Big Mac

[Harlan Huckleby]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/mike-mccarthy-should-get-plenty-of-blame-for-packers-loss-b99429413z1-289103671.html

A painfully passive plan from McCarthy was central to the unfathomable collapse. Given countless chances to dethrone the champs with one bold decision, he balked.... the head coach continued to tiptoe through the title game. As if CenturyLink were some minefield.

There were no deep balls against Seattle's single-high coverage even after Earl Thomas (shoulder) and Richard Sherman (elbow) suffered injuries. The "shot play" — a McCarthy staple when this Packers offense is humming — might've been accidentally deleted from the tablet. Green Bay dinked and dunked and tried to get Lacy his 20 carries in the second half. A "target," McCarthy said.

It was if McCarthy was a boxer perfectly OK throwing jabs and dancing around the ring for 12 rounds, hoping the cards broke his way in the end. One problem: He was facing Mike Tyson.

[mraynrand]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packe...289103671.html

The plan was working to perfection through 55 minutes, so there was no feel for the need for a kill shot. The team mistakenly took the Burnett INT as the dagger, shut it down, and unfortunately, it takes 30 minutes to restart warp engines - you canna change the laws of physics - unless you have a vulcan on board.

[Harlan Huckleby]

The plan was working to perfection through 55 minutes

Yep, and that's a very good reason not to throw McCarthy, TT, Capers, Rodgers or the team under the bus. What they accomplished to that 55 minute point was impressive - going into Seattle and bullying the champ. Still, MM was too conservative, that was a flaw on top of his otherwise great game plan.

BTW, we are all saying 55 minutes, but wasn't the FG meltdown the real beginning of the end?

[oldbutnotdeadyet]

STOP! STOP! I can't take it any longer. Somebody please wake me from this nightmare. I mean, no fucking way the Packers lose the NFC Championship like this.

Oh, and please add 'He has a vagina' as one of the poll answers.

[mraynrand]

Yep, and that's a very good reason not to throw McCarthy, TT, Capers, Rodgers or the team under the bus. What they accomplished to that 55 minute point was impressive - going into Seattle and bullying the champ. Still, MM was too conservative, that was a flaw on top of his otherwise great game plan.

BTW, we are all saying 55 minutes, but wasn't the FG meltdown the real beginning of the end?

No, the fake FG was an act of desperation. If they mucked it up, they need two TDs and two conversions just to tie. If they kick the FG, they need two scores - a TD and FG to tie. Carroll gambled a bout there and Hawk played into his hands, regardless of what people say about Jones.

[denverYooper]

No, the fake FG was an act of desperation. If they mucked it up, they need two TDs and two conversions just to tie. If they kick the FG, they need two scores - a TD and FG to tie. Carroll gambled a bout there and Hawk played into his hands, regardless of what people say about Jones.

House was out there too, wasn't he?

[Teamcheez1]

They set the wheels in motion during the 55 minutes. It was because of what they did during the 55 minutes that enabled Seattle a chance with a little luck. Everybody emphasizes the last 5 minutes which had its share of awful mistakes, however we left the door open, and no matter how small that crack, it ended in a loss.

[denverYooper]

The plan was working to perfection through 55 minutes, so there was no feel for the need for a kill shot. The team mistakenly took the Burnett INT as the dagger, shut it down, and unfortunately, it takes 30 minutes to restart warp engines - you canna change the laws of physics - unless you have a vulcan on board.

Your point about their mindset is well taken. And if Burnett returns that farther, they probably get at least 3 more points and maybe get a more tangible dagger in hand.

ARRRRRGH!

[Harlan Huckleby]

Or if they use timeouts in final regulation drive - go for win instead of tie.

if if if

No killer instinct.

[Harlan Huckleby]

They set the wheels in motion during the 55 minutes. It was because of what they did during the 55 minutes that enabled Seattle a chance with a little luck.

I can't really blame Mac for taking the points down by goal line. Early in game. That's a very defensible call, even if I would have gone for it. But in context of whole game of risk avoidance, it sticks out.

[vince]

Or if they use timeouts in final regulation drive - go for win instead of tie.

if if if

No killer instinct.

They coulda used their timeouts in the last drive but that would only have placed more time on the clock when they were forced to kick the tying field goal on 4th down. They still had 19 seconds to get to the endzone but you going for it on 4th down and passing up the game-tying field goal would have been assinine.

[Teamcheez1]

I think what stick's out in Tyler's article is that he rhetorically asks how many times in a game can you expect to drive to within the 5 yard line against the Seattle defense in a game? After we kicked two FG's, the answer was "not again".

[Harlan Huckleby]

They still had 19 seconds to get to the endzone but you going for it on 4th down and passing up the game-tying field goal would have been assinine.

Yes, that would be assinine.

My point is they should have been playing for TD the whole drive.

[Harlan Huckleby]

No, the fake FG was an act of desperation. If they mucked it up, they need two TDs and two conversions just to tie. If they kick the FG, they need two scores - a TD and FG to tie. Carroll gambled a bout there and Hawk played into his hands, regardless of what people say about Jones.

I'm not saying the fake FG was decisive. Just saying it was the first crack in confidence of the would-be champs.

BTW, I agree with McGinn's comment here: Hawk's decision to let receiver run free was inexcusable. It wasn't a tough choice, it was easy decision and he choked.

[hoosier]

I'm not saying the fake FG was decisive. Just saying it was the first crack in confidence of the would-be champs.

BTW, I agree with McGinn's comment here: Hawk's decision to let receiver run free was inexcusable. It wasn't a tough choice, it was easy decision and he choked.

To me the real question is, what on earth was Slocum thinking when he choose to drop only one defender on that play? There is no reason to try to block a FG at that point. Play it safe, drop four guys and make them take the three or stuff their shit.