Is the current state of the Packers the result of one or more of the off season changes?

[Deputy Nutz]

Change in offensive philosophy over the past few seasons. With significant injuries to the receiving core, and to the offensive line the deep route passing game is no longer working. Short to intermediate route passing structures that made the West Coast offensive is no longer being utilized in Green Bay. I think we have known that for some time, but with the injuries it is problematic, now when they try to run the quick strike offense there is no timing or aptitude for it. You would think having one coach for QB and receivers would actually help keep them all on the same page.

The coaching positions is also a pretty interesting reflection on the problems of the current offense. I think they had to promote several guys to keep them in Green Bay. Bennett is an offensive coordinator in name only. I don't know how you could be an offensive coordinator but yet another assistant coach is calling the plays. It makes no sense.

[pbmax]

JS Comments @JSComments 7m7 minutes ago
The packers literally have no one scouting free agents and other pro teams for potential talent.

This person has it figured out; the pro personnel department is faking its expense reports.

JS Comments @JSComments 14m14 minutes ago
Not having an owner has filled 1265 Lombardi Avenue with a complacency that has no place in pro sports or in any business.

Huge, if true. I would recommend divesting yourself of all public companies as well.

[pbmax]

I am not sure the Packers have the receivers to run the West Coast Offense, at least the Holmgren flavored one. The best route runners are Magic and Jones. One is hurt, the other is waiting for another opportunity to be hurt again.

Janis is concentrating so hard on getting the steps right on a route, he doesn't catch the ball in practice.

Cobb is a receiver in a Belichick offense, not WCO. Maybe a slot guy, but not the primary target.

Adams SHOULD be that guy, but he is young and not healthy either.

M3 needs a Frankenstein Pass Offense at this point. Or maybe a Frankenbacker?

[Cheesehead Craig]

Agree with others that the WRs need a separate coach. Their play has dropped off noticeably this season. I think Rodgers is losing confidence in them as a group and thus starts questioning himself, which brings down his level of play.

I think next season with Jordy returning, the offense will bounce back (assuming a separate WR coach is brought in/promoted and that's all he does). Doesn't help us this season, but I'm not all that sure this season is salvagable short of a one and done playoff run.

[pbmax]

BTW, if you google Frankenbacker Packers you get a lot of PackerRats hits. But also evidence that Football's Future and PackerNews.net are stealing our stuff.

[Deputy Nutz]

I am not sure the Packers have the receivers to run the West Coast Offense, at least the Holmgren flavored one. The best route runners are Magic and Jones. One is hurt, the other is waiting for another opportunity to be hurt again.

Janis is concentrating so hard on getting the steps right on a route, he doesn't catch the ball in practice.

Cobb is a receiver in a Belichick offense, not WCO. Maybe a slot guy, but not the primary target.



Adams SHOULD be that guy, but he is young and not healthy either.

I am not quite sure that Belichick's offense is much different from the West Coast.

Big issue with offense is the lack of a TE. Rodgers struggles making the TE look good, fortunately for Rodgers Rodgers does it on his own.

[Fritz]

This year's Spencer Havner - Ripkowsi plays fullback AND tight end - is the answer.

Put him on one side, Quarless on the other, and run Lacy 25 times a game and Starks 10. That'll solve the receiver problem - they can't drop it if they don't get it thrown to them.

[KYPack]

Nut Bag, good to see ya posting.

Some of the problems are talked about in this thread.

Shots of the sideline in recent games show the "brain trust" pissin' themselves. Clements looks freaked and Bennet looks lost. Not only does Edgar look lost, but I notice that he seems to ease himself out of the picture, as if distancing himself from the action.

The mark of a good playcaller (QB or OC type guy) is he always has a play in his pocket. With Clements, he has no plays in his back pocket, in fact, there's a hole in his pocket and he's grabbing himself in the ass most of the time.

One of the big plays they used to run was sprint right option with a fan. You all know the drill, Rodgers rolls right and the 3 receivers run a shallow cross, a dig or curl and a deep route for him to pick the best option. Rodgers tosses one to the open guy or takes a 5-10 yard run, depending on what's open. Well, that shit don't work anymore. For one thing, Bulaga is playing on one leg and can't get the point blocked up. So ARod rolls into a big ass DE who is about to eat him alive. He can't run and gets hammered if he tosses the pass. Lately, sprint right option results in a two yard loss, at best.

Now it's second and 12. The sideline shot shows Clements freakin' the hell out. He skitzes out for a bit and finally sends in the call to Arod. It's no good either and you can see that Rodgers is pissed by all this. Second down doesn't work and now it's 3rd and long and Clements has zero bullets in his gun. Tom C looks and looks at the laminated sheet, but there is no answers there. Now Rodgers is staring at the sideline, looking like he's about to get a root canal. A few times, Rodgers has pulled off some 3rd and longs, but over the last few weeks, he hasn't.

