I like this article because the author describes two of the very plays I was screaming about during the game (and incidentally, being told to shut up). On the one play, Brandon Jackson was wide open with a clear path to the first down, while on the other, Driver AND Jackson were open. But Rodgers came out determined to throw downfield. Now this may be due to his inexperience, but if that were the case, why did he start dumping it off in the second half? No, clearly, he was following McCarthy's gameplan, which is why I placed (and still place) most of the blame for the first half's performance squarely on McCarthy himself. Yes, the players made their share of errors, but as far as I can tell, Rodgers was doing his best to execute McCarthy's gameplan, even in the face of contradictory evidence. Should Rodgers have adapted? Perhaps, but so should have McCarthy. Screw your script if it isn't working -- throw it in the trash and call some plays that fit the situation.
Some people on this forum have insisted all the short routes were covered, that the Vikings had taken away the short routes. These few plays alone show that that isn't true, and if it was obvious during the game even to someone with as little football knowledge as I, it should have been overwhelmingly obvious to the coaching staff.
Dom Capers, you're watching the game from on high in the booth -- clue McCarthy in on the realities of the field once in a while.
"Nonstopdrivel" wrote: