Fire McCarthy

[El Guapo]

Like throwing raw meat into the lion cage, I thought that I'd plop this one down to see how everyone reacts. I agree with Vandermause 100% but know that there are those on this board that, while not advocating this exact position, feel that coming short of a SB win is akin to losing.

http://www.packersnews.com/article/20130516/PKR0101/130516030

In today's Mailbag, I want to follow up on a question that Press-Gazette Media reporter Rob Demovsky received during his PackersNews.com reader chat on Wednesday. It jumped off the page at me and would qualify as the most ridiculous question of the week. Here is the question, followed by Rob’s answer, and then my final word:
Buckaroo

If the Pack gets eliminated in the first round of the playoffs again, could Mike McCarthy be in trouble?​

Rob Demovsky

No. I think they're of the thinking that if you get there enough, eventually you'll knock the door down and make a run like they did in 2010.​

My response

Demovsky was dead-on accurate in his answer but entirely too kind in his response to Buckeroo, so let me take a crack at the question.​

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Buckaroo, are you crazy or simply out of touch? Can you be serious to suggest McCarthy’s job status would be in jeopardy if the Packers don’t make it past the first round of the playoffs? Are you so spoiled by success that it has come to this?​

​

I understand the goal is to win the Super Bowl and falling short of that would be disappointing for the Packers and their fans. But I think you need a reality check. A playoff berth this season would make it five straight post-season appearances for the Packers, something no other team in the NFC has accomplished. Why would you even think of firing McCarthy for that track record?​

​

The guy led the Packers to a Super Bowl title 27 months ago and deserves to remain as Packers coach for a long time to come. He can win the big games. He can win on the road. He can win indoors. McCarthy has proven time and again that he is a winner. The Packers are fortunate to have him.​

​

For anyone who will try to accuse me of “sucking up” to the head coach, you can save your breath. I call it like I see it, and simply put, McCarthy is one of the best coaches in the NFL.​

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Best of all for the Packers, McCarthy has no desire to become a general manager and dabble in personnel decisions, which means he could be around for a while. Former Packers coach Mike Holmgren, if you recall, bolted for Seattle because he wanted more control.​

​

If the Packers spiral into a stretch of losing seasons, then we can revisit the question about McCarthy's job status. But until then, Buckeroo, you need to take a chill pill and enjoy the ride.

 

[MiamiBeachPacker]

I also agree 100% with Vandermause

 

[AmishMafia]

yawn.

I'm sure we can find someone out there who thinks TT is actually Madonna posing as a man; Aaron Rodgers fathered Elvis while experimenting with time travel; and that the purpose of the recent Lambeau renovations was to aid the government in hiding alien space craft. Why not give those morons some air time also?

 

[13 Times Champs]

You also have to have the talent and be injury free. Neither of which McCarthy has control over. The guy is a solid coach.

btw, I agree with the initial post that this is not an exact position regarding those who think the article somehow is a retort to those thinking success is based on winning the Super Bowl or not.

 

[realcaliforniacheese]

yawn.

I'm sure we can find someone out there who thinks TT is actually Madonna posing as a man; Aaron Rodgers fathered Elvis while experimenting with time travel; and that the purpose of the recent Lambeau renovations was to aid the government in hiding alien space craft. Why not give those morons some air time also?

Wait...What....Arod is the father of the King???? I KNEW IT!!!!!!

 

[HyponGrey]

Wait...What....Arod is the father of the King???? I KNEW IT!!!!!!

It was also Arod's space ship they hid. That's right. He really IS too good to be human. He's an alien.

 

[Dan115]

It was also Arod's space ship they hid. That's right. He really IS too good to be human. He's an alien.

Roswell 1948

 

[Poppa San]

Roswell 1948

Rockwell was in '47. Little known untruth that Elvis "ran away" and basically disappeared for a few days when he was 12. He was born in 1935. Co-incidence?

