McCarthy's Year End Presser

[MickeyDavis]

I'm going to put this in it's own thread since he discusses many things that have been brought up in several other threads here.

Here is a summary of Packers coach Mike McCarthy's season-ending press conference held Wednesday at the team's media auditorium:

•(Statement) Not where I want to be. Very challenging season for us. We have to congratulate fans not only for Sunday but for how they supported us. Want to thank them. We're in Day 3 of evaluation. Monday and Tuesday were exit interviews with players. Today talking with coaching staff and will push through staff evaluation. Lot of things said in last two days. Emotional. Look back when streak of losing, lot of information comes out about your program. We will take our information and do everything we need to do to push forward.

•(What did you learn) Not going to get into specifics. But when adversity hits some go one way or the other. It's about the program. Everybody has to buy into program and when do that you get through. But things also show up you didn't know were there. People say this felt like 2010. Didn't feel like 2010 to me at all. This year was different. Important to stay on top of your culture. Really impressed with our young players.

•(Dom Capers) Dom Capers is an outstanding football coach. I'm not looking to make big changes. But you go through process, important to look into everything.

•(Coach losses) Ben McAdoo, have a talented staff, we may lose people. He's prepared himself to go out there. Whatever opportunities he has, he's earned.

•(Changes) Football operation is something we're looking at. Lot of opinions, lot of people have a lot of things to say. We'll rank all players on offense and defense and then go through film later and do it again. That's interesting. Continue to evaluate and take the emotion out of it.

•(Reliant on Aaron Rodgers too much) Aaron Rodgers is arguably best player in NFL. Say too reliant, depends on how you look at it. He makes a difference when he walks on the field and in the meetings and when he's practicing. Clearly, he makes a difference. How many teams win division with four QBs. I think we were the fourth. Who stepped up during these times? Have to go back and look at that.

•(Injuries) Injuries are a moving target. Everything we do from a training standpoint, look at way players cared for, practice structure, training, made changes to be healthy. We didn't get that done. End of day look at the individual and stay in tune with that. You put injuries on a spreadsheet, we're like fifth or sixth in league in most injuries, you have to look at clear understanding of statistics. Don't like it. It's a challenge. It shows up and showed up this year. I give our team ... I'm proud of them. We have to find a better way to get guys healthy.

•(Practices) Not place blame on anything. Not a fan of off-season program. Doesn't give young player full opportunity to be ready for training camp. Stress points have changed. It's a different challenge. We all have to go thorugh it. It's not going to change. Have to find a better training regimen. I wasn't real happy with team coming out of training camp. I chart path of team and we had guys hurt in training camp. We were not hitting all cylinders coming out of training camp.

•(Compare with 49ers) Aware we've lost last four in a row. Look at those games and what they've come down to we just have to be better. We had opportunities we didn't convert. Common thread is we didn't stop the quarterback. That jumps out at you.

•(Rodgers saying new window open) We're division champs. We have work to do. There will be change. Roster will turn 25%, that's no different. I don't see any windows closing.

•(Jermichael Finley) Haven't seen Jermichael in two weeks. I know he's going through rehab.

•(Johnny Jolly) Going to get another opinion in Chicago.

•(Eddie Lacy) Impact player. Have impact players come into your program, makes a difference. Just a way commit to run game, combination with James Starks, as good as we've ever had. I can't say enough about his performance. There's things he can do much better. I'm excited about what he accomplished but I think he can be even better.

•(Impact players) Easier when they come in that way. But you don't get finished products from college. Expectations are huge and reality is it's a big step for them coming in.

•(Safeties) Some have opinions about veterans. We need more players making plays. Feel those guys are here. We have more coming in, that's what off-season is. Not ready to give personal evaluation. I realize Morgan Burnett had a new contract. He's what you want. He needs to be better.

•(Own evaluation) That's probably a question for Ted Thompson. I didn't win the last game.

•(Most challenging season) Clearly. This year seems like it never stopped.

