NFL Running Thread - Week 3 with Mark Moseley and Jeff Reed

Lovey would much rather keep quiet than speak, and remove all doubt.

 

Why? Is the defense just getting lucky so far? I really like the combination of Jones and Charles running the ball. Cassel isn't great, but they seem like they can hang around in games if the defense holds up.

 

This is college, but Notre Dame let Stanford score at the end of the 2009 game.

 

Agreed. Between the teams in that division, and the fact that KC also plays Jax and Buffalo, I mean....is it unreasonable for this team to win 6-7 more games?

 

Bears aren't 3-0 good, but they are just good enough to beat teams if they get breaks with turnovers. Against Dallas, they had two interceptions bounce right into their hands. Against Green Bay, there were 3 fumbles (two by the Bears and one by Chicago) and they got all three, plus Cutler got away with a lot of potential interceptions.

When those breaks stop coming, it'll get ugly, but they managed to make an entire regular season out of that sort of luck in 2001.

 

Opportunistic defenses with good hands can be good for a couple of wins a year, and that can make all the difference in terms of making late-January.

 

EVERY year in the NFL, there is one team that surprises early, builds confidence, steamrolls the lousy teams by Halloween and earns a home playoff game.

And gets the hell beaten out of them in said home playoff game.

The Chicago Bears look like that team.

As for McCarthy...I had the pleasure of covering the Packers for a decade during the Holmgren (during his Beautiful Mind era), Rhodes (lost), Sherman (clueless) and McCarthy (well...what did you see last night?) eras.

I could handle McCarthy being a sub-par "game coach" in 2006, his first year. Even during the 13-3 season of 2007, McCarthy was very shaky in tight games. I haven't seen that improvement yet.

Here is where McCarthy is catching a break. His "game coaching acumen" is not as exposed because he is in a division with Childress and Lovie Smith. (Much like why Mike Sherman had an inflated record from 00-05 because he got six games against the Vikings, Bears and Lions then. Won all those games and couldn't land another NFL HC job. Hmmmm.)

If McCarthy was coaching in the NFC East vs. Reid, Coughlin and Shanahan (no, Wade Phillips is about McCarthy's equal), he would get his head handed to him. Often.

Just look at last night: Green Bay was about 14 points better than Chicago. There are precious few matchups in the NFL for the Packers where I say, "McCarthy has the advantage here". Against the best coaches, I think the McCarthy vs. (enter elite coach here) is worth 7-10 points for the other team.

McCarthy always takes about "correctable mistakes". 18 penalties last night! THIS is why I don't think Green Bay will win the Super Bowl, even with Rodgers (what a stud last night) and those receivers. Too many penalties (a McCarthy hallmark) and poor game management (a McCarthy hallmark).

Bill Simmons OFTEN calls for NFL teams to employ a video game nerd to only track time outs and challenges. I think Green Bay would be the first team in need of this.

If Packer management is truly serious about winning the Super Bowl (this will be their BEST year with their window to win it all), they need to take a look at the coaching. Now.

Be bold. Call up Cowher and offer $10 million to be HC the rest of the season. The coordinators call the plays. Cowher is in charge of "game management" because McCarthy is making the same poor choices as when he was a rookie HC in 2006.

Here is also where the Packers should look at a top-flight coach for 2011. You win in the NFL with elite QBs.

They have one.

Coaches like Cowher aren't going to come back to coach Jacksonville. They prefer teams already "built to win".

 

Vick's jersey is in great demand again. Interesting. Also interesting that you can buy a Vick jersey for your dog at NFLShop.com.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/39380845

 

Absolutely. And Lovie Smith has always trained the team to play for turnovers. It's why they give up annoying number of extra yards after contact while trying to strip the ball on every tackle.

But it's not reliable. Eventually, you'll have a game (or several games) where the ball doesn't bounce your way.

 

Mike McCarthy 40-27
Lovie Smith 55-44
Brad Childress 37-30

Three coaches, combined record in the NFL of 132-101, winning percentage of .567

I guess what I'm saying is...


Winners win.

 

Would you trust any of those three for your team in the playoffs?

 

holmgren's packers did it in the supe they lost to the broncs. it's been attempted aeveral times in regular seasons but i don't recall it ever working out for the team allowing the td.

that said, i agree there is a time and place to give it a try -- and last night was one of those times. i'd never expect a slug like mccarthy giving it a whirl, though.