Unpacking the Car from San Diego

[CaliforniaCheez]

I'm back from the game and it was a long drive back. It didn't help that my car was broken into and I had to listen to the wind through the broken side glass. If anyone wanted photos forget about it. My camera was stolen.

Some times you feel bad and you make yourself worse. Sometimes it's bad because you're right. You all saw the game and may discuss plays and players and try do diagnostic evaluation.

I think it is time to point at the glaring Packer weakness. Rookie Coaching.

This will be a long post to point out everything but:

GAMEPLAN
1) After all the installations, they start the game running up the middle.
no motion, no play action passing, and facing a strong rush no screen pass.

2) Why was Brett handing off? Why get behind before passing and not getting Brett into the shotgun? Why can't the pass set up the run? Why not go with what works? I mix of plays would have been nice.

3) I live in 49'er coverage area. I saw a stupid simplified offense run by McCarthy last year. Was it really for rookie Alex Smith? It was there in San Diego and Brett Favre is not Alex Smith to roll right. I had a whisper of fear about this when McCarthy was hired. It is now a concern. Is McCarthy really capable of calling a game in the NFL? It is preseason but he has burned some benefit of the doubt.

THE OTHER SCHOTTENHIEMER

The pass defense of 2004 is back. Soft prevent pass defense will be run all game. At first I thought it might be Harris and Woodson not showing up for OTA's and the usual suspect, Carroll. Carroll got away with at least 2 pass interference penalties. He will not change. Had he been flagged, the spotlight would be on his continued failure.

No, the secondary is being set up for failure by a scheme/strategy that got Schottenhiemer fired by the Packers only two years ago. They should work on preventing the pass from being completed not working on getting in tackling position for when the pass is caught.

As to the rest of the defense, it was very high school. No blitzing.
The D-line was out played by the San Diego O-line. It wasn't bad but the Chargers were better.

LEADERSHIP

There is a lack of veteran leadership. The sideline was chaos with players wandering and milling about and getting in the way. Why is the bench not used? Getting a penalty because the team is too stupid to stay behind the line? McCarthy has his face into the playsheet and has not empowered anyone to take control of the bench. It is very unprofessional.

AARON RODGERS

"Rookie" Rodgers is not ready for prime time. The two minute drill before the half was mismanaged. Running around and getting tackled does not save time. It's not working but don't give up the ball. Then with 20 seconds to go he snaps the ball!! Well take the knee or run it. He ran it alright - out of bounds!!! Clock stops and now the Packers have to punt giving the Chargers a chance to block it or run it back or a play where an injury might occur.

OVERALL
The team lacked "situational awareness". Where they are, their purpose, and their function. The two minute drill was a capsulation. The lack of sideline discipline is a snapshot of what is wrong with the team.

Everytime I hear the phrase "changing the attitude of the team" I think it is from a perpetual playoff team into a loser.

When you hear McCarthy drone on about tempo and picking up the pace there are rookies being left behind. There are very few veterans to help them figure out what is going on, what to pay attention to and how to stand on the sidelines.

I have been a Packer fan and supporter my entire life. I have maintained that through the ups and downs knowing the organization will take steps to improve. While good naturedly absorbing the jeers of Charger fans while leaving the stadium on the inside I was uncomfortable being a Packer fan.

It was one of the lowest experiences as a fan in my lifetime. I paid a lot of money anticipating a good experience when I could have stayed home and been miserable.

Think of the Packers as an expansion team. Rookie Head coach acting like a coodinator, two rookie coodinators, and assistants of questionable competence like Schottenhiemer are teaching some good athletes and very good players who are inexperienced. Perhaps a comparision to 16 year old student drivers in rush hour traffic is more like it.

I worry Brett will give up hope at the end of the year.

I'm not sour. It is just that my expectations have been lowered.

GO PACK.

[GrnBay007]

Dang, what a crappy trip. To view that game and have your car broken into.

Chins up! It's a new week!!

[MJZiggy]

I am very interested in seeing how the team reacts to the game this morning. What will they do?

[packrulz]

Usually, teams don't blitz like that in the first preseason game, no wonder the rooks were overwhelmed. In addition, I don't think the Pack practices against a 3-4 defense much. The rooks need to see this so they can learn, I'd rather feel the pain now than later.

[FavreChild]

Re: Unpacking the Car from San Diego

Is McCarthy really capable of calling a game in the NFL? It is preseason but he has burned some benefit of the doubt.

Yes, it's frightening, isn't it? Although personally I have doubts as to whether M3 is calling the shots at all.

Cali, TT probably hired a goon to steal your camera so that you wouldn't have any proof of the embarassing on-field performance. Sorry it was a lousy experience all-around.

