A year ago, the Green Bay Packers reached the halfway point of the season with a 4-4 record and their season at a crossroads.
They crumbled in the second half and won just two more games.
Theyre at the same point this season heading into their ninth game. Beginning with Sundays game against the NFC East-leading Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field, the Packers face a much tougher second-half schedule, which has many wondering how they can avoid the same fate as last season, when they finished 6-10 a year after playing in the NFC championship game.
Because I have faith, Packers General Manager Ted Thompson said Friday when asked why this year would be different. I have faith in these players and coaches and in the Green Bay Packers.
Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy, the top two men in the Packers football operation, heard loud and clear from the head of the organization this week that he expects things to change in the second half of the season. On Monday, Packers President Mark Murphy expressed his disappointment in the teams performance.
Thompson was out of town on a scouting trip when Murphy made those comments but addressed them when he returned on Friday.
We need to play better and play the way were capable of playing, Thompson said. Marks been around the game, so he understands that. Hes seen this team, and I think were better than what weve shown so far.
Just as Murphy gave Thompson his support on Monday, saying he has a lot of confidence in Ted, Thompson offered similar praise for the coach he hired in 2006 and gave a new five-year contract to in January 2008. When asked where his confidence level is in McCarthy, Thompson said very high and added that its as high as its ever been.
I know this is an up-and-down business, Thompson said. Sometimes the difference between winning and losing is very close, but you have to have a belief system, and you have to know that the people that you have are what you think they are, and we believe in that.
Thompson refused to put the blame on McCarthy and his coaching staff but at the same time defended the roster he has assembled.
I think we have good enough players, Thompson said. Ultimately, the responsibility is mine. So this is my responsibility when things go bad, but I think were a better team. I think our players would say were a better team, and I think our coaching staff would say that were a better team than how weve been functioning the last couple of weeks.
Murphy said on Monday he expected things to change. That came a day after the Packers shocking 38-28 loss at Tampa Bay, which was 0-7 coming into the game, but the former NFL player-turned-executive wouldnt offer suggestions. Like his predecessor Bob Harlan always did, Murphy said thats up to the guys in the football operations.
Yet after months in the offseason program, a full training camp and eight regular season games, what can really change?
I think theres an evolution of teams as you go along, Thompson said. I think we can get better in a number of ways. I think were capable of playing a lot better, and I think everybodys of that opinion. So its just important for us to put together a good game and play the way we can.
For his part, McCarthy made a couple of significant changes this week. First, he went to what he calls his winter schedule, which includes shorter pre-practice meetings and a few less reps in practice. As far as his lineup, he moved rookie T.J. Lang into the starting lineup at right tackle.
So despite that his team will face eight opponents with a combined record of 33-33 (compared with the 21-35 mark the first-half opponents possess), McCarthy sees improvement coming in the second half.
I think you have to improve, regardless of your record, McCarthy said. Thats something you always focus on. We feel that November is the opportunity to start playing your best football. The third quarter, Mike Eayrs (director of research and development) did a presentation Thursday, very evident about how roles change and how you have to adjust and make the adjustments from personnel, schematic, thats the challenge. I dont think were very far off of where we want to be, and we need to stay focused on that and make the adjustments as we move forward.
The alarm bells have been sounding not only because of the Packers shocking loss at Tampa Bay on Sunday, where some of the same problems pass protection issues, special teams breakdowns and penalties that have hampered them throughout the season continued against what at the time was the NFLs only winless team, but also because of two losses to the arch-rival Minnesota Vikings that have the Packers running a distant second place in the NFC North.
And it comes after a half season of football that followed big expectations based on stellar play in the preseason.
Perhaps expectations were out of whack, but its clear Thompson shares Murphys disappointment in the teams first-half performance.
Its a riddle, a puzzle, whatever you want to call it, Thompson said. Its a hard game, a hard business, and its a very unforgiving business if you get on the wrong side of it, and thats just the way it goes.