Mike McCarthy does not have any problems with offenses

The Packers recorded a disappointing new performance Sunday night in Minnesota, which only intensified Mike McCarthy's already thrilling head. The head coach of the 13th year has become a receptacle for criticism, which adheres for the most part to the same theme: its offensive system is obsolete.

The first problem is that this analysis is too late for a few years (more on this in a moment). The second problem – and much bigger – is that it gives Aaron Rodgers a pass for the highly contradictory way in which he executes this offense.

Understand that you do not read a Hot Take from Aaron Rodgers. At least, not according to the discussions that take place within the NFL. In the league, Rodgers is considered an incredible but imperfect quarterback. Outside the NFL, Rodgers is basically considered a god. He has become a heretic to say anything that criticizes him.

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Rodgers is the most physically talented quarterback of all time; 32 NFL General Managers would be happy to train their team around him. When he clicks, he is beautiful. But Rodgers does not click with the regularity of a Drew Brees, Tom Brady or even a resurrected Andrew Luck. There are no statistics that capture shots that should be made but are not, or shots that could have been made on time but were made out of time. If these categories existed, Rodgers would have as many years as each quarter. It's a shimmering sandlot player who too often goes into sandlot mode.

Yes, Rodgers' unique style, to which few QBs have enough talent to appeal, has led to some of his most spectacular pieces. But overall, it also creates the illusion of a malfunction around him. For viewers, Rodgers walks around because his O line breaks down. Or because, presumably, the receivers do not open. And they do not open because this stratagem does not help them. Sometimes this is the case. But just as often, the problems do not come from everyone, but from the quarter itself.

What's more disconcerting: As soon as you start thinking that Rodgers will always read the ground with the staggering appearance of a rookie, he starts throwing the ball with a perfectly disciplined timing and rhythm. When this switch is reversed, Rodgers is limited to unstoppable. Its size reaches such a level that, when the switch is reversed, you understand why outside observers can not help but think that the problem concerns everyone.

It's there that McCarthy is a victim. Rodgers' concern was illustrated two weeks ago by Green Bay's victory over Miami. The Packers faced a 4th and 2nd in the middle of the field. Dolphins are a D zone that almost always plays nickel. Knowing that their nickel would keep two linebackers on the field, McCarthy placed a fourth receiver and aligned Davante Adams in the backfield, so that his main weapon could follow his course against them. Adams did, opening on a short-angle road in Rodgers' immediate field of vision. The game worked perfectly. And Rodgers, for reasons that even Sigmund Freud did not understand, tried to break and lengthen the piece. A quick game like this can not be prolonged, however, and of course, the protection cracked and Rodgers was sacked.

Imagine if Sean McVay had put Brandin Cooks on the run. Or Andy Reid put Tyreek Hill there. Their genius would have been announced once again. On a fourth big bet, the attacking brain puts its best wide receiver back and delays the defense! Boy, you never know what this coach will do next!

Of course, QB from McVay or Reid (or almost any team) would have pitched the ball in this game. McCarthy's QB does not, and therefore, for outside observers, the creativity of McCarthy never existed.

This creativity has recently manifested itself in other pieces. In fact, this season, McCarthy's offensive program has evolved considerably. At the beginning of the year, it was mainly the simple, widespread formations that propagated the isolation routes – McCarthy's unimagination for years. He most likely played this way because it reflected Rodgers' tendencies. It worked when the Packers had the right veteran receivers. But with the aging of Jordy Nelson, James Jones long party, and Randall Cobb injured or not alike, the Packers this season had to rely on cruel receivers who are not yet able to open themselves or find the weak points of the defense when Rodgers extends the match.

So, McCarthy has scrapped some of the concepts used by the iso-spread for more recent designs. He used training spread out this November about twice as often as in September. More importantly, he used condensed formations, with receptors aligned closely on the formation, about three times more often. These condensed sets are identical to those that McVay uses in L.A. This gives the receivers more fields to work on, which propagates more schematic variables in the pass game and more natural interlacing of routes. This also creates a clutter for a defense, making the covers more predictable. This allows a QB to more easily predict open throws. And the receivers who line up tightly on the training are in a better position to block security in the running game, making the action-game even more credible. In the same vein, the Packers also used a greater number of shots, which helped to diversify a system, especially in the field.

The results of McCarthy's new approach have been mixed, in part because Rodgers' execution has been mixed. Nevertheless, it is reasonable to keep McCarthy in the hot seat; even with his improved approach, he is far from faultless. But when evaluating McCarthy, we must admit that his quarterback is also flawless.

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