Read This, Be Smarter: The Undoing of McCarthy's Offense

[pbmax]

Seriously, no one is allowed to post about the offense, Rodgers or McCarthy without finished this required reading. Its a doozy and its very detailed, with examples from this season.

https://www.all22.com/team/green-bay...awed-by-design

[Cheesehead Craig]

I was told there would be no reading required when agreeing to joining this site. Only punch and pie and those are sorely lacking.

[pbmax]

Over reliance on isolation plays (one on one matchups created by personnel and scheme), no post snap progressions, one target and then scramble drill. Its all covered here. Few timing routes, no man beaters.

The article hints that this is mainly Rodgers fault, but he and Sitton have been the ones talking about altering the offense. I think it McCarthy doing this to play to his QB's strengths, but he has gone too far in this direction and broken his offense.

[pbmax]

I was told there would be no reading required when agreeing to joining this site. Only punch and pie and those are sorely lacking.

This is the exception noted in Paragraph 12, subsection J, line 47.

[Joemailman]

Over reliance on isolation plays (one on one matchups created by personnel and scheme), no post snap progressions, one target and then scramble drill. Its all covered here. Few timing routes, no man beaters.

The article hints that this is mainly Rodgers fault, but he and Sitton have been the ones talking about altering the offense. I think it McCarthy doing this to play to his QB's strengths, but he has gone too far in this direction and broken his offense.

Holy cow. I think the Mad Doctor has gone crazy. No wonder the struggles of the offense were hard to understand. I didn't understand what they were trying to accomplish.

I guess this ties in with the thread you started earlier this year. http://packerrats.com/showthread.php...ood&highlight=

Scrambling may be one of Rodgers' strengths, but I remember when his quick release was considered one of his greatest strengths. I also wonder if there is a disconnect between the type of receivers TT is drafting, and the way MM is utilizing them. Seems to me guys like Cobb and Monty are the type of guys you want to get the ball to quickly in rhythm, so they can get yards after the catch. YAC seems to be gone now, but it wasn't so long ago that the Packers were the best in the NFL at it.

[Smidgeon]

Surely M3 knows this too? We can hope?

[texaspackerbacker]

The article describes the situation, but it doesn't say WHY it is like that. It's like that because the line can't keep out even a 3 or 4 man pass rush for any length of time - like the article said Jacksonville used. That's true even with the Packers keeping TEs in for blocking many times. Rodgers simply can't just throw in rhythm - quick slants or outs much less deeper timing patterns because he is running for his life just about every damn play. Also, those rhythmic timing patterns, etc. work a lot better on first down/when it isn't a dead obvious passing situation - which the Packers get into so damn often because of the obsession with running on first down, often first and second down. That's usually unsuccessful for any significant yardage because the damn O Line just can't push anybody around.

Everybody here, probably McCarthy and Rodgers themselves too, would love to see the Packers have a more normal looking passing offense, but it just isn't possible with this O Line. As the article said, lately they seem to be preplanning for the inevitable need to scramble - which Rodgers makes work a lot, but which ain't exactly the ideal you hope for.

The short term solution is passing on early downs to set up the run - running plays only rarely. The longer term solution is to get a better O Line.

[vince]

Over reliance on isolation plays (one on one matchups created by personnel and scheme), no post snap progressions, one target and then scramble drill. Its all covered here. Few timing routes, no man beaters.

The article hints that this is mainly Rodgers fault, but he and Sitton have been the ones talking about altering the offense. I think it McCarthy doing this to play to his QB's strengths, but he has gone too far in this direction and broken his offense.

Maybe I'm misinterpreting what you're saying PB but I think it's a little over-simplified/dramatic to say the offense is "broken" or "undone."

The offense has become stagnant by becoming overly reliant on the second phase scramble drills, but it can be fixed and it will be through adjustments not a complete overhaul.

As the article says, it makes sense to take advantage of Rodgers' unique ability to scramble and create in the second phase but it can't do that effectively without the first phase threat required to make that as dangerous is it can/should be.

Getting the first-phase threat back requires Rodgers to do less pre-snap adjusting at the line, which is slowing down the offense and allowing defenses to be comfortable disguising and adjusting to Rodgers' adjustments, which defenses can easily diagnose by hand signals (Rodgers pointing to where the pressure is coming from, etc.) and line calls. The adjusting and re-adjusting has gotten out of hand because the defense can adjust easier and quicker than the offense.

So they're in the process of simplifying the offensive reads to pick up the tempo and get the quicker throw timing plays back to keep defenses simpler too and move the chains more consistently. Another big part of the first phase threat they need to recapture that will bring time of possession to their advantage and make second phases of plays the big-play game changers they used to (and should) be is the running game. The slow developing offense has caused the running game to lose its potency.

Here are the adjustments I'm hearing them indicate from what they're saying:

1. Speed up the tempo.
2. Simplify/reduce pre-snap adjustments.
3. Reincorporate quicker release timing plays back into the passing game.
4. Line up and pound it more with Lacy and Starks.

If they can do that effectively, the big-play impact of the second phase isolation game can return because history has shown that it really is hard for defenders to hang on for too long when isolated if those needed adjustments are in place.

[Maxie the Taxi]

Maybe I'm misinterpreting what you're saying PB but I think it's a little over-simplified/dramatic to say the offense is "broken" or "undone."

The offense has become stagnant by becoming overly reliant on the second phase scramble drills, but it can be fixed and it will be through adjustments not a complete overhaul.

As the article says, it makes sense to take advantage of Rodgers' unique ability to scramble and create in the second phase but it can't do that effectively without the first phase threat required to make that as dangerous is it can/should be.

