McCarthy's future hinges on Sanders' success

[Zero2Cool]

By Chris Havel

Mike McCarthy's most important decision of his National Football League coaching career occurred months ago.

When the Green Bay Packers' coach named Bob Sanders his defensive coordinator on Jan. 21, McCarthy placed his future to a great degree in the hands of a man he had known for several weeks.

McCarthy's instincts may be proven correct. He cited several reasons for selecting Sanders. He appreciated Sanders' candor, admired his work ethic and respected his pedigree.

Sanders, 52, a Jim Bates disciple, brought continuity. The Packers were working on their fourth defensive coordinator in five years, and McCarthy valued Sanders' ability to build upon Bates' scheme.

McCarthy's reasoning seemed logical.

In 2005, Bates inherited a patchwork defense with few legitimate playmakers, and somehow elevated it from 25th in yards allowed to seventh overall and first against the pass. Those rankings were misleading in that opposing teams typically grabbed early leads and milked the clock by running the ball. Rarely did opponents have to pass to overcome a deficit.

Nevertheless, Bates wiped clean Bob Slowik's fingerprints and forged ahead with one gutsy performance after another.

In a sense, Sanders was hired to pick up where Bates left off. Ted Thompson, the Packers' general manager, signed defensive tackle Ryan Pickett, cornerback Charles Woodson and safety Marquand Manuel in free agency. He re-signed defensive end Aaron Kampman, and spent the fifth pick in the draft to acquire linebacker A.J. Hawk.

Through three games, the new defensive coordinator and the influx of talent have produced the NFL's 31st-ranked unit. The pass rush has been inconsistent, the run defense spotty and the pass defense unacceptable.

The Packers' defense has made Chicago's Rex Grossman, New Orleans' Drew Brees and Detroit's Jon Kitna look like Sid Luckman, Archie Manning and Bobby Layne.

If the trend continues, Philadelphia's Donovan McNabb is going to morph into an unstoppable, freakish combination of Norm Van Brocklin and Randall Cunningham come Monday night's Packers-Eagles game.

Where are Mike Boryla and Joe Pisarcik when you need them? For that matter, where is a Packers safety when you need one?

The better question: Will Sanders correct the mistakes, improve the communication and get the defense on track?

McCarthy, like Mike Holmgren before him, had better hope so. McCarthy is an offensive-minded coach. Ditto for Holmgren. The difference is Holmgren had Ray Rhodes, and then Fritz Shurmur, to coordinate his defenses in Green Bay.

When Shurmur died in summer 1999, Holmgren suffered personally and professionally. The Seahawks went 9-7, 6-10, 9-7 and 7-9 under one of the NFL's top head coaches before finding postseason success.

If a coach as renowned as Holmgren struggled without his right-hand man, what is McCarthy to do if Sanders isn't the right man for the job?

Kurt Schottenheimer, the Packers' defensive backs coach, has drawn fan and media criticism in his second go-round here. Certainly, he is responsible for the pass defense's substandard play.

Ultimately, the onus falls on Sanders. If he finds a way to tighten up a sievelike defense the Packers' future — and McCarthy's — looks solid. If not, McCarthy wouldn't be the first NFL coach to be doomed before he started.

Chris Havel can be reached by voice mail at (920) 431-8586 or by e-mail at [email protected]

 

[DePack]

This article is right on. Not only does Sanders control MM's fate, I believe he controls TT's also. There is no way that Jones will allow TT to name a third head coach in 3 or 4 years. Our safeties have played BRUTALLY.

 

[Zero2Cool]

This article is right on. Not only does Sanders control MM's fate, I believe he controls TT's also. There is no way that Jones will allow TT to name a third head coach in 3 or 4 years. Our safeties have played BRUTALLY.

Do you mean second coach? Ted didn't name Sherman as coach, he came in as GM while Sherman was coaching. If he fires McCarthy, then fires McCarthy's replacement the following year and hires an fires another coach, obviously Ted is doing something wrong.

 

[DePack]

This article is right on. Not only does Sanders control MM's fate, I believe he controls TT's also. There is no way that Jones will allow TT to name a third head coach in 3 or 4 years. Our safeties have played BRUTALLY.

Do you mean second coach? Ted didn't name Sherman as coach, he came in as GM while Sherman was coaching. If he fires McCarthy, then fires McCarthy's replacement the following year and hires an fires another coach, obviously Ted is doing something wrong.

