McCarthy and "Close Games"

[retailguy]

Agree. I'd like to see what he can do with a healthy Grant and Finley. 46-32 overall (.590) is enough to make me overlook the arbitrary close games record and I'm willing to bet that his record there will improve over time. Just as soon as they get consistently decent ST play.

The only problem that I have with this, is, for the past couple of seasons, what we have heard is "if we just get decent _____, then it'll happen". Honestly, there will always be holes and issues, what McCarthy needs to prove is that he can win in spite of whatever hole or issue pops up. 14 injuries is a bit much (that's his mulligan), but still. Sadly, I think that next year, we'll have another "If we just get consistent ____, then McCarthy can win".

But, we'll see. He surely isn't going anywhere, even if they lose to both the Giants and the Bears.

[retailguy]

What the hell are you talking about? Sherman was successful at the pro level and now he is showing promise in college. Maybe the guy is just a decent coach - not a world beater, but a good coach. Like McCarthy, you just look at the record. It tells you almost everything you need to know.

Well said. No reason to keep dissing the guy. I just don't get it.

[SnakeLH2006]

Cannot and has not are two different concepts but they both will and do apply to MM. He wont win a championship. What gives you any idea that he can? He has had five years and produced next to nothing.

Well put CWood....You know Snake has bounced back and forth with MM. I dunno if he is a great coach.

MM is good...He wins enough to coach year after year, but those guys can go decades....see Andy Reid (without winning a SB).

I think MM does enough yearly, where he'll be the Packers coach for the next 5 years min. unless he bottoms out (but can't see that with ARod at QB).

I think he has all the talents to be an elite coach (win the SB consistently) except for 3 things:

1) He's shortsighted. His playcalling is bad sometimes, having faith in running the ball with Kuhn in short-yardage game after game (with nil results).....or just saying fuck it and going all pass (that doesn't work either). We were best this year (and any year) with an honest run game...then he benched Starks (MM looks too much at stats with him not ready for ST). Starks is the best pure runner, but MM is bull-headed and BJack had some deece runs last game, but no one gears against BJack. If Starks had played and ran well...it would have helped with play-action, for example.

2) He's a bonehead. He must of had at least 10 plays in the last 4 games alone that should have been challenged, but just savors those timeouts. C'mon man.

3) His Offensive staff is turned over yearly and there is little consistency with the O. The D under Capers is mad good. Points, turnovers, etc. Great stuff. The O is amazing at times, but too many boneheaded plays are called. Yeah, let's pass 18 times in a row, or run with BJack (who sucks as a pure runner) or Kuhn (who is a good FB) on short-yardage. It's amazing to Snake how poor he's gotten (predictable) or dumb (use Swain more as he's a Wes Welker..catches well) but hey we will throw to (use) Quarless who can't catch the ball with ANY consistency. That isn't the QB, that's a drawn up play. Quarless might be great in 2 years, but they use him like Finley......and it's cost us many drives/games. Give it up MM. He tries to act all cute with it, but really needs to look at stats and see what hasn't worked and give it up. His Offensive coaches haven't done much. I like Edgar Bennett and Campen as ex-Packers, but neither does enough to develop the young guys in their 5+ years as RB and OL coaches....but he's so faithful, that they remain.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Waiting for an answer.

What happens if we beat the Giants and Bears in the final two weeks and then beat the Bears in the first round of the playoffs?

[SnakeLH2006]

Waiting for an answer.

What does that mean?

[Gunakor]

2) He's a bonehead. He must of had at least 10 plays in the last 4 games alone that should have been challenged, but just savors those timeouts. C'mon man.

Yet we villify him whenever he does challenge a call because his record in challenges is horrendous. Super terrible. With a record that bad, I'd rather he just not challenge anything. That way at least we get get to keep the timeouts.

[pbmax]

That's why he's had such success since leaving the team.

