100 percent agree, I think the 4th quarter rally might induce a spark into this offense... at least I hope so! It's now or never! Go pack

We have seen this happen for most of year. Their 4th quarter offense for whatever reason has been the best offense we have had. Rodgers finds his groove and seems to be more into the game. The biggest difference is they are more into the hurry up and Rodgers is calling plays at the LOS.

I think giving more of the offense to Rodgers could be a good thing. It just feels like he hasn't been on the same page with the play callers for most of the season. It feels like there is doubt with him and what is being called and ran. When you listen to his post game comments he has said multiple times that we need to be doing this or that more and using certain players more. Just seems like they can't get on the same page.

Perhaps just letting Rodgers running it more will allow him to feel more in control and will get him in the right mindset.

I don't think it would be a bad thing to have Rodgers feeling good about what they are running.

There are other arguments for why the O plays better in the 4th quarter and from behind than at other times: primarily that the defense is going into a mode where they're playing dime and not necessarily rushing as many (or the defensive looks are simplified). This allows ARod to have more time in the pocket or allows him to roll out and create...his forte. Looking back, though, when the Packers have tried to run the hurry-up earlier, it hasn't necessarily been all that productive.

Many have speculated that there's a rift between the offensive coaches and #12. While there have been times where this has appeared to be true, it's still really just conjecture. If I were a player of ARod's caliber and I was seeing that my team was suffering and it's the offense's fault, I'd likely be acting much the same way he's been acting...and if I were an offensive-minded coach I'd be acting much the same way MM has been acting to the public.

If there IS a rift--or even a behind the scenes power play--between coach and QB, I would argue that the worst thing they could do for the future of this franchise is to give ARod total control of the offensive play calls. In essence, you're emasculating the coaching staff and empowering the other side of the power play. I think this is a dangerous road to go down and can be more destructive in the long run than the possible short term benefits would justify.

Don't get me wrong, the key right now is to win playoff games. If there's no true back-room power plays going on, then I see no problem with an expanded role for #12 in game-planning and in-game calls and corrections. But it's a slippery slope.

It seems that many times AR is looking downfield for a big gain rather than grab the 10 yards the D is giving. It seems that the coverage has been too good but that is because the WR's are stopping, stuttering and not getting anywhere or faking anyone out.

Put Janis wide and run deep (STRAIGHT) let him draw 2 and have the others run through the middle and cut ONCE. Nodoby should be stopping. I can't believe that someone doesn't get 2-3 steps and then it is on AR to lead them properly. Unfortunately, AR has not been throwing his best this year. It happens. Let's just hope this year is the outlier.

http://lombardiave.com/2016/01/04/green-bay-packers-five-reasons-the-pac...

There's nothing wrong with putting the game in the hands of your best player. At this point we have nothing to lose. Our offense can't look any worse than it has the last 2 weeks. They definitely need to change something to develop some rhythm with this offense. Plus they may save some time outs if Rodgers is not standing there waiting for the plays to come from god knows where. Almost never saw Bart Starr use a timeout before the last 2 minutes of a half or a game when he was calling the plays. Go Pack! Thanks, Since '61

When Rodgers and the offense go into no huddle hurry up mode it reminds me of the 90's Bills. I think they could be highly successful with that strategy.

Yeah. What this offense seems to need is Aaron Rodgers holding the ball for 8 second before taking a drive ending sack. I'm pretty bearish on Rodgers' decionmaking ability lately.

Also, its not like the Packers aren't throwing down field, its that Rodgers isn't connecting on those passes like we are accustomed to seeing. There were at least two deep balls on Sunday that would have been touchdowns or redzone completions if they weren't underthrown.

I don't have any answer for what cures this team at this point. I was under the impression AR had grown enough heading into that playoff disaster at season's end last year he could call his own plays by now but this year has continually made me question that. Not based on any lack of knowledge on his part but the fact that he seems to micromanage things & get mired in details just like his coach. I think as Packer fans we ARE spoiled in that he's only behind Peyton Manning in how cerebral he is BUT that same ability is what we don't need right now. We need a guy who can go out there & draw up a play in the dirt that's so simple it requires basic skills that accentuate the receivers' abilities.

I've said it before but why not have Janis in 4-8 plays a game & just say 'get off the line, run to the pylon & catch it when I throw it there?' Even if it only works 2-3 times of those 8, it should back the defense off enough to open up the middle of the field for Cobb/Adams/Rodgers/Jones with a committed run game. It's like either MM or AR are so steeped in technique they can't play on that level mentally.