[red]

it was one preseason game, way too soon to give up hope

my hope is that we did what we did on the field and called the plays we did because its all new to everyone.

if you are trying to stress running the ball this year, then you come out running to get the guys use to it. if you haven't worked alot on the more complicated things, then don't use them until the team knows them better

if most of the d is just now learning the new d-scheme then you aren't going to do alot to complicate them yet, you're going to take it easy and just get them use to being on a pro field and seeing pro speed.

way to early to start pissing and moaning about the season being a waste

it was one preseason game, it ment nothing. its just there to start to get guys ready for the real season

[fan4life]

That's a pretty sobering assessment, Cheese. But it's pretty much how I saw it, too. Some posters have cited a "lack of desire" on the part of the players as a reason for Saturday's poor showing. I don't buy that at all. I think it was more a case of neither the coaches nor many the players having a clue what to do.

After the first couple of series, once GB realized that 1) SD was serious about their blitzes, and 2) the o-line and Davenport weren't picking them up, you could just see Brett on the sideline working over the photos and talking to the coaches. I got the feeling that he and a couple of the vets took the game into there own hands and showed MM, "Here's out we beat it." Brett shortened his releases and moved out of the pocket. He started moving the ball. At that point, I was thinking to myself, "MM should be thanking his lucky stars he's got a wily old vet out there. Arod wouldn't stand a chance."

MM, Jags and Sanders are just as much rookies as their first-year draftees. The question is, will they get better, or will they drag the ship down with them?

Until I see otherwise, I'm going to hold out hope that the team can still get it together and play some respectable football. I'll also be watching very closely to see how well MM and his coaches react to play on the field. With Favre, DD, Franks, Green (if he returns,) Cliffy and Tausch, I'm confident the offense has enough veteran talent that, if MM and Jags work with them, they'll be allright.

But who will step up and lead like a vet on defense? Harris? Woodson? Barnett?

[pbmax]

Sorry to hear about the damage. That couldn't have been easy to stomach. Hope your insurance covers the cost, if not aggrevation.

Schottenheimer Junior isn't calling the coverages, Sanders is. Until one of the players pipes up that the coverages are different than from Bates, I'll chalk this up to preseason. I saw no mention of concern that they had been asked to play back.

And I am not worried about complexity in preseason game one either.

What I am concerned about is McCarthy's expectation level. Schottenheimer has always approached pre-season like its armageddon, and M3 coached for him for several years.

Did he really think his team was ready? And then to push the importance of winning in the media two days before the game?

We haven't seen enough to judge him on the football he produces. But I am getting the feeling he is currently overmatched in preparation.

[Creepy]

Brett was looking at pictures and him and the other vets took over. BS, that is part of coaching. They take the pictures they send them down and discuss what happened. I am happy that they are dooing that, but to makit seem like it was Bretst idea is goofy.

The team played poorly and have to make adjustments. The running game is what they want to get going. They need alot of work, if ths season becomes a 36 to 40 pass attempt season, then it willnot be much better than last year. This is the first time not agianst your own team and soem growing pains. Hoepfully this will imp[rove, if not it will be a long season.

The defense has got to realize that TEs are cathcing the ball in the NFL. Gates and Mama whats his name tore GB up. Now it iwll be Crumpler, they need to start covering them. The defense needs to stop the opponents to give the offense some time to work.

[CaliforniaCheez]

Oh, I was really upset.

I'm getting over it. My glass is being replaced and it will cost $234. Gee, my deductible is $250. The cost of going to the game weekend will now be just over $1000.

I would feel better if I saw 5 Packer touchdowns for that kind of money.

I should not let the last Packer game determine my mood; but it does.
I am more gracious in victory than several of the Charger fans.

[woodbuck27]

Sorry to hear about the damage. That couldn't have been easy to stomach. Hope your insurance covers the cost, if not aggrevation.

Schottenheimer Junior isn't calling the coverages, Sanders is. Until one of the players pipes up that the coverages are different than from Bates, I'll chalk this up to preseason. I saw no mention of concern that they had been asked to play back.

And I am not worried about complexity in preseason game one either.

What I am concerned about is McCarthy's expectation level. Schottenheimer has always approached pre-season like its armageddon, and M3 coached for him for several years.

Did he really think his team was ready? And then to push the importance of winning in the media two days before the game?

We haven't seen enough to judge him on the football he produces. But I am getting the feeling he is currently overmatched in preparation.

Mike McCarthy is fortunate to have Brett Favre and Ahman and Hendo and Driver and Barnett and Al Harris and we all have to respect what they can do for OUR Rookie HC.

The submission that let's move on now without Favre and Company is at least, painful to me. I refuse to be insulting.

