Joe Barry Almost Ruined Christmas
If the Green Bay allowed the Carolina Panthers to escape with a win, there would not be enough spiked eggnog to cope with such a loss.
By rex.sheild
In the early stages of the Week 16 contest between the Green Bay Packers and the Carolina Panthers, defensive coordinator Joe Barry appeared to steer away from his patented zone coverage and instead employed more man coverage, while also dialing up pressure on rookie quarterback Bryce Young. And to no surprise, the shift paid dividends. A Christmas miracle of sorts. The dividends were temporarily enjoyed.
Barry, for whatever reason, returned to more zone coverage in the second half and allowed Young to pick apart the defense left and right, particularly in the fourth quarter. He completed 13-of-16 passes in the final quarter of play for 177 yards and two touchdowns. That was no fluke, either. He faced minimal pressure and found guys in the open holes of the weak zone. Sunday’s contest was the first game in which Young played like his old Heisman-winning self. He finished with a career-high passer rating of 113.0, and it was only his second game this season finishing with a passer rating of over 100. He also finished with 312 passing yards, another career high. The Joe Barry Special.
Bryce Young generated positive passing EPA (+12.2) for the first time in a game in his career.
Young targeted in the intermediate area (10-19 air yards) at the highest rate in a game this season (45.7%), competing 10 of 16 passes for 178 yards & 2 TD.#GBvsCAR | #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/TSwPDDQYAs
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) December 24, 2023
Part of the reason why Young has struggled this season has been the team’s putrid offensive line play. They had given up 51 sacks on the year entering Sunday, the second most in the league. Green Bay’s pass rush finished with two sacks, which was only the third time all season that the Panthers had given up two sacks or less.
After Anders Carlson put it through the uprights to put the Packers in front, 33-30, Carolina took over on its 25-yard line with 19 seconds remaining and zero timeouts. Young almost did what New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito did two weeks ago by leading his team into field goal range late in the game. Luckily for Green Bay, the clock expired just as Young spiked the ball to set up a potentially game-tying field goal. Still, the Panthers gained 44 yards in less than 20 seconds. The Joe Barry Special.
This game was supposed to be a get-right game for the Packers, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The offense, down several playmakers by the time the fourth quarter rolled around, did their part, scoring their highest point total since Week 1. The defense meanwhile made us all sweat on Christmas Eve against the worst team in the NFL.
Barry acknowledged Thursday during his media availability that he knew his job was on the line after an abysmal showing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The former defensive signal caller of the 0-16 Detroit Lions did nothing to show that he was up for the challenge. The Joe Barry Special.
It is Christmas, after all, so let’s finish with two positives. First, running back Aaron Jones had his best game of the season on the ground. He finished with 127 yards on 21 carries and exhibited the burst and shiftiness that the Packers have been missing in the run game. In addition, despite missing Christian Watson and losing Dontayvion Wicks late in the first half, Jordan Love still managed to finish with a 109.1 passer rating, three total touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Over the last six weeks, Love has 14 total touchdowns and one interception, with an average passer rating of 108.3. In the prior 10 games, QB1 had 16 total touchdowns and 11 interceptions, with an average passer rating of 83.9.
That is the definition of growth, which you love to see in a first-year starter. Happy Holidays, everyone. Enjoy time with your loved ones.
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE.
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Rex is a lifelong Packers fan but was sick of the cold, so he moved to the heart of Cowboys country. Follow him on Twitter (@Sheild92) and Instagram (@rex.sheild).
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Comments (48)
Since'75
December 25, 2023 at 12:04 pm
Joe Barry Almost Ruined Christmas
<sniffle,sniffle>
**************
All i want for Xmas is more Joe Barry hate.
Let me guess.....Ya'll hate Joe Barry??
WE GET IT!!!!
He'll be gone in 2-3 weeks, can you people hang in there before committing suicide?
Holy S...
Well F me Jenny Hale......
