Play calling

[th87]

For those of you who have issues with the play calling, what specifically do you have an issue with? Too many long passes? Not enough running?

I don't consider myself as having the expertise to criticize the play calling, as I don't have decades of coaching experience, access to film, and the proper visual perspective of the field. What situations dictate what play should be called?

[cap360]

throwing the deep pass instead of moving the chains

[CaptainD]

Running the dive play to the fullback on two straight plays out of the I formation. Defense was packed inside on both plays. Late 3rd early fourth we gave up on the run and tried to get cute throwing the ball.

[Patler]

I won't complain about what was called, my complaint is about HOW the plays were called.

Other than the one long pass to Jones, the Packers success was really in taking shorter gains, even running the ball, and moving the chains. Their scoring drives were:

11 plays - 6:15 - 40 yards for a field goal
3 plays - 1:01 - 69 yards for a TD
13 plays - 6:26 - 82 yards (22 by penalty) for a TD
13 plays - 6:56 - 69 yards for a TD
11 plays - 5:05 - 53 yards for a field goal

Their final possession starter at 4:22 and they needed 57 yards. I saw little urgency in their play before the two minute warning, as they ran just 5 plays, getting two first downs and 22 of the yards they needed. After the two minute warning, with two timeouts at their disposal, they ran 6 plays getting one first down and 20 yards. They ran out of time trying to get their 7th play off at the 15 yard line. Ya, they got the ball snapped, but they had no clue what they were doing because they did not have time to get a play in.

I think running out of time is ridiculous. They had success moving in small increments against NE. A little more urgency and a few more plays early in that drive might have gained a few more yards and put them in position for shots into the endzone.

They milked the clock early in the drive, then ran out of time. It would have been better to use the clock more efficiently early, still taking the yards that were given in small increments, then milk the clock late if given the opportunity. They ran most of that drive as if time was no issue, but then ran out of time at the end of the drive.

[Scott Campbell]

With all the other cramming they had to do to get Flynn ready this quickly, it looks like the 2 minute drill suffered.

[Patler]

With all the other cramming they had to do to get Flynn ready this quickly, it looks like the 2 minute drill suffered.

But its not even the two minute drill. Its MM getting the plays in and the team moving with a little urgency in getting up after a play and lining up for the next one. The last minute was a shambles, but the three and a half minutes before that looked like they were in la-la land playing football in the backyard.

[Pugger]

I'm guessing they didn't want to give the ball back to Brady had they scored with any time left and I don't blame them.

[Patler]

I'm guessing they didn't want to give the ball back to Brady had they scored with any time left and I don't blame them.

Well sure they didn't. But get at least close enough to have a chance to score, THEN milk the clock if you think you have to. You don't have to waste away the time early, you can do it late. Running out of time they way they did was ridiculous.

Maybe MM should be congratulated. He managed to prevent Brady from having a final drive. Only problem is that he wasted away his own chance to score and lost the game.

[th87]

Having a minute left on about the 25 is plenty of time. But for whatever reason, we took our sweet time after that. It was as though Flynn didn't even realize the clock was running out. That could be on MM, but I'm shocked at Flynn's lack of urgency.

[sharpe1027]

They should have had plenty of time to get in the endzone. The sack is what really killed them. If they don't have the sack, then I don't think it comes down to the clock running out.

[Patler]

Having a minute left on about the 25 is plenty of time. But for whatever reason, we took our sweet time after that. It was as though Flynn didn't even realize the clock was running out. That could be on MM, but I'm shocked at Flynn's lack of urgency.

Agreed, but I fail to understand wasting away the first two and a half minutes picking up only about 20 of the yards that were needed. I was going nuts after there first couple plays and all the time they wasted.

Time and time again, MM has shown he is willing to play the end of games for long shot opportunities. More often than not he seems to fail.

Just a little bit more urgency might have gotten them one or two more plays and a first down inside the 20 with enough time to take 2, 3 or 4 shots into the endzone. As it was, starting from just 57 yards away with 4:22 remaining, they never even ran a play with a real chance to score, and they used up the entire time along with two timeouts and the two minute warning.

I expected to see them run 9 or 10 plays getting 3 first downs and then having enough time to use their last set of downs throwing into the endzone from close enough to have a chance of success. Heck, they way most of their drives went they might have been able to run 10-15 plays and get four first downs to be at the 10-15 yard lines.

