I was dumbfounded watching the Green Bay Packers lose to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday and I remain dumbfounded a day later.
That was some bad football played by a bad football team.
The Titans put up 21 points in the first quarter — to the Packers’ zero. And that’s really the game in a nutshell.
So let’s pick this one apart.
Exposed
I have noted on several occasions that the Packers’ run defense wasn’t really as good as their league ranking, which was No. 2 going into the week. They’ve primarily faced backups and teams that don’t run the ball well anyway. The one good rushing team they faced — the Dallas Cowboys — gouged them. I was somewhat expecting the Titans and DeMarco Murray to do the same. They did. The Titans ran for 162 yards and a 5.4 average. Sure, you can point out that a large portion of that total came on Murray’s 75-yard run to open the game. I really don’t care. Good rushing defenses don’t give up 75-yard runs. The Packers have a bad defense period. This defense really isn’t that much different than the units we’ve seen in the past in Green Bay. They’re younger and faster than in the past perhaps, but the results are still the same.
Where Was Montgomery?
Typical Buffoon move. Ty Montgomery had proven himself to be the Packers’ most reliable and consistent offensive weapon when he was asked to play running back. That would make no difference to Mike McCarthy though. James Starks returns to the lineup and is given the majority of touches in the backfield. Montgomery had just three carries and two catches to Starks’ seven and three. I don’t really get the rationale there. Obviously, Buffoon had no interest in running the ball — the Packers called just 10 designed runs — and when you’re down a huge margin you’re not going to run much anyway. However, it still makes no sense that you wouldn’t put the ball in Ty Montgomery’s hands more often.
There’s Nothing Funny About This Guy
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is really just plain bad. A week after coming up with two interceptions and playing his best game of the season, Clinton-Dix turned in maybe his worst. Each reception he gave up resulted in a first down or touchdown. Throw in an unnecessary roughness penalty and a missed tackle and you’ve got yourself a total turd of a game. But this is really nothing new. Other than the Colts game and possibly the first game of the year, Clinton-Dix has been bad. We thought this guy might one day turn into a Pro Bowler. It now appears more like he should be benched. He is one of the main reasons the Packers’ secondary is so bad.
Not Ready for Prime Time
Losing left tackle David Bakhtiari to injury during the loss certainly didn’t help the Packers’ cause. However, that loss was only magnified by the play of Jason Spriggs, who replaced Bakhtiari. We expect the rookie to be a pretty good player someday, but he was not a very good player on this day. Spriggs gave up two of the Titans’ five sacks. He generally got abused by the speedy Brian Orakpo. We all remember what happened when Bakhtiari was sidelined last season. You have to wonder if they Packers are indeed better off this year at the backup tackle spots.
Of Course, It’s Not Over Yet
If there’s anything positive going on with the Green Bay Packers, it’s that they still aren’t out of the division race despite losing three in a row. That really speaks to how bad the NFC North is. The Detroit Lions, who were idle on Sunday, are now in first place at 5-4. They can thank the Minnesota Vikings for losing their fourth game in a row. The Vikings are also 5-4 and the Packers are just a game back at 4-5. Pathetic, but the Packers still have a legitimate chance to win the North. They’d actually have to win some games, of course.
IF Mike McCarthy is fired (I remain skeptical) who would the packers hire? A popular answer is Josh McDaniels, but I am convinced the guy is a turd, he flamed out in Denver, and he was trble as the Rams OC. I think a dark horse could be Hue Jackson, because he could very well be fired at the end of the year from Cleveland. I feel like he has generally done a good job with Cody Kessler, and really hasn’t had much to work with in the browns offense. The question is who would hire the new coach? TT, who is entering the final year of his contract I believe? Or could the team put heir apparent Eliot Wolf in charge of that? A lot of questions.
Citing the fact that i’m not in NFL circles, don’t know many coordinators or asst. head coaches, i don’t know I’m in any position to point out candidates. But…….
I could only imagine anyone league wide, being interviewed and offered the Packers GM or head coaching job, would consider that to be a dream job for almost anyone, (sans) a handful of people.
I’ve thought about this long and hard and here’s the real deal. The 2016 Green Bay Packers simply do not have the talent on the field — case closed. They’re just fucking bad (they were bad in 2015 and started showing signs of it in 2014). Everything else is in-between is bullshit. I’d love to sit here and rip McCarthy for game management and his complete buffoonery but that’s not what this is really about.
The talent on the field isn’t McCarthy’s faulty (and by no means am I a McCarthy backer) but he doesn’t control the management of the roster. It wasn’t his idea to release Josh Sitton or trade for Knile Davis and it’s not his fault there’s very few weapons on the offensive side of the ball for that matter either. You can’t blame McCarthy for how poor this team is talent-wise — and make no mistake about it, this team lacks talent (it has for awhile).
