Unless the Green Bay Packers win their last five games of the season and get some help from a few other teams, they will miss the playoffs for the second consecutive year. This time, however, there’s no easy excuse or explanation. Sure, Aaron Rodgers has battled a knee injury for much of the season, but he hasn’t missed any more than a quarter-and-a-half of playing time. Missing the playoffs with a two-time MVP quarterback is concerning. Someone will take the blame, and that someone is shaping up to be the head coach, Mike McCarthy. McCarthy’s seat is really hot and getting hotter as the Packers continue to lose in surprising fashion.
Why Mike McCarthy Is Firmly on the Hot Seat in Green Bay
According to Packers Wire, McCarthy is most likely the next NFL coach to be fired. To put it in perspective, Odds Shark gives McCarthy a +400 likelihood of losing his job. Meanwhile, they only give Pat Shurmur, head coach of the New York Giants, a +1000 likelihood.
This week when Rodgers met with the media, reporters asked about the plan for the remainder of this season and if he still intended to aim for making a Wild Card spot. He replied, “Yeah, why not? If we lose, you guys are just going to write us off, so [we] might as well let it all hang out these last five [games].” Rodgers went on to say that he isn’t playing any differently this year and has been sticking to his fundamentals. He listens to his coaches and is tough on his own tape. So, if he isn’t playing differently this year, then what’s the problem? Why is this team constantly unable to close out games? Why do they never seem to be on the same page on either side of the ball? Could it be McCarthy’s play calling?
Identifying the Problem
On Sunday Night Football last week at the Minnesota Vikings, the Packers did not convert on a crucial, game-on-the-line fourth down play. ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reports that McCarthy had this to say about failing to convert on fourth and two with about four minutes left on the clock– “I stuck with the call. I think like anything, when you call plays or you call defenses in this league, you have two calls there and hindsight’s always 20-20. The second call would have been a better call there, but that’s football. […] We just didn’t execute.” This explanation will not do. For years, fans have been calling for McCarthy’s head, and his inability to diagnose the problem and resolve it makes those calls louder. The talk of his job security is now a topic in the media.
Deadspin samples a recent piece from Sports Illustrated’s Kalyn Kahler explaining the frustrating relationship developing between McCarthy and Rodgers. The coach is the official “play caller.” However, since Green Bay’s quarterback has a high football IQ, he has the luxury of changing plays at whim on the field. He could, theoretically, repeatedly reject one of McCarthy’s plays throughout the game. While this is the right he has earned, this could contribute to strife between the play-calling duo.
These last five games will make Brian Gutekunst and Mark Murphy‘s decision for them. One thing is certain. Green Bay, Wisconsin, is Titletown. They expect titles. So, missing the playoffs with Rodgers under center will not fly.
