Packers-49ers Tuesday postgame chat with Ryan Wood
Oct. 16 transcript
3rd & 7 37yd
3rd & 7 37yd
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Hey, you want to get me to answer your question, that hyperbole is a good way to do it. Thought you were referring to Aaron Rodgers there until you said beat writer. My honest assessment? I think it's 50-50. Still a lot of season left, and plenty of time to turn this thing around. But I do think Mike McCarthy has entered survival mode. If things go bad, and they could in a hurry with the five-game stretch coming up, it isn't hard at all to see the Packers making a coaching change at season's end. They left that door open extending McCarthy's contract only one season a year ago.
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I apologize if you’ve answered this question in previous chats. What happened to the old adage of a receiver breaking off his route and coming back to the quarterback when he sees that he’s in trouble.? I realize that the Packers have several designed scrambles intended to produce big plays, but sometimes Rogers is just trying to avoid the rush and scrambling around while receivers stay on their routes-fully covered. Is that Rodgers’ preference?
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I haven't gone back and watched the film yet, so hard to know what it is you're specifically referring to. Generally, that is the rule, to come back to the quarterback in scramble mode. It's something the Packers preach on constantly, given how fundamental the extended play is to their offense.
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I am growing more frustrated with Clay Mathews every week. He’s usually playing catch-up to the run, is a step behind and rarely shows he’s still an impact player. Monday night late in the game he let a 49er receiver catch the ball in the flat and didn’t even appear to try and make the tackle. Am I on the money or off base? The tv announcers comments make me feel like I’m totally missing something in his play.
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Clay Matthews did have a sack last night, although it seemed he was fortunate to not get called for roughing, seeing how he landed on C.J. Beathard every bit as much as he landed on Kirk Cousins and Alex Smith. Look, he's a serviceable player; he's not a $10 million-per-year player. If he was making $5 million, I think the perception of him would change significantly. But he's not, and with the $11.3 million he's making this year comes big expectations. Having 1.5 sacks in six games doesn't meet those, and that play you were referring to was especially bad. So I can understand the fans' frustrations
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Hi, Seems like there is NO accountability with this team. Continuing stupid penalties and assignment mistakes are unacceptable ! Could you see Vince putting up with it ? " Grab,grab, grab, what the hell is going on out there. " Bill Walsh said the shelf life of an NFL coach is 10 yrs. I think ours has reached that.
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Yeah, the penalties are especially revealing. Discipline penalties reflect coaching. You're right about accountability, too. Tony Brown, for example, has done some nice things, and he seems like a decent prospect, but you can't continue to condone the dumb penalties he's had these past two weeks. There needs to be consequences for mistakes. We'll see if that happens.
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Hi Ryan. The consensus over the past few years from the sane questioners and bloggers has been that if MM was fired by GB he would have another head coaching job in a heartbeat. Based on how the Packers are playing this year, do you still think that's the case. They obviously don't look like a well coached team.
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Of course. Look, things ended really bad with Andy Reid in Philadelphia. The Eagles were 8-8 in his penultimate season, then slipped to 4-12 in his final year. Makes the Packers 3-2-1 start look blistering hot in comparison. It was time for him to go. He got a job in Kansas City THE VERY NEXT SEASON, and look where the Chiefs are now. If the Packers parted with Mike McCarthy, he'd probably have a job next year if he wanted one.
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What is going on with the back end of our pass defense. They seem unmotivated, can't tackle, can't track the ball in the air and are consistently out of position to help on deep balls. Ha Ha has regressed, seems disengaged, like he is already playing for his next team. Is there any hope for improvement?
Also, thank you for opening up regarding your wife's health challenges. You are far stronger than any athlete you cover. God bless you, your lovely wife and family. -
Really appreciate the kind words, Terry. As to your question, it's pretty clear the Packers are lacking a safety net on vertical routes. A smart coach like Kyle Shanahan (or Sean McVay, or Bill Belichick, or Adam Gase, you get the point) is going to keep going deep on Kentrell Brice until something changes. It's stunning how quickly the safety position has become a weakness. As recently as the start of last year, it looked like the biggest strength on the Packers roster, outside starting quarterback and left tackle. Now, not so much.