That's what made Favre special & why he could succeed with nobodies at WR for years. This offense doesn't seem to be able to do that whether it's due to stubbornness or design and it's a major reason we're seeing so many issues. If you think about it, it would also explain why MM has had issues with game management in the past as well. If you're obsessed with X's and O's perfection, the second some defense comes along to throw a rock in that pond, you get flustered & can't mentally go back to basics such as pounding the football & basic pass plays like that.

How you fix that? I don't know. Part of me wonders if we truly need a fresh perspective on this team, whether that's promoting TT & elevating Elliot Wolf as I heard suggested on podcast this morning. Or axing all these pseudo coordinator/asst coaches on offense MM promoted for one new guy. Or telling MM it's time to move on to a new coach & perspective altogether. I don't know. The latter is drastic but we need some new blood to inject some life & energy from somewhere asap. The window's closing on this team's SB run opportunities w/each year & while we may never go back to 4-12 years, we NEED to take advantage of our 2nd HOF QB while we can along with the other great players he has around him in their primes.

Letting the waterboy call the plays at this point would be a huge improvement.

On one hand there's people saying Rodgers is going rogue and on the other hand people are saying Rodgers should probably have complete control.

Hmmmm...

There is no doubt its broke, whats worse is will it continue into next year. Might be the most the worse season with such promise.

I said to myself early in the 3rd quarter, why don't we go hurry up, no huddle? we are so much better when we hurry up, run shotgun and wing it around. The slow, plodding, jumbo packages might work to gain time of possession, but not to score points. it's about scoring points. But ARod has to get rid of the ball

As evidenced by most of the games we've lost this year. Our biggest strength seems to be the two minute drill. Well, let's just run that every drive.
Arguments against:
1) Makes the drive too short and D is back on the field and tired. Well.....three and outs do that anyways.
2) Can't make substitutions. Well......just use the same personnel for that drive.

Arguments for:
1) Only thing that seems to work for us this year.
2) I bet there's a stat out there that says we've amassed 80% of our first downs and yardage utilizing this.
3) Wears down defensive backs and Defensive ends.
4) Rodgers is phenomenal at it
5) Defense can't make adjustments
6) Defense can't make substitutions
7) We don't waste time outs
8) We most likely muster up more points than 3 in a half.
9) More chances that one of their guys is out of position
10) Nothing else is working...so....why not

I agree with a lot of the points that have been made in the responses posted. An observation I made after watching replays is the apparent lack of effort by the receivers in creating some type of separation from the defender in man to man coverage, it's like watching a practice walk - through.

At this point the season is all but over. The offense won't fix itself. I fully expect Washington will beat us and the fine defensive effort this year to be wasted.

MM and AR need to get whatever issues there is between them fixed. Stat.

Without a doubt the offensive injuries to Jordy, every member of the OL, Lacy, Cobb, Ty and Abby have been devastating. That said, when young guys don't step up, TT's model of draft and develop doesn't work. This happened to the defense in 2008, 2012 and 2013. It happened to the offense this year.

While that's never acceptable for a professional franchise (it's a bottom line business) - it's even more frustrating for a unit that features a future HOF QB. Everyone has egg on their faces here. Everyone.

That said, MM has 10 years of the highest of highs and a good amount of success to demonstrate that he'll get this right. TT will do his work in the draft and double down his efforts at WR/TE and youth at OT and OG.

The haters will say that this is a decline. That doesn't make any sense. There is a lot of good quality youth on this team - and with ARod, who won't play like this again, the team will be back to being in the discussion as a potential super bowl team again next year. Winning the division will be a no-brainer.

This year sucked, but with the guys we have the future is still bright.

I can agree with the article and most posters here but cory says AR is the only reason they are in the playoffs. He has something to do with it but i think the truth is they have been mostly riding the defense.

I love the idea of going no huddle and i think it is the best chance for success. My next thought is other than 5 OL and AR who are the other 5 guys on the field? Then who do you substitute to keep fresh legs on the next drive? Please share your opinions guys because i cant come up with much.

Aaron Rodgers has been as much a part of the problem as anyone else on this offense. His lack of accuracy and indecision are at all time highs. Letting him play Brett Favre is not a road that we need to go down.

I do agree with many of you that we need to change it up here. If our O-line is healthy this weekend we need to march out some 4 and 5 WR sets. If teams are going to cover then make them cover a lot. MM is the key to this weekend. If he has us pound, pound, pass then we will probably be out of our misery come next week. Let's see what we have under the hood.

