Sometimes I just don’t get it!
As offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers last year, Mike McCarthy’s offense finished 32nd and last in the NFL. How bad was it ??? That offense finished 32nd in passing, 22nd in rushing yards and 30th in points in eight games on a 16-game schedule without an offensive touchdown.
As the Packers quarterback coach during Ray Rhodes’ short-lived and ill-fated 1999 regime, McCarthy led Bret Favre to his second worst season as a pro with the future HOFer shooting 24 photos to just 23 touchdowns. Favre’s 74.7 QB rating was only surpassed by his 1993 sopomore season rating of 72.2 and this year’s train crash of 70.9, but this week Mike McCarthy was brought back to Green Bay and hired as the 14th. Head coach in possibly the most storied franchise in NFL history. .
The Packers had to know this was a controversial signing, as McCarthy’s press conference appeared to be more of a preventive damage control than a celebration of the man who was going to restore the tarnished shine and return Green Bay to the promised land. .
McCarthy was praised for his past accomplishments, particularly his work with the Saints between 2000 and 2004. During that time, the Saints established 25 team and 10 individual records. Joe Horn, who caught 437 passes for 6289 yards and 45 TDs during McCarthy’s tenure. New Orleans led the NFL in points (432) and touchdowns (49) during the 2002 season.
McCarthy’s earlier work with Kansas City was also cited. As the Chiefs’ quarterback coach from ’95 to ’98, the Gannon, Grbac and Bono combo threw 52 low interceptions in the AFC during that four-year span. Huh ??? Whupdidoo !!!
In his year with Favre, Bret threw for 4,091 yards, but the Packers were seventh in passing and ninth overall on offense.
It was also mentioned at the press conference that McCarthy had spent most of the past year advising the league’s first overall draft pick, Alex Smith, possibly an inference that Aaron Rodgers would be in good hands if Favre decides to call it a career. .
Alex Smith’s season from any point of view was an absolute disaster! Smith’s numbers were horrible: 84-165 (50.9%) for 875 yards and a TD / INT ratio of 1/11. Granted, Smith had little to work on, but based on his freshman year, he’s on his way to becoming a flop on the proportions of Tony Mandrich and Ryan Leaf.
McCarthy becomes the youngest coach in the NFL, three months younger than John Gruden. He inherits a young team (26.04 years at the end of the season, 3d in the NFL) that is full of uncertainties like the health of Javon Walker and Ahman Green and the return of Brett Favre.
Mike McCarthy was a surprisingly desperate employee of a surprisingly desperate franchise. The Packers had been in the playoffs five out of the six years under Mike Sherman and while the team’s talent level has dropped appreciably mainly due to poor drafts, the entire Packer postseason shakeup is causing panic!
McCarthy’s coaching experience:
1987-88, Fort Hays State – Graduate Assistant
1989-1991, Univ. Of Pittsburgh – quarterbacks
1992, Univ. Of Pittsburgh – Wide receivers
1993-94, Kansas City Chiefs – Offensive Assistant / QA
1995-98, Kansas City Chiefs – Quarterbacks
1999, Green Bay Packers – Quarterbacks
2000-04, New Orleans Saints – Offensive Coordinator
2005, San Francisco 49ers – Offensive Coordinator
2006, Green Bay Packers – Head Coach