Mike McCarthy still stewing over Packers' playoff loss to Giants....

GoldieMember

The Green Bay Packers playoff loss to the Giants still bothers Packers coach Mike McCarthy.

"It'll always bother me," Mike McCarthy told Albert Breer of NFL.com. The Packers leader then paused, before firing off five straight sentences about the respect he has for his Giants counterpart Tom Coughlin, to be sure his adversary on that afternoon got his due: "I think he's one of the top coaches in the league. I just really like the way he goes about it, always have." But then it was right back to describing how he felt, and still feels, about the 37-20 beatdown on the Packers' home turf."

"I felt in '07, we were beaten in the overtime game, they made one more big play than we did," McCarthy said, referencing that season's Packers-Giants NFC title game. "And for them to go on the road, I don't want this to come out the wrong way, because that win is special, that's a great win for their football team. The margin of victory they won with, too, is definitely to their credit. But I feel like we beat ourselves in this playoff game. Or better yet, we didn't give ourselves a chance to win the game.

"The '07 game was a heck of a football game and they made one more play than we did. We didn't give ourselves a chance to win this one. You'd rather someone beat you."

"The biggest lesson is in adversity, and the Super Bowl team handled it, time and time and time again, and in bunches, in chunks," McCarthy said. "The Miami game. The Washington game. There were times during the season, it was just, 'Wow.' Detroit with Aaron, and then going up to New England. There are great examples. And then last year, we get in a tough situation in Kansas City, and we didn't handle it very well. I didn't handle it very well.

"That's the thing that kicks me around at night: Did I do the right thing the Giants week? Is there something I could've done differently with our team? That's what you learn from. Unfortunately, we had two subpar days that cost us, and one was in the playoffs. Trust me, I understand the importance of playoff football. I don't just chalk it up to a bad day, I don't believe in that thought process. I believe that you gotta be brutally honest with yourself and make sure it never happens again."

http://www.theredzone.org/Blog...-Giants/Default.aspx

6/16/123:32 PM

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

YATittleMember

If he learns from it, it MAY be worth the pain...

6/16/123:44 PM

TdogProspective Member

other than trying my best not to think about it, MM ain't alone.

6/16/123:47 PM

fightphoe93Member

It was kind of a perfect storm of things that happened. The death of the coaches son, the lack of not playing in a meaningful game for almost a month before that day, and just subpar play by 95% of the team.

I think they're on the right track for trying to fix things with an extra emphasis on ball security in OTAs this off-season. Maybe more importantly, the emphasis on trying to get the defense back to the 2010 level is huge. At Lambeau field in January, you've got to have a rock solid defense because there are some brutal weather days that a pass oriented team like the Pack is going to get slowed down no matter who the opponent is.

I thought the Pack really pressed after giving up the hail Mary pass. At the very least, the defense needs to improve enough to play a situation like that better fundamentally than they did in that game. The Hail Mary was slightly bad luck, but also horrible fundamentals in trying to prevent it. That symbolized the difference between the 2011 defense and the 2010 defense that thrived in those end of half situations.

6/16/129:57 PM

antiworstMember

This is why I like MM...

6/17/1212:31 AM

LarseeBearMember

quote:
Originally posted by Tdog:
other than trying my best not to think about it, MM ain't alone.

+1.

6/17/127:00 AM

YATittleMember

quote:
I thought the Pack really pressed after giving up the hail Mary pass. At the very least, the defense needs to improve enough to play a situation like that better fundamentally than they did in that game. The Hail Mary was slightly bad luck, but also horrible fundamentals in trying to prevent it.

It was a total brain fart by Bush and Peprah, two guys who hopefully will never play secondary again for us. I watched that play repeatedly and the idiocy was painful, playing behind the receiver instead of getting in front to knock it down... I mean who really ever doesn't defend those Hail Mary plays?

Thought the D responded well in the third quarter, but then we had things like fumbles by Kuhn, Rodgers and Grant as the offense was pressing...

And I do believe, as Boris once said, that the coach's son's death was the event that derailed the team, simply because they're human. Can't game plan for that.

6/17/127:20 AM

LarseeBearMember

+1,YA, and I just want to add dropped passes. Drops and fumbles killed so many drives.

6/17/127:36 AM

YATittleMember

True Dat. MM talked about the year before when the team had tough times and they fought through them, I thought they retained their poise in the Super Bowl year and the Giants game was a rare event where they didn't. For example in that playoff game in Atlanta, they tie the score and the kickoff is returned for a TD. No problem. They made plays they needed to. Bears game, Haney looks like he's going to rally them, they made plays without pressing. Not so much in the Giants game.

6/17/127:40 AM

michiganjoeMember

You lay that big of an egg after a 15-1 regular season and I would hope it still bothers MM.

6/17/127:42 AM

HauserMember

They all need to get over it and move on. We call that 'Af Game'. Nothing you can do about it. This is another year. Just shake it off

6/17/128:46 AM

BorisPerson Man Camera Dildo Shop - NFLFU®

MM is stewing about it? That makes 2 of us.

That Packer team could play that Giants team 10 times and the Pack would win 9. It's disgraceful they lost.