[packerbacker1234]

throwing the deep pass instead of moving the chains

Again, not sure how much if this is on MM and how much is on the play style of Rodgers. Look at what we did with Flynn. Almost 40 runs and 40 passes because Flynn took what was given, and rodgers is always looking long. So is it the play calling now, or is the QB checking into and always looking at the deep man first?

[Fritz]

I won't complain about what was called, my complaint is about HOW the plays were called.

Other than the one long pass to Jones, the Packers success was really in taking shorter gains, even running the ball, and moving the chains. Their scoring drives were:

11 plays - 6:15 - 40 yards for a field goal
3 plays - 1:01 - 69 yards for a TD
13 plays - 6:26 - 82 yards (22 by penalty) for a TD
13 plays - 6:56 - 69 yards for a TD
11 plays - 5:05 - 53 yards for a field goal

Their final possession starter at 4:22 and they needed 57 yards. I saw little urgency in their play before the two minute warning, as they ran just 5 plays, getting two first downs and 22 of the yards they needed. After the two minute warning, with two timeouts at their disposal, they ran 6 plays getting one first down and 20 yards. They ran out of time trying to get their 7th play off at the 15 yard line. Ya, they got the ball snapped, but they had no clue what they were doing because they did not have time to get a play in.

I think running out of time is ridiculous. They had success moving in small increments against NE. A little more urgency and a few more plays early in that drive might have gained a few more yards and put them in position for shots into the endzone.

They milked the clock early in the drive, then ran out of time. It would have been better to use the clock more efficiently early, still taking the yards that were given in small increments, then milk the clock late if given the opportunity. They ran most of that drive as if time was no issue, but then ran out of time at the end of the drive.

I would definitely agree. I know you don't want to score and give the Pats too much time, but, uh, you still need to score. Better to have a little extra time and run a couple runs to shave time off at the end than to run out of time.

[rbaloha1]

Play calling was excellent except in the goal line area. Nice balance of run and pass. Loved the checkdowns and passes to rbs.

[bobblehead]

I thought that, considering how well we were running it, we should have been calling run plays more in the 4th quarter. Especially when there was 1:05 left and the patriots were lining up giving us the middle. We had a chance to gash off 15 yards, run up and spike it, but we didn't. That isn't exactly criticizing, just what would have been nice. MM called an ok game, my biggest complaints against him were:

1) End of the first half with 1:53 on the clock he doesn't use his timeout on 2nd and goal, but lets it run down to 1:06...patriots scored on 3rd down. After the kickoff we had less than a minute left instead of 1:45 or so.

2) Not letting flynn call his own plays in the final drive. While flynn waited for the 4th and 1 play, the clock ran off 17 seconds and ended our game. MM had his nose in the book looking confused and unaware that the game was running out on him.

[Freak Out]

I'm guessing they didn't want to give the ball back to Brady had they scored with any time left and I don't blame them.

BS....it's not like the GB offense was scoring at will and they had to slow it down.....job one was to score a TD.

[Freak Out]

2) Not letting flynn call his own plays in the final drive. While flynn waited for the 4th and 1 play, the clock ran off 17 seconds and ended our game. MM had his nose in the book looking confused and unaware that the game was running out on him.

I'm still pissed of what happened there on that final drive. It's inexcusable.

[Scott Campbell]

Time and time again, MM has shown he is willing to play the end of games for long shot opportunities. More often than not he seems to fail.


I keep waiting for him to pick up on this. It has to show up during the autopsy. Clock management issues seem to me like they should be very easy to fix.

[Patler]

Silverstein was not impressed with the plays called early in the 4th quarter after the Packers failed to get the TD on first and goal from the 2 and the Patriots came back for a matching FG to make it 27-24. He felt they should have stuck with the running game, because it had been working. Instead on 1st down from their own 21, Silverstein writes:


"... McCarthy called for Flynn to throw a fade route down the field. Flynn got sacked for minus-4 and the Packers never ran a called running play on the series. It was a point in the game where they had a chance to force their will on the Patriots, but McCarthy went for it all on first down.
'That was a play based on how we were running the ball earlier,' McCarthy said."


http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/112170864.html

[denverYooper]

I won't complain about what was called, my complaint is about HOW the plays were called.