 

[fanindaup]

Personally I occasionally find MM play calling a bit predictable at times, and I roll my eyes at the words 'pad level' now. But at other times I admire the cahones he displays when calling an onside kick to start a half, or a fake field goal on fourth and 26. That one was personally my favorite, since he stuck it to the Bears and it erased a different fourth and 26 I was forced to remember. He's not perfect, but he is bold, decisive and a pretty darn good play caller. Offensively the packers have been in the top 10 pretty much every year under him. He's a keeper.

 

[El Guapo]

Exactly. I think that the point for many of us is that Murphy, Thompson, McCarthy, and others in the Packers staff have generally been pretty good. There are certainly some things that they could be better, but until they make perfect robot coaches we'll have to suffer through Super Bowl wins, conference championships, and consecutive winning seasons with the coaches that we've got.

 

[rodell330]

Altho MM isn't exactly known for his in game adjustments he's a solid coach who's won a SB.

 

[ivo610]

He has a few more years before I would suggest a change, I think younger coaches bring some new ideas. No coach has won a SB with more than 1 team, and the avg age when they win is on the younger side.

 

[Dan115]

Rockwell was in '47. Little known untruth that Elvis "ran away" and basically disappeared for a few days when he was 12. He was born in 1935. Co-incidence?

Rodgers came with me in 48, we did not make the first flight. Damn exams!

 

[toolkien]

http://pfref.com/pi/share/b4PcQ

On the face of it a silly question. McCarthy should not be even near a hot seat. But looking at the table in the link above compares to other current coaches. Obviously nice numbers as far as overall winning % and playoff winning %, but there are other coaches who feel some heat who aren't too dramatically different (granted part of bigger markets with the attendant negativity that sells ad time).

Coughlin has two SB's with E Manning, Rex Ryan isn't too far off McCarthy numbers and he's been working with Sanchez at QB. How long is not being properly prepared for the playoffs/big games, with perhaps an all time great QB on board, going to reflect on McCarthy? Two years, three years, five years? The long and the short of it is, given that there is a SB on the resume, how much slack does McCarthy get before he boils down to being legitimately regarded as another Andy Reid?

Another couple of years with decent regular seasons ending in getting smoked in the playoffs, and I think it's at least legitimate to ponder that question. Not just wait for a bright line of losing seasons. The Bears cut Lovie Smith and he had pretty nice overall numbers, but he didn't really have much success in the playoff/big games. On top of which, if a new "program" needs to be installed during the Rodgers era, it isn't going to pay to wait 5 years to clearly see we have a Reid or a Smith on our hands. Another couple of 11-5/12-4 seasons ending in double digit playoff losses should spark SOME sort of change before the Rodgers Era begins to wind down. Whether even then it goes all the way up to the HC, I don't know, but something would have to give.

 

[AmishMafia]

Rex Ryan is a great motivator. He stepped into the Jets and got a lot out of the talent they had. He cannot sustain it because he isn't a developer of talent.

Lovie Smith was never 100% in control. He kept the coaching staff in turmoil, dropping Coordinators too often. He didn't develop talent much either and the act of bringing in FAs never seems to make a roster gel.

Andy Reid - I believe him to be a very good coach. He may be a little short in the 'develop talent' aspect, but he is a good tactician; strong leader; and ran a tight ship. When his DC died, (Johnson?), he never was able to adequately replace him. The Eagles had a series of bad drafts that left the roster depleated - not sure if that is his fault or who calls the shots on draft picks. Reid will have success in his next gig.

What is funny, I think, is that there was a clamor at one time for the hiring of Cowher by some of the discontent set. MM is a much better coach. It took Cowher 15 years to win a superbowl in Pittsburgh. You think some fans would really be content with waiting that long?

MM is one of the best coaches in the NFL. Not winning a SB every year is not an indicator of incompetence. There are times when I question his calls, and at the time, maybe I was right. But then again, maybe I don't have all the information that he has. Maybe if I think he should have gone for the FG - maybe Cosby is puking on the sidelines and can't go in.

 

[AmishMafia]

Rockwell was in '47. Little known untruth that Elvis "ran away" and basically disappeared for a few days when he was 12. He was born in 1935. Co-incidence?