Getting the first-phase threat back requires Rodgers to do less pre-snap adjusting at the line, which is slowing down the offense and allowing defenses to be comfortable disguising and adjusting to Rodgers' adjustments, which defenses can easily diagnose by hand signals (Rodgers pointing to where the pressure is coming from, etc.) and line calls. The adjusting and re-adjusting has gotten out of hand because the defense can adjust easier and quicker than the offense.

So they're in the process of simplifying the offensive reads to pick up the tempo and get the quicker throw timing plays back to keep defenses simpler too and move the chains more consistently. Another big part of the first phase threat they need to recapture that will bring time of possession to their advantage and make second phases of plays the big-play game changers they used to (and should) be is the running game. The slow developing offense has caused the running game to lose its potency.

Here are the adjustments I'm hearing them indicate from what they're saying:

1. Speed up the tempo.
2. Simplify/reduce pre-snap adjustments.
3. Reincorporate quicker release timing plays back into the passing game.
4. Line up and pound it more with Lacy and Starks.

If they can do that effectively, the big-play impact of the second phase isolation game can return because history has shown that it really is hard for defenders to hang on for too long when isolated if those needed adjustments are in place.

Thanks for the Executive Summary, Vince.

My observation is simple science: In order to restore our electric offense, it is absolutely necessary to have three phases to it, not two.

[vince]

Thanks for the Executive Summary, Vince.

My observation is simple science: In order to restore our electric offense, it is absolutely necessary to have three phases to it, not two.

Agreed. Hopefully the running and quicker-release timing-based passing games take hold. Otherwise we could see more of the same. Forcing rodgers to speed things up and dictate less at the line will hopefully help that.

[gbgary]

if teams are going to drop deep take the f'n shorter stuff! they need to go into dink and dunk mode to bring those DBs back in. as i said in another thread...take what they give you. stop holding the ball too long and asking the line to do more than pretty much ANY line is asked to do. every play doesn't have to end up in the end zone. moving the chains should be the first goal.

[hoosier]

if teams are going to drop deep take the f'n shorter stuff! they need to go into dink and dunk mode to bring those DBs back in. as i said in another thread...take what they give you. stop holding the ball too long and asking the line to do more than pretty much ANY line is asked to do. every play doesn't have to end up in the end zone. moving the chains should be the first goal.

I haven't looked closely at film but the article seems to suggest the coverages are combining press man with deep safeties. Short stuff doesn't open up unless you have receivers who can beat the jam or pre-snap movement to free receivers up. For whatever reason, that hasn't been happening for quite a while.

[deake]

What is happening is AR is not taking the shorter stuff. He is looking down the field for the big play, or locking on one guy and blowing the chance to make 1st downs.

[gbgary]

move the chains and tds will take care of themselves.

[swede]

Here are the adjustments I'm hearing them indicate from what they're saying:

1. Speed up the tempo.
2. Simplify/reduce pre-snap adjustments.
3. Reincorporate quicker release timing plays back into the passing game.
4. Line up and pound it more with Lacy and Starks.

If they can do that effectively, the big-play impact of the second phase isolation game can return because history has shown that it really is hard for defenders to hang on for too long when isolated if those needed adjustments are in place.

Okay. This time Stubby says we are really REALLY going to get our receivers open and run the ball.

And behind closed doors the receivers are meeting with Aaron in an intervention, explaining how it hurts their feelings when he makes faces after they fail to run Z Cross Waggle Ten instead of Z Cross Waggle Five when the corner faked press coverage and backed off as the safety shifted with the TE in motion.

[deake]

Or did they run the wrong scramble drill?

[Maxie the Taxi]

The backs are going to be key to get out of this rut. Put the QB under center. Send the backs -- whether HB, FB, Cobb or Monty -- on delays across the line of scrimmage, in front of the LB's and throw to them there. Keep two backs in the backfield. One for pass protection and the other on a pass route.

Get the backs and WR and TE in motion. Fake the jet sweep. Every now and then run a QB draw.

If that don't woik, piss on 'em!

[beveaux1]

Excellent article PB. I forced myself to watch the network feed of the Vikings game again. I was looking for poor offensive line play and receivers being covered all over the field. I didn't see that. The OL played relatively well with some exceptions and I saw receivers that flashed open with Rodgers' eyes on them.

Granted, they were shorter, crossing patterns, but that was the staple of Rodgers' offense through 2014. I saw a QB that anticipated pressure where none usually existed. The OL played pretty well for the most part. Certainly they played a magnitude better than the Vikings front, and the Packers had crowd noise to contend with. If you took 4 or 5 plays with a WR running open and hit that receiver, Rodgers' comp. percentage is 67% or more and his QB rating would have been in the 90s even with the interception. We also would have probably won the game.

If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a very merry Christmas. My point is that we may not be that far away from fixing a problem that may exist with our QB. Time will tell.

[pbmax]

What is happening is AR is not taking the shorter stuff. He is looking down the field for the big play, or locking on one guy and blowing the chance to make 1st downs.

This is definitely a part of it. The Baranczyk article in the GBPG talks about it. But this is also the design of the offense to some degree. Look deep, then short.

Also the over reliance on favoring the one on one pre-snap means you might simply not see the open short guy because you are not longer going through a known progression. That helps explain why Packers receiver who he is not looking at stop and wait. They are waiting to see if phase 2 takes hold and they need to go to their scramble routes.

[Upnorth]

I think they used to use more timing plays to set up this homerun style of offense. Now it is all homerun style and that is not sustainable.

Also this is a great find, thanks!