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Who's to blame in Green Bay?

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When they sit down together next month to evaluate what went wrong with the 2008 Green Bay Packers, general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy will have to be honest with themselves. They'll have to raise the possibility that they erred in believing a young team with a young quarterback could repeat the success of a 13-3 season. It isn't necessarily a question of Brett Favre vs. Aaron Rodgers, but rather why in Year 4 of Thompson's tenure as GM are they the youngest team in football for the third year in a row? And are all the mental mistakes the players have made this season the result of the way this team has been built? One thing is clear after a fourth straight loss that dropped the team's record to 5-8: There are fundamental errors being made that a team should not be making less than a year after playing in the NFC Championship Game.

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Mike McCarthy, AP Mike McCarthy, AP
December 16, 2008  07:16 AM ET

The Pack will be fine. Rodgers need to get a season under his belt to get some experience. Letting Brett go was still the right move.

December 16, 2008  07:17 AM ET

Here's what Green Bay needs:

1. Get a new defensive coordinator
2. Draft a runningback on the first day

They should be back in the playoff picture next year. Quick and simple.

December 16, 2008  07:22 AM ET

agreed that GB isn't that far off. 1-2 players in the draft and they are looking solid. RB is a must move in the off season for the Pack.

December 16, 2008  08:26 AM ET

Ok, I think there is always blame somewhere. And maybe in the long term the Favre move will prove to have been better for the team But Who knows. I watched every Packer game this year and I think Rodgers is good but he does not have the leadership skills Favre had. I saw him loss it as early as the 4th game and that trend showed up and spread through the team. Who knows what would have happened if Favre would have stayed. Ok now about the Grant thing. Grant is the# 9 RB in the NFL for yards. There are several RBs below him that I don???t think you would say the team needs to replace with a day 1 draft pick (See stats below). GB needs to focus on D/line and CB. It would be stupid of GB to even look at Offense on day 1 for that matter day 2. Unless is O line. I don???t think they are far away talent wise but they do lack leadership. And that was easy to see during the games something you never saw well Favre was there

Name Team GMS Yds
1 Adrian Peterson MIN 14 1581
2 Michael Turner ATL 14 1421
3 Clinton Portis WAS 14 1337
4 DeAngelo Williams CAR 14 1229
5 Thomas Jones NYJ 14 1222
6 Chris Johnson TEN 14 1159
7 Steve Slaton HOU 14 1124
8 Matt Forte CHI 14 1115
9 Ryan Grant GB 14 1036
10 Brandon Jacobs NYG 12 1002
11 Marshawn Lynch BUF 14 1002
12 Frank Gore SF 13 978
13 LaDainian Tomlinson SD 14 924
14 Marion Barber DAL 13 872
15 Brian Westbrook PHI 12 841
16 Jamal Lewis CLE 14 832
17 Ronnie Brown MIA 14 827
18 Steven Jackson STL 10 774

December 16, 2008  08:49 AM ET

At the end of the day the truth is this...they were 13-3 last season and ONE...one play from the Super Bowl. This season they are 5-9 and the Jets will likely go to the playoffs.

The difference is the QB. All the people saying it was the right decision in the long-term...guess what, the NFL is about winning now. Not looking ahead to the draft, etc. The Packers were a better team with the #4 in control because he is that good.

Ted Thompson needs to own up to making a big mistake. Only one play from the Super Bowl...

December 16, 2008  08:51 AM ET

Alot of Grant's success was because of the way teams had to account for Farve... they don't have the same fear/respect for Rodgers..

Why don't they - or Rodgers supporters - get it????

This absolutely was a mistake.... Thompson & McCarthy took a team that could have easily competed for a superbowl - (which is the goal of every NFL team, isn't it?... or is it just to be competitive) and took away all hope by not brining Farve back...

I agree that Rodgers is decent, and has alot of potential, but to throw away a hall of famer was an idiotic decision...

They should know how rare it is to get an actual shot at a title... it could be years - if ever - for the Pack to get another shot...

December 16, 2008  08:56 AM ET

The difference is the QB play. Yes, Rodgers has been good but he's still no Favre.

December 16, 2008  09:03 AM ET

From what I've seen, it looks like the defense is the biggest problem the Packers have had this year. Not Rodgers.

December 16, 2008  09:04 AM ET
QUOTE(#7):

The difference is the QB play. Yes, Rodgers has been good but he's still no Favre.

You couldn't be more wrong. The QB position has not even remotely been the problem this year. The problem has been the defense, GB would be at least 9-4 had they had the same defensive effort from last year. McCarthy knows what he's doing, he set up a potent offense with a less mistake-prone nature, so that he could run the ball, pass with proficiency with a strong defense to lean on. The defense has let the team down. A.J. Hawk is no better than he was last year, they have essentially no pass rush from anyone other than Kampman and the secondary has regressed. Brett Favre has NOTHING to do with how this season has panned out.

December 16, 2008  09:06 AM ET
QUOTE(#8):

From what I've seen, it looks like the defense is the biggest problem the Packers have had this year. Not Rodgers.

you have to consider the impact to the whole team, that Farve leaving had...

I still can't believe that the Packer faithful let this happen.... it could be years and years before they ever are able to get a group of players together again that could seriously compte for a superbowl...

I think they both shoudl be fired....

December 16, 2008  09:08 AM ET
QUOTE(#6):

Why don't they - or Rodgers supporters - get it????

Well...for example, on Packers Blog from JSOnline...a lot is being said that doesn't come down to one player, blah, blah, blah. The new AR supporters are making excuses and want to be able to say the Packers are bigger than one player, etc., etc.

