Ten Years of Insanity

 It has been ten years since the Green Bay Packer last went to the holy grail of football. They won that game. Two weeks ago in a blog post I talked about football fundamentals. The lack of fundamental and situational football was obvious in the Packer loss to the Buccaneers this past Sunday. The Packers last won the Super Bowl as the NFC's sixth seed in February 2011.  Since that victory they have made eight appearances in the playoffs, and of those eight they have made the NFC championship game four times.  All four times they lost. Many argue that they have the best quarterback in football and have wasted his talent over the ten intervening years where he is now 37 years of age and entering the twilight of his career.  Rodgers may well be the league MVP this year. The best definition of insanity is the adage where you keep doing the same things over and over and expect a different result.  The inability of the Packers to get over the hump to get to another Super Bowl, I believe, is inherent in organizational failure. Let me explain the ways.

Matt LeFleur, Packer Head Coach

The term gut-wrenching was used describe the Packer loss in this morning's paper, and on the radio.  The problem is many point to the last interference call on Kevin King, as the reason why the Packers lost.  It was not a gut-wrenching loss, poor coaching, poor fundamentals, poor judgments made for the loss, that one could see was coming from early on in the game. The "gut-wrenching" argument is based on the adage of the last seen, forgetting all of the other things that went wrong.  The loss to Tampa Bay was based on several factors--both offensive, defensive and special teams.  Kevin King gave up a 20 yard TD pass on a poorly timed jump, instead of moving back to cover the receiver.  He of course also gave up the long TD pass with 8 seconds remaining in the first half to send the Buccaneers to large lead. He also was made toast out of running back on a 20 yard TD run.  (Ground Hog day to the 2011 season when the 15-1 Packers gave up a 37 yard TD pass to the NY Giants (Jan 2012) right before halftime to give them a 20-10 lead; failure is inherent in this franchise.) King, of course, was the one who made the infamous jersey grab to obtain the pass interference near the end of the game. The thing is, with Tom Brady at QB, who gives autographs to refs for their kids, to high giving high fives to the same refs, the Packers should know the refs will make a call in his favor. Kevin King, who was arguably Tampa's MVP for the game, of course had a terrible scheme thrust upon him and the defense for the right before halftime TD throw, but he still lacked fundamental football-he let the receiver get behind him. He is the poster child for the Packers draft and develop philosophy.

Kevin King's Mis-jump, ball is circled

Now, there is nothing wrong with looking down the future in building a team, and it can pay dividends, but for ten years Packer fans have always been waiting for that next Super Bowl and it has always been out of reach. Fans have always been waiting to get to the promised land and have been told time and again that it is within reach, only to, time and again, to have the team fall short. The draft and develop philosophy is predicated on two main points: first, being able to properly draft, and second keeping those you draft and develop. Kevin King, was drafted in 2017 by former GM Ted Thompson. The Packers have failed at making a number of draft picks that would produce over time, and also have lacked the ability to keep some of the good players they developed. Looking to the most recent year past the usual four year rookie contracts, the Packers have only 2 of the 7 players selected in 2016 still on their roster. Not much draft and develop at work there. They have paid too much to a few players who have under performed at critical times, think Mike Daniels a couple years ago.  

As if the Mis-jump was not a sufficient failure,
you get this right before half time

College football is the breeding ground for the NFL, and many teams expect their draft picks, particularly high round picks, to be able to perform in the first year, including quarterbacks. The Packers say they do not draft for need, but pick the best player available. Well, to them the person may be the best player available, but that does not always turn out to be the case.  The Packer draft in 2019 did provide what seem to be decent players, certainly third round pick Elgton Jenkins, and may be  second round pick Darnell Savage.  Of course, the jury is still out on first round pick Rashan Gary, out of Michigan, who had some good plays this year, but was not consistent. Kevin "Tampa's MVP" King was a first round pick in 2017. His play Sunday showed how out of his league he is. At a time when a player should be reaching his peak Tampa's MVP left much to be desired.  The sad thing is, they kept him in the game, showing that they thought no one else behind him was likely any better, including recently added Tramon Williams.

KK again. Holding? Perhaps a garment malfunction

Of course, the offense failed to produce at critical moments.  They had first and goal at the three yard line and settled for a field goal.  They had first and goal at the eight with just over two minutes, down eight points, and needing a TD to win regardless, left and settled for the most infamous Packer offensive play call of the game, a field goal, because to Matt LaFou "it felt right".  Six consecutive passes on those two near goal line plays, six passes all incomplete. There was an opportunity for Rodgers to run on third down, but he tried the pass, thinking he would have fourth down.  He was wrong. Even if he did not get in the end zone, he would have been much closer to it, and maybe LeFou would have made a different call on the next down.  In fact, the inability to run, and the passing game failure probably led LaFleur to the now infamous call. The defense, uncharacteristically, intercepted Brady three times, but the offense could only produce six points, whereas Tampa got 14 points off of two Packer turnovers. 

Then of course there are special teams, and the failure of Mason Crosby to get a kickoff in the end zone and with their poor coverage allowing Tampa good starting field position (better than the 25) on most all kick off returns. Then of course there is Mr Scott, a punter who cannot seem to get the great punt when required (he tied for 28th in the NFL for pinning a team inside the 20).