6/17/123:48 PM

Boston JimMember

quote:
Originally posted by fightphoe93:
It was kind of a perfect storm of things that happened. The death of the coaches son, the lack of not playing in a meaningful game for almost a month before that day, and just subpar play by 95% of the team.

I think they're on the right track for trying to fix things with an extra emphasis on ball security in OTAs this off-season. Maybe more importantly, the emphasis on trying to get the defense back to the 2010 level is huge. At Lambeau field in January, you've got to have a rock solid defense because there are some brutal weather days that a pass oriented team like the Pack is going to get slowed down no matter who the opponent is.

I thought the Pack really pressed after giving up the hail Mary pass. At the very least, the defense needs to improve enough to play a situation like that better fundamentally than they did in that game. The Hail Mary was slightly bad luck, but also horrible fundamentals in trying to prevent it. That symbolized the difference between the 2011 defense and the 2010 defense that thrived in those end of half situations.

Good post! I would add MM probably sat Rodgers too much at the end as well.

6/17/124:25 PM

CitizenDanMember

The "They didn't beat us, we beat ourselves" theme makes McCarthy sound like a crybaby. The Giants came into a very tough environment and did what they had to do.

6/18/128:28 AM

LarseeBearMember

There are always mitigating circumstances. Everything's relative. Discussing homefield football games isn't "crybaby"ing. Unless you're into fallacies. He answered a direct question from NFL.com.

And gave one heck of a good answer. Sometimes people want a bit of history and perspective in comparing similar situations.

6/18/128:48 AM

BorisPerson Man Camera Dildo Shop - NFLFU®

quote:
Originally posted by CitizenDan:
The Giants came into a very tough environment and did what they had to do.

True, but they still didn't do anything special. This loss was much more on what the Packers did (turning the ball over, etc.) vs. what the Giants did.

The Giants simply played solid fundamental football & cashed in. Credos to them

6/18/1212:43 PM

bubbleboy789Member

we'll stomp 'em in Week 12.

6/18/1211:06 PM

Tequila_MonsterMember

I'm not to surprised with that defense.

6/19/129:37 AM

phaedrusMember

I would say that with the exception of Driver, EVERY skill position player, including defensive backfield, played less than average.

It was surreal.

6/19/1212:14 PM

Longlive PackMember

I am pretty damn envious of the Giant's fans. Its pretty cool the way they went about getting their last two SBs... beating everyone on the road and socking it to the Pats twice. It sucked Packers to be on the short end of the stick both times, at home. It almost offsets our championship win against the bears in Chicago.

6/19/121:38 PM

Satori"...going where the climate suits my clothes"

Its ok to think about that, but I'd advise against actually posting Giant-envy notes on a PACKERS message board

besides, have you looked at the history of how many GB Championships came after beating the ny giants ?

6/19/122:06 PM

BorisPerson Man Camera Dildo Shop - NFLFU®

quote:
It almost offsets our championship win against the bears in Chicago.

Not even close

6/19/1211:17 PM

Pack-ManMember

quote:
Originally posted by CitizenDan:
The "They didn't beat us, we beat ourselves" theme makes McCarthy sound like a crybaby. The Giants came into a very tough environment and did what they had to do.

It makes you sound like a crybaby when you say that after a 3 point loss (like the 2001 St. Louis Rams did after their losses). When a 15-1 team loses by 17 at home, it absolutely is accurate to say your team's poor play had something to do with the final score not being close. The 2011 Packers were superior to the 2011 Patriots in basically every phase of the game, but the Patriots still made the Super Bowl a close game.

6/20/1212:30 AM

Pack-ManMember

quote:
Originally posted by Boris:
quote:
It almost offsets our championship win against the bears in Chicago.

Not even close

Agreed. I can't even imagine what it would take to negate that win for me. Seeing the Pack win a trip to the Super Bowl at Soldier Field is something I'm going to relish for many, many years.

6/20/1212:31 AM

CitizenDanMember

quote:
Originally posted by phaedrus:
I would say that with the exception of Driver, EVERY skill position player, including defensive backfield, played less than average.

He was pretty much the only guy to really step up in '07 too, which makes it even more bizarre.

I'm not saying GB's performance last January was anything short of disgraceful. That's obvious. But McCarthy should know that publicly at least, you honor the team that beat you first and foremost. By saying "You'd rather someone beat you," he's implying that the Giants didn't need to do anything to win that day other than just sitting back and watching the Packers $hit on themselves.

The Giants might not have done anything spectacular, but they avoided mistakes and breakdowns. In context, that's huge.

6/20/129:49 AM

Ryan GrantMember

I would hope it still bothers him. Biggest choke job in Packer history no??

6/20/129:50 AM

TdogProspective Member

I don't know... that Rams playoff game where bert was just winging the ball all over for 6 INTs comes to mind.

6/20/129:54 AM

JJSDSitzpinkler Schadenfreude

IMHO the biggest choke job I can remember is 4th and 26. The NYG game and the Rams game were simply no-shows. 4th and 26 was a game GB totally dominated and then completely crapped away at the end. I still have a mild brain bleed from that day.

