Why can't the Packers win close games?

red4tribe

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For whatever reason, since Favre has left, the Packers have been unable to win many close games. In 2008 I blamed it on the defense and a young, still learning, Rodgers. But much time has passed since then. There cannot be anymore excuses. This close game problem should have been resolved by now.

Who's fault is it?

McCarthy?
Rodgers?
The defense?
Bad Luck?

A combination of all of the above?

There has only been one game where the Packers have truly been blown out of in the past 3 years, and that was the disastrous Saints game in 2008. The Packers have been in basically every other game. But yet, despite that, the Packers have a grand total of 3 4th Quarter comebacks since '08. There have been many, many more opportunities that we should have been able to take advantage of.

I apologize if I appear to be ranting, but it is quite frustrating to watch the Packers lose 6 games by a combined total of 20 points.

So, who do you blame?
 

longtimefan

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Not to be a smart ***, but there are prob 4 different threads with those questions and answers buried with in the thread.,.
 

Rodgers2Finley4TDs

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Stupid little mistakes. More often than not its the defense giving up crucial scores. I remember twice where Crosby missed game winners but he has missed his share of kicks earlier in games which cost us big late. Special teams are garbage and that makes a difference in close games. Offensive line is a hindrance but Rodgers seems to do his thing anyway. Don't forget 3rd and 4th and short which kill us too.

Basically the same dumb@ss mistakes week in and week out. Now you know why I am not a huge fan of McCarthy.
 

Mr. StyleZ

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It's a new problem every time. It's not possible to finger 1 person or reason.

The one I've seen the most (since '08) is our defense can play well all game long and our defense blows it on the final drive. And it doesn't help that our special teams can't do their part and give them a long field. You would think it has to even out sooner or later and these breaks at crunch time will go our way, but so far they haven't. It makes me think of my favorite word::: Anomaly.
 
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It seems as the end we always give them a big special teams play to allow them a short field to work on, we end up getting a penalty called on us, and then our defense doesn't play shut out defense towards the end
 

DevilDon

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I'd have to say special teams. The difference between a first string and a second string player in the league is small, they are little things that makes you first string. However, those little things add up of course. If you have as many injuries as the Packers have had you have to figure to lose some of those little things.
Take note of when Flynn took over in Detroit, he didn't have the rhythm and the timing to get the offense going, perfect example of the little things.
There is a glaring weakness in the Packers overall performance that you can point to game in and game out, it's almost painful to watch any special teams play. And yes, the injury bug hit them too, but heck, the O and D managed without those players, why can't ST adapt?
If you give them advantageous field position, it puts the pressure on the D, get them back at their 20 and our D will give them hell. It's just common sense.
 

FrankRizzo

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I'd have to say special teams.
Three phases to teams.

Offense: We're good there.
Defense: We're good there.

Special teams: What do you think?

Our special teams sucks. It always has since TT got here.
Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News always does a great in depth statistical research of all teams overall special teams, and we have been DEAD LAST a few times, and except for 2007, we are always in the bottom 10 of the NFL.

In close games, that special teams play often will make the difference in an L and a W. We have 4 L's thanks to special teams plays against us. We have 0 W's thank to our special teams plays made. Sad fact.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyOvCVAACjo]YouTube - DeSean Jackson 2009-2010 Season Highlights[/ame]
 

FrankRizzo

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With a nod to Incubus:
FIRE SLOCUM!
It's not just Slocum. But he should go still....
Ted fired **** Stock 2 years ago because the special teams sucked under him to.

I suggest don't pass on proven lethal return men like DeSean Jackson, and let's find a PROVEN SPECIAL TEAMS GOOD COACH, and get him in here. Steal the Bears guy, pay him triple if it takes that.

A lot of Hester's PR TDs... nobody touches him, like Monday Night. Slocum had never been a successful special teams coach before we mysteriously made him the man in charge. Wow.
 

JBlood

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We've had many 4th quarter leads that have evaporated due to our inability to get first downs by running the ball and burning the clock. I think our primary problem is the offensive line's inability to control the line of scrimmage. That's how you make special teams a non-factor.
 

longtimefan

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Packers haunted by same old demons - JSOnline

The same way they lost their other five games this season: by failing to convert in critical short-yardage situations, by committing costly penalties and by making game-changing blunders on special teams.
Every team makes an occasional mistake on special teams but with the Packers it's been a disturbing pattern.


In Chicago on Sept. 27, Devin Hester returned Tim Masthay's line-drive punt 62 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to give the Bears a 14-10 lead in a game they would go on to win, 20-17.


Two weeks later, at Washington, Mason Crosby's 53-yard field goal attempt with 1 second left in regulation clanked off the left upright and the game went into overtime tied, 13-13. The Redskins won, 16-13.


On Oct. 17, against Miami at Lambeau Field, Robert Francois lined up illegally over the center on a punt midway through the fourth quarter. The penalty gave the Dolphins a first down on the Packers' 38 and they went on to score a touchdown and take a 20-13 lead en route to a 23-20 victory in overtime.


Fast forward to Atlanta again. The Packers put together a brilliant 16-play, 90-yard touchdown drive to tie the score, 17-17, with 1:06 remaining.


Unfortunately, Eric Weems returned the ensuing kickoff 40 yards and the Falcons got 15 more when Matt Wilhelm grabbed Weems' facemask at the end of the run.


So that was a special teams breakdown and a penalty.

Those that looking to blame MM, Rodgers, Slocum, Capers need to read that article...Puts it all in perspective
 

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