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Some times in his career, while his Packers seemed to be struggling, Aaron Rodgers remained calm and asked people to relax with a memorable quote that would become a kind of motto for the rest of the team season. There was "R-E-L-A-X" after a double in 2014, which was then a record year for Rodgers and a match for the NFC title lost by a terrible chance. In 2016, Rodgers claimed that the 4-6 Packers "can handle the table" to qualify for the playoffs, which they did well, again just before the Super Bowl.
In 2018, however, with the Packers tied 4-6-1 after Sunday night's 24-17 loss to the Vikings, Rodgers, 34, is a lot less daring than in the past. At yesterday's post-match press conference, his tone was between negotiation and depression:
"You can understand the numbers here," Rodgers said. "I can tell you that 8-7-1 will not come in, though. I do not think so.
"We are where we are right now in terms of record. We are going to need the help of some teams and then we have to take care of our own business, you know? We will have to find a way to win a match on the road. We are 0-6 on the road. So we just have to go home, rest, beat Arizona … then come back and beat Atlanta … then go to Chicago, a place where we won several times, beat them … go to New York around Christmas, beat them … and come home against Detroit, beat them. Get some help. "
"Getting some help" does not look exactly the same, but nothing in the Packers this season should give anyone optimism. It is well established at this point that head coach Mike McCarthy is not doing anything to use the singular offensive weapon at his disposal, but in a game where the Pack scored just three points in the 44 Last minutes of play, all the problems intensified and it became even clearer that McCarthy must leave. The games called were out of date and predictable, the coach had used the timeouts too early and stupid little mistakes allowed Minnesota to have an advantage. In particular, the Vikings scored what became the touchdown thanks to their incredible position on the field following an error-filled sequence that included a delayed play penalty, a third lost bag and a training penalty. illegal on the punt.
These were the two most infuriating offensive games in McCarthy's game, in which the Packers would dig in the background behind the scenes in consecutive games in positions a few meters away, without allowing him to penetrate a strong defensive line for the turn-over during the tests. It's not very creative, it takes the ball out of Rodgers' hands for no clear reason, and McCarthy called a hell of a wait between games. Perhaps he was trying to prove a point after being roasted for a wandering trip on a fourth run down to Seattle, but collapsing into a brick wall would only hurt.
"We want to win football games. We have not done enough. I did not do enough. I need to train better, "said McCarthy after the game.
The Packers had more problems to deal with in addition to what came from the sideline. Rodgers looked strangely different from himself. Putting only 198 yards in 17 attempts over 28 passes, for a touchdown and no interception, he was just pedestrian. The start of Green Bay's return attempt, which had lost about 10 minutes, allowed Rodgers to make some good shots, but he blocked the mark in the end with two mistakes, including a knocked-over ball in the box. goals for Davante Adams who forced a field placement. (It does not matter, anyway, Green Bay would not have recovered the ball because he missed the right kick and had only one time left.)
But Rodgers is not going anywhere before at least several years. Although its lack of heroism this season is actually an indication of the beginning of its decline, the quarterback is the very last place where the Packers have to make a change. On Sunday, like the Seahawks' loss last week, a few minor adjustments, such as a fourth down conversion here and a reduced time-out, would have put the team in a much better position. The Packers only have a six percent chance of finding the playoffs. It does not seem to be the coach who will take them there:
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