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I've never been a big MM fan. I always believed that any success we had was despite him not because of him. But a couple of things have changed my mind (for the most part).

1. After the Tampa game it would have been very easy for this team to pack it in for the season. Humiliating defeat. Our defensive players were sniping at Capers. NO ONE on either side of the ball was happy. Facing a good Dallas team the next game. And yet not only did we turn it around, we were the most dominant team in the NFC the second half in the season. I don't think any of us was expecting a 7-1 finish.

2. Todays game. Neither team with anything to play for. The safe choice was what Whisenhunt went with. Rest your players, don't show any game plan, wait until next week. The risky choice was to "go for it". Not only do you risk injury but if you leave your starters in and still lose the game it would be a devestating mental blow. Instead we went in and whipped the hell out of them and now the doubt is all on the AZ side. I couldn't agree more with that approach. Big advantage McCarthy over Whisenhunt.

Overall I have liked McCarthy. Obviously there are questionable things at times, but you'll have that with anybody I suppose. Definite kudos to him, and the staff, to turn this thing around after Tampa Bay. I don't think there were many that thought the Pack would go to the playoffs after Tampa.

You and I have both seen bad Packer coaches. And bad Packer GM's.

TT and MM aren't that. This is a good coach and a good GM. They just need to win a Super Bowl (or maybe appear in a couple) to cement a legacy as great.

Whether they'll be this generation's version of Carl Peterson and Marty Shottenheimer (i.e. excellent regular season winners) or Bill Polian and Bill Cower, we'll find out over the next couple years.

Agree, but I think his playbook/playcalling is horrible. We saw 2 "exotics" all year. One was a flea-flicker when we were up by 20 at home against DET, and the other was that very creative play that was wasted on that almost meaningless 2pt conversion against PIT.

Next week is a key. There is no reason to lose to a team that I think we are CLEARLY better than. Losing in Minnesota or New Orleans wouldn't kill me although I think we can beat either of them.

MickeyDavis wrote:Next week is a key. There is no reason to lose to a team that I think we are CLEARLY better than. Losing in Minnesota or New Orleans wouldn't kill me although I think we can beat either of them.

Honestly, Dallas and Green Bay look like the two best teams in the NFC going into the playoffs, but who knows? Everyone knows Arizona limped into last year's playoffs and almost won the Super Bowl.

Things turned for me with Baltimore and Pittsburgh. I loved that McCarthy went into today's game smelling blood in the water. I hate the strategy of pulling your foot off the gas right before the playoffs.

That said, the play calling against Minnesota is fresh in my mind and the prevent, play not to lose crap still bothers me. McCarthy is good when the team is playing well and we're going against a beaten opponent. I've still yet to be impressed by his playcalling in a battle against a great opponent. Some of that is obviously on Capers, too.

I've been a fan of MM since he showed class and credibility with how he handled the Favre situation last year, and I've generally felt that he has control of the locker room and the respect of his players. His playcalling has gotten better as the season has continued, and I think the play of the offensive line, the improvement of the running game, and the emergence of Finley as our #1 target has had a lot to do with that. I just think he's the right guy for this team right now.

Obviously, if they choke this season and start slow next season, I might change my mind. But right now, I'm more confident in him as our HC than any other HCs in the NFC playoffs. The only coach who comes close, IMO, is Sean Payton (who, ironically, was a finalist for the Packer job the year MM was hired).