The first coach that Ted, as you like to call him, hired was Mike Sherman. Remember that 2 year extension that we are still paying for????

 

[Zero2Cool]

The first coach that Ted, as you like to call him, hired was Mike Sherman. Remember that 2 year extension that we are still paying for????

lmao ... that gave me a good laugh, thanks i needed that sillyness ... extensions = hiring ... just hilarious

His contract would have been up at the end of the 05 season. The two year extension ... I understand why, but don't agree with it and to my current understanding it doesnt even effect the salary cap so ... who cares?

 

[DePack]

Having a bad day???When TT was hired it was 100% his call who would be the head coach. He chose Mike Sherman.....in fact with the ringing endorsement of a two year 6.2 million dollar extension. Mike Sherman was in fact the first coach he chose....Mike McCarthy is the second coach he chose......he won't get a third chance IF McCarthy doesn't cut it.

This is the real world ....not Madden 2007 or Fantasy Football.



Hope your day improves!!!!

 

[pyledriver80]

Having a bad day???When TT was hired it was 100% his call who would be the head coach. He chose Mike Sherman.....in fact with the ringing endorsement of a two year 6.2 million dollar extension. Mike Sherman was in fact the first coach he chose....Mike McCarthy is the second coach he chose......he won't get a third chance IF McCarthy doesn't cut it.

This is the real world ....not Madden 2007 or Fantasy Football.



Hope your day improves!!!!

No Doubt Zero, Ted resigned Sherman. I don't know why you are even trying to dispute it or spin it.

 

[net]

What Havel was doing was filling space during a slow news time.

Remember the word continuity.

Here's the three best defenses in the league:

Baltimore
Chicago
Jacksonville

How are they alike? All of them are playing with great athletes, in a system that has been around awhile.

Counting Sanders, the Packers are on what, their 4th defensive coordinator in five years? Hiring Sanders was to at least keep the majority of the veterans in the same system. But Manuel, Woodson, Hawk, Pickett are new to the system, and Poppinga has hardly played in it. Collins is just in his second year.

Three games in statistically, the Packers are doing better than last year vs. the rush, but has given up a boatload of big plays. Bates' defensive philosophy was to stop the big play and contain. Sanders should look seriously at that.

I think the single biggest goof made by McCarthy was bringing back Kurt Schottinthearse, who ruined the secondary the last time he was here.

But I wouldn't look for any change. If the Packers can climb up to the middle of the pack defensively, the offense should be able to take it the rest of the way.

 

[Packnic]

i unfortunately agree with these two guys....ugh.

If your gonna give credit to TT for re-signing the likes of Aaron Kampman, Ahman Green and semi Brett Favre. all good moves

You gotta give him credit for re-signing the Shermanator. a move you cannot discredit due to Shermans record in the regular season. I think the playoff record left a bad taste in everyones mouth cause he got outcoached. and the 4-12 season just gave TT the reason to fire him. However in hindsight it was obviously stupid to give Sherman that much money.

 

[DePack]

Good post net. I hate to say this because I'm not a big Roman fan but the biggest difference so far has been the play of our safeties., and the only change was Manuel.

 

[Bobby Roberts]

There wasn't any problem with promoting Sanders to DC. He's a solid coach with a strong background ready to be a DC, plus it was the closest he could get to having continuity on defense from Bates.

The mistake, as net pointed out, was hiring k. Schot. This guy was a major problem when here before and our DBs don't know what's going on again. Add the poor play of Manuel to the mix and our defense is struggling.

 

[Zero2Cool]

No Doubt Zero, Ted resigned Sherman. I don't know why you are even trying to dispute it or spin it.

He offered an extension to his exsisting contract which was in its final year. Do you not understand that? He didn't 'resign' him. Resigning someone means they have no contract and are signing back with said team.

 

[pyledriver80]

No Doubt Zero, Ted resigned Sherman. I don't know why you are even trying to dispute it or spin it.

He offered an extension to his exsisting contract which was in its final year. Do you not understand that? He didn't 'resign' him. Resigning someone means they have no contract and are signing back with said team.

Word it however you want but the result is still the same. Ted had control over it thus making Sherman his first choice and Mickey Mouse his second

 

[packerfanfourever]

Maybe TT gave MS his extention so MS could just worry about coaching and not have the added pressure trying to win games on a contract year.