6/20/129:55 AM

Satori"...going where the climate suits my clothes"

quote:
Originally posted by CitizenDan:
But McCarthy should know that publicly at least, you honor the team that beat you first and foremost.

Here's what he said:

quote:
Originally posted by Goldie:

"It'll always bother me," Mike McCarthy told Albert Breer of NFL.com. The Packers leader then paused, before firing off five straight sentences about the respect he has for his Giants counterpart Tom Coughlin, to be sure his adversary on that afternoon got his due:

I don't want this to come out the wrong way, because that win is special, that's a great win for their football team. The margin of victory they won with, too, is definitely to their credit.

MM is in a very tough spot, but I think he gave a fair amount of politically correct genuflecting of the Giants before going on to share his feelings on the playoff loss. He has his own team to worry about and if that wasn't enough for the giants' coaches and players, then tough ****.

6/20/1210:00 AM

PDXPackFanMember

quote:
Originally posted by CitizenDan:
The "They didn't beat us, we beat ourselves" theme makes McCarthy sound like a crybaby. The Giants came into a very tough environment and did what they had to do.

yup... if he would of just admitted they got their arse kick by a team that wasnt intimidated by a 15-1 powerhouse with homefield advantage, he wouldnt sound so whiney

6/20/1210:04 AM

Ryan GrantMember

I think this was the biggest choke job in team history. 15-1 with home field advantage and get bumped in the first game.... There have been other bad games, but they had a great chance to repeat last year and pissed it away.

6/20/1212:28 PM

Satori"...going where the climate suits my clothes"

Hey maybe this would work better for some of you

The Head Coach of the Green Bay Packers should have just rolled over and pee'd himself as a sign of complete and total submission

Then he should have worn a NYG jersey to the presser and proclaimed:

"We are not worthy of sharing the same field with the awesome giants" and topped it all off with a quick demonstration of the merits of public self-immolation

Me ? I prefer a HC with some actual balls and if another team takes offense at something he said, tough schit.

NFL Football: not for pussies

6/20/1212:29 PM

Shoeless JoeMember

6/20/1212:40 PM

vitafloMember

quote:
Originally posted by PDXPackFan:
quote:
Originally posted by CitizenDan:
The "They didn't beat us, we beat ourselves" theme makes McCarthy sound like a crybaby. The Giants came into a very tough environment and did what they had to do.

yup... if he would of just admitted they got their arse kick by a team that wasnt intimidated by a 15-1 powerhouse with homefield advantage, he wouldnt sound so whiney

Not sure he sounds whiney, but I do think he's missing the problem. They played an entire year by rolling over teams and faced no real adversity (save for the KC game which they probably just chalked up as a fluke).

IMHO, after a SB win and dominating the following season, they just got too complacent. Compare this with the way they won the SB with tons of players on IR, it's a totally different mindset. They simply weren't fighters in the Giants game because they didn't feel they had to be. If they wouldn't have lost to the Giants, someone would have beat them, they bought way too much into the hype.

6/20/1212:59 PM

Ryan GrantMember

I have no issues with what MM said. I have issues with a 15-1 team not showing up in the playoffs-regardless of the circumstances. They choked- Minnesota style and it was a complete embarrassment. The defense sucked all year-say what you want about turnovers-they were pathetic. No one expected the offense to play so poorly, everyone knew the defense would be subpar. Hopefully they will learn from it and the fire will burn HOT in 2012.

6/20/127:46 PM

Blair KielGOOD OL' FAKE BLAIR KIEL - My Hood? nice Henry. Fuck You!

Or the Giants got really hot.

6/20/127:53 PM

ChilliJonI hate the Vikings!

Can't win last years Super Bowl. Time to move on.

quote:
Originally posted by Ryan Grant:
Hopefully they will learn from it and the fire will burn HOT in 2012.

Nick perry, Jerel Worthy, Casey Hayward, Mike Daniels, Jerron McMillian, Terrell Manning, and Dezman Moses all together now...

Check!!!

6/20/129:02 PM

FandameMember

quote:
Originally posted by Ryan Grant:
I have no issues with what MM said. I have issues with a 15-1 team not showing up in the playoffs-regardless of the circumstances. They choked- Minnesota style and it was a complete embarrassment. The defense sucked all year-say what you want about turnovers-they were pathetic. No one expected the offense to play so poorly, everyone knew the defense would be subpar. Hopefully they will learn from it and the fire will burn HOT in 2012.

Not sure that Lions game was good for them right before the playoffs. Not only did we rest some guys and that caused a bit of rust for the Giants game, but I think the ease with which they beat the Lions really made them complacent. Yes, we got down on the scoreboard, but they came back time and again so easily and they did it with second-stringers. They made it look like a "ho-hum, we got this" walk in the park. That, IMO, played into the feeling that they could just turn it on whenever they wanted to. Then, when it started going downhill in the NY game, everyone started to press and scramble to try to recapture the magic. It just snowballed.

Kudos to the Giants for staying on an even keel and turning all our mistakes to their advantage. Yes, I hope MM still stews about it -- and I hope all the players do, too.

6/20/129:13 PM

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