The Plot thickens.

And how come Aaron Rodgers doesn't recall where he was on October 20, 1967? A little convenient for our time travelling friend. Don't you think?

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And how come the original video, by Mr. Patterson, the bigfoot above was wearing a cheese head, and now it has mysteriously disappeared from all of the on-line images?

 

[fanindaup]

I personally believe the Packers were less talented and less physical than the Giants and 49ers the last few years. I think MM and TT recognized that and addressed it in the draft. Injuries were part of it last year. In 2011 the offense was one dimensional. Not much of that is on MM. I give him credit for owning up to it at the combine, and TT drafting some physical running backs and a DL who emulates Reggie White. Lets see how this season plays out. Another pathetic one and done in the postseason and I'll start really questioning management.

 

[Sunshine885500]

This game is a microcosm of Green Bay's Defense. Playing finesse football and not laying the wood to anyone. Defensively you have to be strong up the middle and make people fear running especially QB's. Nothing made me more furious as when Luck ran up the middle on the final drive and both middle linebackers had the chance to really hit him and they both threw out their best arm tackles. Kappernick also torched us up by running up the middle when the pocket broke down.

You be the judge:

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[adambr2]

This game is a microcosm of Green Bay's Defense. Playing finesse football and not laying the wood to anyone. Defensively you have to be strong up the middle and make people fear running especially QB's. Nothing made me more furious as when Luck ran up the middle on the final drive and both middle linebackers had the chance to really hit him and they both threw out their best arm tackles. Kappernick also torched us up by running up the middle when the pocket broke down.

You be the judge:

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That was actually one ILB (I believe DJ Smith) and a corner (I believe Hayward). But, point taken.

 

[fanindaup]

This game is a microcosm of Green Bay's Defense. Playing finesse football and not laying the wood to anyone. Defensively you have to be strong up the middle and make people fear running especially QB's. Nothing made me more furious as when Luck ran up the middle on the final drive and both middle linebackers had the chance to really hit him and they both threw out their best arm tackles. Kappernick also torched us up by running up the middle when the pocket broke down.

You be the judge:

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You just made my point. Do you think Desmond Bishop would've let that happen? He's the guy who lays the wood in the middle. Im sure he would've made Kap think twice about running wild down the middle of he field too. Without Bishop the defense lost a playmaker and was not the same. MM can't play defense, and neither can Capers. The scheme can put a player in the right spot but its up to the player to make a play. Players, not plays as Vic Ketchman says.

 

[HyponGrey]

We also lost one of the few tonesetters we had on D with Bishop. His play elevates everyone else's

 

[fanindaup]

We also lost one of the few tonesetters we had on D with Bishop. His play elevates everyone else's

Precisely.

 

[Sunshine885500]

Maybe it's me, but I want the defense to put fear in the offense. I know that some of these plays might now be considered illegal but until you have someone who will light up an offensive player and make then think about you being there then you are just going to be a finesses defense. (i.e. like Brian Dawkins - Eagles or Bernard Pollard - Ravens).

I want mean & nasty! I am tired of good citizen defenders:

What I would want! The Eagles have always been a physical hitting defense:

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Unfortunately our 2013 was filled with way too much of this:

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Oh not the the Andrew Luck, Kappernick nightmares weren't enough. If our defense improved by much then we really sucked the year before. To me the defense couldn't get off the field when it counted.

 

[longtimefan]

You just made my point. Do you think Desmond Bishop would've let that happen? He's the guy who lays the wood in the middle. Im sure he would've made Kap think twice about running wild down the middle of he field too. Without Bishop the defense lost a playmaker and was not the same. MM can't play defense, and neither can Capers. The scheme can put a player in the right spot but its up to the player to make a play. Players, not plays as Vic Ketchman says.

Check how many plays Woodson's man caught the ball for a good gain.

 

[fanindaup]

Check how many plays Woodson's man caught the ball for a good gain.

Probably why he was unceremoniously cut and hasn't found any takers in FA.