Is it possible life can move on?
***************
Join us for the next two weeks of Joe Barry hate, followed up by two more weeks of Joe Barry hate, after he is terminated.
Because....no one else is responsible.
************
Can we talk about Preston Smith dominating a 2-12 team and their 30th ranked offense for 1.5 sacks?, and why Gary was a inactive again.
Ok, i'm just going to say it......
Gary....paid 24 million annually on average.....
In his last 4 games, has 4 solo tackles, .5 sacks.
What am i missing here?
This season, in 12 games, he has 3 sacks, in 14 games he has 2 FF's.
WOW, right?
In the other 2 games, it's worth noting, Gary had 3 sacks each game.
In other words, doing what he gets paid to do in those two games.
The other games, i've seen 3rd round rookies have more of an impact.
Not any of Gutes 3rd round picks, but......😉
All the above describes......
A) A grossly underpaid player
B) A grossly overpaid player
C) A player paid in line with his production
D) What elite productive Edge Rushers are paid
E) Something only i can see....apparently
F) A game changer
G) Doesn't matter...it's Joe Barry's fault
CanPackFan
December 25, 2023 at 01:37 pm
It's hard for me to blame the veterans on this team when their careers are in peril under the destructive watch of the dynamic duo. Good, veteran players will not want to be coached by either of these boobs. The good ones will leave nor will good ones want to come to GB. Just the perfect storm!
Can't wait to hear who LaFleur will throw under the bus this week! The drivel that comes from his mouth is now mind blowing!
albert999
December 25, 2023 at 02:44 pm
Sorry about your marraige
Go to another site….u snail
Since'75
December 25, 2023 at 09:19 pm
And i'm truly sorry you can't spell Albert.
Great comeback btw...ouch.
Fubared
December 25, 2023 at 03:22 pm
You got a lot right.
1. Gary a terrible pick at 15. A pick I hated. Analyst reports: goes missing in games, lacks upper body strength to take on nfl linemen, late second early third. Don't blaim Barry for him. Over priced avg player
2. Stokes, big, fast. Great. Doesn't have a clue how to play corner. Dumber then a chia pet. Don't blame Barry.
3. Jairre A. A loud mouth who avoids contact at all costs, can't cover and knows how to miss games so he ain't blamed. Don't blame Barry.
Bottom line, we let guys like Hyde leave and replaced them with retreads like Nixon, Ford, savage, amos, Douglas. Don't blame Barry.
This team cannot play man no size,speed or tackling ability. Don't blaim Barry
WestCoastPackerBacker
December 26, 2023 at 01:34 am
Hahaha. Hyde left years ago under a different GM. He was NOT replaced by anyone currently on this roster. Hard to take anything you say seriously when you come up with that.
Bure9620
December 25, 2023 at 12:16 pm
Haha yes, we nearly had a Barry Barry Christmas. He is awful. Just awful.
stockholder
December 25, 2023 at 12:42 pm
Common it's Christmas.
Give Barry a break.
Seriously show some Love.
vin0770
December 25, 2023 at 01:06 pm
Nobody finishes the important part of Fire Barry…so…MLF can hire another one? See where this goes? Definition of insanity is what?
Fire one person and everything will settle out. Opie came up with the brilliant three silos idea, Gute, MLF and Ball all report to him. The only GM in the league that can’t fire the HC is the neutered Gute. The Opie plan has one problem, what if the gap tooth in charge is an idiot box?
So fire Opie and if the next guy in charge wants his own GM and HC…oh well. There is no mystery any longer about what they got…so Just Do It!
Bitternotsour
December 25, 2023 at 03:16 pm
That brain belongs in the CTE study to be sure. Murphy administered and received a lot of headshots.
Fubared
December 25, 2023 at 03:31 pm
Opies job, show a profit. Cheap money ball is alive and well.. Does anyone think Ford, Savage, Stokes, Wyatt, would be guys any team any team in the NFL is coveting? These guys couldn't get jobs bench sitting..