Mark Murphy, the one responsible for 
the Institutional Failure of the Packers

Matt LaFleur has admitted that he was not prepared for the game, admitted that the fourth and eight call was not the correct call, admitted he did not bring his A game, and he admitted he was out coached by Ted Bowles, the Tampa Defensive Coordinator. Just like he was out coached by Kyle Shanahan last year. See a trend? Tampa's 6th ranked defense faced the top ranked offense, and the defense won the game. Defense wins championships, and that certainly showed in the NFC Championship game. But, the Packers have yet to figure that out. I think the Packer win over the #1 Ram defense produced some arrogance on the part of the Packers, thinking they were invincible. Tampa shut them down in the regular season and did so again on crucial drives in this game, turning an offense with 80% efficiency in the red zone to 50%.  Not to mention the three and outs after two interceptions. That was crucial to the game. Of course, the offense had its characteristic drops, Adams failing to haul in a TD pass, St Brown dropping a two point conversion attempt, which should never have been attempted at that point in the game. A safety dropping an interception in the end zone. What to make of this?  It is all part of the next aspect of institutional failure--coaching.

The Packers selected Matt LaFleur has head coach with only two seasons as offensive coordinator, but one of those years was under Sean McVay who called plays for the Rams. This coaching selection is fully on Mark Murphy, and an organization that rests on past laurels of being Titletown while other teams now take over that mantle. For many years I have said that Murphy was more intent on building the Titletown district in Green Bay than in building a football team that can compete for the Super Bowl. What Murphy does not seem to understand is that as go the Packers, so goes Titletown. Two Super Bowl victories in over 50 years does not a great team make. Matt LaFleur needed to bring his top game and has admitted not doing so, and worse yet, to being out coached.  Those failures cannot be excused, and he should be relieved of his duties. And so should Mark Murphy. Enough of this incompetency.

Aaron Rogers running lane to the Pylon
3rd down just over two minutes in the game

With LaFleur saying that King was not to blame for the 39 yard TD pass by Mr Brady, but Mike Pettine, what does that say about a coach and his selection of subordinates?  Of course, the Packer defense, even though it came out ranked as the number nine defense in the league, was suspect all year. I think the Packer defensive stats were padded by playing a lousy Bear's offense twice. Think of all the money and draft picks the Packers have spent on defense only to continue to see mediocre success when it counts. 

Top 15 paid Packer Players, Nine are on Defense

Then of course, we get to the 2020 draft, of the nine players selected in the draft only one played in a post season game this year and that was No. 2 pick AJ Dillon.  Brian Gutekunst had to move, just had to waste a good mid round draft selection to pick Jordan Love as heir apparent to Aaron Rodgers.  Apparently Jordan Love was THE BEST Player available at number 26 of the whole NFL draft.  Jordan Love is such a top-notch player for the Packers that he did not even make the second string QB position this year. I submit that this is an institutional failure on the part of Mr Gutekunst.  

The Packers were not prepared for this  game, and quite frankly lack of preparation and zeal showed in other games.  They were lucky to come away with victories against many less than middling teams this year--think Jacksonville, Philadelphia, or their loss to Minnesota.  They were fortunate to play in a weak division.  Heck, when they played Tampa Bay in week 6 it was right after a bye week.  So much for an extra week of preparation.

Matt "It felt right" LeFou
The Real Packer Head Coach?

In selecting Jordan Love, Mr Gutekunst was sending a message to Aaron Rodgers, who had a very good season, perhaps to be MVP of the league.  Given the lack of talent around him, one can say he was truly the MVP. Rodgers now says he has to think about whether he will be back with the Packers next year, and who can blame him.  The team has a number of decent and good players with contracts that expire this spring, then again some not so good players--like Kevin King.  They have center Corey Linsley, who probably will not see a payday from Green Bay after the millions given to LT David Bakhtiari (who promptly tore his ACL just days after signing the large contract in a non-contact practice), Aaron Jones (who did not accept the earlier terms presented by the Packers (wanting more upfront cash), and now may well have fumbled his way off the team), there also exist Jamal Williams, Alan Lazard, and Robert Tonyan. The team may well be in free fall this off season, which will leave us to see how well that draft and develop philosophy will work for the 2021 season. Maybe the Packers were a corner back away from a victory, a corner back that could have been selected with a pick used on Jordan Love. Lost opportunity is part of the failure of this organization. 

The institutional failure, this ten years of insanity, by the Packer organization of doing the same thing over and over for a decade to expect a different result, simply produced the same expected result. A failure at critical moments, by executive staff, coaches and personnel who just cannot seem to get their heads in the game. They can change coaches but a coaching change will only help with a knowledgeable coach, and Matt LaFleur showed, and has admitted, he was not up to the job in the one important game of the season. In selecting Matt LaFleur, Mark Murphy failed the organization going with the in-picks that year of mimicking the Sean McVay choice in LA.

We Packer fans have been chumps to Mark Murphy and an organization that, quite frankly, is willing to settle for third of fourth best. Does a 13 and 3 record mean much if you don't get to the holy grail of professional football? Two years ago Murphy failed to find the next Vince Lombardi.  Matt Fleur is not him. Murphy has become too complacent, and willing to settle for an advanced level of mediocrity. Mark Murphy failed. His Titletown District is looking more and more meaningless as the Packers continue to fail. Draft and develop has failed, Brian Gutekunst has failed. This is institutional failure. Lombardi only lost one playoff game. In two consecutive attempts in the NFC Championship game Matt LeFou has failed. We as Packer fans  deserve better than to be taken for granted by an organization who is committed to ten years (and counting) of insanity.