Experts see multiple problems with Packers offense
Internally, Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy and his offensive staff have examined just about every aspect of their slumping offense and have not been able to find a cure.
It's possible they won't find one and will play their final game of the 2015 season against Washington on Sunday in a wild-card playoff game at FedEx Field.
Outside of 1265 Lombardi Ave., those with years of NFL experience in both the scouting and coaching realms have seen the symptoms. Whether it's in the film room, in person or on television, the sudden failures of a once-prolific offense have been on display to all.
The Journal Sentinel sought out five NFL experts with impeccable reputations in coaching and scouting to offer their thoughts about the Packers offense. All asked not to have their identities revealed because they were speaking about a team with which they aren't employed.
The three personnel men who agreed to report what they have seen have either studied the Packers offense as an opponent, watched it while scouting other teams, have seen several games on television or have done some combination of all three. The two offensive coaches who agreed to give their opinions have coordinator experience and either viewed the Packers while studying opposing defenses or made a point of watching them during the season.
When it came to assessing the offense, the problem areas mentioned most often were: wide receivers, offensive line, coaching and the play of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Just about everyone agreed that the offense looks out of sync.
"Everything is disjointed and extended play," said one of the coaches. "Right now, they're fighting through a lot of things. You can see that; it's evident. Seems like there's some frustration."
People are used to seeing an offense that dictates the action. Now what they're seeing is a quarterback scrambling incessantly and acting as if no one is open. Rodgers was sacked 46 times this season — second-most of any quarterback in the NFL — and rarely seems to get the ball out on rhythm.
Said the second coach: "Two things that stick out to me: he (Rodgers) gets hit way too much. And for a very prolific passing game, it appears to me that he is not throwing a lot of passes on time. He's waiting. He has to wait. There's very few times it seems to me where he drops back five steps and throws. The rhythm of the passing game seems to be off."
Some are baffled by how things have gone downhill so quickly and don't really have an explanation.
"They're 10-6," said one of the personnel men. "People act like they're an awful team. They're not awful. But it makes you wonder what's going on. All of a sudden guys can't block and can't get open. It's bizarre."
All four of the reasons that were mentioned most often for the Packers' struggles are connected, and based on the outsiders' opinions, each has contributed to the inefficiency.
It starts with the wide receiver corps, which suffered a blow few could have predicted would devastate the team the way it has. When receiver Jordy Nelson suffered a torn ACL in an exhibition game in Pittsburgh, the Packers found out how valuable he really is.
"I think you have some young players who need an example of what it's supposed to look like and that's where that Jordy Nelson injury was devastating," the first coach said. "(You say to them), 'This is how you do it' and then Jordy goes and does it. When you don't have anyone else like that (they don't see it done correctly). Randall Cobb is obviously a nice player, but he's much better with Jordy on the field. He's limited in the things that he can do. It's easy to double-team a guy in the slot and single him up outside. But you put him outside, he's not as effective."
There has been much debate about whether the lack of speed with Cobb, James Jones and Davante Adams has been the primary problem. Rodgers registered his worst passer rating and lowest yards per attempt since becoming a starter. There were only six passes of 40 yards or more this season, which is two fewer than Nelson had on his own in 2014.
"People say the receivers have no speed, that they can't get free," said the first personnel man. "Well, Seattle's receivers don't have speed and they get free. You can do things to get receivers free. The quarterback seems unsure about them."
Added the second personnel man: "He (Rodgers) needs one more receiver. Truth be told, 17 (Adams) needs to step up. I thought after last year he would be a nice receiver for them, but he needs to play better."
As a whole, the group is having trouble getting open.
"I think you have some guys who struggle getting in and out of breaks," the first coach said. "I think you have guys who struggle to separate at the top. They're pulling out of breaks and the DBs are getting there and grabbing them and not letting them finish and play through the way you should."
Part of the problem with the receivers group may be that there is not a dedicated receivers coach. When McCarthy shuffled the staff to give up play-calling, he promoted receivers coach Edgar Bennett to offensive coordinator and added the receivers to the responsibilities of quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt.
That could be affecting their play.
"I can't imagine not having a receivers coach," the first personnel man said.
The same personnel man said while studying the Packers a coach told him to watch the wide receivers because it was unclear to him what they were trying to accomplish with their routes. The Packers have had the same offense for years, but the receivers didn't seem to be finishing their routes this year.
"He told me, 'The wide receivers are just running to spots and they expect the quarterback to scramble and they don't get the ball out on time,'" the personnel man said. "I watched it and he was right. They run and they stop and then they run around and don't really run routes. I don't know if that's a philosophy or what. I don't know what you call it
Internally, Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy and his offensive staff have examined just about every aspect of their slumping offense and have not been able to find a cure.