Piss poor managed team. Lefuer, Barry Gutt all very replaceable but not cheaply.
WestCoastPackerBacker
December 26, 2023 at 01:39 am
The idiot? The idiot that went to law school and has overseen one of the top 3 successful franchises on the field in his tenure. And off the field he’s handled business extremely well. Most teams would love a leader with Murphy’s success. Christian Watson’s dad was right about the hatefulness of GB fans. Spoiled beyond belief. Murphy hired a GM who appears to have found the next franchise QB. Most GMs fail at that.
Houndog
December 26, 2023 at 06:39 am
WestCoast,
From my seat near Santa Cruz it might appear that you left a few things out, such as;
After winning the Superbowl at the end of the 2010 season, Murphy sat back and watched Ted Thompson refuse to bring in the horsepower for Rodgers to win more.
Then, after Thompson's retirement, in a major power-grab, Murphy tore down the system that had made the Packers successful for decades and anointed himself the All-powerful dictator that everyone must answer too. The GM position was changed to a castrated , powerless position that must answer to Murphy on all facets, and the VP of Football operations was eliminated. Everyone answers to Murphy.
Murphy also played a large part (as he also controls Russ Ball) in overpaying players by handing out contracts that favored "What have you done for me yesterday, tomorrow doesn't matter" players. His stupidity on that subject is evident as, for the first time the Packers are in serious Salary Cap Hell. His Rodgers, Alexander, and hopefully NOT Gary contracts are classic examples.
Murphy, when not playing Real Estate Mogul, has basically ignored the Football side of things other that to stick his nose where it doesn't belong.
He handpicked the present so-called Head Coach, had Aaron Rodgers as part of the interview team, and again sat back and watched the destruction without any worthwhile involvement other than patting himself on the back when he made that hire.
Yes, he has made the Packers rich, and bully for him, but the Packer do not have an owner that constantly stands with his hand out, the riches are not passed out to we 'owners', and we don't care.
The Packers are a Football Corporation, and 'on paper' football is their only business. Barry-Ball is NOT football.
Murphy hasn't only forgotten that, he's ignored it.
RedMN
December 25, 2023 at 01:37 pm
This defense needs more than just another defensive coordinator. They need a guy to bring a new defensive culture to this team like they have had in Baltimore, San Fran,Pittsburgh and New England. Even the bears had been able to capture that culture here and there.
Build on fundamentals like playing all around good defense pass and run and especially tackling. Underline tackling. Green Bay has had poor fundamentals dating back years.
No more bend and don't break, no more play the pass and forget about the run. We need the new Defensive coach to insist these guys become all around good football players.
I don't accept some of these guys just being good at pass rush. Kenny Clark is getting alot of money, he needs to be better in the middle. I feel like being a good run defender is all about the mentality of wanting to be good at it. Like run blocking its a physical dirty job and you might bump bellys and get the dudes arm pit juice on your hand but thats football in the trenches.
CanPackFan
December 25, 2023 at 01:40 pm
Excellent point! Do we think that a cream puff like LaFleur could take/hire someone that is actually football tough? I certainly have my doubts...
SicSemperTyrannis
December 25, 2023 at 02:33 pm
Do we know that a new DC would be MLF's choice?
Even if the executive board won't do what's necessary and MM keeps his current role in the organization for another 1.5 years, a different DC could not possibly be worse. Assuming that MM won't replace MLF there are still a substantial number of other changes that could help, beginning with Butkus.
Fubared
December 25, 2023 at 03:40 pm
Your right but we should all reflect capers, Pettine, Barry all had one thing in common: They were not in demand, came cheap and we're available.
Murphy will look for a cheap replacement. He doesn't want to spend big bucks on a Flores like the Vikes did who came in and transformed that d into one of the best in the NFL.
