It's Getting Snarky On The Packers Bus Heading Into The Cowboy Game

Despite being 3-1 the Packers are not your grandfathers Packers, but are more and more becoming the Just Good Enough Packers the Tedders and Ask Vic have come to know, love and defend.

 

This week Fox Sports reporter Nunzio Ingrassia revealed that Mr. Even Temper Mike McCarthy is getting testy with people (not the Tedders, Ask Vic, Ted Thompson or Mark Murphy), but people who actually watch the actual game and not the game those people think they're watching.

 

When asked why the Packers are ranked 25th in total yards per game and 27th in passing yards per game (209.8) and with the best quarterback in the league and possibly ever Aaron Rodgers is tied with the man who beat him out for the top draft pick in the 2005 draft, but has been just ordinary since Alex Smith for 2oth in quarterback ratings McCarthy replied, "I don't know why the hell I have to come in here and answer questions about what you think went wrong on offense."

 

First of all, MIKE, you are paid to come in here and answer questions like the class individual you used to be instead of the Bill Belichick clone with a nasty attitude.

 

Strange Week and Stranger Conclusions

It's Cowboy week in Packerland and the transactions or lack there of is very strange. Last week in the win over the Giants running back Eddie Lacy sprained his ankle and has been limited in practice. James Starks stepped in and finished the game and would be the starter if Lacy can't answer the bell or will have to play extensively if Lacy is hurt again early in the game, but he missed practice with a mysterious knee injury.

 

In the past, especially the last couple years, Starks has been a rock. He is in 7th season and is 30, which is usually the age and experience when a running back starts to slow down, but in his case he hasn't been a starter, so his shelf life should be doubled.

 

Coming into the season Starks was averaging 4.3 a carry. Last year when Lacy was benched he proved to be a valuable starter (4 games) gaining career-high 601 yards on a career-high 148 carries for 4.1 a carry.

 

Back to the Future for the Packer Offense

Back to the Future-Mike McCarthy Calling the Plays

For whatever reason Head Coach Mike McCarthy taking back the play calling duties regenerized the lethargic Packers offense to its second best performance of the season with only 448 total yards gained against the Chiefs in week three topping it.

 

From what I saw there was four things going on that brought about this offensive explosion. First, the Packers were facing a Cowboys defense that has trouble stopping the run giving up an average of 104.6 yards a game coming in. I only mention this because it is true. Beyond the cold hard statistics the Packers this season haven't been known to take advantage of weaknesses and Sunday they did.

Which Packer Team Will Show Up?

The win over the Detroit Lions in the Miracle in Motown proved just one thing. You never know which Packers team will show up. Will it be the team that played the first 30 minutes of the Lions game or will it be the team that played the second 30 minutes.

 

The 2015 Packers are definitely a flawed team. The offense, of all things, is the problem right now. The line is beat up and even when it was healthy, or relatively healthy, it wasn't opening holes after the first three games. Eddie Lacy is up-and-down. The receivers don't get open and when they do they drop the pass. Aaron Rodgers has not been himself since the first three games missing and overthrowing open receivers when they do get free.

 

Rodgers Has To Be Healthy