MM is coaching his fourth reg season game I just can't figure how a true Packer fan could call his teams coach Mickey Mouse but to each their own I guess.

 

[Zero2Cool]

Word it however you want but the result is still the same. Ted had control over it thus making Sherman his first choice and Mickey Mouse his second

Wow, How smart. Why didn't I see that. Omg. Wow. Just WOW. You have thought it all through. You even thought about Harlan in this matter too and the ties with Sherman. WOW. Amazing. There is absolutely no way Harlan could have asked for the new gm to retain Sherman after his playoff loss. Theres no way, that stuff NEVER happens AHEM kurt shottenheimer AHEM.

You must be logged in to see this image or video!

 

[pyledriver80]

Word it however you want but the result is still the same. Ted had control over it thus making Sherman his first choice and Mickey Mouse his second

Wow, How smart. Why didn't I see that. Omg. Wow. Just WOW. You have thought it all through. You even thought about Harlan in this matter too and the ties with Sherman. WOW. Amazing. There is absolutely no way Harlan could have asked for the new gm to retain Sherman after his playoff loss. Theres no way, that stuff NEVER happens AHEM kurt shottenheimer AHEM.

You must be logged in to see this image or video!

Good, I knew even you could figure it out with some help!

 

[DePack]

Word it however you want but the result is still the same. Ted had control over it thus making Sherman his first choice and Mickey Mouse his second

Wow, How smart. Why didn't I see that. Omg. Wow. Just WOW. You have thought it all through. You even thought about Harlan in this matter too and the ties with Sherman. WOW. Amazing. There is absolutely no way Harlan could have asked for the new gm to retain Sherman after his playoff loss. Theres no way, that stuff NEVER happens AHEM kurt shottenheimer AHEM.

You must be logged in to see this image or video!

HMMM calling someone an as$wipe because they made you look foolish will usually draw at least a warning........for some.....that is!!!

 

[pyledriver80]

Word it however you want but the result is still the same. Ted had control over it thus making Sherman his first choice and Mickey Mouse his second

Wow, How smart. Why didn't I see that. Omg. Wow. Just WOW. You have thought it all through. You even thought about Harlan in this matter too and the ties with Sherman. WOW. Amazing. There is absolutely no way Harlan could have asked for the new gm to retain Sherman after his playoff loss. Theres no way, that stuff NEVER happens AHEM kurt shottenheimer AHEM.

You must be logged in to see this image or video!

HMMM calling someone an as$wipe because they made you look foolish will usually draw at least a warning........for some.....that is!!!

Yeah not for a select few however

 

[pyledriver80]

lmao ... that gave me a good laugh, thanks i needed that sillyness ... extensions = hiring ... just hilarious

His contract would have been up at the end of the 05 season. The two year extension ... I understand why, but don't agree with it and to my current understanding it doesnt even effect the salary cap so ... who cares?

Then in another post he praises Thompson for Driver

Driver, wtf did this guy do to deserve an extension? how lame, what a stupid move by ted STUPID

Lolololol......can we try to be consistent buddy?

 

[GakkofNorway]

Are you guys packerfans or packerbashers?

If TT and MM won the superbowl you would find something to whine about, judge MM after the season.

 

[porky88]

Then in another post he praises Thompson for Driver

You critcize him for praising TT for giving Driver an extension yet when someone says something about Sherman giving big money to Robert Ferguson and Cledius Hunt your fast to remind people that Sherman gave an extension to Chad Clifton.

 

[packerfanfourever]

Are you guys packerfans or packerbashers?

If TT and MM won the superbowl you would find something to whine about, judge MM after the season.

couldn't agree more, good post

 

[tromadz]

I don't agree with this article.

What is with this "Mr. ______'s fate depends on (one of his first hires)." nonsense?

TT supposedly needs A-Rod to do well(not true at all, just has to make sure the nex qb after favre is decent\reliable, be it A-Rod, or someone else).

Now rookie HC is on the bubble because of a possible bad hire? Was McCarthy supposed to be lights out on AND off the field?

Hearing some of you ramble on, I get the assumption McCarthy was supposed to go 16-0, win coach of the year, and have the best staff ever assembled.

McCarthys fate doesn't depend on Sanders. Sanders fate depends on Sanders. If the defense continues to suck(mostly pass D) McCarthy will be here next year, as will TT. Sorry.

PM me when you return to reality.