LeotisHarris
December 25, 2023 at 03:57 pm
Your rite. The vikes have always payed good celeries for coaches, like Zim and Childress as HCs, and Donatell and Edwards as DCs. Nothing but top shelf for Ziggy Wilf in business and as an owner. The man reeks of class.
It's a shame even with a transformed D the vikes couldn't beat the Bengals or Lions. Still, 7-8 is pretty good for them with KOC at the helm. They have nice stadium that Ziggy says needs a few repairs, but that's the price you pay for excellence. At least weed is legal in Minnesota.
Turophile
December 25, 2023 at 04:46 pm
LeotisHarris "The vikes have always payed good celeries for coaches"
I'd pay them celery if I could, it's supposed to have zero calories......
dblbogey
December 25, 2023 at 05:46 pm
They pay them in cheese in Green Bay.
Houndog
December 26, 2023 at 07:01 am
Bogey,
Celery sticks topped with a good sharp cheddar spread are pretty good, check it out
SinceLombardi
December 25, 2023 at 01:55 pm
Joe Barry didn’t almost ruin Christmas, MLF did. He knew last year that the Barry defense was a failed experiment.
Matt
December 25, 2023 at 02:16 pm
You know that it's bad when in the same time:
- your team faces one of the worst offenses in the league,
- you are up by 3,
- they will start at their 25 yd line with no timeouts and 19 seconds left,
- you are still scared you can lose it,
- it needed one second to go to the overtime.
I was really scared, nearly sure that they will get those 3 points. Now I have a bitter taste in my mouth that it was that close to happen. I remember our last drive against Niners 2 years ago, but Panthers do not have Rodgers nor Adams at their peaks. Our defense has been bad. Now it is terrible.
BruceC1960
December 25, 2023 at 02:38 pm
Just noticed, if the Packers finish 3rd in the division this year, they will have the Jets in Lambeau next year.
Wouldn’t that be interesting?
EnemyTerritory
December 25, 2023 at 03:04 pm
Indeed that would be. AR, Bahk and maybe Adams in a homecoming against Love, The new LT, two new RBs and god knows who heading up the packers D…. GBP2024 v GBP 2021
Bitternotsour
December 25, 2023 at 03:14 pm
i'm not a betting person, but I'd give decent odds that Rodger's won't play a full season (ever again). time waits for no man.
Leatherhead
December 25, 2023 at 03:23 pm
If the offense had gotten off the bus in Denver and LV, the Packers would be 9-6 right now. Better defense against NY and Tampa would have us at 9-6. Combine both and we’re the #2 seed. But the youngest team in the league is going to make mistakes, especially if key players are out with injuries..
Beat the Vikings, beat the Bears, go to the playoffs. Not bad for a transition year. Use our extra draft picks on Day 2 to replace Nijman and Runyan, who will leave in free agency. Use our own Day 2 picks to replace Jones and Dillon. . This offense could be really good ..
The_Baloney_Stops_Here
December 26, 2023 at 01:09 am
Worth noting, the offense wasnt great vs Denver but still managed to capture a 4th qtr lead with like 5 minutes left only for the defense to blow it.
LambeauPlain
December 26, 2023 at 08:15 am
With a competent D, the Packers could have an additional 5 wins the slack jawed Barry Ball gave away after the Offense gave the team a lead late in the game.
12-3 and a #1 seed could have been possible today with effective defense that actually used the talent on the team VS using a well known, predictable, failed, soft prevent (the win) scheme MLF brought to the Packers.
11-4 is an even greater possibility.
10-5 is probable.
9-6 is not just likely without Barry Ball...it is almost a given.
MLF and Mark Murphy own this failure. No accountability for a $$multi-million dollar organization. Shocking and amazing, really.