This sure has been a humbling year. Started off with thinking we would atone for last year and now when I see our logo in the playoff brackets, it takes me back to the 80s,and being happy to be there. Then I snap out of it and realize we do have the talent to win, at least one game,not just compete.

Not a bad idea in theory. Not so good practically. Communication with the sideline is one way. Getting the right personnel packages in for what he may want to run would be the issue.

He really is the best one to feel what he needs and can do best at any given time. Hard to execute logistically without some extensive practice doing it. Too radical this late in the season. Good idea though.

Any word on Bahk-T yet?

Like everyone, I'm pretty pessimistic about this week. I think the only way we beat the Washington Racial Slurs is to pop them in the mouth, immediately - so maybe Cory's idea is the right idea. Let Rodgers whip it around, spread it out. DBs is Wash's weakness, so go at them.

We need a lead early in this game, b/c that crowd is going to hopped up on a traditionally crummy team getting a home game, and us going down early will be tough. Hard to see us winning a 17-13 of game. I think we can win if we get in the mid-20s, and we aren't doing that with a half-hearted commitment to the run game and screen passes.

I read that Washington's biggest weakness is stopping the run. I'd personally game plan to run it more than pass against the Redskins. Also, with how borderline terrible Rodger's passes have been all season, passing early more than likely puts us behind early.

Instead of changing their nickname, just mentally change their logo to red potatoes. Then the name is no longer offensive.

I believe that the biggest change that has effected this team, yet goes mostly unnoticed, is the change at WR coach and OC. By putting Bennett at OC and doubling duties of Van Pelt with WR coach and QB coach the WRs are not getting the coaching and individual position attention that they have had in the past under Edgar! I feel Van PElt is spending most of his time with the QBs and the WRs are getting neglected. Bennett had thse guys playing well and visibly coached them up non-stop on the sidelines during games and this year I see receivers on the bench by themselves while Van Pelt spends all his time with Arodge and Tolzien. IF there are any coaching changes in the off season I hope it's Bennett or someone working exclusively with the receivers in 2016-17.

I don't agree. If we put everything in his shoulders he is going to try and carry the team. He does this. How many runs did you see it that fourth quarter comeback, any of them. Very few and that's because AR is a competitor who believes he can win a game. Is he going to willingly call a 2 TE wishbone play? No way! He is going no to put as many receivers on the field as possible and go for completions. That hated out route to RR last game is an example of this. AR saw that as a completion. Sometimes I think AR sees the completion and not the play which follows. I think he likes those long deep routes with the same affection as MM because that means he is making that bomb big play happen. Not in a selfish way, not padding stats, but because he thinks he has to get huge plays in order to win. Any way. That's just my $0.02

I just pray that Rodgers and MM look to get 1st downs on 3rd down passing plays. Rodgers has been using 3rd and 3-8 yards as the time to throw the long ball this year instead of converting 3rd downs. I'd like to see them convert 3rd downs at a percentage rate over the mid-teens (last week). Not too many long balls have been caught, not too many 3rd downs have been converted. Also, with the offense sputtering in the red zone, kick the damn field goals once in a while, MM!

That is a fine idea Cory, you are a very insightful lad indeed. Sometimes Packers Coach Big Mike McCarthy is stubborn to a fault, a trait that has sometimes served him well and at times like these it works to his detriment. I am totally onboard with this idea, let Aaron Rodgers just "put the petal to the metal" to steal a modern cliche' Here's hoping Stubborn Mike is feeling the same way! Go Pack !! NostraDANus the optimistic Packers mystic says: Packers 27-Redskins 7
"come on in boys the waters fine"
NostraDANus

Let me get this straight-

Every odd-numbered Packers fan on the freakin' planet has been roasting MM's/TC's playcalling/gameplanning for the entire second half of the season because he/they are supposedly "TOO STUBBORN" to adjust the offense to the fact they do not have any personnel who can pose a legitimate deep threat, yet he/they supposedly kept on neglecting to call runs and shorter routes to compensate and keep the offense moving... It was ALL MM,TC,EB just calling deep ball plays that was flushing the 2015 Packers offense down the shitter...

But now, Aaron Rodgers says he likes to play it fast and loose and throw the ball down field, that's the ticket, and suddenly now, TC/MM/EB were stifling the QB, smothering the offense with their overly cautious short yardage game plans, and the answer, of course, is let Rodgers just do whatever he wants?