Other than the one long pass to Jones, the Packers success was really in taking shorter gains, even running the ball, and moving the chains. Their scoring drives were:

11 plays - 6:15 - 40 yards for a field goal
3 plays - 1:01 - 69 yards for a TD
13 plays - 6:26 - 82 yards (22 by penalty) for a TD
13 plays - 6:56 - 69 yards for a TD
11 plays - 5:05 - 53 yards for a field goal

Their final possession starter at 4:22 and they needed 57 yards. I saw little urgency in their play before the two minute warning, as they ran just 5 plays, getting two first downs and 22 of the yards they needed. After the two minute warning, with two timeouts at their disposal, they ran 6 plays getting one first down and 20 yards. They ran out of time trying to get their 7th play off at the 15 yard line. Ya, they got the ball snapped, but they had no clue what they were doing because they did not have time to get a play in.

I think running out of time is ridiculous. They had success moving in small increments against NE. A little more urgency and a few more plays early in that drive might have gained a few more yards and put them in position for shots into the endzone.

They milked the clock early in the drive, then ran out of time. It would have been better to use the clock more efficiently early, still taking the yards that were given in small increments, then milk the clock late if given the opportunity. They ran most of that drive as if time was no issue, but then ran out of time at the end of the drive.


Time and time again, MM has shown he is willing to play the end of games for long shot opportunities. More often than not he seems to fail.


Very solid assessment Patler.

[mission]

Very solid assessment Patler.

Hmm, so because Patler says it it's a very solid assessment, but last night we had to "have our heads checked" ?

[denverYooper]

Hmm, so because Patler says it it's a very solid assessment, but last night we had to "have our heads checked" ?

I never said anyone had to have their head checked.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I think people complain too much about playcalling.

[mission]

I never said anyone had to have their head checked.

Oh, maybe that was Bossman. Sorry.

[pbmax]

I won't complain about what was called, my complaint is about HOW the plays were called.

Other than the one long pass to Jones, the Packers success was really in taking shorter gains, even running the ball, and moving the chains. Their scoring drives were:

11 plays - 6:15 - 40 yards for a field goal
3 plays - 1:01 - 69 yards for a TD
13 plays - 6:26 - 82 yards (22 by penalty) for a TD
13 plays - 6:56 - 69 yards for a TD
11 plays - 5:05 - 53 yards for a field goal

Their final possession starter at 4:22 and they needed 57 yards. I saw little urgency in their play before the two minute warning, as they ran just 5 plays, getting two first downs and 22 of the yards they needed. After the two minute warning, with two timeouts at their disposal, they ran 6 plays getting one first down and 20 yards. They ran out of time trying to get their 7th play off at the 15 yard line. Ya, they got the ball snapped, but they had no clue what they were doing because they did not have time to get a play in.

I think running out of time is ridiculous. They had success moving in small increments against NE. A little more urgency and a few more plays early in that drive might have gained a few more yards and put them in position for shots into the endzone.

They milked the clock early in the drive, then ran out of time. It would have been better to use the clock more efficiently early, still taking the yards that were given in small increments, then milk the clock late if given the opportunity. They ran most of that drive as if time was no issue, but then ran out of time at the end of the drive.

Their tempo or play rate did decrease in that last drive. 37.4 seconds per play in the last drive. For the other 2 long TD drives, it was 27 and 32 seconds.

McCarthy did say they got the play in and it was the play designed for 4th down in the red zone. But once Flynn drifted forward to his right, he took Bulaga out of the picture and allowed the DE/OLB a clean shot.

[Patler]

McCarthy did say they got the play in and it was the play designed for 4th down in the red zone. But once Flynn drifted forward to his right, he took Bulaga out of the picture and allowed the DE/OLB a clean shot.

Ya, but they could have done better than that with a bit more time. It would have been nice to be able to run a play trying to get the first down, then clock the ball, and be able to throw a couple into the end zone. They never gave themselves much of a chance because they didn't have enough time. They wasted so much time that they had no cushion. Everything had to go as planned, and it didn't with the early sack and then Driver coming up short of the first down.

4:22 can be a long time, more than enough even for drives a lot longer than the Packers needed. To run out of time like they did was a huge waste, in my opinion.

[pbmax]

2) Not letting flynn call his own plays in the final drive. While flynn waited for the 4th and 1 play, the clock ran off 17 seconds and ended our game. MM had his nose in the book looking confused and unaware that the game was running out on him.

There are no other first time starters in the NFL calling their own plays. Rodgers just this year was given the reins of the no huddle.

[pbmax]

Silverstein was not impressed with the plays called early in the 4th quarter after the Packers failed to get the TD on first and goal from the 2 and the Patriots came back for a matching FG to make it 27-24. He felt they should have stuck with the running game, because it had been working. Instead on 1st down from their own 21, Silverstein writes:



http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/112170864.html

Force their will on another team is just sportswriter babble for complaining about something that didn't work. It was early in the fourth and the Patriots were going to get the ball for two more possessions in any normal scenario. You cannot shorten the playbook with that much time.

[denverYooper]

Oh, maybe that was Bossman. Sorry.

No problem.

[pbmax]

Ya, but they could have done better than that with a bit more time. It would have been nice to be able to run a play trying to get the first down, then clock the ball, and be able to throw a couple into the end zone. They never gave themselves much of a chance because they didn't have enough time. They wasted so much time that they had no cushion. Everything had to go as planned, and it didn't with the early sack and then Driver coming up short of the first down.

4:22 can be a long time, more than enough even for drives a lot longer than the Packers needed. To run out of time like they did was a huge waste, in my opinion.

If you read McCarthy's transcript from today, I think he might give a clue to his thinking in situations like this. There is an obvious caveat that he may simply not be telling the press everything he is thinking. But if it reflects his actual thinking:

He seems to have no issue with the tempo or strategy. And he refuses to get drawn into a debate about whether Rodgers could have done differently, whether to call for a measurement on 4th and 1 and he won't claim that Flynn did not have enough work in the 2 minute and red zone to be familiar with what needed to be done.

That drive might be executed the way he wanted it done. He may simply have a plan for a four minute drive while behind needing a TD, which might include taking time off the clock, and he wasn't going to deviate from it due to circumstances last night. This would be of a kind with the 4 minute offense to drive and then seem to settle for a long FG. He has a plan and is not going to deviate from it under specific game conditions.

Either that or he will not get into what he wants to change or alter. It may be that he won't make changes like that until the offseason.

[Ballboy]

I am tired of the playcalling and I wish a reporter will get specific enough to call him on it.

All year we listen to MM talk about getting the offense to "stay ahead of the chains" or getting into "3rd and managable downs". Yet in specific, the last two weeks we have been in 3rd and 1 and I see plays called that ask a QB to throw 30+ yards down field. I don't know the exact percentage, but I would guess that on pass plays of greater than 20 yards you have a much less chance of completion versus a pass of 5 yards. Why work to "stay ahead of the chains" or "3rd and managable" if all your going to do is call a low sucess / high reward type play?

I'm all for stretching the field, but to a man, New England is the better team. Playing them at NE, with our back-up QB we needed to make every series count. Calling the deep pass on 3rd and 1 can't happen in this type of game, especially in the fourth quarter during a game that you are trailing(I'm talking about the Packers series prior to the last).

[mission]

MM from his presser:


I didn’t find anything chaotic about the final seconds of the game. I thought that it was a very standard operation.

That to me says it all.

[pbmax]

All year we listen to MM talk about getting the offense to "stay ahead of the chains" or getting into "3rd and managable downs". Yet in specific, the last two weeks we have been in 3rd and 1 and I see plays called that ask a QB to throw 30+ yards down field. I don't know the exact percentage, but I would guess that on pass plays of greater than 20 yards you have a much less chance of completion versus a pass of 5 yards. Why work to "stay ahead of the chains" or "3rd and managable" if all your going to do is call a low sucess / high reward type play?

Its hard to have this conversation if you don't talk about what the defense is doing to stop you. Look at the goal line runs with Kuhn. On 3rd and short, they are not going to give up the short passes. That is why there is one on one coverage outside. If you don't take that shot occasionally, then you are always launching yourself at the teeth of the defense. The Packers got 9 first downs from rushing and 13 from passing (4 from penalty). That has to be one of the most balanced performances this season. 11-19 on 3rd down is pretty good, even if you don't like to throw deep.

[Ballboy]

Its hard to have this conversation if you don't talk about what the defense is doing to stop you. Look at the goal line runs with Kuhn. On 3rd and short, they are not going to give up the short passes. That is why there is one on one coverage outside. If you don't take that shot occasionally, then you are always launching yourself at the teeth of the defense. The Packers got 9 first downs from rushing and 13 from passing (4 from penalty). That has to be one of the most balanced performances this season. 11-19 on 3rd down is pretty good, even if you don't like to throw deep.

