McCarthy's Play Calling

[Fritz]

I know the offensive line looked awful in terms of the stats and so on, but I believe that the coach's job is to put his players in position to be successful, and I thought McCarthy did not do that due to his play calling.

If you recall or re-watch the game, you will see that early on the Packer offensive line, when given the chance to run block, opened some creases for Grant (some of which he failed to exploit as well as he might have). There were not blockbuster runs, but Grant was getting more than Green Bay's usual 1.5 yards.

I am completely mystified as to why McCarthy completely abandoned the run, particularly at the end of the second quarter with the game tied and about four minutes left in the half, and again at the beginning of the second half, on the Packers' first possession, when, I believe, McCarthy called at least five passes in a stretch of six plays.

This put the defense in the position of being able to rush Rodgers without fear of the running game; thus putting the offensive linemen in no position to succeed. Same for Rodgers.

I am utterly mystified and disappointed with McCarthy's play calling. If he says they were trying to exploit some weaknesses they saw on film, I will cry or puke in my mouth or maybe both.

If you use the pass to set up the run, okay, but after an early stage in which the Packers used the short pass to set a tempo, they did not go to the run.

Terrible play calling - I think it made this team look way worse than it is. The defense then had to be on the field too much, and of course it put the offensive line at a disadvantage.

[mission]

Funny how long ago I started saying this ... everyone just cast me off like I'm some miscreant. MM is, was, and will be a big reason for this teams deficiencies

[mmmdk]

Funny how long ago I started saying this ... everyone just cast me off like I'm some miscreant. MM is, was, and will be a big reason for this teams deficiencies

I've wanted his (McCarthy) head for a long, long time. You can even find post during the 2007 season.

[Fritz]

Has anybody read whether MM has addressed the play calling in this game? And is this a new development, or has MM always been a little light in the running-game pants?

I always felt that Holmgren called way too few running plays but he won a Super Bowl.

I'm not sure if it's the execution or the play calling, but I felt that a key opportunity occurred at the end of the first half with the game tied at 14 and the Packers having the ball with about 4 minutes left. Grant had had some success, and here was an opportunity to give your D a rest and run some clock and establish the ground game. Instead, MM called three passes in a row.

Then he did the same at the beginning of the second half on the first Packer possession.

I don't know why he talks about the running game but doesn't seem to back it up with the play calling.

[Deputy Nutz]

I believe he said something about being down by a lot of points and needing some quick scores.

[Fritz]

I wish someone would have asked him about the two instances I named - the end of the first half and the beginning of the second. They didn't need "instant" scores then.

[rbaloha1]

Its tough to call plays when the o-line continually breaksdown and Rogers is unable to read defenses as quickly as Favre.

With that said, MM did everything possible to slow down the rush with screens and played smart when backed-up.

IT clear MM misses #4 when calling certain plays. Ouch.

[Gunakor]

Personally, I thought the playcalling on offense was much better this week than in any of the previous 3. We saw a couple screens. We saw a couple draw plays. We saw a couple plays for the FB to run right through the Williamses. We saw him mix it up a bit, which is what I was looking for. I'd like to see a bit more balance between run and pass, but I had no problem with the run and pass plays that were called.

Donald Lee doesn't drop that 4th down pass in the endzone and we aren't having this discussion.

[bobblehead]

Its tough to call plays when the o-line continually breaksdown and Rogers is unable to read defenses as quickly as Favre.

With that said, MM did everything possible to slow down the rush with screens and played smart when backed-up.

IT clear MM misses #4 when calling certain plays. Ouch.

Where are the screens you speak of?? I watched the game, cheered emphatically when our first play was a screen...didn't see another one until the game was virtually over and Rodgers was battered. On a good note we ran 13 times the entire game not counting the 2 throw away run plays when Lang entered the game. You are right, he is mixing it up beautifully.

If by "did everything possible to slow down the rush" you mean emptied the backfield so it was no mystery we were passing the ball on 2nd and 10 then you are correct.

[rbaloha1]

Personally, I thought the playcalling on offense was much better this week than in any of the previous 3. We saw a couple screens. We saw a couple draw plays. We saw a couple plays for the FB to run right through the Williamses. We saw him mix it up a bit, which is what I was looking for. I'd like to see a bit more balance between run and pass, but I had no problem with the run and pass plays that were called.

Donald Lee doesn't drop that 4th down pass in the endzone and we aren't having this discussion.

Agreed. How many drops this season by Driver, Jones and Nelson.

[Gunakor]

Personally, I thought the playcalling on offense was much better this week than in any of the previous 3. We saw a couple screens. We saw a couple draw plays. We saw a couple plays for the FB to run right through the Williamses. We saw him mix it up a bit, which is what I was looking for. I'd like to see a bit more balance between run and pass, but I had no problem with the run and pass plays that were called.

Donald Lee doesn't drop that 4th down pass in the endzone and we aren't having this discussion.

Agreed. How many drops this season by Driver, Jones and Nelson.

