Is McCarthy smarter than a 3rd grader?

[beveaux1]

I hated the decision too because of situation, identity and opponent. But mostly I hated it it because of the result. The optics were terrible for about 3 minutes of game time.

But then his team responded and they rolled the rest of the way. For as much as we've gotten on M3 for his management in trying to protect a lead, I think this was him putting the pedal down. They spun out that time, but the mentality won out.

They also kept throwing the ball in the 4th quarter when they were protecting the lead.

A very aggressive game plan on offense was what this team needed. Don't be surprised if they're just as aggressive next week.

[texaspackerbacker]

Tex, you're old enough to remember Starr's patented long passes downfield on third and one or fourth and one. That actually went through my mind as they were lining up for that play today.

I definitely remember those well. Something about today's D, though, you just can't catch them completely selling out for the run like when Starr would hit Dale, etc. Maybe it's because so many teams routinely use short passes on 3rd and 1 or 2.

Vince, I hear ya, but I'm not as annoyed by going for broke with a long one than I am with damn fade patterns in the end zone, possibly my least favorite play in the book - unless it is the other team doing it.

[King Friday]

I have no problem with being aggressive when the situation gives you a clear reward for the risk. However, in this case, I don't think the reward justified the risk. Being aggressive wasn't going to get you anything. If you make it, you are still 30+ yards out of field goal range. It wasn't going to be some kind of death blow or dagger to the Giants' chances. Meanwhile, failure allowed for the Giants to have at least a CHANCE at getting mojo back that was absolutely RIPPED from them on the hail mary.

Fortunately, Aaron Rodgers is playing so out of his mind right now, it didn't matter. However, that doesn't excuse the absolute stupidity of that decision.

[Harlan Huckleby]

It was bad enough he made the decision to go for it. But then I figured he had some really great play up his sleeve, like an Arod bootleg

I have to say I thought the bootleg run/pass option was the perfect play too. But maybe Stubby was trying to trick them by calling the worst possible play - catch them off guard.

[vince]

Well they just ran that play last week on 4th and 1. Opponents do chart that stuff. I'd say he was thinking that Monty has consistently shown the ability to gain yards after contact and would be both strong and slippery enough to get the 4 inches even if there was some penetration. One guy blew up Taylor right in the hole and Rip the Polish Hammer didn't have much punch today. He got stood up and pushed into the hole too.

[Pugger]

Next time Stubby feels aggressive on fourth and one I hope he's closer to the opponents end zone than his own. lol

Exactly! We haven't been able to run on this team all game long and he decides to go for it THERE? Of course a couple of plays later NJ scores a TD. He should have punted it away. If we had lost this game because of that boneheaded move everyone would be up in arms.

[Pugger]

I hated the decision too because of situation, identity and opponent. But mostly I hated it it because of the result. The optics were terrible for about 3 minutes of game time.

But then his team responded and they rolled the rest of the way. For as much as we've gotten on M3 for his management in trying to protect a lead, I think this was him putting the pedal down. They spun out that time, but the mentality won out.

They also kept throwing the ball in the 4th quarter when they were protecting the lead.

I would have been pissed even if it worked because it was a foolish move. Why give your opponent that field position when you have the lead? I like Mac and think he's a good coach but sometimes he does the damnedest inane stuff in these games.

[Pugger]

I have no problem with being aggressive when the situation gives you a clear reward for the risk. However, in this case, I don't think the reward justified the risk. Being aggressive wasn't going to get you anything. If you make it, you are still 30+ yards out of field goal range. It wasn't going to be some kind of death blow or dagger to the Giants' chances. Meanwhile, failure allowed for the Giants to have at least a CHANCE at getting mojo back that was absolutely RIPPED from them on the hail mary.

Fortunately, Aaron Rodgers is playing so out of his mind right now, it didn't matter. However, that doesn't excuse the absolute stupidity of that decision.

Thank you expressing this better than I did.

[Rutnstrut]

As I have said for awhile, they win despite stubby not because of him.

[vince]

Mike McCarthy set tone for Packers' turnaround

McCarthy, however, decided to put it on the line -- literally.

"It's playoff football, and we appreciate that mentality, man" left tackle David Bakhtiari told me afterward. "It's a testament to him -- he's showing that he's got our back, and we've got his back, too. I don't want him not to call our number next time. We need to hold up our end."

Rodgers, too, has been pleased with his coach's recent pattern of aggressive decision-making. "It's different," he said. Asked if he had any theories as to why that was so, the quarterback replied, "I don't know. I just know it's different, and I like it."

Though the failed handoff to Montgomery would turn out to be a risky move he would come to rue, McCarthy had his reasons. He and his assistants had made a slew of halftime adjustments that helped get receivers in space and softened up the Giants' pressure schemes, and he believed it was time to seize the moment.

"To be honest with you, I felt like the game was getting ready to change," he explained. "I felt like we could change the game there. I had two calls there (on fourth down), and I wish I would've gone with the second one. It was a solid play call, but they... but hey, he had a better defense called than I had a play called."

When the Giants scored two plays later, the pressure seemed to have shifted back to the Packers. Their rebuttal was swift and severe. The Pack needed just four plays to reach the end zone, with Rodgers finding Cobb in space for a 30-yard score, and ended their next three drives with a field goal, touchdown and touchdown, respectively.

[texaspackerbacker]

As I have said for awhile, they win despite stubby not because of him.

hahahaha That's my line, although the bottom line is, they are winning. We have a lot more consistency and a lot less controversy than just about any other team around. I give McCarthy and his low key approach some credit for that. As for the game planning and play calling, it is what it is. It's hard to argue with success - on a good day at least.

[Fritz]

It was bad enough he made the decision to go for it. But then I figured he had some really great play up his sleeve, like an Arod bootleg or a Starr-esque downfield pass. Nope, ran it off tackle. That's when I started hollering at the TV.

I was actually okay with him going for it - it was so un-Schottenheimer-like.

But I agree with Maxie about the call itself. Did he really have to try to go all macho right there?

[mission]

For as much as we've gotten on M3 for his management in trying to protect a lead, I think this was him putting the pedal down. They spun out that time, but the mentality won out.

They also kept throwing the ball in the 4th quarter when they were protecting the lead.

Two weeks in a row actually! This has been my biggest issue with MM, but if he's finally got it figured out -- why it took so long, who knows?? -- then I feel a lot better about this team moving forward. Finishing the last two games strong is a good sign as it's never really been part of this teams' makeup.

[Patler]

We have continuously lambasted MM for being too conservative in what could be defining moments in a game, and, yes, this has included punting in 4th and very short situations regardless of field position. We have criticized him for taking fieldgoals in 4th and inches situations.

So now we criticize him for being too aggressive,...........just because it didn't work????

[George Cumby]

I wanted him to go for it. I envisioned a QB sneak and thought it might turn the game when they blew it.

Note the quote above where he says the Giants had a better defense called than his play call, no throwing players under the bus there.....