Debunking the Myths of Mike McCarthy, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers Offense

Major Ursa

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Thought this was an interesting article. Aaron Rodgers walks on water, right?
https://sports.yahoo.com/debunking-myths-mike-mccarthy-aaron-065101904.html

The Packers turned in another up-and-down, ultimately disappointing performance at Minnesota Sunday night, which only intensifies Mike McCarthy’s already hot seat. The 13th-year head coach has become a receptacle for criticism, much of it adhering to the same theme: that his offensive system is stale.

The first problem is this analysis is a few years too late (more on that in a moment). The second—and much bigger—problem is it gives Aaron Rodgers a pass for the highly inconsistent way he executes this offense.

Please understand, you’re not reading an Aaron Rodgers Hot Take. At least, not according to discussions that occur within the NFL. Around the league, Rodgers is regarded as an incredible but imperfect quarterback. Outside the NFL, Rodgers is basically viewed as a god. It has somehow become heretical to say anything critical of him.

Rodgers is the most physically talented quarterback of all-time; 32 NFL GMs would be happy to build their team around him. When he’s clicking, he’s magnificent. But Rodgers does not click with the regularity of a Drew Brees, Tom Brady or even a resurgent Andrew Luck. There is no stat that captures throws that should be made but aren’t, or throws that could have been made on-schedule but were made off-schedule. If these categories existed, Rodgers would have as many as any quarterback, every year. He’s a scintillating sandlot player who goes into sandlot mode way too often.

Yes, Rodgers’s unique style, which few QBs have enough talent to call upon, has led to some of his most spectacular plays. But in the aggregate, it also creates the illusion of dysfunction around him. To television viewers, Rodgers runs around because his O-line breaks down. Or because, presumably, receivers aren’t getting open. And they’re not getting open because the scheme isn’t helping them. Sometimes this is the case. But just as often, the glitches aren’t coming from everyone around the quarterback, but from the quarterback himself.

What’s most befuddling: Right when you start to think Rodgers will forever read the field with the choppiness of a rookie, he starts slinging the ball with perfectly disciplined timing and rhythm. When that switch is flipped, Rodgers borders on unstoppable. His greatness reaches such a level that, when the switch is flipped back, you understand why outside observers can’t help but assume the problem is everyone else.

This is where McCarthy is getting victimized. A great illustration of Rodgers’s unevenness came two weeks ago in Green Bay’s win over Miami. The Packers faced a 4th-and-2 near midfield. The Dolphins are a zone D that almost always plays nickel. Knowing their nickel would keep two linebackers on the field, McCarthy put in a fourth receiver and aligned Davante Adams in the backfield, so their top weapon could run his route against those overmatched linebackers. Adams did, breaking open on a short-angle route right in Rodgers’s immediate line of vision. The play worked perfectly. And Rodgers, for reasons not even Sigmund Freud could figure out, tried to break down and extend the play. A quick-strike play like this can’t be extended, though, and naturally, the protection cracked and Rodgers was sacked.

Imagine if it had been Sean McVay putting Brandin Cooks at running back. Or Andy Reid putting Tyreek Hill there. Their genius would have been heralded once again. On a big fourth down gamble the offensive mastermind puts his best wide receiver at running back and catches the defense off balance! Boy, you never know what this coach will do next!

Of course, McVay’s QB or Reid’s QB (or almost any team’s QB) would have thrown the ball on that play. McCarthy’s QB didn’t, and so, to outside observers, McCarthy’s creativity here never existed.

That creativity lately has shown up on other plays, too. In fact, this season, McCarthy’s offensive scheme has evolved dramatically. Early in the year, it was mostly just the simple spread formations that propagate isolation routes—that’s the unimaginativeness McCarthy has been dogged for over the years. Most likely he played this way because it accommodated Rodgers’s sandlot tendencies. It worked when the Packers had the right veteran receivers. But with an aging Jordy Nelson gone, James Jones long gone, and Randall Cobb either out injured or not looking like himself, the Packers this season have had to rely on callow, rookie receivers who are not yet capable of getting open on their own or finding the defense’s soft spots when Rodgers extends plays.

So, McCarthy has scrapped some of the iso-spread passing concepts for newer-age designs. He has used spread formations this November about half as often as he did in September. More importantly, he’s used condensed formations, with receivers aligned tight to the formation, about three times as often. Those condensed sets are the same thing McVay uses in L.A. It gives receivers more field to work with, which propagates more schematic variables in the passing game and a more natural intertwinement of routes. It also creates congestion for a defense, rendering coverages more predictable. This makes it easier for a QB to anticipate open throws. And, receivers who align tight to the formation are in better position to block safeties in the running game, which makes play-action off of that even more believable. On a related note, the Packers have also employed more snaps of two-tight end personnel, which diversifies a scheme, particularly on the ground.

The results of McCarthy’s updated approach have been mixed, in part because Rodgers’s execution has been mixed. Still, it’s reasonable to keep McCarthy on the hot seat; even with his improved approach, he’s far from flawless. But when evaluating McCarthy, we must admit that his quarterback is far from flawless, too.
 

mecha

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I worry they'll lose out or something and Rosie O'Donnell gets shitcanned. it'll be like going from Jim Schwartz to Jim Caldwell all over again then.
 

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I just pray they hire McDaniels when this tub of lard is fired


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

MDB111™

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What have you done for me lately? I love that the Packers are choking and their fans have nothing to do but ice fish and jerk off to clay mathews pictures, while wondering if their fat slob coach will get the ace at seasons end, or if their psychopath QB has finally lost his teammates good favor.