•(David Bakhtiari) Dave, couldn't ask for more. Josh Sitton did an excellent job with David. Talk about LG and LT developing a relationship. David had a good, solid season for us. Talking to Derek Sherrod and Bryan Bulaga, as soon as how we set reps and positions, I'll get back to them.

•(End of 49ers game) Randall Cobb on first and 9, Randall runs that concept best of guys we have. Had the right defense. James Jones had the safety. There was a mistake by the run blocking unit. I expected us to be down to the 5 at least. Third downs look at on 49ers drive, right calls. He gets out.

•(Best team before Rodgers got hurt) I think it could have been. I hate doing this especially because I call plays, but I thought would be best offense we had here. Coming out of Minnesota, really, really hit our stride. Had no huddle where we wanted it to be. Felt very, very good about our offense. Defense playing well.

•(Offense built for late-season) We're built the right way. Don't you think so? I thought we ran the ball well this year. Best quarterback.

[Newz]

•(What did you learn) Not going to get into specifics. But when adversity hits some go one way or the other. It's about the program. Everybody has to buy into program and when do that you get through. But things also show up you didn't know were there. People say this felt like 2010. Didn't feel like 2010 to me at all. This year was different. Important to stay on top of your culture. Really impressed with our young players.

This is a really, really interesting quote. I wonder what guys 'went the wrong way'. Sounds like he was really disappointed with certain guys. Wouldn't be surprised if BJ Raji was one of them.

[humanrefutation]

He's voiced his frustration with the defense many times this year; in deflecting blame for Capers, he's said more than once that folks just need to execute and tackle the damn ballcarrier. I'm sure he's disappointed in Raji, but there was no worse player on our defense this year than MD Jennings.

[BUCKnation]

Sounds like he had expectations for players/positions that didn't get fulfilled. I'm guessing Jennings and Raji are the main guys in that category.

[humanrefutation]

Who knows what was going on in the locker room. Losing streaks have a way of bringing out the worst in guys. For everything we went through in 2010, we never had a stretch that terrible, and we didn't have veterans like Chuck keeping people in line.

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

Definitely sounds like MM would be in favor of some house cleaning. I've never heard him say anything like that before. I think we'll see a good amount of turnover this off season. Sounds like everyone on the coaching staff is safe though.

[humanrefutation]

Definitely sounds like MM would be in favor of some house cleaning. I've never heard him say anything like that before. I think we'll see a good amount of turnover this off season. Sounds like everyone on the coaching staff is safe though.

The thing is - and I'm sure you know this - TT makes the personnel calls. MM can only really control who's on his coaching staff. TT might not be as willing to clean house when he invests so much in drafting and developing young talent.

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

Yeah, that is why I said "in favor." But those two are always on the same page so that is why I think we'll see some turnover.

[Profound23]

I HATE when people make a mistake and then say, "I would do the same thing again if I could."

That is basically what McCarthy said if you listened to his whole speech about the play to Cobb. It was a terrible play call for numerous reasons. I have been a huge McCarthy supporter but if he truly could go back in time and he did so, then called the same play again that is pathetic. I hope he is just saying that to save face and realizes that Cobb should get the ball when we are backed up because the defense is spread apart more. Did someone miss a block? Yes they did, but that is why you give Lacy the ball so you still get 2-3 yards in that situation.

The fact that he even says he was hoping to get a few yards from the play is weird. If I am giving Cobb (coming off of a huge injury already) the ball in that play I don't want him to get hit and I plan on getting only a touchdown.

[th87]

Surprisingly candid.

As for the Cobb play, if that is really what he thought was best, who are we to question his thinking? Rodgers must've been cool with it too then. I'll defer to their thinking.

Looks like there may be a conflict in philosophy brewing though. Dom Capers and Tramon Williams have been saying that you need veterans to execute his scheme. MM is okay with Dom and has defended his calls. Then the culprit of our struggles is our personnel, and in particular, the young personnel. That responsibility falls on TT. Is he going to bring in more veterans, or hope our young players pick up the scheme going forward? Or urge the hiring of a new coordinator?