There's failure across the board. Pass pro has been mixed to non-existent. Route running has been weak and lackadaisical. Playcalling? half assed. The only two aspects of the offense that have sort of worked are the running game and Rodgers passing and both of those elements tune out from time to time.

What can we do? Well, I don't know what will work, but I know what we've got to try. They are taking away some of our old staples on offense. We've got work the areas of the defense that they've weakened to make those adjustments. Unleash Kuhn, two TE's, & the Ripper until our passing attack gets back on track. This will create room to try and establish new basics to our O. Our WR's must get open with aggressive and new routes.

We've got to be aggressive, fold back our ears and haul ass.

[pbmax]

I am not quite sure that Belichick's offense is much different from the West Coast.

Big issue with offense is the lack of a TE. Rodgers struggles making the TE look good, fortunately for Rodgers Rodgers does it on his own.

Agree. While I understand confusion about why Janis' doesn't get more snaps, I don't understand why Perillo isn't out there more. He must not block a lick right now.

[mraynrand]

Agree. While I understand confusion about why Janis' doesn't get more snaps, I don't understand why Perillo isn't out there more. He must not block a lick right now.

blocking has to be it. They need to roll out the barrel!!

[pbmax]

blocking has to be it. They need to roll out the barrel!!

The Fuckdoggle Award should be his bust with his hair flowing around his helmet.

[Deputy Nutz]

I think for McCarthy he fell on his sword from the fallout from the Seattle game. He took the shots and gave up play calling which I think was a total mistake on his part. Regardless all the plays are still going through McCarthy. It's not like he isn't paying attention to what is being called through the headset. He is either giving Clements complete freedom to call the plays, or McCarthy is sinking in the same boat as Clements.

So much is wrong with this offense it is really hard to pinpoint anything in particular. They were supposed to be an up tempo offense and they seem to struggle beating the shot clock.

Also we can't over look the fact that they simply might not have enough bullets in the chamber. Has Thompson done enough at the TE position since Finley? I would say no. Next off season is going to be interesting considering the offensive line needs better talent at the book ends. I like Bulaga but his knees are shot and he isn't going to be able to give the Packers a solid 16 games any more. Right Tackle should be a major concern and our guards have taken a step backwards this year. After focusing heavy on defense the past 6 years or so in the draft Thompson is going to have to refill the tank on offense at some point. Especially when you look at what a huge step back the Packers young guys have taken this year.

[beveaux1]

I don't think different offensive playcallers, or WRs and QBs at the same meeting have much to do with the problems the Packers have shown on offense. I also don't think that stale plays or plays that the defense knows what is coming has a lot to do with the problems. Winning football is actually pretty simple. Whether you run the wishbone, regular pro set, or the WCO, it all comes down to executing the play. You beat the man you're supposed to beat, the guy next to you beats his man, etc., you have a successful play. If every wide receiver that's playing is nursing an injury and playing at less than 100%, they're not beating the player across from them. If your QB is nursing a leg injury and a shoulder injury, he might not be able to put the ball exactly where he wants to. He also may not want to run it if there's an opening. If every lineman is on the injury report and they're basically toughing it out to play every week. That doesn't mean they are at 100%. It means that sometimes they can't reach the rusher and they get beat.

I understand that every team is hurt this time of year, but if you look at the injury reports for those teams, there is not nearly as wide spread a problem as there seems to be for this team. I'm also not saying that the injury problems cause every play to fail. What I'm saying is that it's enough of a problem to keep us from stringing 6 first downs in a row. The bad plays kill drives and prevent scoring opportunities. It's not a coincidence that the game our starting field position for each drive was at its best, we scored 30 points. We still couldn't score touchdowns, but we were able to kick long field goals.

I don't think we can "play call" our way out of this slump. Our guys have to beat the man across from them on a consistent basis. That just hasn't been happening.

[pbmax]

The Packers have had trouble with tight man or press coverage at other times, this isn't recent on the WRs part. Even with Nelson, San Fran was able to bottle the pass attack up. You add that to less than stellar pass pro AND Rodgers getting hit 60 times in 3 game plus a bum shoulder, you have an pass offense stalling against man to man.

Other than San Fran or Seattle, Rodgers could just escape and wait for someone to break coverage. Man doesn't last for 5 seconds. But Rodgers isn't either anymore.

They do need to call something different. These receivers aren't going to change mid-year and Adams is a slim reed to base hope upon.

[Smidgeon]

BTW, if you google Frankenbacker Packers you get a lot of PackerRats hits. But also evidence that Football's Future and PackerNews.net are stealing our stuff.

Further evidence this board is a million times better (as if personal experience didn't already indicate that truth).