There is a potential 6th win too, the total collapse vs the Bucs, I did not count. 13-2 can be imagined without MLF's incompetent infatuation with Barry Ball.
ricky
December 25, 2023 at 03:51 pm
We get it. Barry's defensive schemes suck. The defense seems to be ready for a change, but then LaFleur decided to give Barry another chance, due to the defense being better at the end of last season. We all knew this was not going to last. But our input means nothing. All we can do is watch, and root for our team, and hope for the best. But there are also the special teams, which are still really bad, although the Packers paid a lot for a coach who had been a ST's guru. Which is why just changing coaches, without changing the culture of the team, is not going to make a huge difference.
The offensive play calling is all too often disappointing. There doesn't seem to be a flow to the plays. Time to look at the entire coaching staff, and be ready to move on from those who are under performing. This would include Butkus, Stenavich, Bessacia, and others. Would Stenavich be willing to become OL coach again, if he was given the title of co-OC with someone else? Would money be enough to relieve the disappointment that he'll never be a head coach? Just tossing out ideas. Because that is all we can do.
CheesedDeadHead
December 25, 2023 at 03:53 pm
You're a mean one, Mr. Barry,
You really aren't for real,
You're as cuddly as a cactus, you're as charming as an eel, Mr. Barry,
You're a bad banana with a greasy black peel!
You're a disaster, Mr. Barry,
Your Defense is an empty hole,
Your brain is full of spiders, you have garlic in your soul, Mr. Barry,
I wouldn't touch you with a thirteen-and-a-half yard pole!
You're a foul one, Mr. Barry,
You have defenders playing off a mile,
You have all the defensive acumen of a seasick crocodile, Mr. Barry,
Given a choice between the two of you I'd take the seasick crocodile!
You're a vile one, Mr. Barry,
You're a rookie Quarterback's dream,
Your heart is full of unwashed socks, your playbook makes me scream, Mr. Barry,
The three words that best describe you're defense are as follows, and I quote,
"Stink, stank, stunk"!
You're a rotter, Mr. Barry,
You're the king of comeback plots,
Your defense is a dead strategy splotched with moldy purple spots, Mr. Barry,
Your scheme is an appalling dump heap overflowing with the most disgraceful
Assortment of soft coverage imaginable mangled up in tangled up knots!
You nauseate me, Mr. Barry,
With a nauseous super "naus"!
You're a no trick pony and you drive a crooked hoss, Mr. Barry,
You're four quarters of sauerkraut and toadstool sandwich with arsenic sauce!
aberk
December 25, 2023 at 08:12 pm
Wow! Amazing lyrics
mnbadger
December 25, 2023 at 08:52 pm
Just watched The Grinch with grandchildren, your song tops off the evening.
thank you!
GPG!
Fubared
December 25, 2023 at 10:48 pm
Brilliant. Love it, good work.
Cheddarhed
December 25, 2023 at 04:55 pm
Joe Barry is the opposing teams secret weapon.
No lead is safe. I think opposing offensive coordinators froth at the mouth when up against our D. Lol
The_Baloney_Stops_Here
December 26, 2023 at 01:10 am
Joe Barry is to opposing offenses what Jay Cutler used to be for the Packers defense lol
Qoojo
December 25, 2023 at 07:11 pm
- Early in the game like the first panthers drive, JB played man and #36 got burned but the pass was off target. Then another time, #58 was torched by the TE.
- Watching the DBs handoff WRs, it doesn't looks effective to me. The WR is generally open when that happens.
- Watched 2 WRs and 2 Packers DBs covering them. Ball is snapped, the deep DB immediately starts back peddling. One WR is almost always open.
A lot of bad scheme and bad play. Is it the players or coaches failing to teach the players? I don't know.
bjkdad44
December 26, 2023 at 09:08 am
Mostly… the latter!!
NJ-RICK
December 25, 2023 at 07:19 pm
Time to clean house in the front office.. It all starts at the top.
13TimeChamps
December 25, 2023 at 08:29 pm
Wow...you've never posted that before. You're awesome!!
