Game Thoughts Packers/Cowboys

• Wow. Where to start?
• What the heck was that? A poor effort all around. The offense and defense were lousy. We were not prepared for this game. We were badly outcoached – and Dallas’ gameplan was infinitely better than ours. What an extraordinary no-show.
• There is a reason we at Packergeeks keep harping on the poor offense. I know people get frustrated with this but it is so bad right now – and it’s been this bad for over a year. And that’s why you heard Aikman talking about it as much as he did today. We aren’t imagining this – the offense is just not good anymore and something needs to change if we’re going to have a chance to get into the playoffs. It should be clear to everyone now that Jordy Nelson’s absence last year really had little effect on the overall production of the offense. The problem has been our offense. NFL teams totally know what McCarthy has coming. The offensive puzzle that used to be Mike McCarthy has been solved. We need new plays…and a bunch of them.
• Also concerning to me as far as coaching goes, are things like running Eddie Lacy TWICE after the Cowboys went up big in the 4th quarter. It’s stuff like that that makes me seriously wonder if he has any idea what’s going on. The entire crowd booed both of those decisions hard and he deserved it. At times he seems so totally out of touch with what’s happening in the game. Poor feel for game-flow.
• I continue to be frustrated by both the routes that are designed for the WRs and the way they are run. The routes all kind of look the same because it seems they are all run out between 7-17 yards or so. There are very few that are short little routes (except the WR screens) and very few super deep routes. Dallas’ D totally cheated up today because they could. Best evidence for just how crappy the route designs are and how poor the routes are being run is the fact that Rodgers seems to have a year back there to throw. The O-Line is doing it’s part but WRs are so rarely open. Antonio Freeman needs to come back and show these guys how to make cuts. I noticed when I was at the Giants game last week (and again today) that so many of the routes are rounded instead of sharp. Couple that with the fact that defenses seem to know what the routes are going to be and you have an epidemic of no separation.
• As poor and predictable as the offense was today (again), there were a few moments in the game when we went to 5 WR sets or put Montgomery in new and different positions and look what happened – we had almost instant production because we showed formations that Dallas hadn’t seen much on film. But then we go away from what works – don’t get it.We don’t necessarily need to keep doing 5 WR sets on every play, but mix it up – go 5 WR set, then 2 WR set with 2 TEs, then go 1 WR set with 2 RBs and throw a screen to Ripkowski…etc…etc.
• Aaron Rodgers is playing terrible. There is no other way to say it. It’s bad enough that the WRs can’t get open ever – so when they finally do and Rodgers misses relatively easy throws it just feels so futile.
• But there is something deeper wrong with Aaron Rodgers. You don’t go from being in the discussion for being one of the best QBs to ever play (and as of a couple years ago – he definitely deserved to be in that discussion), to…this. He is so bad right now he’s actually below average- and there are all kinds of stats that support this. I don’t think a player playing at the level he was at can slump THAT badly without there being something else going on. Which is why I think is something deeper going on here. I wonder if he is really tired of McCarthy and some of the bonehead play calls. Possible. But if I had to guess – I think his girlfriend situation is affecting him. Rodgers is his own man and obviously can date whoever, but the specific issue from what I’ve read is that the relationship with Munn has really caused huge tension within his family. For a guy so family-oriented this must be really, really tough on him to be caught in between – especially if he really cares for her. And now that the feud has essentially gone public, it’s even more painful. He wears the face of emotional pain out there – and I wonder if this is the source.
• The defense got schooled today. Dallas drew up an incredible game plan. Elliott and Prescott are both the real deal. These guys were good to be sure – but the gameplan and the play calling by Dallas today were both phenomenal.  I’m not usually a huge fan of Jason Garrett as he tends to drift too conservative at times and it’s annoying. But he sure didn’t do that today. That TD at the end of the half was unreal. they were super aggressive and it paid off. Dallas also was fired up to play and looks organized. And their defense very much looked like they had thoroughly studied our game film and knew pretty much what was coming.
• And I don’t like to hear the injury excuse either. Every team has injuries – the key is finding a way to manage through them. I believe we had a ton of injuries the year we won the Super Bowl – we just made solid adjustments. We’re not making any adjustments (and part of that is on TT – what’s with going into a game with just 1 RB – who’s already hurt? That doesn’t make sense). But a lot of that is on the coaching staff. The next guy up philosophy all of our players always mention, only works if the next guy up is ready to contribute.
• Montgomery was the lone bright spot out there today. He was fired up and brought it today (despite fumbling twice and losing one). He played well today.
• This is really frustrating. I know we’re 3-2 and people will try to diminish my criticism by saying it was just a bad game and that we’re still 3-2 etc – but we are not in a good spot right now. If we can’t beat the Bears – who find incredible ways to lose – things could get ugly up in Green Bay as the huge homestand ends with the Bears game.