3rd quarter scoring:

Week 1: 0
Week 2: 0
Week 3: 0
Week 4: 0
Week 5: bye
Week 6: 3
Week 7: 3
Week 8: 17
Week 9: 0
Week 10: 0
Week 11: 0
Week 12: 14
Week 13: 0
Week 14: 0

It seems we come out sleep walking in the 3rd quarter. Now, the positive thing is, we are usually winning these games, but it is still an alarming stat. Thoughts...

I knew the third quarter has been bad for us, but that's even worse than I thought. And that 17-pointer was the loss to the Vikings at Lambeau Field, when they were way behind and never quite got back into the game.

I don't know what the deal is. I guess they tend to relax just a bit when they are leading. To their credit, they usually kick it into gear again when they are challenged, so I can't complain too much. They are no good at turning leads into blowouts (we saw that again against the Bears), but they are very good at putting teams away in the fourth quarter. I think that is the more important thing, because it is a much more likely scenario in the playoffs.

---

In other words, we're averaging less than 3.1 points in the third quarter. That's not acceptable by any standard.

Out of deference to the win-is-a-win crowd, I haven't said much about this game. I do want to say, however, that despite the victory, this game reinforced my distrust of Mike McCarthy as a coach. Time after time, this team jumps out to a quick lead, but instead of putting its foot on the neck of the opposing team, relaxes and lets the opponent right back into the game. People can argue that it's attributable to the other team figuring the Packers' scheme out, but I don't buy it. The pattern is too consistent. I lay responsibility for this squarely on the coaching staff; they are not going for the kill in all four quarters. What is Mike McCarthy afraid of anyway? He has one of the best quarterbacks in the league, yet he persists in trying to play clock-control ball, instead of playing to the strengths of his quick-strike offense. I'd rather see the Packers lighting up the scoreboards, forcing opposing teams against the wall, pushing them to drastic measures, rather than trying to plod to victory and score just enough.

Oh, and what was up with the play calling on the four-minute drill? If I recall correctly, it started off on the Packers' 28. Every person on the field, in the stands, and watching on TV or listening on the radio knew that in this situation, Mike McCarthy would come out with a run. As soon as I heard the words "inverted Wishbone" on third down, I knew we weren't going to convert. Three consecutive runs deep in Packers territory and up by a single score . . . ridiculous. And don't give me, "Well, Ryan Grant was averaging almost 7 yards a carry." That 75-yard run severely skewed his statistics. I don't care if they only had to gain 2 yards for the first down. The fact is EVERYONE knew the Packers were going to run, so the Bears didn't have to defend the pass. I wish, just once, Mike McCarthy would just stop trying to trick teams and play to his offense's strengths.

Score enough points and you won't have to worry about chewing up the damn clock. I don't care if you give the Colts the ball with barely 1:30 on the clock -- they're going to try to score. Mike McCarthy seems to have his bags packed by halftime and already be mentally checked in to the hot tub. It's as though he resents his own quarterback and receivers, and it irks the crap out of me.

---

I think the problem is much more with execution than play-calling. They seem to lose some of their emotional edge. They were throwing the ball plenty in the third quarter, and it was on one of those plays when Rodgers turned the ball over (in what looked like a Bad Brett moment), which led to the Bears taking the lead.

I didn't like the three straight runs at the end either, but it's a quibble. They ran some clock and forced the Bears to use their final time-out. By the time the Bears got the ball back, there was only 2:07 left and they were deep in their own territory. The Bears had been dinking and dunking all day long, so it was a tall order for them to score a TD in that short of time. And they did in fact fail.

---

Whenever the Packers get into FG range with a lead it's like McCarthy just completely loses interest in getting another first down.

---

Exactly.

Another reason for this is, that Rodgers usually comes out quite inaccurate in the 1st and 3rd quarter.

This time, as well. The long ball he threw up for Jones would've been a TD, had he not overthrown him there. He just seems to be a really slow starter.

He's been playing his best football in the 2nd quarter. Luckely, he doesn't need a whole lot of time to get into the game, but I would like to see work on that. He still plays respectable, but not up to his regular high level.

Good stuff.

I was aware of this too, didn't have the guts to dig up the facts, might have turned suicidal or something.

---

Really? What makes you say that? Do you think they are just handing off up the middle every time? That's not what I'm seeing. I'm seeing plenty of throws beyond the first down marker and into the end zone. Also, it's worth noting that the catch and run is a big part of the West Coast offense, so I don't necessarily see short throws as "give-up" plays.

I guess this goes to show that people just have very different ways of seeing the same thing.

---

I have a feeling it is McCarthy Press conference skills blending into the locker room.

I can hear him now. Can't make adjustments because I haven't seen the film.

---

You just contradicted yourself with these two consecutive sentences. Sentence one = McCarthy is too predicatable.
Sentense two = McCarthy is trying to trick the defense.

You can't have it both ways.

---