McCarthy and "Close Games"

[Bossman641]

I find it interesting that many of the "top" coaches lost this weekend.

Reid's Eagles looked absolutely terrible against the Vikings and Smith's Falcons lost a home game that they probably should have won.

Fire them!!! They are terrible coaches and don't know how to get their teams ready to play!! Didn't you see them both standing on the sidelines looking like deer in headlights. [sarcasm off]

[denverYooper]

I find it interesting that many of the "top" coaches lost this weekend.

Reid's Eagles looked absolutely terrible against the Vikings and Smith's Falcons lost a home game that they probably should have won.

Fire them!!! They are terrible coaches and don't know how to get their teams ready to play!! Didn't you see them both standing on the sidelines looking like deer in headlights. [sarcasm off]

Smith punted on 4th and 6th with ~3 minutes left, after which NO ran out the clock. He was questioned about it the next day and said that he would do the exact same thing again.

Andy Reid has been known to throw down some real clunkers from time to time.

[Fritz]

I was watching that game, and I couldn't believe he punted. I dunno. But I guess you make them win the game that way.

[RashanGary]

Honestly, in the limited time I saw Neal I was more impressed with him than Harrell in the decade or so he's been injured with us

Neal showed some real burst, some power to collapse a pocket and physically dominate an OL. He's also said to be a workout warrior in the weightroom and incredibly strong....which makes sense based on what he's shown. Overall from my perspective Justine has been a J.A.G. most of the time he's actually made it to the stripes

This is what I saw too. Harrell, when he was at his best for 5 minutes of a preseason game, wasn't embarrassing. Neal showed flashes of greatness, especially considering he's only a rookie.

Jolly and Neal were big-time losses this year.

[RashanGary]

If I had to take 5 players back from IR, it would go like this:

Grant
Finley
Jolly
Neal


And if we had these four players we would be nasty.

[esoxx]

I find it interesting that many of the "top" coaches lost this weekend.

Reid's Eagles looked absolutely terrible against the Vikings and Smith's Falcons lost a home game that they probably should have won.

Fire them!!! They are terrible coaches and don't know how to get their teams ready to play!! Didn't you see them both standing on the sidelines looking like deer in headlights. [sarcasm off]

Word on the street is that both Leslie Fraizer and Eric Studesville both shed their interim coaching tags and earned contract extensions b/c their teams won last week.

Of course, this is pending this week's results.

[mraynrand]

If I had to take 5 players back from IR, it would go like this:

Grant
Finley
Jolly
Neal


And if we had these four players we would be nasty.

Jolly got injured on suspension?

[mraynrand]

If I had to take 5 players back from IR, it would go like this:

Grant
Finley
Jolly
Neal


And if we had these four players we would be nasty.

Seriously, though - you would take Grant over Finley. Really? Did you notice other teams were game planning for Finley and not so much for Grant?

[Bretsky]

WANT TO PONDER A SICK THOUGHT

If we beat Detroit a few weeks ago, this Sunday we'd be playing for the #2 seed in the NFC

[vince]

Why so negative on Jennings Bretsky? Sure he had that TD gift-wrapped and ended up giving the ball away, but he's had a pretty damn good year overall.

[bobblehead]

Waldo was a great poster............one of the top I miss
But he as still wrong plenty of times as well..as most ar
He noted Jeremy Thompson was the idea fit for our OLB but he didn't make it
I think Harrell would have been ok as a run stuffer but I still feel I saw a lot more upside in his play than Harrell

Waldo also proclaimed that Kampman was never anywhere near the player Mathews is after 3 games this season. One of the dumbest posts I ever read regarding jumping the gun. When Mathews finally gets a 16 sack season as the main guy to block then I'll put him EQUAL with Kampman. Kamp was perhaps the least respected guy I've ever seen.

[mraynrand]

Waldo also proclaimed that Kampman was never anywhere near the player Mathews is after 3 games this season.

I agree with Waldo. Never saw any teams scheme for Kampman the way they scheme for Matthews

[get louder at lambeau]

Waldo also proclaimed that Kampman was never anywhere near the player Mathews is after 3 games this season. One of the dumbest posts I ever read regarding jumping the gun. When Mathews finally gets a 16 sack season as the main guy to block then I'll put him EQUAL with Kampman. Kamp was perhaps the least respected guy I've ever seen.

Clay has 13 sacks, 3 turnovers caused, 4 passes defensed and a TD in 13.5 games as the main guy to block, and he's not even pass rushing all the time. Kampy's best year was 15.5 sacks in 16 games with 3 turnovers caused, no passes defensed and no TDs.

