dfosterf
15 years ago
So much in here...

LINK 

Time to get serious
Coaches push accountability
By Greg A. Bedard of the Journal Sentinel
Posted: Sept. 23, 2009





Green Bay On Monday, one day after the Green Bay Packers put on an embarrassing performance in a 31-24 home loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, offensive coordinator Joe Philbin went to the podium in the team meeting room and delivered a stern message.

"My message was that there needs to be a higher level of accountability - all of us - it's got to be higher," Philbin said. "There has to be more responsibility for performance on the field. Accountability definitely has to increase now."

Somewhere in the room, quarterback Aaron Rodgers was agreeing wholeheartedly. The lingering thoughts of the Packers' subpar effort were just about eating away at him.

"One hundred percent I agreed with him," Rodgers said Wednesday. "I feel like some portion of the team felt that we could just show up on Sunday against a Bengals team that we felt like we were better than, and they were going to fold. Well, they didn't. They played with more effort and more intensity.

"You've got a guy in (Bengals end) Antwan Odom who's not a huge name guy, but he out-efforted us on sacks. And his motor was running higher than ours was. I think as a professional you need to hold yourself to a high standard, and when you make mistakes two weeks in a row, that should be unacceptable to you as a man and as a Packer and as a member of this offense."

There certainly are things about this Packers team that should be intolerable to the players and coaches:

The Packers have been called for 17 penalties in two games. Over 16 games, that would average out to 136, which would break the non-strike season team record of 128 in 1986.
They have given up 10 sacks, which puts the Packers on pace for 80, which would obliterate the team record of 62 ('90).
The Packers lead the National Football League with eight dropped passes.
Some would say those numbers are sure to drop as the season progresses, that two games are too small a sample. Both things likely are true.

But that the Packers compiled those awful statistics in two games in the comfort of Lambeau Field - including Sunday with Super Bowl-winning legends from glory years past watching steps away on the sidelines - only underscores the sloppiness in which the Packers have started a season that began with Super Bowl aspirations.

And the fact they are 5-11 over the past 16 games does as well.

And that they returned 21 of 22 starters, with an average age of 27.5 and 5.9 years of NFL experience, put an exclamation point on it.

At some point, doesn't somebody stand up and scream, "This is just not good enough!"

According to some players, coach Mike McCarthy did just that Monday.

But others, like linebacker Aaron Kampman, said the riot act wasn't read.

The message McCarthy delivered Wednesday, to the media at least, was that steady is the course being set by the Packers.

"They're going to rise to the challenge. And they need to. And we all do, starting with me," McCarthy said.

"We're going to line up and play just the way we did every day, nothing's going to change, we're not changing any plays, any practice schedules, OK?

So we're going down to St. Louis to win a game . . . any linemen and we're going to play our type of football. That's our approach."

So McCarthy prefers to stay balanced - to not get too high or too low during the season.

Not every coach has done things that way.

Vince Lombardi, of course, demanded perfection in everything his Packers did.

But that was a different time with different players.

Well, after his team posted an 0.8 average rushing the ball in the opening week of the season, San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Singletary bashed his offensive line in the media and barged into the offensive meeting room to tell them "we got our tails kicked up front, it's as simple as that."
On Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, 49ers running back Frank Gore had 207 yards on 16 carries.

Obviously it's not that simple, but a good tail-kicking can be useful once in awhile.

"That has a place, it really does," Rodgers said when told of Singletary's actions.

"But I wouldn't directly tie that to the play on the field. The rah-rah speech gets your attention, but it comes down to man to man doing your responsibility."

And it appears the Packers have failed at that. It could be because the organization doesn't have the best track record of holding players accountable.

Last year, punter Derrick Frost obviously was not performing to an acceptable level, but it took the team 12 games to release him.

Not only did the team bring back Jarrett Bush after he committed six of the Packers' 24 special-teams penalties (25%) in 2007 - in addition to several poor plays and not developing at defensive back - but the Packers matched the offer sheet he received from the Tennessee Titans. Bush was offside twice on punts against the Bengals.

And safety Aaron Rouse finally was released by the team Wednesday. But several of his teammates had long ago figured out Rouse hadn't proved himself capable of a roster spot.

As a third-round pick, however, it seemed that he was given extra time to develop.

There also are players still on the team that some players believe have not earned their spots.

Rodgers disagreed with the notion that the Packers have not held a hard line on accountability. Nonetheless, he did hope a message was delivered with Rouse's release.

"I do think, at times, some of the young guys, it takes them a little bit longer to realize they're not on scholarships anymore," Rodgers said.

"And we talked about that this week. Comfort vs. confidence. Confidence in your abilities, not wanting to be comfortable because you're just on the team.

"You shouldn't be comfortable here.

You should be confident in your abilities, but you shouldn't be comfortable because they cut Aaron Rouse.

That could happen at any time. Maybe that will be a wakeup call for some of these young guys."

If things don't improve against the Rams on Sunday, players could become more vocal with each other.

In fact, Rodgers and veteran cornerback Charles Woodson talked about that subject this week.

But linebacker Nick Barnett said the Packers aren't there yet.

"We're 1-1, the ship hasn't sank," Barnett said. "I don't think it's gotten to that point, where we need to be yelling and screaming on the sidelines. But everyone has to be more accountable. What has gone on can't be allowed any longer. We're a better team than this.
"It's time to do it."

bigfog
15 years ago
"
And safety Aaron Rouse finally was released by the team Wednesday. But several of his teammates had long ago figured out Rouse hadn't proved himself capable of a roster spot.

As a third-round pick, however, it seemed that he was given extra time to develop.

There also are players still on the team that some players believe have not earned their spots."

That's a very interesting thing to say about the locker room, a bit of an eyebrow raiser in fact.
"I wouldn't root for the Minnesota Vikings to win a chess match against Nazi Germany."
dfosterf
15 years ago
...So I'm google searching Jon Runyan (advanced search, last 24hrs filter...daily) and I come across this little gem in my travels, along with the news that the Bills took Meredith as a "youth movement"(apparently)---forgoing Jon Runyan--potentially very good news, if you aspire to his services, btw, but getting even MORE off track...

We got beat (in large part) get this...(Defensive player of the week errrr)

By:

peanut butter sandwiches

ice cream

and milk


Yep

That is what Antuan Odom is crediting his strength and conditioning program to. He went from 261 to 282 lbs from last year to now.

LINK  That's a crappy link, but you can read about Runyan there, also



Hey Mike---

Go tell your offensive line that one, will ya? Oh, and don't give 'em any Peanut Butter, ice cream or milk, because those clowns just might take your little speech as advocacy of the diet instead of just how friggingly sadly embarrassed they should all be to even call themselves NFL football players.
15 years ago
It will be interesting to see what Odom does this weekend vs. what is considered to be a very porous Pittsburgh O-line.
UserPostedImage
Zero2Cool
15 years ago
I don't know about this, but ... anyone else more encouraged by Rodgers comments than McCarthy's?
UserPostedImage
bigfog
15 years ago

I don't know about this, but ... anyone else more encouraged by Rodgers comments than McCarthy's?

"Zero2Cool" wrote:



It makes me wonder what sort of environment exists in the clubhouse.
"I wouldn't root for the Minnesota Vikings to win a chess match against Nazi Germany."
Brettizzle
15 years ago

It will be interesting to see what Odom does this weekend vs. what is considered to be a very porous Pittsburgh O-line.

"MassPackersFan" wrote:



Worse then hoe he did against us that's for sure.
Jermichael Finley

We will be in Indianapolis

bigfog
15 years ago

I don't want to hear anymore talk.. it is too late for any of it.. results this weekend..

Mike McCarthy can spin around on the mic and humming the Imperial March and I could give a shit less...

Plainly..

I want a hungry, passionate, fired up team to take the field Sunday.. bringing with it the same intensity we read about in training camp from the defense.. and I want the offensive line ripping off head and pissing down their necks.. I want them playing like this is the last game they are going to play damn it.

"pack93z" wrote:



Here, here +1

Anything less is unacceptable.
"I wouldn't root for the Minnesota Vikings to win a chess match against Nazi Germany."
Pack93z
15 years ago
I don't want to hear anymore talk.. it is too late for any of it.. results this weekend..

Mike McCarthy can spin around on the mic and humming the Imperial March and I could give a shit less...

Plainly..

I want a hungry, passionate, fired up team to take the field Sunday.. bringing with it the same intensity we read about in training camp from the defense.. and I want the offensive line ripping off head and pissing down their necks.. I want them playing like this is the last game they are going to play damn it.
"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"
15 years ago
I just want our team to play sharp. Think quick, act quick, be quick... quicker than the opponent. Have that edge. It wasn't there vs. Cincy and we all could sense it.
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dfosterf (27-Aug) : tell her I reckon
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Micah Robinson cut. Probable PS player tomorrow. Has to call mom back and t
Zero2Cool (27-Aug) : New site so much better. Might make switch and deal with it.
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Mecole Hardman to our practice squad
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Nick Nieman from Texans our 5th linebacker. Special teams signing
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Looks like we signed Clayton Tune as QB3
wpr (27-Aug) : TKT people lose their minds over QB3. Point is almost none of them are ready that's why they are on the PS and other teams don't take them.
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Unfortunately he doesn't seem ready to be an emergency QB.
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : As a Canadian and a follower of Canadian University football. I am rooting for him
dfosterf (27-Aug) : I bet a lot of us will follow the Taylor Elgersma journey with interest. Personally, got a Kurt Warner vibe goin' on. I like him
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Not sure if either will be claimed though.
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Tune or Hooker would make sense
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Clayton Tune cut by the Cards? Don't know if that's the guy, we shall see
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Per Bill Huber, the Packers will not be bringing back Taylor Elgersma or Sean Clifford on the practice squad, so a new third quarterback
Mucky Tundra (27-Aug) : Schefter must have deleted his tweet
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Hopefully Jerry reaches under the seat cushions and ashtrays of his jet and scrapes up the 45 million apr and spares us further nonsense
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Have to admit the PO'd Cowboy fan videos would be fun to watch. Problem with draft picks is half their fanbase barely knows what that is
beast (27-Aug) : I think Cowboys fans are ready to get their pitch forks and burning sticks if Jerry were to trade Micah
dfosterf (27-Aug) : If Jerry traded Micah to GB, here in northern Va. they would have to quick build yet another data center to handle the internet hate traffic
Zero2Cool (27-Aug) : its signing and trades that you don't hear about, other then announced
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dfosterf (27-Aug) : 19 players in a contract year. Jones called loss to us worst loss in Cowboy history. Forget Parsons trade. Not happenin' Cap'n
packerfanoutwest (27-Aug) : The Packers, meanwhile, are the youngest team in the league for the third consecutive year.
dfosterf (27-Aug) : That it was darkest before the dawn in Bengals and Commanders before they got deals done
Zero2Cool (27-Aug) : what is Schefter saying?
dfosterf (27-Aug) : He was getting Dorito infusion therapy
dfosterf (27-Aug) : He's outta shape. Why, just the other day I saw him splayed out on the trainers table
Mucky Tundra (27-Aug) : Parsons has followed Rasheed Walker on Twitter. Quite the choice
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