Why have we been having slow starts the past few seasons?

[all about da packers]

The past 3-4 years, we've had a HUGE problem with starting very slowly in the early part of the season.

Why is that exactly? Coach McCarthy said he believed it was due to the players being too tired out of TC the past few years, but I don't buy it.

The main reason is this: MM said when Mike Sherman was the coach, about 100 reps were lost due to poor time management because of the way the practices were set up.

Now if that is true, I'd have to think that fatigue wouldn't be such an issue. If they lost about a 100 reps each practice under Sherman's practice structure, wouldn't they be less fatigued?

If they're less fatigued back then, but still struggled out of the gate, then doesn't that mean fatigue wasn't a factor?

Is fatigue the problem? If fatigue isn't the problem, then what is?

 

[cheesey]

Re: Why have we been having slow starts the past few seasons

I personally don't think it's fatigue. I think it's poor preperation. By the end of camp and the preseason, you SHOULD be ready to play. That hasn't been the case the last few years.
Last year i think with all the coaching and play changes, that played heavily into it. By the end of the year, they were playing alot better. I EXPECT them not to have the slow start this year, as they all have a year under their belts in the new system.

 

[Green_Bay_Packers]

I think we will start slow but improve as the season progresses.

 

[cyoung]

I think we will start slow but improve as the season progresses.

Yes, but they do that every year...a couple years ago started 1-4 and finished 10-6. I think the Packers need to fix the 1-4 and maybe that 10-6 would be something like 11-5 or 12-4. I agree with Cheesey I think preparation is the problem and they need to prepare themselves so they can start off bett and continue with the early success.

 

[Lare]

Re: Why have we been having slow starts the past few seasons

One thing I think plays a big part in a team's early season success is lack of player turnover. Regardless of the age, experience and talent level of the players, it just takes some time for them to all get on the same page, get their timing down, get used to the other player's reaction times and tendencies. That's another reason I think you don't see FAs have a very big impact with their new teams, at least early on.

So teams are always having to play a balancing act during pre-season. On the one hand, you have to get your starters enough reps in order to learn any scheme changes and gel with their teammates, on the other you have to keep your starters healthy & rested for the regular season and play the rookies enough to make good decisions on who'll help the team in the future.

Whatever the reason, you're right in that the Packers have been fighting an uphill battle in the last three years starting off with 1-4 records.

 

[PackCrazed4]

Last year, as Al said, there was a ton of coaching changes and play changes etc., plus the fact that 60-75% of the team are all rookies, they hadn't had the gist of the game yet. A rookie coach and a rookie team can make an excuse to have a poor start I guess. But this year, it has to stop. All the rookies are prepared and have a year under their belts, the first time gitters are all gone now, so hopefully we can see some vast improvement, be as strong in the beginning of this season as we were at the end of last season. We can only hope that is

 

[vechenzo]

It's not so much starting slow for the season, its every game, every game opportunities are blown to take an early major lead, and we play like the other team is better (too conservative) they go in with the attitude that they are going to lose and never take a big lead. If they could gain some confidence back then i think this problem would disappear. They need to play like they believe they can receive the best possible scenario in any given opportunity.

 

[tromadz]

I dont know why the slow starts, but boy is it the most frustrating thing in the world. Sherman, McCarthy, Whoever....it bugs the hell out of me.

Last year was rookie-mania(players,coach) so it was somewhat expected, but this year better be different. MM learned a lot last year, not only as a coach and playcaller, but as a time manager for camps and whatnot, so 'tired players' wont be an issue....but yeah...enough of that BS! Start strong!

 

[cheesey]

Last year, as Al said, there was a ton of coaching changes and play changes etc., plus the fact that 60-75% of the team are all rookies, they hadn't had the gist of the game yet. A rookie coach and a rookie team can make an excuse to have a poor start I guess. But this year, it has to stop. All the rookies are prepared and have a year under their belts, the first time gitters are all gone now, so hopefully we can see some vast improvement, be as strong in the beginning of this season as we were at the end of last season. We can only hope that is

SARAH!!!!!
Where ya BEEN girl!?!?
Glad to see you visiting us here once again!!! :thumbsup:

Lare made a good point too........i think the preseason is hard to balance between getting a last look at some of your guys, and trying to get your team up and running at full speed when the regular season starts. I think that maybe they need to use more of the preseason to get your final team set.
Alot of our guys have now played a year in the system, and with each other, so hopefully they will start out alot better this year. If they don't have to dig out of a deep hole maybe we can do some damage in the NFC this year.

 

[CaliforniaCheez]

Much depends on the priorities of the Exhibition season.

If you spend the time trying new players to see who is the best at a position, the switching of players prevents coalecence.

This season there may be 1 to 3 new starters.

Instead of thinking of preseason as tryouts it can now be used for season preperation.

Will they?? unlikely. There seems to be an unwillingness to show "their playbook" in preseason. They run "vanilla" schemes. Why? By week 10 teams will have enough film to know what is going on. Is it that valuable in week 2?

In short the Packers should take the preseason games more seriously.

 

[porky88]

Perhaps the players are slacking off to much in the off season and they haven't gel yet. Yes they are NFL players but they are humans none the less and I'm pretty sure a lot of them take it easy when they really should be working hard at times. Hey I'm going to get bashed for this but look it Brett Favre. Prime example. He didn't throw a football from the Bears game up until Mini Camp. It's little things like that the players need to understand that there is no off season. They have to work year round at this if they are going to be a successful team. Now you can't just single out one player like that. If 99% of the guys are working as a team the Packers can be very good.

Though I think the easy answer is the Packers just haven't been any good the past 3 years. I think they were an okay team that developed into a mediocre team during the season.

 

[HatestheEagles084]

The main reason is this: MM said when Mike Sherman was the coach, about 100 reps were lost due to poor time management because of the way the practices were set up.

Exactly...he probably nix'ed all of the running game practice to give Bidwell more time to practice punting from the 40 yard line

SORRY...SORRY...had to...

Seriously I'm very confident in McCarthy's system...take difference between the first game against Chicago in September (after the team has known/practiced for McCarthy for roughly three months)...to the last game--hell, the last four games of the season...just all around better play on both sides of the ball,

The way the offensive line came together, two rookies playing the guard positions, is nothing short of amazing...McCarthy was neglected as the Packers were labeled as a fluke rather than a team to really worry about (that finished out of a playoff spot by tiebreakers)

Same thing with the defense, started to make plays at the end of the season and I think they can only get better