Problem is the Packers are the same exact team (for the most part) minus Brett Favre as last season. The results so far support that it was a bad, bad decision. Except Ted Thompson will likely be given another season to right the ship. I always said it, Thompson and McCarthy had a get out of jail card for as long as they kept Favre around.

"They" or the new Rodgers supporters don't get or don't want to accept that while at some point the Packers would be led by AR, it shouldn't have been the 2008 season. It's unfortunate for AR but Steve Young has really only been the one QB I can recall that stepped in immediately for a HOF QB.

December 16, 2008  09:09 AM ET
QUOTE(#9):

You couldn't be more wrong. The QB position has not even remotely been the problem this year. The problem has been the defense, GB would be at least 9-4 had they had the same defensive effort from last year. McCarthy knows what he's doing, he set up a potent offense with a less mistake-prone nature, so that he could run the ball, pass with proficiency with a strong defense to lean on. The defense has let the team down. A.J. Hawk is no better than he was last year, they have essentially no pass rush from anyone other than Kampman and the secondary has regressed. Brett Favre has NOTHING to do with how this season has panned out.

Hey Moe... you aren't really serious are you?....

Answer this - and be honest with yourself...

If it's got nothing to do with Farve, then you're saying that the Pack would be 5-9 right now if Farve would have returned??????

December 16, 2008  09:12 AM ET

Well, actually, Bob Sanders should be fired (the Defensive Coordinator). And the four first day picks (3rd round is 1st day, and we get at least a 3rd rounder from the Jets) should go O/DT, D/OT, O/DT, D/OT. Get a general idea of what I'm saying? The thing that is screwing over the Packers is that they're old where they shouldn't be (the offensive tackles can't run block) and they're young where they should be old (the Mike LB).

December 16, 2008  09:12 AM ET

Ted Thompson and the GM for the Chargers should both get the Axe.

December 16, 2008  09:14 AM ET
QUOTE(#9):

You couldn't be more wrong. The QB position has not even remotely been the problem this year.

Considering the Packers have lost something like 6 games by less than 4 points...I would say the QB position has to bear some of the blame. Agreed that the defense took a step back but at the end of the day, it's the QB that has the ball in his hands most of the time.

Why is Arizona in the playoffs? Because of Kurt Warner. Why is Tennessee 11-2? Because of Kerry Collins. Why does Miami have a winning record? Because of Chad Pennington. Yes - there are many other factors that help play a part...but the majority goes to the QB position.

December 16, 2008  09:15 AM ET

Oh, and I didn't see Fonzie's comment. I really do think that we would be 5-9 right now. We would have lost the first game against the Vikings and lost the game against the Colts, but we would have won yesterday and the last game against the Vikings. I don't know if you have been watching Favre on the Jets, but he isn't the factor on the Jets that is winning them games. If anything, I think he lost one of them for the Jets.

December 16, 2008  09:21 AM ET
QUOTE(#16):

Oh, and I didn't see Fonzie's comment. I really do think that we would be 5-9 right now. We would have lost the first game against the Vikings and lost the game against the Colts, but we would have won yesterday and the last game against the Vikings. I don't know if you have been watching Favre on the Jets, but he isn't the factor on the Jets that is winning them games. If anything, I think he lost one of them for the Jets.

What i think you fail to realize is the impact of Farve just been on the team... just having Farve as your QB changes everything... including the confidence level of the whole team...

same thing with the Pack... the teams they face ply them entirely different now ith Rodgers as their QB...

I think its great what Farve is doing with the Jets... but you can't use his performance with them in any way when measuring whether making him move on from th ePack was a good idea or not... he had to learn a brand new offence etc...

December 16, 2008  09:23 AM ET

And with Favre we would have beat Houston and Atlanta.
Don't forget the Tampa Bay game...it's likely with Favre that is a W.
Against Tennessee...

Politely disagree...the Packers likely would not be 5-9 right now.

December 16, 2008  09:28 AM ET
QUOTE(#15):

Considering the Packers have lost something like 6 games by less than 4 points...I would say the QB position has to bear some of the blame. Agreed that the defense took a step back but at the end of the day, it's the QB that has the ball in his hands most of the time.Why is Arizona in the playoffs? Because of Kurt Warner. Why is Tennessee 11-2? Because of Kerry Collins. Why does Miami have a winning record? Because of Chad Pennington. Yes - there are many other factors that help play a part...but the majority goes to the QB position.

From a quick look at the ESPN website the Packers had the #11 ranked overall defense last year. This year they are #24. Last year on offense the were ranked #2, this year #10. Ryan Grant is averaging 3.9 ypc this year, last year he was at 5.1. What I'm trying to say is the D has taken a big step back and Grant is nowhere near as good this year as last. And I'm not buying the theory that Grant isn't as good because of Favre not being there. That is too convenient. Those "less than four point losses" can easily be attributed to a lesser D and a running game that is not as good.

I, obviously, watched the Panthers/Packers game and the Pack lost due to bad special teams play (the Panthers had great punt/kickoff returns) and defense. The Pack took the lead late in the game and then Steve Smith burned them with a long pass (his second of the day) that set up an easy TD late in the game. That loss didn't seem to be due to anything Rodgers did. That is just one game I realize...

 
December 16, 2008  09:29 AM ET

For you lovers of the Old QB. One thing Green Bay will not have to worry about in the off season is the QB position. Now they can concentrate on other parts of their team. I wonder what the Jets are thinking about, in terms of the stability of the team for next season.

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