McCarthy's "New" Attitude Paying Off
Mike McCarthy came into training camp with a noticeably different attitude. It seems to be paying off.
By PackerAaron
Going back and watching the Eagles and Bills games over the course of the last few evenings, something really jumped out at me.
Mike McCarthy's players are doing an excellent job of avoiding dumb penalties and, through the first two games of 2010, their overall play has been sharper and cleaner than at any time in his tenure.
Now, I know that sounds abstract. (It is) But watching the offense's opening drive against the Bills again you can see Quinn Johnson disengage from a Buffalo defender and walk away JUST as it looks like they might come to blow after the whistle. It's like a switch goes off in his head and he completely disengages. Then, two plays later, on Johnson's catch out of the backfield, you can see a receiver (not sure which one) pull up on a block and fly harmlessly by a defender rather than get flagged for a block in the back. These are just two examples that stick in my mind from reviewing the Bills game last night but you can see it all over the field in all three phases of the game.
The biggest improvement is on special teams. I found it interesting on Tuesday night when our guest on Packer Transplants Derrick Martin mentioned that Mike McCarthy has been sitting in on all the special teams meetings. McCarthy made it a big point of emphasis at the Combine to say that the special teams would be the most improved area on the team in 2010 and it sure looks like he's followed through and done everything he can possibly do to help that prediction come to pass. McCarthy even went so far as to bring in officials for every practice so they could preside over each and every special teams drill.
I admit to greeting the officiating of individualized special teams drills with a giant dose of skepticism, but through the first two games (an admittedly small sample size) they seem to have done exactly what they were designed to do - minimize penalties on special teams.
McCarthy's involvement on special teams is not the only difference we saw from the head coach this summer. Anyone who was at training camp would tell you that McCarthy had an edge to him that had not been evident in years past. False starts were greeted with expletive-filled explosions. Every tiny mistake was pounced on. The interesting thing is, I never got the sense that he was tense or uptight about it, the way Mike Sherman was toward the end of his time in Green Bay. He was just not accepting the sloppy play and he was going to let his guys know about it.
And of course, there is the reported tirade he went on at halftime this past Sunday, letting his offense know that how they were playing in the first half was completely unacceptable. What I find interesting is how calmly he handled the offense's ineptitude on the sideline during the second quarter.
(An aside: They haven't posted it online yet but last night on NFL Network during "Sounds of the Game" McCarthy, who was mic'd up for the Bills game, says after one play "I don't think I've ever seen that play not work against man press coverage in my entire career." Donald Driver, who is standing right next to him and who wasn't on the field, says in response "You mean that last one? Oh, I would have taken that to the house." Freekin' hilarious.)
McCarthy is still too lax on the sideline when guys screw up for my liking, but overall his new found "attitude", for lack of a better word, really seems to be making a difference. Yes, I realize this is completely unquantifiable. I realize I am drawing conclusions from a perception. But as I was watching the games, the tight execution and lack of sloppy play really got me thinking about McCarthy's demeanor and how his no-nonsense approach this summer might just be paying off on the field.
It's only two games, but so far I like what I've seen.
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Comments (25)
September 23, 2010 at 02:18 pm
It's not just the players that are young. MM has also matured as a coach. If only he could stop calling run through the middle-stretch run-7 step drops when starting drives... But I can't call him out for being condenscending and not holding the players accountable for their dumb mistakes anymore...
"Yes, I realize this is completely unquantifiable. I realize I am drawing conclusions from a perception."
Well, that's why I like your work. Brian handles the "reporting" job very well, and when he ventures with his opinion, it's always well-thought and original, but the "columnist" title is yours, Mr. Nagler. Differentiated opinion, I appreciate it.
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Not trying to be a suckup, but too much to ask for a Corey Rant once in a while?