Sherman the coach was handcuffed by his GM. McCarthy has more overall talent and depth. Belicheck had some input into the Browns personnel decisions, but not total control like he has in New England. He is universally reviled there for demoting Kosar for Testaverde, whom he is given credit (such as it is) for acquiring.

The close games argument deserves scrutiny. But I think we have seen numbers from McCarthy against the good teams (above 500 maybe?) that point to success. I think this got covered last year after struggling versus the good vet QBs.

[pbmax]

Yet we villify him whenever he does challenge a call because his record in challenges is horrendous. Super terrible. With a record that bad, I'd rather he just not challenge anything. That way at least we get get to keep the timeouts.

There have been several occasions when TV has failed to produce a relevant replay until after the next play. Gonzalez and Atlanta for instance. On the road, you are at the mercy of the TV coverage because the scoreboard will show nothing.

[mraynrand]

Sherman the coach was handcuffed by his GM.

Yes and no - Wolf's last draft was abysmal, but it was Wolf who made the Ahman Green trade and drafted the O line that Shermy rode to success. Shermy the GM always played to win THIS year. Shoulda worked in 2002, but injuries blew it up. Ultimately the Shermy strategy will lead to the team crashing and burning. But for a Superbowl team to come together, you may just have to make a FA move or two to fill that gap or two that you just can't paper over with raw draft picks. It's that age old riddle that even Oedipus might not answer correctly.

[Bretsky]

That's why he's had such success since leaving the team.

Would you not consider what he's done at the college level successful ?

[Bretsky]

Waiting for an answer.

I consider MM an average coach now and I'll consider him average then. Certainly not worth firing. OK...I know you weren't waiting for an answer from me but I figured I'd jump in with an inkling to post.

I think MM is an above average playcaller. I'll list my coaching rankings someday when I have time and I think I'll put MM in the 12-18 range.

If I have a criticism of MM overall it's his hiring of coaches and loyalty to them to a fault. I'll think less of him if he finds the ST play acceptable and I can go either way on the OL

[rbaloha1]

What does that mean?

keep waiting. merry christmas.

[Smidgeon]

Yet we villify him whenever he does challenge a call because his record in challenges is horrendous. Super terrible. With a record that bad, I'd rather he just not challenge anything. That way at least we get get to keep the timeouts.

Which is funny, because he has the highest rating of challenge successes in the NFC North. I believe he's at 60% overturned this year.

[RashanGary]

I consider MM an average coach now and I'll consider him average then. Certainly not worth firing. OK...I know you weren't waiting for an answer from me but I figured I'd jump in with an inkling to post.

I think MM is an above average playcaller. I'll list my coaching rankings someday when I have time and I think I'll put MM in the 12-18 range.

If I have a criticism of MM overall it's his hiring of coaches and loyalty to them to a fault. I'll think less of him if he finds the ST play acceptable and I can go either way on the OL

I'll agree. Philbin and Slocum suck. And the slow starts on offense the last two years. . . . Not good.

[retailguy]

Yes and no - Wolf's last draft was abysmal, but it was Wolf who made the Ahman Green trade and drafted the O line that Shermy rode to success. Shermy the GM always played to win THIS year. Shoulda worked in 2002, but injuries blew it up. Ultimately the Shermy strategy will lead to the team crashing and burning. But for a Superbowl team to come together, you may just have to make a FA move or two to fill that gap or two that you just can't paper over with raw draft picks. It's that age old riddle that even Oedipus might not answer correctly.

I think that is what gets forgotten during the Sherman era. Each year the team was expected to compete, and expected to be in the playoffs and expected to win. He didn't get there in large part because he could never solidify the left side of the DL. Until he got Barnett, MLB was a problem too.

He's got this rep for not liking rookies or valuing draft picks, but when your focus is to win every year, you take risks and sometimes you win, and sometimes you don't. He didn't.

We have the opposite exact same issue right now. Our OL sucks, it is not solid. If they don't get it fixed asap, it will be their undoing just like the DL was Sherman's undoing.