Swisch
December 25, 2023 at 09:23 pm
Hey, even if Jordan Love is not at the elite level of a Tommy DeVito, Baker Mayfield, or Bryce Young, he seems to be playing pretty well, and may be a keeper ;-).
By the way, even Brock Purdy had three interceptions tonight in the first half.
Love's unexpectedly high level of play -- above what even supporters like me might consider likely -- may be overshadowed these days by the exasperating embarrassment of a defense, but I'm hoping he keeps his level-headedness and continues to focus on steady improvement and winning games.
Swisch
December 25, 2023 at 09:46 pm
It's really come down to, how could the defense be any worse -- especially in big moments?
It's not fair to almost everyone to keep Joe Barry as defensive coordinator.
It's gotten to the extreme that Barry is literally dangerous to the health of Packers fans in heart and mind.
***
If I'm right in thinking Barry is doing the same inept things over and over and over and over and over . . . again, what's stunning is his apparent refusal to adapt with significant and lasting changes.
***
LaFleur seems to be further jeopardizing his own job by sticking with Barry, unless LaFleur is taking orders from above. As fans, we should know who is making such decisions, and thus who should get credit or blame.
If anyone in coaching and management thinks it's a good idea to keep Barry, they should openly and even gladly tell us why.
***
How hard is it for the players on defense to be subjected to the futility and frustration of Barry?
As one excellent fan comment had it after the Panthers game, how can LaFleur demand accountability of his players when he doesn't demand it of Barry?
***
In any case, all of the players of the Packers would do well to make the best of a shaky situation by playing hard and smart for themselves, each other, and even the fans.
Life is full of absurdities and disappointments, but we have to be determined to maintain our dignity and honor by doing the best we can in disorder and adversity. It's not easy.
I hope our players go all out to win these final two regular season games, then let's see where we're at.
Fubared
December 25, 2023 at 10:46 pm
Happy Festivus Packer Fans. Tear into Joe Barry this year. Festivusfor the rest of us
DeezNutz
December 25, 2023 at 11:01 pm
“Baseball been Barry Barry good to me. Keep you eye on dee ball.” - Chico Escuela
Lphill
December 26, 2023 at 05:22 am
Why are the Packers always a day late and a dollar short when a coaching change needs to be made?
Houndog
December 26, 2023 at 07:33 am
Yeah, No Shit!
But listen Man, you've got to understand, Murphy's got important things to do, he's got to find some more properties and get his newly purchased golf course ready for the spring.
He can't be bothered with something as trivial as football!
13TimeChamps
December 26, 2023 at 10:01 am
I'm in the mood for a bunch of down votes today, so here goes:
I'm not quite sure what the fine folks on here want Murphy to do. He gets criticized when he "interferes" with football operations, then gets criticized when he focuses "only" on non-football operations.
He gets criticized for sitting back and not interfering, (basically letting TT do his job), while Thompson supposedly never gave Rodgers more weapons, but at the same time gets criticized for supposedly micro-managing Gutekunst (NOT letting him do his job).
So, he's either a meddlesome tyrant who wants to be involved in every facet of operations or he's only interested in real estate and can't be bothered by anything football related.
I understand people sometimes need a whipping boy when things aren't going well, but maybe...just maybe...a lot of this Murphy angst is a tad misplaced?
jhtobias
December 26, 2023 at 01:36 pm
For the hundreth time why are we holding Joe Berry to the flames . He tries hard he is just not good at his job.
Who hired and retained joe berry which has likely caused us to miss making the playoffs and gaining valuable experieince?
Who hired mo drayton which absolutley cost us a home game in a nfc championship game ?
You see the pattern. Matt lafluer is the corrext ansewer. He is a great oc play designer if he wants to but an absolute failure as a head coach. Go ahead argue with me but look at he hires the malpractice is wild.
He should be offered to stay on as a oc . Trusting him to make hires and leadnthe locker room is a joke.