Packers: Final thoughts on Mike McCarthy, loss to LA Rams

A clear-minded look back at the Green Bay Packers’ devastating loss in Week 8 versus the Los Angeles Rams.

“Frustration” is the best way to describe what happened at the end of the game between the Green Bay Packers and the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

The Rams drove down the field to score and put themselves into the lead with a little over two minutes left on the clock. The ball was kicked back into Green Bay’s possession to allow Aaron Rodgers one last shot to try and win the game.

Unfortunately, Rodgers never got a chance to be able to make that comeback drive because Ty Montgomery made an elective decision to try to run the ball outside of the end zone which led to a fumble being recovered by Los Angeles.

The Packers almost had it. Being so close to taking down an undefeated behemoth in order to make a statement to the rest of the league became tarnished. Emotions were heated, and it’s best to take another look back now that things have cooled down.

Hatred infected people’s thoughts and the easy scapegoat was to direct the negativity towards Ty Montgomery.

Montgomery elected to not have a post-game interview on the situation which led to a Green Bay loss. Word came out that Ty was frustrated on the sidelines after being pulled from the previous drive when the offense is on the field.

Later, Montgomery went on to make this statement:

"“I saw the word tantrum used, obviously it was sent to me. I was frustrated. I’m not the only player that’s been frustrated. I’ve never fought anyone on the sideline, I’ve never cursed out my teammates. I don’t curse out coaches, and I’ve seen some of those things. I’ve even seen a couple of coaches fighting. That’s not what I do. However, I got a little frustrated. I wanted to make a play. I wasn’t playing very much and I wasn’t able to make a play and I was frustrated about that.”"

People need to remember that Montgomery is still a human being and he needs to be treated with more respect. After the clock hit zero there were numerous tweets of personal threats towards Ty and his family.

Anyone who felt that it was deemed worthy to send such terrible messages towards Montgomery should get rid of all of their Green Bay Packers memorabilia immediately. The fans at Lambeau Field do not welcome such filth into the atmosphere that we bring into Green Bay.

Our doors are meant to be open and welcoming towards all fans and our support should be with the team no matter what happens. We want the community of Packers fans and Green Bay to be wholesome and bring unity towards all fans and the players.

It’s okay to accept that we were all frustrated with the end result of the game. Ty is beating himself up the most wondering what could have happened. The fans can’t understand the type of frustrations that Montgomery is feeling.

Ty was feeling lost in the mix within the Packers organization. His touches were limited as Aaron Jones is slowly emerging as the main running back for the team.

It would be difficult to transition Montgomery back to wide receiver, as the position is heavily occupied. Davante Adams, Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison have their roles on lockdown, plus the three rookies who have stepped up to their task very well. Don’t forget Jake Kumerow is coming off IR soon as well.

From the outside looking in, an easy solution is wide open for a scheme to maximize Ty’s full potential. Why doesn’t McCarthy use Ty Montgomery the same way that Sean Payton uses Alvin Kamara on the Saints?

He can be an all-purpose back that Rodgers can dump the ball off in case the offensive line doesn’t catch the blitz. Or throw it to Montgomery in the backfield and allow the other receivers to block and open running lanes.

So much potential seems lost and squandered for Montgomery’s purpose, which makes sense as to why he wants to be the one allowed to make a big play for the team.

It’s not just Ty Montgomery’s potential that seems lost with McCarthy this year. The Packers’ head coach has been heavily criticized since Week 1 with his decision-making. The game on Sunday versus the Rams was no different.

It reminded fans exactly what the playoffs have felt like for the past six years. Green Bay comes out the gate explosive and looking nearly unstoppable, and then their momentum comes to a screeching halt.

At this point, every person associated with the NFL knows that Aaron Jones is the best running back on the team. Everyone except Mike McCarthy, it seems. The execution of having an open rotation of running backs is a good idea in theory in order to prevent wear and tear and structure longevity with the players.

The problem is it’s simply not working. Jones is leading the entire NFL with most yards-per-carry and yet he’s being limited to 12 touches or less. That’s absurdly comical.

We understand that Jones isn’t the best pass-blocker for Aaron Rodgers, but having him as a threat on the field does open the passing lanes. Look back at the first quarter when McCarthy ran the ball with Jones which eventually led to a bomb downfield to Davante Adams with one-on-one coverage.

It draws linebackers and safeties off eligible receivers, which changes the game entirely. The first quarter the Packers had 146 yards of total offense and a touchdown. In the second quarter, McCarthy replaced Jones with Jamaal Williams and their offense struggled. It’s as if they tried down-shifting a gear while holding the clutch but didn’t bother touching the gas.

Criticism could be placed on Jones for getting tackled in their own end zone, giving the Rams a safety. But their was a better option on the play. Marquez Valdes-Scantling was wide open.

An open receiver to throw a slant to and give some breathing room for the Packers. Anything would have been better than the safety that ended up being the result of the play. Back-seat coaching is a lot easier to do when in hindsight.

This is the reason why teams go and watch the tape in the film room in order to correct themselves in the future. Mike McCarthy carries the fault of decision making for the Packers, but that doesn’t mean we should lose faith in him.

It feels like Green Bay was inches away from stealing a win from the Los Angeles Rams. If the Packers got a win, it felt like their confidence and momentum would have carried them all the way to the playoffs.

Fans should know that hope is still not lost for this season. There is plenty of football left, and the Packers are still right there to remain contenders for a shot at the divisional title.

There are facts out there to stay positive with. The Packers’ defense looks incredible this year. Mike Pettine was the correct person to be placed as defensive coordinator. His new defensive schemes make players like Jaire Alexander and Blake Martinez put on a show each week.

To put things into a bigger perspective, their defensive players are extremely young and still have room to grow. Imagine if the Packers defense continues to get better as the season progresses.

There are definitely some adjustments to be made offensively for the Packers. All it will take is one play and in the blink of an eye, everything will click with the team. There is always hope when No. 12 is under center, and he still has not given up on the Green Bay Packers.

Looking ahead into next week, the New England Patriots doesn’t seem as scary as they once were. Maybe the momentum train didn’t start with the Rams, but it can start with taking down Tom Brady. Fans need to keep their heads up high and remember the positivity that Green Bay has to offer.

There is so much potential available, and they can still use that to their advantage. If the Packers can learn from their past mistakes, then the fans can remain faithful with who is leading the charge.