The Green Bay Packers have decided to part ways with Mike McCarthy. Though he has been their head coach since 2006 and helped bring a Super Bowl victory to Green Bay in 2011, the team has struggled of late. It’s no secret that McCarthy has been on the hot seat this season. The Packers lost their matchup against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday and management was ready to pull the plug. The team is now 4-7-1 on the season and has lost three straight games.
Packers brought in Mike McCarthy after the game and fired him; he was not expecting it, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 3, 2018
Mike McCarthy Out as Head Coach in Green Bay
Adam Schefter’s source for McCarthy’s firing indicated that he was not expecting the move. But the writing was on the wall. Though the team has star quarterback Aaron Rodgers back from last year’s injuries, they are largely ineffective. The team’s defense is allowing over 24 points per game, which is 16th in the league. The offense lands at about the same spot (17) with 24 points per game. It’s an underwhelming stat line on both sides of the ball, especially when considering the team has one of the better quarterbacks in the league.
Green Bay’s underwhelming season follows a 2017 that involved an injured Rodgers and a 7-9 end of season record. With Rodgers back, the Packers are in third place in the NFC North ahead of only the Detroit Lions. Another damning fact for McCarthy is that the Packers are 1-2-1 against divisional opponents this season. Divisional games are important and they haven’t done well in that category. Let’s not forget that Green Bay has not won a single away game all season. They are 0-6 on the road. The only other team that boasts a winless road record is the 2-9 San Francisco 49ers.
Though Mike McCarthy was able to lead the Packers to a Super Bowl victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2011, they haven’t been dominant lately, especially on defense. McCarthy is out of a job in Green Bay but may be a hot commodity in the off-season.
