Time to Scrap the No Huddle?

[Striker]

A lot of the articles I read on the no huddle (and the frequency that the Packers use it) implies that pretty much everything is in Rodgers' hands when they're running it.

It's safe to say that in all three games, it seems that the no huddle is a flop.

From the Jets game report last week:

The Packers hope to run 75 plays per game – faster than they’ve ever been under ninth-year coach Mike McCarthy, who said in the offseason that he wanted to make a concerted effort to increase his offense’s tempo.

Green Bay has gradually increased its pace in recent years. In 2010, when the Packers won the Super Bowl, they ran 62.5 plays per game. That number dipped to 61.8 in 2011. The Packers leaned more on no-huddle plays in the next two years, during which they averaged 65.1 and 67.1 plays per game – 11th in the NFL last year.

More NFL teams are moving faster these days, especially franchises that have elite quarterbacks like Rodgers. In 2012, Tom Brady and the Patriots led the league with 74.4 plays per game. In 2013, they were second, with 71.1, and Denver and Peyton Manning topped the list, with 72.3 plays per game.

Taking into account offensive time of possession, the Patriots last season ran 2.34 plays per minute of possession time. The Packers ran 2.17. The Jets’ defense got experience against this break-neck pace while splitting their meetings with the Patriots in 2013.

Incidentally, the Packers near unstoppable offense ran at a slower pace than the following two years.

I know personnel are different, and maybe I'm way way off here, but maybe McCarthy needs to take the playcalling back on the sideline and scrap the no huddle?

And maybe worry less about the volume of plays you get in, but rather the quality? 70+ plays a game is great, but I'd rather they do 60 plays, score points, eat up clock, and be intelligent than try to burn through it as fast as possible.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I don't think problem is pace or play calling. It's talent. Try Janis instead of Boykin?

[Tony Oday]

It's AR not hitting throws, Lacy dancing and not one cut running and the WE, save Jordy, sucking.

[Carolina_Packer]

You mean it's players and not plays (scheme)? Hmm... AR has less guys he can trust right out of the gate this year. Say what you want about their contributions, but James Jones and Jermichael Finley were vets who had played with Rodgers and knew his tendencies, knew the playbook. Our top two WR have that, but beyond that, who? Jordy has been great, Cobb off to a slow start, and Boykin needs some stickum. Quarless has been decent, but their resolve to use TE (especially against Cover 2) has been inconsistent. We have gotten a little contribution beyond that from Adams, but this is far from the deep stable of weapons that has chemistry with Rodgers. It's the running game, MM. Fix it, fix it, fix it! It's a down and distance battle and the Packers can't consistently win in unfavorable down and distances. Come on MM...adjust!

[Joemailman]

I think they do need to scrap the no-huddle for the time being. With the loss of James Jones and Finley, they need production from Adams and R. Rodgers. I think going no-huddle is overwhelming guys who are still trying to learn the offense. The no-huddle may be why they haven't even activated Janis yet. A non-productive no-huddle is at times giving the defense very little time to rest.

[pbmax]

Either McCarthy or Rodgers can call the plays in the no-huddle. McCarthy said yesterday they let Rodgers call more plays in the 2nd half.

[Ballboy]

The game plan stunk up the place yesterday...MM was horrible. For the first time that I can remember, I think the whole coaching staff has "lost" this team.

Going into the game, we knew a few things. First, Lions had the 2nd best RUSH defense in the league. Second, the secondary was/is bad with two people just added to the team this past week. Lastly, our OL was going to struggle against the Lions.

As the game went on, the Lions even lost their MLB.

MM out thought himself. He was hell bent on rushing the ball for two reasons, to keep his defense off the field and to slow down the pass rush. What did this cause? Multiple times we were in 3rd and longer,which only increased the ability of the Lions pass rush.

AR should've thrown that ball all OVER the field....teams that cant rush the ball use WR screens, quick slants and short passes to slow down the pass rush.

On a side note, it amazes me that Calvin Johnson seems to be so wide open yesterday against our "better" DBs...yet Jordy Nelson and company have DBs draped all over them all day....why is this?

[mission]

When's the last time you've seen a bunch formation or even some motion from this offense? MM is just not creative at all. Philly has average WRs at best and they seem to have no problem getting open. There's a huge difference between scheme and play calling and I put it more on scheme. MM still thinks it's 2011.

[pbmax]

They ran a WR screen that I remember. The ball was behind the receiver, causing a delay and a short block attempt rendered it a short gain.

