I did not see much of a difference in our offensive approach from week 6 to this game. Even MLF said he should have run more. To me there are times when players don't perform and there's nothing the coaches can do to prevent it. But this felt to me like the coaches did nothing to help the players, from play calls, to formations, to attitude.
When other teams are getting stoned the way we were...creative coaches dig into the bag of tricks. One trick play may have turned the tide or it could have blown up but it at least shows your team you're willing to do anything to win. Even the last TB play was an end around to seal the win.
To me it was coaching at every level that hurt us more than the players.
I did not see much of a difference in our offensive approach from week 6 to this game. Even MLF said he should have run more. To me there are times when players don't perform and there's nothing the coaches can do to prevent it. But this felt to me like the coaches did nothing to help the players, from play calls, to formations, to attitude.
When other teams are getting stoned the way we were...creative coaches dig into the bag of tricks. One trick play may have turned the tide or it could have blown up but it at least shows your team you're willing to do anything to win. Even the last TB play was an end around to seal the win.
To me it was coaching at every level that hurt us more than the players.
What you are alluding to there sort of hits on one of my bugaboos. NFCCGs aren't won. They are TAKEN. As a general rule, the winning team is the one that see the "risk versus value" plays and takes the risk, successfully, to win a play or a set of downs that it normally wouldn't get. An onside kick. A fake FG. A trick play. Something unusual to turn the tide. Pete Carroll is excellent at that. Even Mike McCarthy used to be good at that.
Take the 50 yard pass that Brady threw early in the game. Great example. NO WAY should any QB have thrown that ball. It was covered. But Brady gave his guy a ball that he needed to fight for. And the guy won the play. The Bucs had set the tone for the rest of the game. And it added motivation to their entire team from early on. THAT is how you TAKE a championship game.
Pressure? It might do something to you if you know the window for SB LV is wide open. We had this in 2008 and 2012 as well when we both played the NFCG at home. For some reason in all those games we looked hesistant.
Or maybe it is true what me and some others were preaching almost all season long: that GB had a favourable schedule and looked bad against good teams (just compare the two Vikings games with/without Cook) and that they are a team good enough to beat mediocre teams, but not good enough against the best. Pretenders?
Bad luck? We also should not underestimate the power of fate and coincidences, especially in a format like the NFL Playoffs with one game only. Maybe we just overthink and should just take it as it is, get up and try again by knowing that too many intangibles are involved to look at this one game and decide things from that.
Pressure? It might do something to you if you know the window for SB LV is wide open. We had this in 2008 and 2012 as well when we both played the NFCG at home. For some reason in all those games we looked hesistant.
Or maybe it is true what me and some others were preaching almost all season long: that GB had a favourable schedule and looked bad against good teams (just compare the two Vikings games with/without Cook) and that they are a team good enough to beat mediocre teams, but not good enough against the best. Pretenders?
Bad luck? We also should not underestimate the power of fate and coincidences, especially in a format like the NFL Playoffs with one game only. Maybe we just overthink and should just take it as it is, get up and try again by knowing that too many intangibles are involved to look at this one game and decide things from that.
Yeah I think it's none of it to be perfectly honest.
The whole pretender thing is a load of garbage. We were a fantastic football team that lost 3 games. 1 vs the Colts of which we were very much in and the Colts won because of two turnovers in the 4th quarter that set the Colts up for Field Goals. We did lose to MN which was a wakeup call to our run defense and our pass offense couldn't get going as it was very windy that day.
And the Bucs we lost because of turnovers.
The Bucs also didn't have this monstrously challenging schedule. The Bucs also got CRUSHED on National TV twice by the Saints. The Bucs also beat handily by the Rams who we controlled easily. The Bucs also had scares the Falcons twice and were a 5 seed for a reason.
The Bucs simply had two plays that went their way. The Godwin catch changed everything. I truly believe we win that game going away if we could have gotten into our offense but the Godwin catch made us play from behind and the play for before half was the nail in the coffin.
I don't think any of the other three things above had anything to do with it.
But it absolutely sucks and Green Bay is earning a reputation of choking. Whether it's fair or not, the data supports it.
And the whole pretender thing...we didn't get blown out. We were in the game until a crappy ref call ended the game. We aren't gonna call 31 teams in the league pretenders just because they can't win a ring.
I was thinking about the OL this morning. They won as a unit and they failed as a unit. Not surprised to see the struggle of one or two trickle down to the others but that does not make it any less disappointing.
