Mike McCarthy: From genius to jagweed
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Two years ago, Mike McCarthy was getting serious coach-of-the-year buzz after skippering the Packers from 4-12 to 13-3 in a mere two seasons. These days, the talk is more about whether McCarthy will still have a job at the end of the season and how much responsibility he bears for the team’s disappointing start.
The knocks on McCarthy run something like this:
-He’s too rigid, sticking to a zone-blocking scheme for the run game even though it’s yielded underwhelming results, especially in short-yardage situations.
-He’s not rigid enough, abandoning the run too early in games, allowing defenses to swarm Aaron Rodgers.
-He’s a lousy game-planner who failed to account for Minnsota’s fearsome pass rush in the rematch even after he knew it ought to be his top priority.
-He’s a lousy disciplinarian who seems inexplicably blase about the shocking number of penalties his players manage to accrue, week in, week out.
There’s some truth to all of these, especially the last. But I think McCarthy’s real problem is one of expectation and communication. Simply put, McCarthy and Ted Thompson didn’t expect the Packers to be a contender in 2009. If they had, they wouldn’t have picked this year to install a new defense, knowing full well that (as you’ve probably heard ad nauseam by now) it typically takes two seasons for a new scheme to take root. They also probably would’ve made their big personnel moves in free agency rather than in the draft. Clearly McCarthy and Thompson looked at what they had on their hands and decided it was worth sacrificing some competitiveness this year for a better shot at a title in 2010 or ‘11.
Personally, I think this was a miscalculation. The problem with our defense last year wasn’t scheme; as I’ve said, it was injuries and execution. Had we kept our 2007 defense intact and upgraded it with some aggressive blitz packages and an elite free agent or two, it would be a monster right now.
But, okay, give McCarthy and Thompson the benefit of the doubt and say it was reasonable to write off 2009 as, essentially, a rebuilding year. That needed to be communicated in some way to fans and the media. It never was. Instead, we had a freakishly dominant preseason that heightened everyone’s expectations (especially this guy’s) to what was, in retrospect, an unreasonable level for a young team in the midst of a major (if arguably unnecessary) overhaul.
Some perspective here: We’re 4-3. We have a winning record. Yes, we’ve yet to beat any really good teams, but on the flip side, the only games we’ve lost are two two teams that lead their respective divisions. Winning the NFC North is probably out of the question, barring an absolute meltdown by the Vikings, but a wild card slot is very much in reach. My guess is we’re pretty much exactly where McCarthy and Thompson expected to be at this point in the season. But you’ll never get them to admit it.
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Ted Thompson and Mike McCheezburber have had plenty of time to make a winner, their continued miscues and horrible track record of dealing with team issues and players has proven beyond a doubt in my mind that neither of them are worthy of keeping their jobs. They got lucky in Bretts last year to get close to a super bowl and what do they do? Blow up the team….. No O line, running game and continued problems of defense and special teams will never get fixed through FA, cuz Ted won’t do it. They are the youngest team in the league year after year. At this rate, they will always be “rebuilding”.
BTW, why would an Internet news site, decide that the best source to write about the Packers is a guy from New York? Not that you are doing bad but considering you could be located where to provide content to the site, it seems odd that a person from Packer country could not be found. I guess I am just a midwesterer that feel a bit slighted…..
I don’t get how Aaron Rodgers has the best QB passer rating in the entire NFL (yep, better than Peyton) and the Packers still aren’t winning. The O-line is obviously an issue; the defense just seems to fall apart.
I really don’t know what is going on. This could have been a really good year for the Pack.
[...] of the doubt and say it was reasonable to write off 2009 as, essentially, a rebuilding year," writes Bercovici. "That needed to be communicated in some way to fans and the media. It never was. Instead, we [...]
Yesterday’s loss to the Bucs has to put this in a new light, yes? If the Packers O-Line isn’t the worst in football, I’d like to know which is worse.
[...] of urgency this off-season in the front office. True Slant, makes a pretty good argument here that, “Simply put, McCarthy and Ted Thompson didn’t expect the Packers to be a contender in 2009.&… I totally buy into that theory and firmly believe that’s while you will at least see [...]