I'm not sure. Driver has a couple. Jennings seems to have a couple per game. Nelson has had his share too, but he's made more phenomenal catches this season than anyone on the roster not named Donald Driver. And let's not forget about Ryan Grant, who needs to develop much more dependable hands if he's going to be on the field as regularly as he has been lately. Seldom does anything hurt a QB more than when his checkdown options have butterfingers.

Still, none of them hurt as much as the one by Lee in the endzone on Monday night. He was there, calling for it - "Here Rodg, I'm open, gimme the rock". And then lets it fall between his legs. Inexcusable. It wasn't a perfect pass, but it was entirely catchable. If you call for the ball and then get a catchable ball thrown at you, make the catch. Especially on 4th down, when sitting 2 yards deep in the opponents endzone. Lee's in my doghouse for the next 2 weeks, and I hope Finley gets a bunch more playing time.

[bobblehead]

Personally, I thought the playcalling on offense was much better this week than in any of the previous 3. We saw a couple screens. We saw a couple draw plays. We saw a couple plays for the FB to run right through the Williamses. We saw him mix it up a bit, which is what I was looking for. I'd like to see a bit more balance between run and pass, but I had no problem with the run and pass plays that were called.

Donald Lee doesn't drop that 4th down pass in the endzone and we aren't having this discussion.

Agreed. How many drops this season by Driver, Jones and Nelson.

I'm not sure. Driver has a couple. Jennings seems to have a couple per game. Nelson has had his share too, but he's made more phenomenal catches this season than anyone on the roster not named Donald Driver. And let's not forget about Ryan Grant, who needs to develop much more dependable hands if he's going to be on the field as regularly as he has been lately. Seldom does anything hurt a QB more than when his checkdown options have butterfingers.

Still, none of them hurt as much as the one by Lee in the endzone on Monday night. He was there, calling for it - "Here Rodg, I'm open, gimme the rock". And then lets it fall between his legs. Inexcusable. It wasn't a perfect pass, but it was entirely catchable. If you call for the ball and then get a catchable ball thrown at you, make the catch. Especially on 4th down, when sitting 2 yards deep in the opponents endzone. Lee's in my doghouse for the next 2 weeks, and I hope Finley gets a bunch more playing time.

I disagree, it was a perfect pass, but for some reason I can't define Lee starts falling over backwards when rodgers throws it so a pass that would hit him perfectly looks like it was thrown short. He wasn't hit, he wasn't shielding a defender. He simply started to sit down and fall over backwards for no apparent reason.

[Gunakor]

Personally, I thought the playcalling on offense was much better this week than in any of the previous 3. We saw a couple screens. We saw a couple draw plays. We saw a couple plays for the FB to run right through the Williamses. We saw him mix it up a bit, which is what I was looking for. I'd like to see a bit more balance between run and pass, but I had no problem with the run and pass plays that were called.

Donald Lee doesn't drop that 4th down pass in the endzone and we aren't having this discussion.

Agreed. How many drops this season by Driver, Jones and Nelson.

I'm not sure. Driver has a couple. Jennings seems to have a couple per game. Nelson has had his share too, but he's made more phenomenal catches this season than anyone on the roster not named Donald Driver. And let's not forget about Ryan Grant, who needs to develop much more dependable hands if he's going to be on the field as regularly as he has been lately. Seldom does anything hurt a QB more than when his checkdown options have butterfingers.

Still, none of them hurt as much as the one by Lee in the endzone on Monday night. He was there, calling for it - "Here Rodg, I'm open, gimme the rock". And then lets it fall between his legs. Inexcusable. It wasn't a perfect pass, but it was entirely catchable. If you call for the ball and then get a catchable ball thrown at you, make the catch. Especially on 4th down, when sitting 2 yards deep in the opponents endzone. Lee's in my doghouse for the next 2 weeks, and I hope Finley gets a bunch more playing time.

I disagree, it was a perfect pass, but for some reason I can't define Lee starts falling over backwards when rodgers throws it so a pass that would hit him perfectly looks like it was thrown short. He wasn't hit, he wasn't shielding a defender. He simply started to sit down and fall over backwards for no apparent reason.

The ball looked low. You're right, it might have been Lee, but it looked like if he had kept his feet that the ball would have come in at the knees. Falling over, the ball came in at about the waist. The ball might have been thrown low intentionally, I'm not sure, though it didn't look to be entirely necessary. I haven't heard anyone from the Packers elaborate on that play, specifically. That aside, it was a perfectly catchable ball that any TE worth his salary will make. Lee dropped it and let it fall between his legs. Perfect throw or not, that can't happen. Lee gets paid to make those plays.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

What is there to elaborate on?

Rodgers threw a catchable ball...Lee blew it. There is nothing more to say.

[SnakeLH2006]

I believe he said something about being down by a lot of points and needing some quick scores.

I agree...what the hell were we supposed to do, run with AP?.....oh wait, we got that god-beast of a RB named Ryan Grant who's due to bust one anytime now. He's been due since that Seattle playoff game in 2007 mind you, but due is due.