But it absolutely sucks and Green Bay is earning a reputation of choking. Whether it's fair or not, the data supports it.
Andy Reid was labelled the ultimate choker. It's pretty easy to get the stink off. Win. I understand hesitancy and that losing these games sits in the back of your mind somewhere, but when and if they get back again, its just another football game. Just have to win. No different than any other game.
But it absolutely sucks and Green Bay is earning a reputation of choking. Whether it's fair or not, the data supports it.
Andy Reid was labelled the ultimate choker. It's pretty easy to get the stink off. Win. I understand hesitancy and that losing these games sits in the back of your mind somewhere, but when and if they get back again, its just another football game. Just have to win. No different than any other game.
The 2007 - 2020 Green Bay Packers is the NFL's version of the late 90s to mid 2000's Philadelphia Eagles.
Am I remember being so jealous of them too because they were "our mountain". Now that we are them....I guess I can feel their pain a bit.
But it absolutely sucks and Green Bay is earning a reputation of choking. Whether it's fair or not, the data supports it.
Andy Reid was labelled the ultimate choker. It's pretty easy to get the stink off. Win. I understand hesitancy and that losing these games sits in the back of your mind somewhere, but when and if they get back again, its just another football game. Just have to win. No different than any other game.
The 2007 - 2020 Green Bay Packers is the NFL's version of the late 90s to mid 2000's Philadelphia Eagles.
Am I remember being so jealous of them too because they were "our mountain". Now that we are them....I guess I can feel their pain a bit.
Andy Reid did have that reputation, and then shed it when he got a franchise elite qb.
The difference between Andy Reid’s Eagles and the GBP is we are performing in similar fashions and we do have the elite qb. Have had it this entire era. As soon as Andy got his qb, he started winning the big games.
While we have the qb (no gurantee we will have the qb again) we aren’t getting it done often..much more tragic that Andy’s situation in Philly.
And no I don’t consider McNabb any kind of elite qb. Average qb that Andy made above average imo.
Andy Reid was labelled the ultimate choker. It's pretty easy to get the stink off. Win. I understand hesitancy and that losing these games sits in the back of your mind somewhere, but when and if they get back again, its just another football game. Just have to win. No different than any other game.
The 2007 - 2020 Green Bay Packers is the NFL's version of the late 90s to mid 2000's Philadelphia Eagles.
Am I remember being so jealous of them too because they were "our mountain". Now that we are them....I guess I can feel their pain a bit.
Andy Reid did have that reputation, and then shed it when he got a franchise elite qb.
The difference between Andy Reid’s Eagles and the GBP is we are performing in similar fashions and we do have the elite qb. Have had it this entire era. As soon as Andy got his qb, he started winning the big games.
While we have the qb (no gurantee we will have the qb again) we aren’t getting it done often..much more tragic that Andy’s situation in Philly.
And no I don’t consider McNabb any kind of elite qb. Average qb that Andy made above average imo.
Yeah. What's weird about it is the Packers have done it with two different QBs and completely different regimes/coaches. Like there is nothing in common between the 2003, 2007 -2009 era. The 2011 - 2014 era. The 2015 - 2018 era. Or the 2019 - 2020 era. All completely different teams and eras and yet all experienced very similar playoff fates through ways of absolute crushing and anomaly losses.
I did not see much of a difference in our offensive approach from week 6 to this game. Even MLF said he should have run more. To me there are times when players don't perform and there's nothing the coaches can do to prevent it. But this felt to me like the coaches did nothing to help the players, from play calls, to formations, to attitude.
When other teams are getting stoned the way we were...creative coaches dig into the bag of tricks. One trick play may have turned the tide or it could have blown up but it at least shows your team you're willing to do anything to win. Even the last TB play was an end around to seal the win.
To me it was coaching at every level that hurt us more than the players.
What you are alluding to there sort of hits on one of my bugaboos. NFCCGs aren't won. They are TAKEN. As a general rule, the winning team is the one that see the "risk versus value" plays and takes the risk, successfully, to win a play or a set of downs that it normally wouldn't get. An onside kick. A fake FG. A trick play. Something unusual to turn the tide. Pete Carroll is excellent at that. Even Mike McCarthy used to be good at that.
Take the 50 yard pass that Brady threw early in the game. Great example. NO WAY should any QB have thrown that ball. It was covered. But Brady gave his guy a ball that he needed to fight for. And the guy won the play. The Bucs had set the tone for the rest of the game. And it added motivation to their entire team from early on. THAT is how you TAKE a championship game.
