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Run game never hits the ground
McCarthy largely abandons trying to use ineffective rush
By BOB McGINN
bmcginn@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Oct. 14, 2007
Actions spoke louder than words Sunday afternoon when it came to Mike McCarthy's regard for the Green Bay Packers' ground game.
Dared to run by a Washington Redskins defense that lined up its safeties as deep as 22 yards all day long, McCarthy almost didn't even try in his team's 17-14 victory at Lambeau Field.
Nine times in the first half the Packers encountered first and 10 in non-hurry situations. Eight times they tried to pass. On the one time that they did run, DeShawn Wynn gained 1 on a draw play.
For the day, the Packers rushed 20 times for 56 yards (2.8 yards per carry), just about par for the course for a team now averaging 65.7 per game and 3.26 per carry.
"You guys probably get tired of hearing me say this but running the football is about attitude and fundamentals," McCarthy said. "We need to improve both."
McCarthy came out winging it on the first four plays from scrimmage and never really stopped until the middle of the fourth quarter.
Protecting a three-point lead, the Packers did manage one first down rushing before a 2-yard gain by Vernand Morency prompted McCarthy to call a pass, which was intercepted.
Given another chance with just less than 3 minutes left, Wynn went minus-2, 5 and no gain on three straight carries and the Packers gave the Redskins another chance.
"How can you not be (worried)?" Brett Favre said. "We needed to run the ball and run the clock out at the end. We needed to do that in several situations this year.
"We need to force people out of Cover 2. They're playing Cover 2, which is so difficult to throw against."
Some of the Redskins' defenders seemed amazed that McCarthy didn't attack their seven-man fronts.
"It's hard to believe they didn't try a little bit more," said defensive end Phillip Daniels, who, as a member of the Chicago Bears from 2000-'03, had to deal with Ahman Green. "I'm not used to them like that. I'm used to them running the ball."
Ditto for linebacker Randall Godfrey, who made his 146th start.
"I thought (McCarthy) was a little more balanced than what he's been doing," Godfrey said. "We were trying to make sure they didn't pass all over the field on us like they've done in the past. I think Wynn is going to be a pretty good back. They've just got to be more balanced."
Through six games, the Packers have run on 31.9% of their plays. For a full season, the team's low for running the ball was 36.7% in 1990. That's when Michael Haddix led coach Lindy Infante's third club in rushing with 311 yards and a 3.2 mark.
Wynn is on pace for 539 yards.
"But No. 4 (Favre) is going to make plays, you know?" Godfrey said. "I'm thinking New England. I've seen them pass every down."
A few times, safety LaRon Landry would creep down near the line of scrimmage and Favre would throw a slant into the area the rookie vacated.
"Right now, we know that's the running play for them," said Gregg Williams, the Redskins' assistant head coach-defense. "Possibly the numbers get skewed and Mike takes heat because he's not running enough, but he calls a run and Brett sees they don't have the numbers right and he puts the ball in the receiver's hands. Going into this breakdown, he's done that 15 to 18 times where they had runs called and he (passed).
"Brett just pops up and throws the slant when everybody else is run blocking. We know that's their 'nod' game, that's their slant game. We did a good job tonight most times not letting him have his first read."
Veteran linebacker London Fletcher, 32, goes back to the days when Dorsey Levens was behind Favre.
"Those quick slants and stuff like that, those are like handoffs," Fletcher said. "You look at the stat sheet and see they don't have many rushes, but think about when they have called runs and they throw the quick slants. And they're getting more yards than they would have if they had tried to run.
"No. 4, put it in his hands. Right now, they're playing to their strengths."
How long can the Packers survive without a ground attack?
"Like every team, you like to have balance and all that," veteran guard Pete Kendall said. "But the fact of the matter is, they're doing enough offensively to complement that defense, which has been playing at a very high level."
Whatever McCarthy does is fine with Morency.
"We're winning," he said. "What are you going to do? Sacrifice the No. 1 passing game to satisfy critics and people like that? Granted, I want the ball. We all want the ball. But you've got to go with what's working."
And right now, that certainly isn't the run game.
