Is it time for a "relax" for the offense?

[Jerellh528]

Listen - people were actually clamoring for the same before last year's game against the Patriots. Then McCarthy got creative.

Much like not showing much in the preseason, teams don't open up the full playbook until they need to do so. We are one of a few undefeated teams and our offense and defense are showing great balance. Why show our hand until needed? We are going to hit the hardest part of our schedule after the bye week. Let's not rush into premature matriculation. McCarthy would be wise to hold a few things back until later in the season and/or the playoffs.

Good point. McCarthy especially has been known to get more creative as the season progresses and youngsters get more comfortable

 

[RRyder]

Conservative predictable don't they run hand and hand I'm not switching. As far as five wide I'm not saying go out there and run 5 wide all game you also left out Richard Rodgers bring Cobb or Ty out the back field a play or 2 mix it up a lil is all I'm saying.

They're allready lineing up Cobb n Montgomery a few times a game in the backfield so what's your point?

 

[Ogsponge]

This one of the funniest threads ever!

"We are missing our top two receivers, are running game was ineffective, our defense is playing outstanding, we are 5-0, but lets talk about our offensive problems...

Shees, I think TJV already said it and I will say it again because it is the only thing that matters and the only thing people should be thinking about. Are you ready? Here it goes....

Our DEFENSE is capable of winning games for us when the offense is not firing on all cylinders. Let me repeat, our DEFENSE, D-E-F-E-N-S-E, is capable of WINNING games for us when our offense is not firing on all cylinders.

When was the last time that could be said? Not since the Super Bowl year. The past 4 years if the offense could only muster 17 points it was pretty much a darn near guaranteed loss. Not this year. The offense is not going to score 40 a points a game every single game people.

Anyway, if you are worried about the offense at all, seek immediate professional help.

 

[Half Empty]

Yeah, but I don't think production and effectiveness are necessarily synonymous in this league.

Not being snarky, just confused. Could you give definitions or examples to differentiate between production and effectiveness?

 

[Vrill]

I'm perfectly fine with winning low scoring defensive struggles. It shows that we are diverse now and don't have to rely 100% on the offense to score 30+ points anymore.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

This one of the funniest threads ever!

"We are missing our top two receivers, are running game was ineffective, our defense is playing outstanding, we are 5-0, but lets talk about our offensive problems...

Shees, I think TJV already said it and I will say it again because it is the only thing that matters and the only thing people should be thinking about. Are you ready? Here it goes....

Our DEFENSE is capable of winning games for us when the offense is not firing on all cylinders. Let me repeat, our DEFENSE, D-E-F-E-N-S-E, is capable of WINNING games for us when our offense is not firing on all cylinders.

When was the last time that could be said? Not since the Super Bowl year. The past 4 years if the offense could only muster 17 points it was pretty much a darn near guaranteed loss. Not this year. The offense is not going to score 40 a points a game every single game people.

Anyway, if you are worried about the offense at all, seek immediate professional help.

The offense should be really good. It's been underwhelming even considering the missing players. Eddie Lacy is averaging 51.4 yards rushing a game in an offense missing two of its top three receivers, that's not good. Is it so bad that people should be concerned the Packers will miss the playoffs? No, but is something to discuss on a forum.

I don't understand this line of reasoning, "the defense is good so who cares if the offense is sputtering"...

 

[Mondio]

why do people think that because you're questioning the offensive output that one is somehow panicking, or upset, or otherwise unhappy with the fact we're 5-0 and somehow can't appreciate that our defense has been playing lights out?

I know Adams has been out, I know Jordy is out, I also know that Jones, Rodgers, Cobb and Montgomery are better than average receiving targets. Many teams would be lucky to have 3 targets like that. I also know Lacy and Starks are more than capable out of the backfield running and receiving. When Aaron is your QB, I think that is more than enough firepower to score more, or at the very least be more efficient on the offensive side of the ball.