It's possible they won't find one and will play their final game of the 2015 season against Washington on Sunday in a wild-card playoff game at FedEx Field.
Outside of 1265 Lombardi Ave., those with years of NFL experience in both the scouting and coaching realms have seen the symptoms. Whether it's in the film room, in person or on television, the sudden failures of a once-prolific offense have been on display to all.
The Journal Sentinel sought out five NFL experts with impeccable reputations in coaching and scouting to offer their thoughts about the Packers offense. All asked not to have their identities revealed because they were speaking about a team with which they aren't employed.
The three personnel men who agreed to report what they have seen have either studied the Packers offense as an opponent, watched it while scouting other teams, have seen several games on television or have done some combination of all three. The two offensive coaches who agreed to give their opinions have coordinator experience and either viewed the Packers while studying opposing defenses or made a point of watching them during the season.
When it came to assessing the offense, the problem areas mentioned most often were: wide receivers, offensive line, coaching and the play of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Just about everyone agreed that the offense looks out of sync.
"Everything is disjointed and extended play," said one of the coaches. "Right now, they're fighting through a lot of things. You can see that; it's evident. Seems like there's some frustration."
People are used to seeing an offense that dictates the action. Now what they're seeing is a quarterback scrambling incessantly and acting as if no one is open. Rodgers was sacked 46 times this season — second-most of any quarterback in the NFL — and rarely seems to get the ball out on rhythm.
Said the second coach: "Two things that stick out to me: he (Rodgers) gets hit way too much. And for a very prolific passing game, it appears to me that he is not throwing a lot of passes on time. He's waiting. He has to wait. There's very few times it seems to me where he drops back five steps and throws. The rhythm of the passing game seems to be off."
Some are baffled by how things have gone downhill so quickly and don't really have an explanation.
"They're 10-6," said one of the personnel men. "People act like they're an awful team. They're not awful. But it makes you wonder what's going on. All of a sudden guys can't block and can't get open. It's bizarre."
All four of the reasons that were mentioned most often for the Packers' struggles are connected, and based on the outsiders' opinions, each has contributed to the inefficiency.
It starts with the wide receiver corps, which suffered a blow few could have predicted would devastate the team the way it has. When receiver Jordy Nelson suffered a torn ACL in an exhibition game in Pittsburgh, the Packers found out how valuable he really is.
"I think you have some young players who need an example of what it's supposed to look like and that's where that Jordy Nelson injury was devastating," the first coach said. "(You say to them), 'This is how you do it' and then Jordy goes and does it. When you don't have anyone else like that (they don't see it done correctly). Randall Cobb is obviously a nice player, but he's much better with Jordy on the field. He's limited in the things that he can do. It's easy to double-team a guy in the slot and single him up outside. But you put him outside, he's not as effective."
There has been much debate about whether the lack of speed with Cobb, James Jones and Davante Adams has been the primary problem. Rodgers registered his worst passer rating and lowest yards per attempt since becoming a starter. There were only six passes of 40 yards or more this season, which is two fewer than Nelson had on his own in 2014.
"People say the receivers have no speed, that they can't get free," said the first personnel man. "Well, Seattle's receivers don't have speed and they get free. You can do things to get receivers free. The quarterback seems unsure about them."
Added the second personnel man: "He (Rodgers) needs one more receiver. Truth be told, 17 (Adams) needs to step up. I thought after last year he would be a nice receiver for them, but he needs to play better."
As a whole, the group is having trouble getting open.
"I think you have some guys who struggle getting in and out of breaks," the first coach said. "I think you have guys who struggle to separate at the top. They're pulling out of breaks and the DBs are getting there and grabbing them and not letting them finish and play through the way you should."
Part of the problem with the receivers group may be that there is not a dedicated receivers coach. When McCarthy shuffled the staff to give up play-calling, he promoted receivers coach Edgar Bennett to offensive coordinator and added the receivers to the responsibilities of quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt.
That could be affecting their play.
"I can't imagine not having a receivers coach," the first personnel man said.
The same personnel man said while studying the Packers a coach told him to watch the wide receivers because it was unclear to him what they were trying to accomplish with their routes. The Packers have had the same offense for years, but the receivers didn't seem to be finishing their routes this year.
"He told me, 'The wide receivers are just running to spots and they expect the quarterback to scramble and they don't get the ball out on time,'" the personnel man said. "I watched it and he was right. They run and they stop and then they run around and don't really run routes. I don't know if that's a philosophy or what. I don't know what you call it