McCarthy largely abandons trying to use ineffective rush
By BOB McGINN
bmcginn@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Oct. 14, 2007
Actions spoke louder than words Sunday afternoon when it came to Mike McCarthy's regard for the Green Bay Packers' ground game.
Dared to run by a Washington Redskins defense that lined up its safeties as deep as 22 yards all day long, McCarthy almost didn't even try in his team's 17-14 victory at Lambeau Field.
Nine times in the first half the Packers encountered first and 10 in non-hurry situations. Eight times they tried to pass. On the one time that they did run, DeShawn Wynn gained 1 on a draw play.
For the day, the Packers rushed 20 times for 56 yards (2.8 yards per carry), just about par for the course for a team now averaging 65.7 per game and 3.26 per carry.
"You guys probably get tired of hearing me say this but running the football is about attitude and fundamentals," McCarthy said. "We need to improve both."
McCarthy came out winging it on the first four plays from scrimmage and never really stopped until the middle of the fourth quarter.
Protecting a three-point lead, the Packers did manage one first down rushing before a 2-yard gain by Vernand Morency prompted McCarthy to call a pass, which was intercepted.
Given another chance with just less than 3 minutes left, Wynn went minus-2, 5 and no gain on three straight carries and the Packers gave the Redskins another chance.
"How can you not be (worried)?" Brett Favre said. "We needed to run the ball and run the clock out at the end. We needed to do that in several situations this year.
"We need to force people out of Cover 2. They're playing Cover 2, which is so difficult to throw against."
Some of the Redskins' defenders seemed amazed that McCarthy didn't attack their seven-man fronts.
"It's hard to believe they didn't try a little bit more," said defensive end Phillip Daniels, who, as a member of the Chicago Bears from 2000-'03, had to deal with Ahman Green. "I'm not used to them like that. I'm used to them running the ball."
Ditto for linebacker Randall Godfrey, who made his 146th start.
"I thought (McCarthy) was a little more balanced than what he's been doing," Godfrey said. "We were trying to make sure they didn't pass all over the field on us like they've done in the past. I think Wynn is going to be a pretty good back. They've just got to be more balanced."
Through six games, the Packers have run on 31.9% of their plays. For a full season, the team's low for running the ball was 36.7% in 1990. That's when Michael Haddix led coach Lindy Infante's third club in rushing with 311 yards and a 3.2 mark.
Wynn is on pace for 539 yards.
"But No. 4 (Favre) is going to make plays, you know?" Godfrey said. "I'm thinking New England. I've seen them pass every down."
A few times, safety LaRon Landry would creep down near the line of scrimmage and Favre would throw a slant into the area the rookie vacated.
"Right now, we know that's the running play for them," said Gregg Williams, the Redskins' assistant head coach-defense. "Possibly the numbers get skewed and Mike takes heat because he's not running enough, but he calls a run and Brett sees they don't have the numbers right and he puts the ball in the receiver's hands. Going into this breakdown, he's done that 15 to 18 times where they had runs called and he (passed).
"Brett just pops up and throws the slant when everybody else is run blocking. We know that's their 'nod' game, that's their slant game. We did a good job tonight most times not letting him have his first read."
Veteran linebacker London Fletcher, 32, goes back to the days when Dorsey Levens was behind Favre.
"Those quick slants and stuff like that, those are like handoffs," Fletcher said. "You look at the stat sheet and see they don't have many rushes, but think about when they have called runs and they throw the quick slants. And they're getting more yards than they would have if they had tried to run.
"No. 4, put it in his hands. Right now, they're playing to their strengths."
How long can the Packers survive without a ground attack?
"Like every team, you like to have balance and all that," veteran guard Pete Kendall said. "But the fact of the matter is, they're doing enough offensively to complement that defense, which has been playing at a very high level."
Whatever McCarthy does is fine with Morency.
"We're winning," he said. "What are you going to do? Sacrifice the No. 1 passing game to satisfy critics and people like that? Granted, I want the ball. We all want the ball. But you've got to go with what's working."
And right now, that certainly isn't the run game.
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