Fuck you Packers
FUCK YOU
 

CAP BOSO

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Aaron Rodgers is the most physically talented qb of all time? Nah, not even close. Mike Vick, hands down. Rodgers just destroys the Bears. He's definitely great qb, but more in the Roethlisberger category than the Brady or Manning category imo.
 

mecha

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Aaron Rodgers is the most physically talented qb of all time? Nah, not even close. Mike Vick, hands down. Rodgers just destroys the Bears. He's definitely great qb, but more in the Roethlisberger category than the Brady or Manning category imo.

he's good. if you go by interceptions and hail mary completions. Manning was an artist chopped down in his prime with that neck thing and Brady's dominated the league for almost 2 decades.

if not for the Packers GM's incompetence at building a team, who knows where this asshole would be today. I still think he's boring to watch and don't understand why Bears fans gush over him. he should be shit on, not worshipped.

I think Drew Brees is the gold standard and he's going to claim all the records by time he's done.
 

hebs

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This year maybe I have been paying more attention to other QBs in the league and their receivers than years past, (particularly because of the stink Trubs had around him due to some of his egregious misses) but this is the first year that I’ve notice many times Rodger’s WR are open, and sometimes by 5 yards or more and he doesn’t even notice. I think he got shell shocked a few years back with all those sacks and now he’s bailing out of the pocket too early and not seeing the whole field until he starts scrambling. He’s also starting to give me the ‘ol Cutty “Don’t care” vibe.
 

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Wait till a certain soneone gets in here
 

smilebit

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He notices his receivers, he doesn't throw to them because he still wants to be the big bad wolf to teams. He cares about his ego and he's got to stroke it by throwing big game winning throws so the media will be sucking his cock all week long. If you watch his post game press conference, after he gets done naming all the teams he says they need to beat, he gives off his little smirk. He's a cocky egotistical bastard who needs the shit knocked out of him.
 

Rory Sparrow

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So, McCarthy has scrapped some of the iso-spread passing concepts for newer-age designs. He has used spread formations this November about half as often as he did in September. More importantly, he’s used condensed formations, with receivers aligned tight to the formation, about three times as often. Those condensed sets are the same thing McVay uses in L.A. It gives receivers more field to work with, which propagates more schematic variables in the passing game and a more natural intertwinement of routes. It also creates congestion for a defense, rendering coverages more predictable. This makes it easier for a QB to anticipate open throws. And, receivers who align tight to the formation are in better position to block safeties in the running game, which makes play-action off of that even more believable. On a related note, the Packers have also employed more snaps of two-tight end personnel, which diversifies a scheme, particularly on the ground.

So much jargon and over-analysis by Andy Benoit, as per the norm. Pretty simple stuff. Iso-spread passing concept go junked because instead of Jordy Nelson at WR you have UDFAs. Spread formations aren't being used as often because the Packers can't pass protect. Condensed sets being used because of the previous two factors...WRs can't get open on their own and Rodgers has to get rid of the ball quicker.

I love the last sentence, because it completely misses the mark. Two TE sets are almost mandatory (even when one of those TEs is 34 year old Marcedes Lewis!) when your OTs are as poor as Bryan Bulaga. Benoit makes it sound like these sets not only add to the Packers running game (still 30th in attempts despite being 4th in yards per carry), but are making Aaron Rodgers' job easier. Neither is true, obviously.

McCarthy's play-calling is terrible. Rodgers' performance has been allegedly 'uneven' (20 TDs, 1 INT) because the Packers continue to place a huge amount on his plate despite poor personnel. IMO, the main reason for GBs downfall is their inability to invest in and solidify their OL. Rodgers can 'make due' with whomever at the skill positions, as we have seen in the past, but he can't compensate for a terrible OL. Bulaga is terrible, but at least he was a 1st round pick. The Packers tend to avoid OLs like the plague. Their LT is a 4th round pick, their C is a 5th round pick, their OGs are UDFAs. Ick.
 

Kazu2324

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I hope they just miss out on a playoff spot and finish the season something like 7-8-1 or 8-7-1 but showing just enough in the last few games for McCarthy to be retained. Let the wheel of mediocrity continue to spin in GB and have them continue to waste Rodgers' career. But I fear that they will tank and then actually find a good new HC and we will have to deal with a few more years of elite QB play out of GB.
 

delbjork1937

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I hope they just miss out on a playoff spot and finish the season something like 7-8-1 or 8-7-1 but showing just enough in the last few games for McCarthy to be retained. Let the wheel of mediocrity continue to spin in GB and have them continue to waste Rodgers' career. But I fear that they will tank and then actually find a good new HC and we will have to deal with a few more years of elite QB play out of GB.

Waste his career? He does 20 commercials and makes more money than anyone here will ever see. His career is doing exactly what it's supposed to. And he already has a SB ring anyway.
 

mecha

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Waste his career? He does 20 commercials and makes more money than anyone here will ever see. His career is doing exactly what it's supposed to. And he already has a SB ring anyway.

I think the argument is with his level of talent they should have more rings.

to not achieve such would be wasting his career.
 

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Waste his career? He does 20 commercials and makes more money than anyone here will ever see. His career is doing exactly what it's supposed to. And he already has a SB ring anyway.

He'll retire after next season and become a semi-professional racecar driver
 

delbjork1937

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I think the argument is with his level of talent they should have more rings.

to not achieve such would be wasting his career.

I understand that. My point is its silly to waste time thinking about it.
Especially when half the league gets paid millions to lose anyway.
 

HeHateMe

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I understand that. My point is its silly to waste time thinking about it.
Especially when half the league gets paid millions to lose anyway.

In your mind thinking about anything is silly.
 

DC

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Then why watch the NFL?
 

HeHateMe

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Then why watch the NFL?

Simple, so he can come on here and mock people that think it's a real sport with competition where the wins and losses are determined by the players who play the game.
 

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