Packer-Eagle Playoff Game

Pass on every first down and punt.  Passed on first down for 15 yards.  Passed on first down for 12 yards.  Never got to second down.  No runs to set up the play-action, but it was still working easily.  Pass on first down, and due to a 3-yd gain on a second-down run, they threw incomplete on third-and-seven, so punted.  Because they threw on first downs prior to this, they got to the Philly 38, and they should have gone for it instead of punting.  The first-down pass didn’t stop the drive, the failure to go for it in 4-down territory, which resulted from first-down passing, did.  These first-down passes opened up later runs.

Run on 3 of first 4 first downs, and score on first down pass on their 5th first down play.  These three first-down runs were for 1 yard, 4 yards, and 2 yards.  Since they didn’t gain anything on these plays, they were fortunate to overcome this idiocy and get the first downs.

Ran on 3 of 5 first downs and scored TD.  Rodgers fumbled on a first down.  If this was a called pass, they passed on 4 of the 5 first downs on this TD drive.  If it was a called run and they messed up the handoff, then they passed on 3 of the 5 first downs, and of course, this first-down run resulted in a fumble which they recovered.  They passed on 3 or 4 of the 5.  They did run on first down on the first series of this possession, and fumbled on one of the runs that series, but recovered.  Almost a disaster on a first-down-run series.

Ran on first down, got first down and ran out clock.  The Packers got the first down when they ran on first down via a pass, and the Eagles didn’t care about the run since they were trying to prevent a score with little time left.  A run was no threat.

Ran on 4 of 5 first downs and scored TD. They scored a TD on this possession, which was the one possession in the second half that they threw on first down on, and gained 20 yards on that series.  This was set up by the first-down passing earlier.  I repeat for emphasis, they only scored 7 points in the second half, letting the Eagles back in the game, due to this strategy.

Ran on both first down plays and punted.  My point is that why should they put themselves in a position to HAVE to make a play on third down due to first-down runs?  Sometimes you’ll get it, and sometimes you won’t.  The opposing defense is obviously playing with more confidence since they’ve stopped the Packers in the second half since they kept putting themselves in a hole with the first-down runs.  The key point, of course, is that the Eagles showed they couldn’t stop the Packers when they threw on first down, but McCarthy stopped doing it.  If the Eagles adjust and stop it, fine, but why change what’s working?  And, what you’ve changed to isn’t working and hasn’t worked all year.  McCarthy thinks this is a great strategy, everyone is talking about the Packers now possibly have a running game, and he’ll keep doing it.  The problem will be that an opponent will eventually score at the end, as the bears and Eagles could have, and it will backfire.  All 6 losses were due to this, and some of the wins were despite this.  McCarthy said when the Packers signed him (and he had Favre and good receivers):  We’ll be a running team.  Those 2-yard runs in the first quarter will be 3-yard runs in the second quarter, will be 4-yard runs in the 4th quarter.  The problem with that strategy is you’re down by 30 in the 4th quarter.  He did this his first game, and they luckily beat the Eagles 13-10, I believe, when the Eagles fumbled a punt late.  Their offense was pathetic.  He then let Favre throw the next three games I think, and I think they scored over 30 each game and won easily.