HKPackFan wrote:El Duderino wrote:
I'd say the offense died more once defensive coordinators fully accepted that there wasn't a reason to fear getting beat downfield. It just took awhile.
So this allowed them with confidence to defend our passing game in ways they were usually afraid to in the past. To line up in press man coverage and often with a safety in the box on early downs. To feel very little fear about blitzing Rodgers because defensive coordinators didn't think Adams, Jones, or R. Rodgers could run past single man coverage.
For so long when the Packers offense had an array of quality receiving weapons, defensive coordinators usually were really scared to blitz Aaron and in turn leave their secondary exposed in man coverage, with only a single safety back deep. This year, keep Cobb in check and who else is scary to defensive coordinators among Adams, Jones, and R. Rodgers?
James Jones has made a number of big plays this year, but if you look back at many of them, it came mainly off defensive lineman jumping offsides, scramble/broken plays, and fabulous catches by him while covered closely. When he's had to beat coverage though on regular plays and especially with a solid to good corner on him, he just can't get open. Have no idea why Adams fell apart mentally this year, but speed never was a strength of his.
This is fairly accurate assessment of the offense. To exacerbate the problem, the offense had a lot of same vertical routes and limited route tree in a up tempo no huddle fast paced formula. Which was fine when everything is clicking, everyone's on the same page, and defenses are playing scared, defenses are on their heels and can't substitute.
Knowing the current offense doesn't work, it's frustrating they haven't come up with something more creative but stay with the same system even though it's been proven not to work over the last 8 games.
With some of the playoff losses since 2010, i did think to many fans mainly just wanted to blame McCarthy, while excusing/ignoring mistakes by players and failures by Ted to better fix glaring roster weaknesses.
This year though, while i blame Ted for some roster deficiencies like threats on the outside at receiver, the pure garbage at tight end, and total scrubs as backups at tackle, both McCarthy and Clement sure don't seem to have been able to adjust with what is there receiving weapons wise.
The one positive has been the array of new screens which generally has been the only source of long gains, but other than that, not much seems to have been done to scheme receivers open more often. Nearly all year long, R. Rodgers has gotten a ton of snaps, even on 3rd and long situations vs 4 WR sets, regardless that he's so slow and rarely can get open.
No question the Jordy injury was devastating. Montgomery going down hurt also. Adams playing more like a camp fodder receiver instead of a 2nd round pick. There is no talent at all on the tight end unit. A situation like this though is where coaching minds have to be willing to scrap some of their playbook and get creative, regardless of how successful those plays may have been in the past. There is a HOF quarterback in place, change up something to get receivers open for him more often. That's your job.