He has not been his normal accurate self.

[call_me_ishmael]

When's the last time you've seen a bunch formation or even some motion from this offense? MM is just not creative at all. Philly has average WRs at best and they seem to have no problem getting open. There's a huge difference between scheme and play calling and I put it more on scheme. MM still thinks it's 2011.

Pretty much this. The offense, at least from my limited perspective, seems very bland. Philly does a bunch of interesting things to create space. Either we don't do it as much, we do it differently, or I'm missing it in games.

[Maxie the Taxi]

There are some excellent and truthful posts in this thread. Normally I'm an establish-the-rush-then-pass type of guy. But against Detroit??????

Stubby strikes again.

Misdirection is all the rage this year. Look at Seattle in our first game. It puts a huge amount of pressure on any defense. Stubby runs virtually none of it. A fast guy like Janis would be perfect but no......

Lastly, I agree with the comments about junking the no huddle. I thought it might make for a good equalizer against Detroit. But they way ARod and Stubby run it ... with all the adjustments checkoffs and hand signals ... the play clock runs down on each play. On top of that, guys are misreading hand signals when they could be really communicating in the huddle.

Really lastly, I think Stubby has lost his nerve this year. He's playing way too conservative, trying to avoid mistakes and playing it safe (except for his insane 4th down attempts). The Lacey safety play was a perfect example. I know Bart Starr would have been thinking pass in that situation, and he had Hornung and Taylor in the backfield and a Hall of Fame OL.

Stubby's capable of change but he's like a mule. You might have to get his attention first by cracking a 2x4 over his head.

[Striker]

I don't think problem is pace or play calling. It's talent. Try Janis instead of Boykin?

I think it's both. They probably withhold the rooks because of how "complicated" all the hand signals and such from the no huddle are. Get in a huddle, get the communication down, and just get the offense humming again.

[MadScientist]

Lastly, I agree with the comments about junking the no huddle. I thought it might make for a good equalizer against Detroit. But they way ARod and Stubby run it ... with all the adjustments checkoffs and hand signals ... the play clock runs down on each play. On top of that, guys are misreading hand signals when they could be really communicating in the huddle.

Really lastly, I think Stubby has lost his nerve this year. He's playing way too conservative, trying to avoid mistakes and playing it safe (except for his insane 4th down attempts). The Lacey safety play was a perfect example. I know Bart Starr would have been thinking pass in that situation, and he had Hornung and Taylor in the backfield and a Hall of Fame OL.

Stubby's capable of change but he's like a mule. You might have to get his attention first by cracking a 2x4 over his head.

If the rookies aren't getting the hand signals right, better do something else that works.

Letting the play clock run down is ok, this version of the no-huddle is not the same as a hurry-up. Time taken on the line still prevents defensive substitutions. Unfortunately it doesn't matter what personnel the defense gets stuck with, they are still winning the matchups with the Packers. That is the biggest problem.

I'm not sure MM is too conservative, but with the OL a complete fail (as always, maybe this will be the 2x4 to get MM to fire Campen), and receivers not named Jordy sucking, he can't do a whole lot when backed up. I really wish they'd put back some old west-coast short timing passes.

If this offensive shit-fest isn't a 2x4 to the head, I don't know what would be.

[Maxie the Taxi]

If the rookies aren't getting the hand signals right, better do something else that works.

Letting the play clock run down is ok, this version of the no-huddle is not the same as a hurry-up. Time taken on the line still prevents defensive substitutions. Unfortunately it doesn't matter what personnel the defense gets stuck with, they are still winning the matchups with the Packers. That is the biggest problem.

I'm not sure MM is too conservative, but with the OL a complete fail (as always, maybe this will be the 2x4 to get MM to fire Campen), and receivers not named Jordy sucking, he can't do a whole lot when backed up. I really wish they'd put back some old west-coast short timing passes.

If this offensive shit-fest isn't a 2x4 to the head, I don't know what would be.

I agree, especially with the short timing passes. However, does the OL give our RB enough time to release over the middle?

As far as being conservative, well Stubby's decision to come out and establish the run against Detroit's defense was either foolhardy or, as pbmax suggests, an attempt to avoid Rodgers getting run over by the pass rush. I tend to believe it's both and that is playing conservative, i.e., not playing to your strength.

[3irty1]

If your team isn't playing well on either offense or defense, I think the no huddle should be the first thing to go. No matter what's not working by going no huddle you'll pay for it in time of possession.