September 23, 2010 at 02:58 pm
Don't doubt your perceptions, I'm seeing the same things this year. Nobody has screamed about McCarthy's attitude more than I over the last few years. Wrote more than once about it. For once, players are being held accountable and he's kicking some ass when needed. Hooray for that!
September 23, 2010 at 03:20 pm
I noticed a change too, in the way MM relates to the team. Ran it past Jersey Al at the beginning of the regular season to see if he thought MM was developing a little "Lombardi-kickass" in him (he stated he's always thought that's what MM has been missing as well). However, it seems "natural" for him when he comes on with his edge this year, like he must have had it in him all along. And your right, its not anger, but "intentionally focused intense delivery." I wonder if its happening because he is maturing, or if it is an intentional philosophical/strategic progression with his coaching approach. Maybe a little of both. In any case, I'm glad he's opening his can of Whup-Ass!!
September 23, 2010 at 03:26 pm
Funny. If they converted 1 of their first two possessions into TDs. No one talks about the offensive struggles in the first half. I think they are just getting used to Finley being the main weapon and when Rodgers just starts chucking it, they will be unstoppable.
PackerAaron
September 23, 2010 at 03:52 pm
It's not so much the "struggles" in the red zone. That can be hit and miss and I've come to expect that early in games. What was surprising to me was the offense not converting a single third down during the second quarter. Not one. That is not what we've come to expect from McCarthy and especially not Rodgers.
September 23, 2010 at 03:53 pm
In the earlier years I think MM was siding on young players playing aggressively and letting some mistakes and penalties go as part of that.
He made the statement MANY times saying just that.
But this is not the youngest team in the NFL any more, and is in fact as far as starters go and rotational players getting to be a experienced team and last year it was a team with enough talent to get to the play offs.
Now it is time to take a different stance on stupid plays.
And I too have to say it is working in all parts of the game.
September 23, 2010 at 04:20 pm
I don't think MM gets enough credit for the success of this team.
It's one thing to draft good athletes and keep the cap in shape. It's another entirely taking these young skulls of mush and making them NFL football professionals. McCarthy and his assistants have done just that. And I think the maturity of this very young team and lack of penalties so far this year is a good example of that professionalism..
TT brings in the raw talent and MM and his assistants create the value. Kudos!
September 23, 2010 at 04:43 pm
I agree with you totally! He has a way about him that is more productive then out and out shouting and jumping up and down and all the things you see some if not most of the other team head coaches do... I really like him as a coach...He has a winning way about him, that rubs off on the players. which includes a healthy dose of humor and fun too!
September 23, 2010 at 04:57 pm
This is an improvement (Less penalties) which cannot be over-emphasized. In the past, way too many drives were crippled and good field position was killed due to these penalties. We look to have stopped stopping ourselves. Those referees at practice sessions was a great idea.
September 23, 2010 at 05:50 pm
Since no one else will be a naysayer on this issue, I'll take that stance ...... To make a correlation between MM's "new attitude" & the players playing smarter football is dubious at best ..... I would contend that the competition (Eagles, Bills) played a huge part in making GB look like a smart & disciplined team ...... Inferior competition brings out the best in a team .......
I'll hold my final conclusions as to the effectiveness of "MM's new attitude" when I see a smart team defeat the Jets, Pats, Vikes (twice), Falcons, Cowboys AND especially Da Bears in Chicago this Monday night.
September 23, 2010 at 06:08 pm
I counter that with this:
GB at CLE 2009: 8 penalties for 70 yards
GB at STL 2009: 6 penalties for 51 yards
DET at GB 2009: 6 penalties for 40 yards
PackerAaron
September 23, 2010 at 06:21 pm
I agree actually. I questioned writing this because I know its early. But seeing guys making conscious decisions to avoid stupid penalties really peaked my interest.
September 23, 2010 at 07:53 pm
WoodyG, Does "inferior competion brings out the best in a team" really hold true? I'm not so sure about that. I have seen past teams play down to their competition and make some of their most bonehead mistakes against some of the weaker teams on the schedule. I think Mr. Nagler is really on to a keen observation here and lets just hope the trend continues.