Mike McCarthy came to us (Ted Thompson) like Ted Thompson. Not inexperienced but unproven, and no matter the talk we have to wait for the walk.

That means we have to rely on patience to a point. I am loaded with patience. I've been a loyal Packer fan for far longer than most of you lived. In that I must offer some encouragement, but also try to discern the TRUTH today - without being cynical, rude or certainly not unrealistic.

I will die a Packer fan.

I cannot escape being a Packer fan.

I'm now downloading the first half of that 17 -3 loss to a much better prepared team for that first Pre Season game. I am very much looking forward to seeing it for myself, and I'll anylyze it as it comes to me. I expect to see something good to hold onto, for the next Pre season matchup.

Maybe I won't see alot, but PLEASE sometrhing?

GO PACKERS ! HOLD THE FAITH !! To Our Veteran PACKERS !!!

[fan4life]

Brett was looking at pictures and him and the other vets took over. BS, that is part of coaching. They take the pictures they send them down and discuss what happened. I am happy that they are dooing that, but to makit seem like it was Bretst idea is goofy.

Not so goofy, my friend. Of course it's the coach that calls the plays... but if you think it was MM alone who was the one on top of that situation, then I think you are mistaken. Actually, I saw it as a sign that MM and Favre work well together, quickly adjusting the offense's game plan to conditions on the field... something we didn't see much of under Sherman's regime. Under MS (at least during actual games), Favre would have stayed in there running Rossley's stupid plays until he finally got so frustrated at the lack of adjustment that he would go off half-cocked.

[woodbuck27]

Oh, I was really upset.

I'm getting over it. My glass is being replaced and it will cost $234. Gee, my deductible is $250. The cost of going to the game weekend will now be just over $1000.

I would feel better if I saw 5 Packer touchdowns for that kind of money.

I should not let the last Packer game determine my mood; but it does.
I am more gracious in victory than several of the Charger fans.

Cheez:

I drove three other fellas's (friends) up from Saint John,N.B. to Montreal to see " the Montreal Expos ", nearly capture the National League final series from " the LA Dodgers " in the early 80's. One game was rained out and the series went to the final best of three on Monday - so we stayed with it.

I then owned, one of the finest customized vans in Eastern Canada and the North Eastern US. It won many awards at car shows.It was a work of art with alot of money invested in it. People loved to view it. The outside of the van was a work of art. Therein, lies the price.

When we left the Olympic Stadium drained, after the Rick Monday HR off Expos's ACE Steve Rogers, was brought in as a closer (mmmmm, NO) - and that HR won that final game for the Dodgers, we discovered that my Van had been vandalized and broken into.

It was a sickening feeling, and one of my friends lost alot of money in expensive camera equipment.There was also money that was hidden, stolen as the culprits ransaked OUR luggage. The Montreal Police treated us like we were the bad guys, not as guests to the City of Montreal supporting " the Expos. Then the long trip home or about a 650 mile drive.

I feel terrible for you man, as I know somewhat how you were treated. I will never fully recover from that violation of my van, and most of all "the fact' that my friends suffered a loss.

My van was a target. It was beautiful and won several awards. It was vandalized two more times, and a friend wanted to own it and I refused to sell it to him. I traded it for 60% of it's worth to avoid anyone I knew - having my headache.

May I give you some PEACE.

[Creepy]

Fan4life,
Maybe I missunderstood what you wrote. It sounded (to me) like all the changes were Fvares and the coaches had nothing to do with it. I do agree that his working with the coaches is a nice change from before and hope it turns into something good. This game very easily could have been clsoer if not for some goofs on the Packers part. A dropped 4th down pass and if the ball had been maybe inchers lower and Gb could easily have been at 17 with Chargers.

The most disappointing things was the pass protection, not that the run blocking was so great either. The middle of the GB line aloowed LBs up the wazoo in the backfield. WRs need to recognize these blitzes also, if they are coming braek the route to the inside and give Brett a target. Start hittng a TE or WR in the open area and the teams willstop blitzing.

[Terry]

I'm really sorry for you guys having the trouble with thieves. It's a sickening feeling, quite aside from the cost which is the salt on the wound. I was working late in a place I was new to once and some characters came along and pulled down the shutter, locking me in. Being new, I didn't yet know where the keys to the emergency doors were. I could hear my car being broken into and then, worse, the engine revving and the car taking off. Never got it back. To salt the wounds, I had to use a dreadful public transportation system for a week, before I could get a new car - more than two hours for a one-way trip to work.

As for the Packers, well... we damned Sherman for his failure to make game time adjustments. Now we're damning McCarthy because game time adjustments are made, but not by him. Sounds like GB coaches just can't win. Unless they win.