I do not think our offense is going to suck this year, I do not think they are going to remain in a funk. I'm pretty sure they are going to be just fine barring any catastrophes. But I can also recognize that our efficiency is not where it needs to be. It doesn't mean i'm somehow NOT grateful our defense has been picking up the slack and capable of shutting people down, or that our special teams, though they had a mistake Sunday, are better than they were and I also expect that to continue. I have no doubt that we'll see each phase win us a game this year that otherwise would have been lost in the past. It still doesn't mean that the production on offense hasn't been disappointing.

I love that we went to the west coast, on a short week, in the heat, and played a desperate 49er's team with a strong defense and gutted out a win. I like that our offense sputtered all day, and our defense was able to mostly carry this team last week. I like that we've held most of the running attacks in check. I'll even count last week. when you're up by 2 scores most of the game, I don't care how many yards your RB gets when he fails to score and most of those yards didn't come until GB was up by 10-14 points. Stats don't tell you the story, because when it counted, they got stuffed. I like that i'm not cringing every time we're kicking, punting, or receiving. I'm still a bit disappointed in the offensive production, regardless of who's missing. I don't need 40 points, but i'd like to see some efficiency. I'd like to still see 3-4 yards even if a team brings a safety up still 10 yards off the LOS with 4DL and 2 linebackers in the box. I think we should win against that defense in the run game most times, at least for 4 yards. But we haven't been. But I guess i've been out of line.

 

[TJV]

Shees, I think TJV already said it and I will say it again because it is the only thing that matters and the only thing people should be thinking about. Are you ready? Here it goes.... Our DEFENSE is capable of winning games for us when the offense is not firing on all cylinders.

No, that wasn't me. I just posted that Adams will provide an outside and deep threat that’s been missing (no, not of Jordy’s ability) and Rodgers will have off days. I’m very excited about how the D is playing but I remember 2011 when some fans were dismissive about any concerns about the D because the O was so prolific and they were winning. If I thought the reverse of that was going on this year I would be concerned about the offense. But I’m not concerned:

The Packers are 5th in points per game with 27.4. For those who care about yards, they’re 10th at 363 ypg. They opened the season scoring 31, 27, and 38 points. No one was overly concerned about the offensive production over that stretch of games, were they? Then they only scored 17 points at San Francisco and the offense scored 17 points against the Rams. Some teams match up with opponents better than others, in addition to the points Mondio made about the 9er game, the 9ers D just seems to match up well vs. the Packers offense. But watching that game I never doubted the Packers would win. They scored the winning TD with about 9 minutes left in the first quarter. The combination of the Rams having a good defense and Rodgers having an unusually bad off day resulted in the O only scoring 17 points.

 

[easyk83]

Cobb and Montgomery are slot specialists who are notably less effective working the boundaries. Cobb is average at best on any route hugging the sideline and Monty just seems to be bad working out there. Getting Adams won't just add another threat, it'll also increase the effectiveness of Cobb and Montgomery as well as Richard Rodgers. That's one reason why we're struggling to get guys open, we're only able to effectively attack 3/4 of the field right now and thats excluding the deep routes.

 

[Jerellh528]

Not being snarky, just confused. Could you give definitions or examples to differentiate between production and effectiveness?

Well for instance in the case of jones vs Jordy, jones is producing numbers at a somewhat similar rate as Jordy, but defenses play us different with James in vs jordy. With jones he's not quite the downfield threat or home run hitter Jordy was capable of being and showed to be. Defenses have been sitting on our mid and shorter routes because they don't fear the deep ball or double him like they would with Jordy. Also Jordy was a master of that back shoulder throw and dig routes, if you've noticed the wrs have been out of sync on virtually every back shoulder throw this season and even picked off a dig. They don't worry as much as they did with Jordy on the back shoulder or combacks, so they can take away the deep routes much easier. Jones is producing at a good level, but simply doesn't open up our offense as much can as Jordy did

 

[PackerFanLV]

They're allready lineing up Cobb n Montgomery a few times a game in the backfield so what's your point?

My point is it works use it, i don't think they used it last game. I have not seen a negative play yet from that formation. Change of formation keeping the D on their heels. That's my point!

