Ted Thompson never has been one to ride the emotional roller coaster of an NFL season. He didnt do so during the 4-12 debacle of his first year as the Green Bay Packers general manger or in the 13-3 season of 2007.
Typically, he reserves judgment until after the season.
Thats why when Thompson made a statement like he did on Friday, just four games into the season, it was evident that his teams 2-2 start isnt sitting too well with him.
After a preseason in which the offense hit big play after big play, quarterback Aaron Rodgers was nearly flawless and the change to the 3-4 defense looked like an instant hit, the Packers find themselves among the middling teams in the NFC.
The preseason and the regular season are a whole different kettle of fish, but yeah, I would have thought we would have played a little bit better starting out, Thompson said. But at the same time, we feel like were a work in progress, and were going to get better.[img_r]http://cmsimg.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Avis=U0&Dato=20091009&Kategori=PKR01&Lopenr=91009165&Ref=TS&NewTbl=1&MaxW=380&Border=0[/img_r]
At their unusually early bye week, the Packers are tied for the eighth-best record in the NFC. After being a popular pick to win the NFC North, they stand in third place behind the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings (4-0) and the Chicago Bears (3-1). The Bears have won three straight and look like a different team than the one the Packers beat 21-15 in the opener at Lambeau Field.
Asked for his assessment of his team at the quarter pole of the season, Thompson said: I think everybody to a man would say we have room to improve. Were fighting, were scratching, were playing hard. But we think can do better. We think we can play better.
If the problems on defense dont come as a complete surprise given the overhaul coach Mike McCarthy made to his staff in the offseason, then the offensive struggles can be considered somewhat of a shocker.
The Packers rank 13th in the league in yards per game, 22nd in rushing yards and 12th in passing. They are eighth out of 32 teams in points but quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been sacked a league-high 20 times. Only one other team (Buffalo with 16 sacks allowed) has given up more than 13 sacks.
The Packers have played 2 games without starting left tackle Chad Clifton, who sustained an ankle injury midway through the Week 2 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, and theyre trying to break in a new starting right tackle, Allen Barbre.
Still, Thompson refused to pin the offensive problems solely on the line.
The whole protection issue is a combination of things, Thompson said. Its the blocking, its the reads (by Rodgers), its the route running, its the running game, its the whole thing. All those things have to come together. I think we have a very potent offensive, but obviously weve stubbed our toe a little bit in terms of getting off to a good start.
For an offense that carried the Packers at times last season, when the defense struggled mightily, this wasnt something the Packers anticipated. After finishing their 6-10 season of 2008 ranked eighth in the league in total offense and then steamrolling through the first three preseason games, expectations were high for an offense that seemingly had multiple weapons in receivers Greg Jennings and Donald Driver, a healthy running back in Ryan Grant and an emerging tight end in Jermichael Finley.
The offensive production through four games this season is about the same as it was at this point last year, when through four games the Packers ranked 15th in yards, 23rd in rushing and 10th in passing. They had the same 2-2 record at this point last year.
Help for the offensive line could be on the way. Clifton is expected to return after the bye to play against Detroit on Oct. 18, and the Packers appear committed to re-signing Mark Tauscher, their primary right tackle from 2000 until he blew out his knee late last season. However, Thompson said on Friday that there was nothing to report on Tauscher.
On defense, the Packers havent generated the kind of pass rush they had hoped when McCarthy hired Dom Capers to implement the 3-4 scheme. They have just five sacks. Only four teams have generated fewer sacks and one of those, Carolina, has played only three games so far.
The Packers' best pass rusher, Aaron Kampman, who was twice a Pro Bowl player as a defensive end in large part because of his prowess as a pass rusher, has made only a minimal impact in his new role as an outside linebacker. He has just one sack this season.
The defense ranks 15th in yards allowed, 17th against the run and 18th against the pass, but most telling is that they are 22nd in points.
Asked whether the players are still feeling their way through the switch to the 3-4, Thompson said: To a degree.
But I think were playing good defense, he added. We had some breakdowns in each of the games that we can correct, but they are more fundamental or mental errors that we made. Weve shown that we have the versatility amongst our players to play pretty high quality defense. Again, this is an area where were continually going to improve.
Thompson wouldnt call the three-game stretch immediately after the bye, with games against Detroit, at Cleveland and a rematch with Minnesota, critical, but it could make or break the season. Another loss to the Vikings could have playoff ramifications because they would lose a head-to-head tiebreaker.
Weve played a quarter of the season, so weve got a long way to go, Thompson said. Our team is confident enough, but at the same time we understand that we have the work to do. I think we have the kind of team where if we play well, I do think we have (a playoff) team. I think we have that kind of people on our team.