, you have close to 30 attempts.”
And that makes tons of sense. Can’t run? Run more! Problem solved!
We had our own simple solution. One that actually makes some sense. Give the ball to James Starks more often.
While Easy Ed is averaging a craptacular three yards per carry, Starks is averaging five. Why? Because James Starks always averages five per carry. Did it last year. Doing it again this year.
So you’ve got a guy who’s pretty much automatic for five yards every time he runs the ball and one who’s struggling to gain three. What do you do?
Well, if you’re Buffoon, you don’t let Starks touch the ball at all.
That’ll teach him!
Starks went the entire Chicago game without touching the ball one time. This was going on while Lacy was averaging 2.8 yards per carry. And still, it never occurred to Buffoon to put Starks in the game.
Today, Buffoon also took responsibility for that, admitting that he does indeed know James Starks still exists.
“That was poor management by myself,” McCarthy said. “That shouldn’t have happened. James Starks should touch the football every single game.”
Mmmmm hm.
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Give the ball to whoever you want, but you won’t see any significant improvement in the running game until the O-line starts to get a push up front. The opposing D-linemen are easily sliding off bocks, they are letting LB’s through untouched, and generally just not making holes where they are supposed to.
Did anyone else watch KC run it down the Patriots’ throats last night? Did you see their offensive linemen putting their man 5 yards off the line, shed him and pick up a 2nd level guy? I did, kind of hard not to, it happened almost every running play. Same if you go back and watch the Dallas – NO game from Sunday. O-line is making it look easy for these guys.
While I do have confidence that our O-line can keep Rodgers upright a good amount of the time. But until I see things start opening up on the front, I don’t hold out much hope for the running game to see much improvement.
Lacy going back to his old style of running would help also, but I think he’s tip-toeing around his next concussion right now.
While I agree the O-line needs to improve, it still goes 50-50 with run blocking and the runner. As someone who has Game-Rewind, I was able to pay very close attention to how Lacy played, and I can say with honesty that McCarthy was in the right to call his RB out. Lacy is attracted to the butts on his teammates instead of running out into the big gaping holes around him. He needs a more homophobic approach to his play.
To say Starks won’t improve the run is lunacy to me. Starks is playing with the same offensive line as Lacy, and he’s averaging 5 yards a carry. It WILL improve if McCarthy actually gives him 15 or so carries.
lacy needs to get the ball with a running start, not from a standing start. but that comes with AR under center not in the gun.
Wish they’d go back to the I with Kuhn leading for Lacy just to see if that block doesn’t break him.
Why have they stopped using a FB as a lead blocker?
I have been asking the same thing. Why aren’t we seeing more of Kuhn in blocking and in short yardage situation…oh yeah you have to have some short yardage situations.
Need other 2 backs carry ball at least 2 or 3 times a game.the more people get some game time the better.
Lacy is hesitant, however it does not help Lacy that their is no lead back and his runs are mostly out of shotgun.
I believe one of the reasons Starks and Harris are not in as most would like to see is they are not as good in pass protection. If we are going to pass 60% of the time with one back and we are in hurry up then he had better damn well be able to pick up blitzes and have the bulk to take on linebackers or D ends. No need to get Rodgers killed because he is not protected. The running game will pickup.
Great comments….
Passing game worked against Bears…
Can’t abandon that and force run if o-line can’t support it….
Can’t afford another Disaster in Detroit game…..
total packers is an awesome site. I bet Packer homers just flinch at the regular dose of reality. If McCarthy is buffoon then what is TT’s moniker?
This was absolutely inexcusable. But I’m glad MM realized his mistake. That being said, Starks ought to be the starter until Lacy gets his shit together.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it…Lacy ran fine on Sunday & for every carry Starks doesn’t have, the fresher he will be for later this season.
You don’t see the run game as broke…? Lacy our main guy is averaging 3 yards a carry dude, it needs a fixin.
No. We dumped the bears…no problem. Potent offense.
Lacy ran for a TD too. Our offense looked pretty stellar. Nothing more to ask for, bro.
There is an ad running on the NFL Network for a show about scouts. That ad says that a team is only as good as the 53rd player on their active roster. TT only has 52 players on the Packer’s active roster, so how good are the Packers?
Howard. Right on brother. Starks cant block and harris is too small. Lacy is an excellent block for AR. Keep lacy in. Need to protect our. Est player
I agree Starks should be playing too. However, big picture, the success of our season doesnt hinge on MM forgetting the presence of or capabilities of Lacy or Starks…it hinges on MM NOT forgetting the capabilities of ARod. When I harken back to the first 3 weeks of this season and then hear stuff like “We have to get the (rushing) attempts up” it makes me cringe. Execute it better…hell yes. Go with the hot hand…yes. Make it a focal point for improvement…absolutely. But please, DO NOT predetermine & then advertise a schematic shift in our offensive philosophy. KEEP #12 on his front foot and build the running game around that. We’ve scored 31 & 38pts doing exactly that…once playing from behind & once right out of the gate. Its working!! Dont try and “fix it!!!” The only stat that should matter to this 2-2 team is…. WINS.
Excellent take.
Yes keep Lacy in to block and then put Starks in to run! Lacy is a better blocker that’s awesome….super! What does that have to do with his lack of productivity as a runner? If their passing the ball then its not a run play but if they need years on the ground Starks should be at least getting equal touches in the game.
I think Baffoon is afraid Starks will show up our Rookie of the year. Anyone who has followed the Packers for any length of time (and especially this regime) knows that things are often done to prove a point (stubbornness)rather than for the betterment of the team. How does a HC forget about a guy who is his leading rusher??? Par for the course!!
Your last paragraph says it all. Thanks!
McGlurpy is way over his head in the NFL waters . . . Thank god he is a Manatee. How in the hell does a head coach not have his assets for the game in mind? How can you not remember one of your better skill players? What a fucktard! Or, is it that he just plays his favorites?