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That's a great question, both for St. Brown and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. It's a fine line the Packers have to balance. Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison still comprise the Packers top three receivers, obviously along with Davante Adams. But the two rookies have come a long way, so much so I'm not sure the gap is that great. And as they've shown, the best way to develop is by playing. I think the Packers have to find a way to continue giving them snaps. It'll be interesting to see how Mike McCarthy balances that.
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Hey Ryan. Thank you for your article about your wife, and the courage it took to tell your shared story. I believe this was mentioned by Pete Doughtery(sp), but what was with the lack of effort by the defense? Matthews totally missed on an easy tackle on a SF RB, especially when that player is being paid $10M+ to play defense.
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Hi Tom, and thank you. The Packers defense is awfully hard to figure out. At times, they look like one of the worst units in the league. Other times, they look like one of the best. You can't say the Packers defense is good; good defenses don't give up 24 points at home to a 1-4 49ers team and make C.J. Beathard look like Steve Young. But they've also shown flashes of serious potential, especially covering the perimeter of the field. I guess they're perfectly mediocre, which should be enough with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, but it has not been.
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Wouldn't call it a miracle to win two of the next five. A miracle would be running the table. I do think winning two of the next five accounts for likely the best-case scenario. (Maybe three if they can sneak an upset against L.A. or New England, or win at Seattle and at Minnesota. Both scenarios are possible, but unlikely.) To win two, the Packers most likely would need to beat the Dolphins and split their road trips to Seattle and Minnesota. That's difficult but doable.
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A quick look at the numbers, and the Packers have been called for 4 defensive pass interference penalties this season, which ranks 25th in the NFL. So, yes, they probably do a little more grabbing. Only a little though, because they've only been called for one defensive holding.
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A week to rejuvenate the body, mind and soul and then a 5 week stretch that looks as daunting as any I can remember. The prognosis, 5-0 (No chance), 4-1 (slim and none), 3-2 (possible but unlikely), 2-3 (optimistic but possible), 1-5 (dare I say likely), 0-5 (OH no! disaster, this to is also possible). Reality hurts and this could be a very painful November. Thoughts?
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Oops, clicked two questions there. I'll tell you, Dman, Brian Gutekunst and Mike Pettine are about the last people I'd blame. Ted Thompson clearly left Gutekunst a mess to clean up; it was always going to take more than one offseason. Pettine is no more the problem than Dom Capers before him. I always said I didn't find Capers much at fault, because you can't play good defense without good players. Look at the Packers recent drafts, and there's been a lot of busts on the defensive side. As for converting CBs into safeties, that's just not something you do if the player can play corner effectively. And all the names you mentioned can. Corner is a much less forgiving position than even safety, so you don't move your good corners off that position. The Packers will need to draft a safety next spring, along with pass rushers. That's less than ideal, considering they just took Josh Jones in the second round last year.
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It would be nice to actually take the ball on offense to start the game and get everyone out there and get on top. We keep deferring, stick our porous D out there, get down 7-0, while the offense sits and gets cold on the bench. I remember us taking the ball to start the NFC championship game in 2011 and taking it right to the Bears aggressively. What gives?
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I get everyone's dissatisfaction with the Packers performance last night and doom and gloom but I think a little perspective and understanding is in order that this inconsistency is exactly what the NFL is week in and week out. Recall that the Vikings got blown out at home by the lowly Bills a few weeks ago...does anyone think the Vikings stink and their season is over?
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I saw a quote last week (I think it came from McCarthy) regarding penalties that the Packers need to 'limit them'. I would have liked to hear 'eliminate them'. Considering how much bad penalties have derailed this team over the years I would think MM needs to make a 'bold letters statement' about eliminating penalties and a goal to lead the league in fewest penalties every season. Thoughts?