The Question

[mraynrand]

McDermott? I thought taking away the big play was James Jones' job.

[mission]

I haven't been a big fan of MM so I guess I need to chime in here. Beginning to accept the fact that he's our coach, -- and has some shortcomings -- but does some things pretty well. Give him credit for the game yesterday and sticking with Starks even though there was a scare at the end... I probably would have been irate with him (somehow) if Vick's pass is 2 feet farther and Cooper makes the catch.

Still hard not to wonder what this talent (that's TT) could do with an A+ head coach. Hopefully our B+ coach can get the guys playing more consistently and enough to keep us moving in the playoffs.

[Tarlam!]

McDermott? I thought taking away the big play was James Jones' job.

Not sure who's snide remarks I love more than yours, Swede, and Fritz's. You guys crack me up.

[LEWCWA]

I don't know how MM can be considered anything but and excellent head coach. His teams are almost always in games. Very few blowout losses in his time here. I think some folks need to take a look at some of the other teams around the league to get an idea how good we have it.

As far as play calling, the only play I hated yesterday was the 3rd down call where Rodgers rolled right. I thought the play effectively cut down their options by using only half the field. I believe GB's strength is lining up with 4 or 5 and spreading the ball. This option roll out took away half the field. Just nitpicking cause I know little, but I was yelling no don't roll out as it unfolded. Guess what, had he hit the pass I would have been fine with the call though!

[swede]

I don't know how MM can be considered anything but an excellent head coach. His teams are almost always in games. Very few blowout losses in his time here. I think some folks need to take a look at some of the other teams around the league to get an idea how good we have it.

Stubby drives me crazy during the three hours of game time, and I am ginning myself up to enjoy dogging the guy for those three hours. In the other 165 hours of the week I think he might be the best coach in football.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I don't know how MM can be considered anything but and excellent head coach. His teams are almost always in games. Very few blowout losses in his time here. I think some folks need to take a look at some of the other teams around the league to get an idea how good we have it.

As far as play calling, the only play I hated yesterday was the 3rd down call where Rodgers rolled right. I thought the play effectively cut down their options by using only half the field. I believe GB's strength is lining up with 4 or 5 and spreading the ball. This option roll out took away half the field. Just nitpicking cause I know little, but I was yelling no don't roll out as it unfolded. Guess what, had he hit the pass I would have been fine with the call though!

I oftentimes like the rollout, but I also didn't like it in that situation. Other than that, I didn't have many complaints. I probably would have done a play action fake on second down on our last series, but I can't fault him for running it. Wear the clock down and we were running the ball well.

[billy_oliver880]

I wish stubby would keep his foot on the gas with the offense. It really seems sometimes like he gets a lead and they have a hell of a time sustaining drives after that.

[Patler]

I don't know how MM can be considered anything but and excellent head coach. His teams are almost always in games. Very few blowout losses in his time here. I think some folks need to take a look at some of the other teams around the league to get an idea how good we have it.

The problem with this discussion, or those about almost any coach or GM, is that people try to make it a yes/no discussion when it is far from that. I am sort of lukewarm about MM overall. I think he is great during the week, and seems to be liked, respected and most importantly believed in and followed by the players. That is very important and shouldn't be diminished at all. On the other hand, some game decisions make me scratch my head. I think his preparation and handling of players during the week have resulted in wins on game days. I also think some of his game day decisions have resulted in losses on game day in games that could/should have been won.

I think young coaches like MM can get better over time. They do not come in on day 1 of their first HC job and perform as good as they might 5 or 10 years later. Who does in any job?

Winning a Super Bowl does not make you a great coach. Sometimes it just sort of happens. Whether a coach is awful, bad, average, good, excellent or outstanding can be judged only over time and in view of the circumstances he was forced to deal with.

Could we do worse than MM? Certainly.
Is he the best there is? Certainly not. Not yet, at least.

[pbmax]

Its funny, but while I think he is good enough, the game yesterday did not change my opinion. He does make his share of mistakes. But so do other coaches. Its the reputation they garner that protects them and that might explain part of chann's 5 year coaching window to the Super Bowl. Right now a Super Bowl win is protecting Tom Coughlin even though he loses his team once a year.

Watching Holmgren (as conservative as McCarthy can be) drove me nuts too. But the team was winning and improving. It wasn't that he was always right, but that things kept getting better. The fact that they won a Super Bowl in a year they did not have to face the Cowboys in the playoffs should tell fans that sometimes, its all in the timing.

[sheepshead]

People on these boards have to bitch about somebody. TT was the whipping boy for years. everyone is a self proclaimed GM/personal man extraordinaire.

When we we're leading the league in penalties and loosing 7-8 games by 4 points or less, I was very critical of MM.

When you really look at this year(whenever it ends), I think many will say this has been one of the finest coaching jobs in recent NFL history. That goes for the entire staff. One of the least penalized teams in football. Correct me if I'm wrong but 9 starters lost and 3 of the replacements lost? That's a hell of a job.