Mike McCarthy: Packers head coach has huge challenges ahead

GREEN BAY, WI – AUGUST 10: Head coach Mike McCarthy of the Green Bay Packers walks onto the field prior to a preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lambeau Field on August 10, 2017 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

Mike McCarthy, the Green Bay Packers head coach, has his work cut out for him the remainder of this season.

With Aaron Rodgers possibly out for the rest of the year, McCarthy said after today’s 23-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings that it will take all 53 men on the roster pulling in the same direction and at the same time.

That’s a tall order.

Here’s what McCarthy said about Rodgers’ loss and the status of the team:

"This is a tough loss, this is a team loss … frankly, I was worried about our defense. Our defense … we knew we were going to be challenged there. You lose Aaron Rodgers, it speaks for itself. In my opinion, he’s the best player in football, but this is a team game, the ultimate team game, and we need to be better … with the 11 people on the field that we have, regardless of the phase that we’re in and ultimately, that’s my responsibility"

You have to like the pragmatism of McCarthy, but everyone knows deep down, the Packers may be in for their worst season since Rodgers last went down.

Though he was able to come back late in that 2013 season to help save the team a playoff berth and division title, there is still hope at this time that we may be in a similar situation.

Last time it was Scott Tolzien who eventually took over at quarterback before Ted Thompson went out and got Matt Flynn, who came in and won two, lost two, and tied the Vikings before Rodgers came back to win the division and gain a playoff berth with his fourth down heave to Randall Cobb in that Week 17 miracle win at Chicago.

Could we picture a scenario like that again?

The only way it will happen is if McCarthy, as he said in his post-game quote, gets this team ready to compete with its backup quarterback at the helm and an offensive line that is more sieve than shield.

Back during the 2013 season, the Packers also had a semblance of a running game with Eddie Lacy and James Starks.

Green Bay has shown flashes of success this season on the ground, but over the next two months, that phase of the game will become increasingly important.

We saw Hundley throw some nice balls today, but we also saw him hurried along the way and throw picks that can’t happen down the road.

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Hundley’s heart must have been in his throat when he saw Anthony Barr take Rodgers down and #12 not get up.

He responded rather well in the early going, tying the game with a strike to Davante Adams and then hitting a wide open Ty Montgomery over the middle for what many thought was a second touchdown – one that would have tied the game at 14.

Instead, the ruling on the field was changed as replays showed Montgomery didn’t have full control of the ball through the play.

Instead of tying the game, the Packers had to settle for a field goal.

Those are the types of plays McCarthy is talking about when he mentions the team game and getting the most out of all 11 players on the field at the time.

To win, the Packers have to finish plays like that. They don’t have Aaron Rodgers to bail them out anymore.

Mike McCarthy doesn’t have Aaron Rodgers to bail him out anymore.

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This became the ultimate team game in hurry today with the loss of Aaron Rodgers.

Now it’s time to keep calm and carry on.

It’s also time for Mike McCarthy to lead this team from the depths of despair.

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