We like David Bakhtiari’s honesty.
After Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy labeled the 2016 season a success, Bakhtiari was one of the players to contradict him. He has a simple word for the 2016 season: failure.
It sounds as if Bakhtiari is still frustrated. So much so, that he struggles with the words to describe his feelings.
“It’s starting to (tick) me off a little bit,” Bakhtiari said. “You’re not guaranteed another year. Keep getting close and not making it is stressful. We’ve got to collectively — we’ve got to do more. … The Green Bay Packers — I mean, the trophy is the Lombardi Trophy. We have to get back there and win it.”
That’s about it, isn’t it?
The Packers have lost in two of the last three NFC Championship games. They’ve lost in overtime in two of their last three playoff trips. The offense didn’t touch the ball either time in those losses.
Lately, it’s been pretty damn frustrating as a fan. Obviously, it’s been frustrating for at least some of the players too.
We would say talent has often been the problem. Not overall, but more of a piece here or a piece there.
What Bakhtiari seems to be suggesting is that some players don’t have the urgency necessary to win a title. That isn’t really surprising. That’s a symptom of having one of the youngest rosters in the league year after year.
The veterans and leaders on the team — of which Bakhtiari is now one of — will need to push all of these young guys if the Packers are going to achieve the desired result.