[WiscSports1]

I know this may sound crazy, but I honestly believe this is the offseason we see Ted go into FA and grab a few defensive players. Not huge guys, but solid contributors. I think the defense could use a few veteran guys like Tramon suggests.

Of all the positions I hope we upgrade: safety besides Burnett and inside linebacker opposite Hawk (He's not going anywhere, just put a playmaker next to him)

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

You have to have 1 year where you use all the cap space. It is pointless to roll over the same amount every year. You are just having the same max every year while screwing yourself the first year.

[FAH1223]

You have to have 1 year where you use all the cap space. It is pointless to roll over the same amount every year. You are just having the same max every year while screwing yourself the first year.

we don't even have to spend a lot of dough... there's quality guys out there that can be had at bargain prices due to them being cap causalities or w/e else...

[rilamann]

Surprisingly candid.

As for the Cobb play, if that is really what he thought was best, who are we to question his thinking?

If McCarthy really thought that was best play at that point in time it's not a mistake that this clown has only won 2 playoff games in 7 seasons (not counting 2010) with first ballot HOF quarterback play.

And 2010 is looking more and more like it was in spite of McCarthy with every season that passes by.

If Favre was still playing at the level he played at in 2009 Brad Childress would still have a job too.

[Newz]

If McCarthy really thought that was best play at that point in time it's not a mistake that this clown has only won 2 playoff games in 7 seasons (not counting 2010) with first ballot HOF quarterback play.

[Kerb Hohl]

Again, I'm going to say I'd welcome free agents on defense. That said, I think there is a bit of a "greener pastures" thought to it. A large percentage of the guys end up busting that get signed. I think we need to get an impact safety or ILB and it could be done through the draft. The biggest issue has been TT's lack of defensive draft success recently and injuries.

Some of the more proactive teams in free agency and higher-age teams have sucked on defense. It's pretty evenly-spaced in this thing. San Francisco dropped a bit after cutting Nnamdi.http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/id/108043/2013-nfl-age-rankings-at-reduction-to-53

Maybe with the cap going up over the next few years, they'll have room to take a risk or two.

[rilamann]

My bad,2 playoff wins in 8 seasons not counting 2010.

[Kerb Hohl]

The Packers have zero Lombardi Trophies if you exclude their 4 Super Bowl seasons.

[Newz]

Again, I'm going to say I'd welcome free agents on defense. That said, I think there is a bit of a "greener pastures" thought to it. A large percentage of the guys end up busting that get signed. I think we need to get an impact safety or ILB and it could be done through the draft. The biggest issue has been TT's lack of defensive draft success recently and injuries.

Some of the more proactive teams in free agency and higher-age teams have sucked on defense. It's pretty evenly-spaced in this thing. San Francisco dropped a bit after cutting Nnamdi.http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/id/108043/2013-nfl-age-rankings-at-reduction-to-53

Maybe with the cap going up over the next few years, they'll have room to take a risk or two.

I think the big appeal with free agency this year is that even if you get an average starter out of free agency to replace Hawk, Jones or MD Jennings... then it should make a pretty big difference because all three of those guys were pretty bad.

I believe a lot of people think that can be done by addressing one spot in free agency and landing another guy in the draft. I also think that could work and I think it's a viable approach. I'm not well educated on the NFL cap as it is a far more difficult system than the NBA (at least for me) to understand... but if we are going to get a guy, I'd want it to be a guy like Byrd or Ward.

If we get one of those guys, I'd also be interested in what it would cost us. I would personally rather just resign Shields if it meant not getting a big name free agent and I wouldn't cut Tramon. If it cost us James Jones, Jermichael Finley, BJ Raji and a little bit of role player depth? Then that's okay with me because I don't think retaining those guys is a huge deal... but I'd also want to make sure it doesn't end up costing us Cobb, Nelson or any of our good players along the OL in the future due to cap issues.

[Newz]

The Packers have zero Lombardi Trophies if you exclude their 4 Super Bowl seasons.

The Packers have never won a game if you only count the games that they lost.