Brats & Beer

Mike McCarthy’s To Do List This Week

1) Penalties — How many teams get flagged 12 times for 118 yards and still come away with a victory? Not many is the answer. Some of the interference calls, the “combative penalties” as McCarthy calls them, are to be expected with the Packers style of defense, but the holding calls and procedural penalties on the offensive line are drive killers and need to be corrected as soon as possible.

2) Third-down defense — Minnesota had drives of nine, 15 and 11 plays for scores in the second half and dominated time of possession. Whether it was due to mental mistakes or the scheme, the Green Bay defense has to find a way to get off the field. Dallas comes to town in two weeks and that offense doesn’t need any help scoring points.

3) Running the ball — Maybe it isn’t fair to judge the running game after one contest against what could be the top run defense in the league, but it has to be a concern for MM and his staff that Ryan Grant gained all of 35 yards on the 11 touches that didn’t go for 57 yards and Brandon Jackson eked out just a dozen yards on seven carries. Consistent production on the ground means sustained drives and control of the clock, all of which makes winning easier to come by.

4) Opening the play book — Overall it was a pretty conservative gameplan MM used last night, an understandable strategy given it was Aaron Rodgers’ first start. Next week against Detroit I would expect to see a little more variation and more aggressive play calling leading into the Dallas game.

5) Help out Ted Thompson — This isn’t really part of the head coach’s job I know, but someone needs to intervene. Every time on television TT is sitting all alone in the team suite, can’t they get someone to keep him company (raising my hand willing to volunteer)? Otherwise maybe he should be with the team on the sideline.