Green Bay - Sticking to team rules and greenlighting spontaneity is a tricky balance. In Week 1, in-game improvisation paid off for the Green Bay Packers and rookie Randall Cobb.
Mike McCarthy said there's always a "gray area." Don't get him wrong. He's thrilled Cobb produced a 108-yard kick return for a touchdown in the Packers' 42-34 win over the Saints.
"It's very important, whether it's Randall Cobb returning kicks or any player, to coach the gray area," McCarthy said. "To me that goes to the first day you put in the play, whether it's returning kicks, running the ball a certain way or throwing it, you're always coaching a gray area."
Games change. Matchups change. At his news conference Monday, McCarthy stressed that he strives always to be "proactive" in his adjustments. Thus, the gray area. In such complicated offensive schemes, routes can always change. Ideally, it comes with the quarterback and receiver staying on the same page. On Cobb's 32-yard touchdown catch from Aaron Rodgers last Thursday, the second-round pick ran the wrong route. Instead of taking his drag to the sideline, he ran a slant.
Rodgers adjusted and Cobb scored.
As for that kick return?
"Eight yards deep is not gray," McCarthy said. "That's something you learn from and taking through - where is the line on making it gray? We're thinking 5 yards deep, but the flight of the ball has a lot to do with it, too. You just continue to coach through those types of situations to make sure the players are being decisive and making the decisions that put all 11 players on the field in sync. That's what it's all about. Decision-makers on offense, defense and special teams need to put the other 10 in position to be successful."
Newton's debut
One week after defeating one of the league's most dangerous passers, the Packers face a rookie - a favorable matchup for any team with a defensive mind like Dom Capers' at the controls.
On Sunday, Carolina's Cam Newton made all viewers do one massive double-take. The No. 1 pick threw for 422 yards and two touchdowns with one rushing score.
McCarthy took notice.
"Four twenty-two," he said. "That was impressive. I was impressed with their football team as a whole, watching the game yesterday on TV and I had a chance to watch their defense this morning. We're going into their stadium, their home opener. I think Cam Newton was very impressive for the young man to go out there in his first game and put up the numbers that he did. It looked like he was very much in control of their offense."
Being around quarterbacks for so long, McCarthy acknowledged it's difficult for any quarterback to do that in his first start.
"It's difficult, no doubt about it," he said. "Especially when we don't have an off-season. It's a credit to their coaching staff and it's a credit to Cam to go out there and perform at that level under the circumstances this season with no off-season training. I was very impressed."
No updates
Tramon Williams' status remains uncertain. The cornerback suffered a bruised shoulder in the Packers' opener last week. McCarthy said many players were around the team facility this past weekend, but he did not provide any injury news on Williams or defensive end Mike Neal (knee).
"I'll just wait until Wednesday because then I'll have more information for you based on Tramon and the others," McCarthy said. "But we did have a lot of guys here this weekend, which is good."
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