quote:Tuesdays with McCarthy
packers.com
Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012
Why do you believe so strongly in [b]the merits of an up-tempo offense? What are the merits of it?[/b]
In my mind, the merits are simple. You have 60 minutes to play the game, and there are two philosophies. You either try to slow it down to test your discipline versus the other team’s discipline over a smaller number of plays, or you try to speed it up and test the discipline and efficiency over a larger number of plays. As much as we prepare and practice, we want to run as many plays as we can. That’s the way I learned the West Coast offense. I don’t remember Bill Walsh’s exact quote, and Paul Hackett used to also say it, but the precision and timing of the West Coast offense will always defeat a defense. I learned that from Day 1, it’s the way we train our quarterback and offense, and it’s a great starting point.
Do you teach the concept and execution of a “free” play?
Absolutely. It’s a street-ball mentality. There’s a design to the free play, and it’s related to how we train our offensive players in a scramble drill. The most important component is that the pass protection unit can’t stop blocking on the play. They need to keep the quarterback protected so he can take that shot.
More and more it appears that linemen are playing higher. Is pad level still important?
It is a blocking fundamental, and it’s something we train every day. Sustaining blocks, getting off blocks, it all plays into our success. The game is more wide-open now, but I still believe the teams that play with better fundamentals will be the most successful. They’ll definitely be the more consistent football teams.
How was the onside kick decision made?
Shawn Slocum and I discuss those situations and play calls before a game. Each game we have specific deceptive plays in the gameplan and our previous communication allows us to make the call seamlessly if the time comes.
What’s the next level of performance for your team?
We just have to beat Jacksonville, period! I think people sometimes get caught up too much in statistics – margin of victory, yards surrendered, all of that. In a lot of ways, statistics are for losers. At the end of the day, the three components of your team have to come together to win a game. The contributions are rarely balanced, but when it is, you have a really special performance. Statistics are barometers or red flags that force you to ask why. Why did we rush for so many yards or allow the other team to rush for so many? We identify and confirm the positives, and we teach from the negatives. There are many different ways to win in this league. Look at that game Monday night between the Bears and the Lions. Chicago’s defense won the game. It’s still a win. People will talk about the Bears’ offensive production, but they’re 5-1. That’s all that matters. That’s a team whose chemistry among the offense, defense and special teams is working right now. It’s important to acknowledge that. What I like about our team is it has the ability to grow in all three areas and be more balanced. Special teams have been the leader for us all season. Our special teams have played the best and most consistent of all three phases, and the offense and defense need to perform to their level. That’s what I’m looking for.continue
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