I agree about taking shots downfield, but I question the time of the call. The situations that they were called in have to play a large part in what play is called. We in both cases needed a first down, the question should be asked, what play gives my team the best chance to get that first down. During the regular course of a game, I don't mind taking the shot, but in crucial times we need to give our team the best chance to complete.

[Bossman641]

Oh, maybe that was Bossman. Sorry.

Maybe not my exact words but I stand by my assessment.

Yes, it sucks we lost and this team is past the point of moral victories but how many teams could have gone into NE with their backup QB and half the team injured and nearly won. IMO, last night was MM's most balanced play-calling of the year.

Hard for me to blame MM THE PLAY-CALLER when Walden and Woodson both dropped picks leading to 10 points, and the ST gave up the longest return ever to a lineman. Just difficult for me to get upset about this loss.

Consistency is the team's issue, not play-calling.

[mission]

Maybe not my exact words but I stand by my assessment.

Yes, it sucks we lost and this team is past the point of moral victories but how many teams could have gone into NE with their backup QB and half the team injured and nearly won. IMO, last night was MM's most balanced play-calling of the year.

Hard for me to blame MM THE PLAY-CALLER when Walden and Woodson both dropped picks leading to 10 points, and the ST gave up the longest return ever to a lineman. Just difficult for me to get upset about this loss.

Consistency is the team's issue, not play-calling.

My problem isn't with the play calling as it's defined. It's with MM the coach, leader and employer of men. Could haves and should haves happen for every team. A good friend of mine is a Pats fan and he couldn't believe all the crucial calls against them. Missed opportunities happen every game for every team. You still put your team in the best position possible to win.

It's obvious Slocum is a failure, your guys have no sense of urgency at the end... it's just inconsistent crap across the board every week. Good coaches have teams that consistently get after it. Not wait for second quarters all year or figure out how to run the ball 14 weeks into the season. Teams personify their leaders.

I think MM is a pretty decent coach during the week. Come gameday, the pace of the game is too much for him.

[Bossman641]

My problem isn't with the play calling as it's defined. It's with MM the coach, leader and employer of men. Could haves and should haves happen for every team. A good friend of mine is a Pats fan and he couldn't believe all the crucial calls against them. Missed opportunities happen every game for every team. You still put your team in the best position possible to win.

It's obvious Slocum is a failure, your guys have no sense of urgency at the end... it's just inconsistent crap across the board every week. Good coaches have teams that consistently get after it. Not wait for second quarters all year or figure out how to run the ball 14 weeks into the season. Teams personify their leaders.

I think MM is a pretty decent coach during the week. Come gameday, the pace of the game is too much for him.

I'm curious. Can you expand on the calls your friend was angry about? To me, it looked like a pretty well-called game but I might be blinded due to the fact the Packers had very few penalties.

The hands to the face changed to the game but it was absolutely the right call. I dislike the helmet to helmet call on Quarless just because I think the officials have moved too far the other way, but other than that I can't really think of any awful calls.

[Patler]

If you read McCarthy's transcript from today, I think he might give a clue to his thinking in situations like this. There is an obvious caveat that he may simply not be telling the press everything he is thinking. But if it reflects his actual thinking:

He seems to have no issue with the tempo or strategy. And he refuses to get drawn into a debate about whether Rodgers could have done differently, whether to call for a measurement on 4th and 1 and he won't claim that Flynn did not have enough work in the 2 minute and red zone to be familiar with what needed to be done.

That drive might be executed the way he wanted it done. He may simply have a plan for a four minute drive while behind needing a TD, which might include taking time off the clock, and he wasn't going to deviate from it due to circumstances last night. This would be of a kind with the 4 minute offense to drive and then seem to settle for a long FG. He has a plan and is not going to deviate from it under specific game conditions.

Either that or he will not get into what he wants to change or alter. It may be that he won't make changes like that until the offseason.



However, he did make one admission:

"And there's some things we need to do a better job at. Particularly in critical points in the game."


Like perhaps the final drive of the game?????

[Zool]

Maybe he just didnt want to have to kick off again.

[Pugger]

I'm curious. Can you expand on the calls your friend was angry about? To me, it looked like a pretty well-called game but I might be blinded due to the fact the Packers had very few penalties.