Clay also has as many 10+ sack seasons after 2 years as Kampy has in 9. The kid is outstanding.

[Bretsky]

Why so negative on Jennings Bretsky? Sure he had that TD gift-wrapped and ended up giving the ball away, but he's had a pretty damn good year overall.

I'm not negative on Jennings; he's had a stellar year and proven to be very reliable after Finley went down. He's legit top 10 in the NFL

[RashanGary]

Seriously, though - you would take Grant over Finley. Really? Did you notice other teams were game planning for Finley and not so much for Grant?

I don't know. Losing Grant destroyed our run game. I know Finley is a better player. Jennings picked up the slack. Nobody picked up the slack left by Grant.

[get louder at lambeau]

I don't know. Losing Grant destroyed our run game. I know Finley is a better player. Jennings picked up the slack. Nobody picked up the slack left by Grant.

It hurt, but it didn't destroy anything. The 2010 Packers are rushing for 14 less yards per game than the 2009 Packers with Grant.

[Smidgeon]

It hurt, but it didn't destroy anything. The 2010 Packers are rushing for 14 less yards per game than the 2009 Packers with Grant.

Really?? Wow.

[pbmax]

I would not ponder MM as one of the top 5 coaches in the NFL; I more than conceded at a later post he's above average and in the top 10. I would not take Mike Smith or Harbaugh off the list myself; both have well disciplined teams who seem to show consistency and improvement. If Caldwell has none nothing of note you can replace MM into that sentence as well and then you can take MM out of your top 5. Tomlin, seriously......he's well above MM in results so far and it's not my fault if MM has hired some shitty coaches while Tomlin's excel. Coaches deserve some credit or blame for the quality of assistants they fly with. Fischer was one I was debating some. I could certainly add a couple who I personally might like over MM but I don't think there is justification yet.
.

Harv answered about Tomlin so I will take Caldwell. He took over a Super Bowl caliber team (including Super Bowl caliber offensive assistants Moore and Howard Mudd) and took it to the Super Bowl. He went 14-2 (impressive under any condition) while playing in a bad AFC South Division. In three years, this might indicate that Caldwell is under-appreciated currently and is indeed a top ten coach. But right now, to me, he seems closer to Barry Switzer or Brian Billick.

Judging the Colts this year is tough as like the Packers they have had extensive injuries. However, unlike Tomlin, Caldwell had the clout to remake his defensive staffand hired Larry Coyer to replace Ron Meeks. Meeks' last two years with Dungy produced points allowed rankings of 1st and 7th. Coyer has notched 8th and 23rd. As I said, injuries make conclusions about this year tough. But Caldwell is a cipher compared to McCarthy. M3 has done more with less for longer.

But let's face facts: McCarthy's credentials can be argued back and forth for eternity. There is material for each side of the debate. If he makes another deep playoff run or wins a Super Bowl, then all questions will fade and his near-genius will be proclaimed far and wide. But until that point, no one will have the guts to comment that this guy is good and that its a good bet that when replaced, the next guy will be worse.

All coaches have holes and weaknesses. No one thought Holmgren could win in Green Bay with a passing attack that couldn't run until he did it (I always thought it odd that the Dickey years didn't provide more confidence about a passing attack in Green Bay-must have been Infante; or Gregg's overall record). But when he made the championship game and then won a Super Bowl, all questions were left in the dust. He didn't transform into a genius and he had the same weaknesses, people just couldn't claim those weaknesses were fatal.

McCarthy has the tools and the smarts. The outstanding questions (special teams, O line inconsistency, penalties, being overly fond of 50 FG attempts(ie. passive late game strategy)) will stay the same. But if he can hold two of those together for a string of six games (ST and penalties) late in the season, then I think he wins one very soon.

[pbmax]

Really?? Wow.

He is messing with your head. 14 yards per game is more than you think. The 2009 version of the Packers had 230 more yards after 15 games. It averaged 4.3 yards per carry versus 2010's 3.9. And Rodgers has also had more attempts and yards per game this year. Its a bad thing when the QB has to make up for some of the run game.

And 14 additional yards per game would move the Packers from 22nd this year to 13th in yards per game.

[channtheman]

WANT TO PONDER A SICK THOUGHT

If we beat Detroit a few weeks ago, this Sunday we'd be playing for the #2 seed in the NFC

I thought about this earlier today. Unfuckingbelievable that we lost that game.