Viking v Packer game thread

[MU82]

I'll put this another way.  Randall Cobb was drafted in 2011.

In the five drafts since, the Packers have drafted ONE impact player on offense.  Eddie Lacy.  (And even he unexpectedly fell to them.)  No one else has made a significant impact. 

Here is a list of the receivers and backs drafted from 2011 onward:

2011:
1. Cobb (Good)
3. Alex Green - RB (Bust)
5. DJ Williams - TE (Bust)
7. Ryan Taylor - TE (Serviceable)

2012:
No one. 

2013:
2. Eddie Lacy (Good)
4. Johnathan Franklin (Bust)
7. Charles Johnson (Bad)
7. Keven Dorsey (Bad)

2014:
2. Davante Adams (Average)
3. Richard Rodgers (Average)
5. Jared Abbredaris (Hurt, but can't get on the field)
7. Jeff Janies (Healthy but only special teams)

2015:
3. Ty Montgomery (hurt last year, showed flashes)
6. Kennard Backman (Who?)

Just a woeful job putting weapons around Rogers.

I'm just glad the Packers passed on Kelvin Benjamin in 2014 and Devin Funchess in 2015 - two guys who will be stud receivers for my Panthers for years!

[mu03eng]

I don't think there is a problem with the scheme and design of the offense.  I mean this offense was setting records just a couple seasons ago.  I think the problem is with the personnel, especially at the receiver and running back positions. 

I'm sorry but James Starks is 30 years old.  You can't find a better back up running back?

While talent might have something to do with it, I do think there are a lot of scheme issues. McCarthy is stubborn and convinced of his own genius. His schemes were successful when he was doing variations on typical west coast offense and was playing a consistent offense. He's now trying to be exotic (Cobb in the backfield, etc) and it doesn't really do anything. Additionally, he gets stubborn and refuses to adjust. It look until the mid-3rd quarter to start utilizing TEs across the middle of the formation on quick hitters to make the Vikings pay for disguised blitz/coverage packages at the line.

Minnesota has a great front 7, I think a lot of teams are going to struggle against them. I think Rodgers had one of his worst performances of the last 5 years and I think we are seeing the impact of the offense totally ignoring the pre-season. I think things will get better as the season progresses, but I want to go on record that McCarthy should be gone after this season.

[MUfan12]

One qualm with that list, Sultan. Franklin suffered a career ending neck injury 12 games into his rookie year. Actually had a 100+ yard game that season. Showed some promise, but I think "bust" is a little harsh on him.

[GGGG]

Thank you.  You are right.  Alex Green also had injury issues as well.

[DegenerateDish]

I think a lot of things have just caught up with the Packers over the last year, a combo of things. I think when McCarthy gave up the play calling, along with Nelson being gone, and Cobb & Adams not taking a step up in play, banged up o-line, have gotten them into a funk. Some of that has been "fixed", McCarthy/Nelson/healthy o-line, but it's taking them some time to get things back together.

Rodgers pocket awareness is uncanny, and while his accuracy may be slowly regressing, his ability to make plays that 95% of other QB's in the league can't make, makes them still dangerous.

They get a real nice quirk in the schedule now to help them out, be interesting to see how they are first week of November.

[mu03eng]

I think a lot of things have just caught up with the Packers over the last year, a combo of things. I think when McCarthy gave up the play calling, along with Nelson being gone, and Cobb & Adams not taking a step up in play, banged up o-line, have gotten them into a funk. Some of that has been "fixed", McCarthy/Nelson/healthy o-line, but it's taking them some time to get things back together.

Rodgers pocket awareness is uncanny, and while his accuracy may be slowly regressing, his ability to make plays that 95% of other QB's in the league can't make, makes them still dangerous.

They get a real nice quirk in the schedule now to help them out, be interesting to see how they are first week of November.

I will say that I think the scheme has changed in the last few years away from timing based offense to a discretionary(skill players read and react to the defense) which is less tolerable of mis-alignment. You saw it last night, Adams is a terrible route runner and several times Rodgers threw the ball where he should have been instead of where he ended up being. Take the long PI that set-up first and goal on the 3 in the 1st half. Adams ran an ok route then slowed up and had to reaccelerate to get to the ball, but it allowed the defender to catch up on what otherwise would have a walk-in touchdown....just bailed Adams out by mauling him. Same happened on a couple of out and ups on the sidelines.

I do think Rodgers has lost a touch on his accuracy(or at least doesn't trust it like he did), but I also think the receivers are getting to where they are suppose to or at least aren't reading the same things as Rodgers. A lot of this has to do with the fact that we are trying to avoid the pre-season at all costs so nobody is really ready when the regular season starts.

[GGGG]

I don't think there is a problem with the scheme and design of the offense.  I mean this offense was setting records just a couple seasons ago.  I think the problem is with the personnel, especially at the receiver and running back positions. 

I'm sorry but James Starks is 30 years old.  You can't find a better back up running back? 

OK, I still think the basic problem is personnel, but this article leads me to believe that creativity is also an issue.

http://www.espn.com/blog/green-bay-packers/post/_/id/33509/mike-mccarthy-predictable-packers-struggle-through-same-offensive-issues

[wadesworld]

Ted would never do this but it'd be great to see the Red Skins start 0-4 and trade a 4th round draft pick for Desean Jackson (contract expires after this year).

My other problem is that I think McCarthy has heard people saying he's way too conservative and is now trying to prove, "Hey, I have some balls, I'm going to show you I'm not scared to take a chance," but he really doesn't know what it truly means to step on a team's throat.  Running out of the gun straight into the middle of the line with Starks on 4th and 1 in the 3rd quarter of a defensive battle while down 3 points on the road is not stepping on an opponent's throat.  Being up by 9 and having 4th and goal 18 inches from the goal line and punching it in with Lacy is stepping on a team's throat.  It's putting the game away.

In a 10-7 game in the 3rd, getting 3 points is a huge difference in the game.  In a 16-7 game in the 3rd quarter, getting 3 points doesn't do a whole lot for you.  It's a 2 possession game either way.  Getting 6 makes it a 3 possession game and makes it more or less impossible to make a 3 minute comeback at the end of a game.

There's a time and a place to take the points, and a time and a place to get greedy.  McCarthy doesn't know when to do which.

[dgies9156]

Bud blowing anything is gonna be ugly.

Be nice to Bud. He's a cheesehead originally from Superior.

Lives near the thriving metropolis of Gordon now.

[real chili 83]

Be nice to Bud. He's a cheesehead originally from Superior.

Lives near the thriving metropolis of Gordon now.

Simms Lake.