 

[Dan115]

This one of the funniest threads ever!

"We are missing our top two receivers, are running game was ineffective, our defense is playing outstanding, we are 5-0, but lets talk about our offensive problems...

Shees, I think TJV already said it and I will say it again because it is the only thing that matters and the only thing people should be thinking about. Are you ready? Here it goes....

Our DEFENSE is capable of winning games for us when the offense is not firing on all cylinders. Let me repeat, our DEFENSE, D-E-F-E-N-S-E, is capable of WINNING games for us when our offense is not firing on all cylinders.

When was the last time that could be said? Not since the Super Bowl year. The past 4 years if the offense could only muster 17 points it was pretty much a darn near guaranteed loss. Not this year. The offense is not going to score 40 a points a game every single game people.

Anyway, if you are worried about the offense at all, seek immediate professional help.

I have been seeing a witch doctor here in Thailand. She has done wonders for me. Ooe eee ooee ohhh tin tang whala whhhalllla ting tang

 

[828Packer]

If there is one thing I am not worried about, it is the offense. We are not even 1/3 of the way into our schedule. Rodgers will get a feel for how this offense plays at it's best without Jordy and will operate as such. It's actually refreshing that the worst thing we can be complaining about at this point, is the offense.

 

[RRyder]

My point is it works use it, i don't think they used it last game. I have not seen a negative play yet from that formation. Change of formation keeping the D on their heels. That's my point!

They did use it last game. Your point is u want to see it become more of a staple in the offense apperantly cause if your trying to arguing "change it up n keep the d guessing" argument then they're allready doing it

 

[PikeBadger]

The offense is still evolving and growing with the current personnel available and their abilities. I like it that Lacy is not being overused this early in the season. The coaches are still finding out how some of these guys fit into the entire package and Rodgers has shown incredible patience and the willingness to become a bigger part of the running game while doing it as safely as possible. It will be interesting to see if they use any new looks in Denver after the bye week.

 

[HardRightEdge]

The Packers are 4th. in the league in "big plays" as defined in the following link, i.e., +10 yard run plays and +25 yard pass plays. Note the Packers are tied for 2nd. in +25 yd. pass plays with 13. That works out to 2.6 per game.

Interestingly, if one looks at the 2014 query in that link, it was 34 pass plays of +25 yards, for an average of 2.1 per game. There seems to be a tendency to remember the 50+ point scoring romps while forgetting the difficulties in getting downfield against 2-high safeties much of the rest of the time.

The combined run/pass big play percent-of-snaps for 2015 is 10.26%; for 2014 it was 10.09%.

http://www.sportingcharts.com/nfl/stats/team-big-play-statistics/2015/

Red Zone TD %: 2015 = 61%, 2014 = 57%

3rd. Down Conversions: 2015 = 38.3%; 2014 = 47.2%

http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/downs/sort/thirdDownConvPct
http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/downs/sort/thirdDownConvPct/year/2014

This season's 3rd. down conversion rate is remarkably low for a QB completing 71% of his passes. For perspective, a 10% differential in conversion on a typical 10 possession day equates to one extended possession, which is not a huge thing, but it is not a small thing either.

Whatever issue one finds with the offense this season vs. last, it's less a matter of big plays as it is ball control conversions.

It's interesting to look at Cobb's stats. In 2015, he was Mr. First Down, averaging 4.4 per game, gaining a first down on 56% of his targets. This season, his first down rate has dropped to 3.4 per game with his target rate up slightly (about 0.5 per game). His yards per catch is way off last season's. Whether it's the shoulder, the pressure of the contract, the pressure of being elevated to #1, getting more attention in Nelson's (or even Adams') absence, or some combination of those factors, I'll leave that as a matter of debate.

Taking a step back, it's worth noting the Packers struggled to score in 1/2 of their road games last season, so the SF game is hardly a year-over-year outlier, and it was known the Rams had a pretty decent defense coming in.

So, relax. When Adams gets back on the field and if Cobb can be a bit more productively involved, the current concerns will fizzle if they were not a little misguided in the first place.