TAKING the game. How so very true. Packers did a nice job TAKING the game against Chicago in the 2010 NFC Championship Game (remember doing the Raji ). But the Packers have been unsuccessful the other 4 times in the Aaron Rodgers era.
Just watched the 2014 NFC Championship Game for the first time since watching the game live from a Packers bar in Florida back in January 2015. Packers were up 19-7 with 2:10 left in the 4th quarter. Game went to overtime. Seahawks clearly TOOK the game from the Packers that day. Equally as deflating / disgusting / disappointing / demeaning as the 2020 NFC Championship Game.
The loss to the Seahawks back then was more heartbreaking because we almost had it. Against the Bucs we never had it; the best case scenario was that we score on one of Brady's INTs but then no way we could be sure that Tampa wouldn't march down the field to retaliate. I also think we would have had better SB chances in 2015 against NE than in 2021 against KC.
Sullivan was not that bad, even if it was his worst grade/game. King, sadly, needed to do better than he did. Brady is elite and that WR corps. is crazy loaded, but still.
OL was the victim of a bad gameplan. Yes, Turner and Wagner got whipped routinely, but we should have expected that and adjusted accordingly; we've faced this team already. They are backups going up against two stud EDGE guys, after all (DL is pretty stacked too with Suh, Vea, Golston, that other big DT). We needed to play something more up-tempo and got rid of the ball more quickly.
It was a mistake to think the OL would keep playing as well as it had against this particular opponent.
Sullivan was not that bad, even if it was his worst grade/game. King, sadly, needed to do better than he did. Brady is elite and that WR corps. is crazy loaded, but still.
OL was the victim of a bad gameplan. Yes, Turner and Wagner got whipped routinely, but we should have expected that and adjusted accordingly; we've faced this team already. They are backups going up against two stud EDGE guys, after all (DL is pretty stacked too with Suh, Vea, Golston, that other big DT). We needed to play something more up-tempo and got rid of the ball more quickly.
It was a mistake to think the OL would keep playing as well as it had against this particular opponent.
Amen. Hard for me to get too upset at the Oline when we already knew that was our weakness coming in. Like we knew they had a favorable matchup against us. So particularly when we started to show that Dillon was successful on the ground...KEEP DOING IT. The Bucs also blanketed Adams on the short passes like Carolina did.
The fact we didn't learn our lesson on how to beat that is disgusting.
Our defense was fine. Yes we didn't get enough from Z and Gary but when a team only gets yards and points on desperation throws via either 3rd and long or last second plays...that doesn't tell me they dominated us. It tells me they bailed out points when the points weren't there.
Our 3rd quarter drive was far more impressive than any of the drives the Bucs had.
We gave the Hawks the game. They didn't take sh*t.
Yes, we made a lot of stupid mistakes. But the Seahawks got aggressive and took it to us and we gave it to them. Championships need to be played as if it's the last time you will ever play the game.
Could be that besides Rodgers no one else really has big playoff game experience. Lots of homegrown talent that gets so close to the dream and locks up. I mean most championship pedigree teams at least have some FA Vets come lead the team who have been there before.
Have any of our guys besides Rodgers and Crosby played in a sb?
Only coach I know of that has sb experience is Lafleur who was qb coach during 28-3 and Hackett who sadly...choked a game away with the jags against NE. Yes I know that was NE but jags were up and once again forgot how to run the ball
Could be that besides Rodgers no one else really has big playoff game experience. Lots of homegrown talent that gets so close to the dream and locks up. I mean most championship pedigree teams at least have some FA Vets come lead the team who have been there before.
Have any of our guys besides Rodgers and Crosby played in a sb?
Only coach I know of that has sb experience is Lafleur who was qb coach during 28-3 and Hackett who sadly...choked a game away with the jags against NE. Yes I know that was NE but jags were up and once again forgot how to run the ball
Most players in the league haven’t played in a SB. I don’t think big game experience has anything to do with it. We have been in championship games 4 times since 2014 and 2 in the last 2 seasons. This team has playoff experience. 2 of those conference games this team was completely outperformed by superior talent. 2 of them just so happened to have 2 different players that ruined the game. 1 being Bumstick and the other being King.
). But the Packers have been unsuccessful the other 4 times in the Aaron Rodgers era. 