You make a good point — Who else do you hire? And there isn’t exactly a lot of great external options out there. I can see where Green Bay appreciates the continuity aspect and it makes sense if everyone is “truly” working together — Thompson, McCarthy and Rodgers. But is this the case? — no one really knows for sure. but it certainly looks like it’s broken and the problem in that equation is without a doubt Ted Thompson. He fails — time and time again — to make this team better through the draft, trades, FA acquisitions or mid-season pickups. Injuries happen — sure — but that’s where depth and veteran leadership come into play, which he has provided none.
Think about the weapons Aaron Rodgers has on offense right now — Jordy Nelson who’s 31, coming off major knee surgery who’s noticeably lost a step. Randall Cobb, over-paid and over-rated in every way, Cobb is no better than a poor man’s Julian Edelman. He’s not overly fast, he’s not overly quick, he can’t achieve separation, he doesn’t return kicks anymore, he isn’t a physical presence in the passing game — what exactly does Cobb do? Davante Adams (to his credit) has surprisingly improved, he still hasn’t won me over entirely and a majority of his “stats” look like garbage numbers to me, but he’s still not an All-Pro caliber player. Richard Rodgers and James Starks are arguably NFL-esque players. It SHOCKS me that James Starks is still on the roster, he brings NOTHING to an NFL offense. Richard Rodgers is equally as pathetic and gives Green Bay nothing from the tight-end position. Think about it — there are NO dynamic players on offense aside from Rodgers. Look everywhere else in the league and they have at least 2-4 players on offense who are All-PRO caliber players — and much more efficient talent on the offensive side of the ball. Green Bay has NONE.
The same can be said on defense. Who’s an electrifying playmaker on defense? 5 years ago it was Clay Matthews — Woodson, Nick Collins, Desmond Bishop, Raji (for at least one year) — you had young guys with high upside — TALENT. Where’s that now? Who’s a dominant NFL player on defense? What has Ted Thompson really done to upgrade this side of the ball — aside from his mediocre draft classes? Nothing. Nothing’s been done to help upgrade the talent.
This is all on Ted Thompson — all of it. Some falls on McCarthy for being stupid, but he really doesn’t have the weapons to be successful, aside from Rodgers. I guess if you want to take any solace in any of this it’s that a mess like this year will hopefully force change amongst Thompson and McCarthy — “hopefully”, because I do not see either of them getting fired.
Add Ty Montgomery too. He is a uprade over Starks. And give him snaps at receiver. But no idiot McCarthy loves Starks. Can you please sign this petition (http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/fire-mike-mccarthy) for me as PackAttack so MM could get fired.
Time to build the Packers around A. Rodgers, Daniels, Montgomery, Matthews, Dix (decent) and Adams.
As a true die-hard Packer fan. I have to say your comments are without a doubt spot on. Every point you made rings true. And it’s been true for awhile now. I just wished that the shareholders would open their eyes and see things for what they really are. Great follow up comments!!
Please sign this petition Jesse http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/fire-mike-mccarthy
1) John Gruden 2) Bill Cowher 3) Chris Peterson (UWash) my preferred choices
Kyle Shanahan
No MORE unknown Jack-Ass Hires, like McCarthy, Sherman bottom-feeders. Americas Team, NFL Flagship deserves better
Chucky!! He’s always rumored but does not want to leave the warm, fun, low stress booth where they bring you food and only work 6 months out of the year. They’d have to dynamite me out of that job.
They would never hire McDaniels, too much energy, he’d talk back to Big Ted. I want Ken Niumatalolo from the Naval Academy.
At this point, does it matter if were 1/2 a game back, or 4 games back? This team is going nowhere. Best case scenario is 8-8, at least that’s the way i have it pegged. Maybe if Detroit and the Queens fall, could we get hot and win the division at 9-7? So then we’d get in the playoffs… then lose and out. Whoopdeefuckingdoo.
I have this season ending at 6-10, if we lose to the Skins. 7-9 if we beat the Skins.
I remember when everyone was making predictions at the beginning of the season. I personally was thinking 11-5, 10-6ish but compared to some of the predictions I thought maybe I was being overly pessimistic. I shouldn’t have been second guessing myself, even though 10-6 seems overly optimistic now. 9-7 seems like a pipe dream today. Doesn’t matter anyway, they aren’t going to scare anyone in the playoffs should the Packers somehow back into them. This isn’t 2010 all over again. 2010 was once in a lifetime shit.
Agreed…..personally, I said 15-1. I had this peculiar idea with Nelson coming back, the Cook signing, the 0 line being more solidified, and a cushy schedule, that we were gonna be lethal again.
But in my defense. I was clearly intoxicated with too much blood/kool-aid content.
I’ve heard Bill Parcells was spotted in Green Bay.
We now have 131 signatures on this petition http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/fire-mike-mccarthy
Please people, loud and proud, sign the petition and explain why McCarthy should be fired. We should have 200 signatures by the end of the month because McCarthy is nothing but a big fat loser who should work for Swift Transportation. MMTTDCSUCK please please please please please make a long rant on MM and TT “Frugal GM” on the petition (http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/fire-mike-mccarthy) and please let me know who you reply as. Do it MMTTDCSUCK and make a long rant on the petition about Buffoon and TT the Frugal GM. Thanks bro! Let me now what you think!