Packers Question of the Day: Bye Week Venting
There's no Packers football this week, and for fans, that's probably a bad thing. From a coaching and player standpoint, it probably couldn't have come at a better time.
With Brett Hundley now running the show at quarterback, the Packers are aiming to bounce back after their bye week. They currently sit at 4-3, one game behind the division-leading Minnesota Vikings. There's a chance the Packers will be two games behind the Vikings if they can beat the Cleveland Browns this Sunday in London.
This team isn't perfect -- it's far from it, in fact. Use this time to get out any thoughts on personnel decisions, the defense, coaching staff, players, anything. This is your time to vent, because I'm sure quite a few people need to.
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Zachary Jacobson is a staff writer/reporter for Cheesehead TV. He's the voice of The Leap on iTunes and can be heard on The Scoop KLGR 1490 AM every Saturday morning. He's also a contributor on the Pack-A-Day Podcast. He can be found on Twitter via @ZachAJacobson or contacted through email at [email protected].
Comments (11)
JerseyAl
October 27, 2017 at 08:47 am
run for cover, Zach...
carusotrap
October 27, 2017 at 08:57 am
I posted this on another site, but it applies here, if only it's a rant...
(Regarding the defense..)
After nine years, the data set is large enough to answer the questions. While Ted Thompson's personnel and draft strategies may make the fans crazy at times, the fact that we have annual hand-wringing over annual defensive ineptness illustrates the reality that the scheme and its architect is the problem. As Peter Bukowski and others put it this week, our defense has talent. So, each guy needs to be told, "go out there and cover that guy until the whistle blows." Instead, we get a seminar on exotic defenses (from the 90s) that only work if 14 things go exactly right 60 plays a game. Zone coverages that require perfect hand-offs from LB to CB to S. Blitzing LBs that have to stunt around three guys, take 4 seconds to develop, and never get home. Tackling by launching yourself 8 yards through the air at the ankles of a TE on a screen pass who gains 17 yards on 3rd and 3. CMIII chasing the play from behind because he overpursued on a blitz...again. Of course this stuff looks cool in practice against your own team at 80%. But then some backup QB has a career day against us yet again by dumping yet another pass six yards over the middle where, surprise, someone was supposed to be covering the guy but missed the pickup because he's on the sideline and there's only ten men on the field.
Can we stop with all the analysis saying, "well, all they have to do is clean up this or execute that"? Of course that's the problem. But in nine years they haven't been able to do that. It doesn't matter who is on the field; this defense is never going to win a game because this defense doesn't work when real players try to really play it, no matter who they are or how much potential they have.
jfajas
October 27, 2017 at 09:05 am
https://247sports.com/nfl/green-bay-packers/Bolt/Green-Bay-Packers-defen...
Since'61
October 27, 2017 at 09:45 am
Chuck Capers!!! That's my entire vent. Thanks, Since '61
RCPackerFan
October 27, 2017 at 09:59 am
The bye week really couldn't have come at a better time. It came after Hundley had a game and a half of football. It now gave the coaches time to figure out what they did wrong and what they can do to build the offense around Hundley.
For the offense.
McCarthy HAS to do a better job. His game plan in theory was good. Run the ball, do play action off of it. Try not to expose Hundley to a lot of dangers with throwing. Problem was he was to conservative with Hundley. It seemed like Hundley didn't have any easy throws to get into a rhythm. It really felt like McCarthy was handcuffing Hundley.
One play for example, it was 3rd and 18 I believe. Which is a low chance of getting the first down, but McCarthy didn't help Hundley at all. He keeps 2 receiving options in to block, meaning only 3 weapons are available. He has Hundley roll out to the right, which by rolling out he cuts the field in half and they only had 4 players rushing. So 7 players to defend 3. Hundley made the right decision to throw it away. Watching the play as it developed, had the RB or TE sneaked out of the backfield and to the left they would have easily had a first down. To me that should have been built into the play as a checkdown.
I expect to see a whole knew offensive approach coming after the bye. We saw some creativity with play design, and I expect to see a lot more of it now that the coaches have time to come up with some plays.
Rodgers is so good he can throw WR's open. Hundley needs to have the WR's get open more. More scheming WR's open would help a lot. I expect to see more motion and read option plays being used.
I actually would like to see more of a true West Coast offense be brought back. More slants and allowing WR's to gain YAC.
IMO, McCarthy has to do a better job with play calling and play design. He has to get the WR's more involved. They have one of the best groups of top 3 WR's in the league. Use them!
Also keep focusing the ground game around Jones. Use Montgomery as the weapon out of the backfield.
RCPackerFan
October 27, 2017 at 10:56 am
Here is a 3rd and 10 play. I have brought it up in other threads, but this is the drive right after the Saints took the lead in the 4th Quarter. First 2 plays were tosses to the left. then 3rd and 9 this is the play design?
I understand Hundley gets hit and has to get the ball out fast, but on a 3rd and 9 how does any of the WR's get a first down?
https://twitter.com/AlexPetakas/status/922920018743980032
Thegreatreynoldo
October 27, 2017 at 12:15 pm
Not really clear on why Adams' reaction is appropriate. That's a quarter-hearted route. Jordy's route just looks weird. I kept expecting the DB just to pull his gun out of his holster and shoot Jordy. Other two receivers are right next to each other and short of the sticks. Hundley knew where he was going with the pass before it was snapped. And the pass is inaccurate: low and to the inside; had it been to the outside Bennett has a chance to muscle the DB for 3 yards instead of falling down just to make the catch. 6 man blitz: RB picked up one on the right side but LG (McCray) is beaten immediately - almost a whiff.
But your point is good: that doesn't look like at play likely to pick up 9. And, IIRC, the tosses were to the short side of the field.
RCPackerFan
October 27, 2017 at 12:35 pm
Yeah, I am not sure exactly why he was upset.
I really don't get the play on this one. It was just an ugly play.
The pass I think was inaccurate because he was hurried into the throw.
The only player that maybe had a chance for a first down was Adams. He maybe could have made a move and made a guy miss, but even still it would have been tough.
Thegreatreynoldo
October 27, 2017 at 02:04 pm
Really, the venting is pretty tame so far. I'd say Caruso's post is a high quality vent since he points out legitimate issues in a nice, sardonic manner. Good substance, good style.
I suppose the day is young, still.
jlc1
October 27, 2017 at 04:26 pm
The Browns have circled the GB game as the one for them this year.
flackcatcher
October 27, 2017 at 06:49 pm
If I had a magic wand, I wave it over both the owners and players and do two things. 1. Fire both the commissar and the head of the players union for gross stupidity. 2. Force both the players and owners to grow up. Owners greed, and players selfishness is destroying the pro game right before our eyes. (I had a full scale vent about sports journalism all teed up. But I will leave that for another day :)