The hands to the face changed to the game but it was absolutely the right call. I dislike the helmet to helmet call on Quarless just because I think the officials have moved too far the other way, but other than that I can't really think of any awful calls.

My only beef with the refs is they missed at least 2 block in the backs in that long return by that lineman - QJ and Crosby that I could see. Would it had changed the score in the end? Maybe, if the Pats weren't on the 5 yard line and so ended up kicking a FG in drive instead of a TD. But other than that I too thought it was a well officiated game.

[Smidgeon]

However, he did make one admission:


Like perhaps the final drive of the game?????

I think that McCarthy doesn't really say everything he's thinking. I don't think he's the kind of coach to throw his QB under the bus. He'll stand up in front of the press and defend his team's effort, but I think behind closed doors is very different. Otherwise, there wouldn't be any QB improvement from McCarthy's tutelage.

[Fritz]

Anybody talk much about the first play of the game?

That call worked out pretty well.

[pbmax]

However, he did make one admission:

Like perhaps the final drive of the game?????


Maybe he just didnt want to have to kick off again.

I was thinking it was pass protection and the missed block of the outside rusher when Bulaga was free and decided to double team the DT with Sitton. But I am not going to argue with Zool; it could be the kickoff. I am not a fan of the new multiple kickoff targets. I would rather go back to having Crosby go deep and occasionally knock one OOB and have them start at the 40.

[pbmax]

Anybody talk much about the first play of the game?

That call worked out pretty well.

I can barely recall the happiness of that moment.

[PackerTimer]

I won't complain about what was called, my complaint is about HOW the plays were called.

Other than the one long pass to Jones, the Packers success was really in taking shorter gains, even running the ball, and moving the chains. Their scoring drives were:

11 plays - 6:15 - 40 yards for a field goal
3 plays - 1:01 - 69 yards for a TD
13 plays - 6:26 - 82 yards (22 by penalty) for a TD
13 plays - 6:56 - 69 yards for a TD
11 plays - 5:05 - 53 yards for a field goal

Their final possession starter at 4:22 and they needed 57 yards. I saw little urgency in their play before the two minute warning, as they ran just 5 plays, getting two first downs and 22 of the yards they needed. After the two minute warning, with two timeouts at their disposal, they ran 6 plays getting one first down and 20 yards. They ran out of time trying to get their 7th play off at the 15 yard line. Ya, they got the ball snapped, but they had no clue what they were doing because they did not have time to get a play in.

I think running out of time is ridiculous. They had success moving in small increments against NE. A little more urgency and a few more plays early in that drive might have gained a few more yards and put them in position for shots into the endzone.

They milked the clock early in the drive, then ran out of time. It would have been better to use the clock more efficiently early, still taking the yards that were given in small increments, then milk the clock late if given the opportunity. They ran most of that drive as if time was no issue, but then ran out of time at the end of the drive.

I was thinking this exact same thing last night. I know you don't want to give the ball back to Brady with too much time left but you have to score before you can worry about that. They could have easilty ran one more play before the two minute warning at least as I think they let it run down from 2:15 or so. I'm not a fan of milking the clock when you are down by more than a field goal.

[RashanGary]

I have an issue not with playcalling, but with McCarthy's propensity to overcomplicate the offense. It's two years in a row now that we started sluggish on offense, then picked it up when our backs were against the wall by simplifying the playcalls.

We simplified our playcalls after week 6 this year I believe and we've been really good ever since, but you always feel like we could be better and more consistent.

Then Rodgers goes down and we do the anti-McCarthy, we similify it even more. The result was our offense playing as consistently and balanced as it has in a long time.


McCarthy trys to out think the opposition and he's creative as hell. He's good at it. But I think he goes to far. There are coaches like Lovie who just keep it siimple and let the players outplay the opposition. I think coaches like that tend to get more from less.



The fact is, the Flynn game plan worked. I hope they at least give it a try again. I really hope they don't go right back to living and dying by the big play. I hate that type of offense.

[bobblehead]

There are no other first time starters in the NFL calling their own plays. Rodgers just this year was given the reins of the no huddle.

I wasn't aware of that, but it doesn't change the part about Flynn staring over at him waiting for a play while MM was staring at his playbook. I figured that he wasn't calling his own because he only had a week of practice, but if Rodgers was just given the reins then I guess that part is ok....not getting a play in while 14 seconds ticked away so we only had one shot at the end zone was inexcusable though.