September 23, 2010 at 08:50 pm
Historically, all team & individual stats are pumped up against inferior competition ..... Good teams often do "play down" to the competition but only occasionally ..... If you "play down" too often, you are no longer a good team .... You lose to better teams.
But I'm all for the trend to continue .... Da Bears at Chicago is huge ..... Bigger than most will admit ..... The ID of Pack-2010 will be established on Monday night .....
September 23, 2010 at 08:18 pm
interesting that paying these part time officials during the off-season is legal, and it also seems to have helped reduce penalties. am i cynical or does that seem fishy?
PackerAaron
September 23, 2010 at 10:24 pm
Fishy how? Any team in the NFL could do the same. Most just don't deem it necessary.
September 24, 2010 at 06:25 am
So I got a problem with the officials giving me penalties, I tells them "look you come to my practices, I pay you for it" and they say "penalties? ...forgettaboutit"
Thats what I'm talkin about.
September 24, 2010 at 06:44 am
I'm pretty cynical, but this is really cynical.
Look, the NFL league office does full game reviews of officiating crews on every NFL game. Ref's are actually evaluated and scored on every game they officiate, getting marks on good calls/blown calls/blatantly missed calls. Points are tallied and totaled.
This is how the Officiating crews are established for the play offs- those with the highest marks get the post season games. In addition, the Superbowl refs are pulled from the highest rated of the post-season crews.
I'm fairly confident that the NFL would sniff out any such discrepancies quickly, and retribution would be quick if anything looked questionable.
I believe you can rest assured that all things are fair in this case. Not to mention, I don't know that the refs hired were active NFL refs.. Anyone know for sure?
PackerAaron
September 24, 2010 at 08:36 am
They're not NFL officials for the most part.
September 23, 2010 at 08:55 pm
pretty sure it was finley who avoided the block in the back.
i remember seeing him throw his hands up to avoid contact.
smart play.
September 24, 2010 at 07:28 am
Nice piece, Aaron. It's easy to blame a "lack of discipline" on the coach when a team is flagged often. However, when a team isn't penalized much, nobody really notices. The lack of penalties are likely the result of several factors, including coaching.
This is something to watch closer as the season wears on.
September 24, 2010 at 10:20 am
Well, I was re-watching the Bills game myself and something jumped out at me that I didn't catch the 1st or 2nd time around...
On Clay's 2nd sack of the game (where he blows up the attempted naked boot), after Edwards and he are on the ground (Edwards face first) he INTENTIONALLY put his leg over Trent and kinda poses over him for a second (like a big game hunter over a freshly downed Lion). Go back and watch it, it was definitely intentional and definitely awesome. However, I do think if he makes that a habit there will be taunting calls.
Did anyone else notice that???
GBP 4 LIFE
September 24, 2010 at 01:04 pm
The Bills' fans did. They said so in one of their forums...
They complained that their Olinemen did nothing. I would behave like them, I would get pissed not that the guy did it, but rather that no Bills olinemen came to Edwards' aid.
If it happened to Rodgers, I would expect Sitton and co to immediately come pushing the sacker, and probably starting a fight.
September 24, 2010 at 02:09 pm
The best way to prevent opposing players from treating your QB liked a harvested white-tail deer is to not allowed your QB to get sacked in the first place. Sure, it might feel good to go push the sacker if he's posing over the sackee, but that may lead to a 15 yard penalty.
Then again, the Bills are terrible so losing another 15 yards probably wouldn't have mattered. Perhaps a retaliation shot against CM3 would've been the right call in that situation.
September 27, 2010 at 10:49 pm
Mike McCarthy's lack of game awareness shows again. Wasted T.O. on that challenge. Also when a team continues to pile up penalty's in crucial situations it is a reflection on the coach's lack of attention to detail in practice.