Really hard not to drop an F-bomb right now. This is a joke, right? Have you actually watched the Packers this season? Rodgers has been playing it fast and loose with the playcalls all season, he's clearly been looking over the shorter routes and holding the ball looking for the deep play more than he ought, and I suspect a good deal of running plays have been checked out to favor a deep shot throughout the season... Results: A shitty offense that stalls too often, has zero consistency, and a QB who's getting battered because he won't get the ball out of his hands in under 4 seconds way too frequently.

I can't even believe this article. Sorry, it's lunacy... This is not a year like any other. Rodgers has not shown the ability to run no-huddle effectively all season. His reads, decisions, and throws have all been far below his standard.

I do feel your frustration as we all do, but I have not given up hope.
Packers 27-Redskins 7
Go Pack!

Gotta love all the varied analysis. --- The Pack can or the Pack can't because of this , that & the other thing.

It's really pretty simple. The Pack lack impact players & depth. -- This is on TT. He's failed to create the best 53-man roster he can under NFL rules. -- I, for many, will be thrilled when TT goes home & Eliot Wolf starts a new era in GB. -- It may actually salvage the last few years of AR's career.

The Pack can defeat Washington this weekend but that's about it for season 2015. Seattle, Arizona & even Carolina are good bets to stomp the Pack. --- The Pack can't possibly win 4 to secure another Lombardi.

Well I did not read all your comments, but I will give my thoughts to Cory's article...
Lot of you here, and Cory as well thinks Aaron is solution, not a problem. I think opposite. I think Aaron is the problem, not solution.
I might be wrong, but...
For at least 50% of taken hits and sacks only one who had to be blamed is Aaron. He keeps ball to long in his arms. Looking just in one direction. Several times it was obvious that he does not scan the field, just looking into one direction. There was more than enough situations when he throw ball away while there was open receiver on the other part of the field. He obviously changing the plays on the line of scrimmage (remember Lang reaction?) He was raping Davante Adams with throwing to him ball after ball after ball... And, then, comes 4th quarter, large deficit and suddenly plays had to come more automatic, less time to think about. And packers offense starts to work... So, when Aaron has not time to think to much about plays, offense starts to work, not vice versa. When things starts to direct using trained plays, packers offense starts to be more efficient. That tells me opposite of what you are telling here... Also, Aaron by himself told us that he can not call the plays from the game, because he is not the person who can decide who will be in the game, and that communication would slow down pace of the attack, not make the pace faster...
Everyone has bad season, privately, professionally so why people here can not accept that this season is the season when Aaron is not on the top of the game. I still thinks he is one of the greatest QB, if not the best in the league ever, but has the right to have one season down!
I hope that game plan will be fast pace and forcing Aaron to play trained plays, not the plays he would like to play!
Sorry, I know I'm still learning a lot about football, but I have enough experience with other parts of the life to be able to recognize where is the problem...
The best example of that problem was the last interception throw in the end zone against Vikings. There was no brainier throw. Aaron throw the ball 8 to 10 yards of the target. You want to tell me that he had not open WR for that throw?

The Chiefs and Seahawks flipped a switch and starting playing good with no real changes in players, it would be pretty funny if the Packers flip the switch and get hot and make it the Super bowl , stranger things have happened.

They took the keys away for a reason, the recievers can't get open, Rogers has nowhere to go with ball, and is getting killed out there so lacy left, lacy right is the only thing saving Rogers from a beat down.
Mike is tying to save Rogers life and hoping like hell the defense can win the games for them because Lacy left, lacy right produced a whopping three points.

Something certainly has to change in the approach. Last week the game plan was amazingly bland and tilted to the run. Now none of us here get paid millions of dollars to game plan a football team but most of us would probably not have made the main plan to put your injured and beat up out of shape running back behind your terribly beat up and reshuffled offensive line and try to run the ball a lot. But last week the Packers did and I am sure most of us were screaming at them to cut it out by the end of the third quarter - the run wasn't working it wasn't going to start working and they needed to move on.

Again this week the practice reports show there is not a single offensive linemen who is practicing in full this week. To expect that beat up unit to create holes even against the 24th ranked running defense in the NFL seems a bit unwise. As Kevin Greene would say "it is time" for the leaders to step up and that means Rodgers. They have to make it go through him. He is the point guard and every play needs to go through him this week. If they lose at least they can say they put it in the hands of their best guy.