McCarthy downplays job questions
GREEN BAY - Mike McCarthy doesn’t live with blinders on.
On the Friday afternoon following a 27-24 loss Thursday night to the Seattle Seahawks, a setback that tipped the Green Bay Packers’ win percentage below .500, McCarthy said outside criticism aimed at his job status comes with the head-coaching role.
“That’s the job,” McCarthy said. “That’s the way this business has gone. I’m not going to get into comparables, but at the end of the day that’s part of the job responsibility of the head coach.
“We set a standard here the past 12 years, and it’s our responsibility to play to that standard.”
McCarthy said one of his priorities was to “protect the locker room” from external distractions.
“I don’t think you can tune (criticism) out,” McCarthy said. “That’s the old days. That’s when you had newspapers. But I think today’s world, everything is accessible, everything is instant. I’m sure (Packers players are) all aware.”
For most of McCarthy’s career, he hasn’t had to worry about job security. Now, the 13-year head coach is tasked with forging ahead with a 4-5-1 team that is 0-5 on the road.
The outside criticism was amplified Thursday after McCarthy decided to punt on fourth-and-2 from the Packers’ 33-yard line with 4:20 remaining in the game and his team down by a field goal. He said it was a “solid” decision in hindsight, but it wasn’t clear-cut.
“Frankly, those are the kind of decisions that keep all of us up,” McCarthy said. “Now that I’m standing here and I know what the result is of them running out the clock, you go, ‘Oh, yeah, I wish I would’ve went for it on fourth-and-2.’ My first reaction was to go for it.”
Internally, McCarthy said he hasn’t had conversations about his job security with Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy. When the two meet inseason, McCarthy said their discussions are focused on winning.
Graham injury update
As McCarthy stares down the remainder of the stretch, he may be without several players due to injury. Four starters, including tight end Jimmy Graham (thumb), left the game in Seattle and did not return.
McCarthy would not address the full extent of Graham’s injury, but both the NFL Network and ESPN reported that Graham suffered a broken thumb.
One of the players who may be part of McCarthy’s new approach is tight end Robert Tonyan. The rookie made his first NFL reception against the Seahawks, a 54-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers.
Tonyan’s future snap count will depend on the depth of the position, according to McCarthy.
Besides Graham, cornerback Bashaud Breeland (groin), safety Raven Green (ankle) and defensive end Mike Daniels (foot) left the game early. Four other starters, including wide receiver Randall Cobb (hamstring), linebacker Nick Perry (knee), CB Kevin King (hamstring) and S Kentrell Brice (ankle) did not make the trip to Seattle.
Fack attack
With a takedown of Russell Wilson at the 13:14 mark of the fourth quarter, third-year linebacker Kyler Fackrell tied a Green Bay Packers franchise record with his second three-sack game of the season.
Reggie White recorded three sacks against Tampa Bay and San Francisco in 1998 and Clay Matthews had three against Philadelphia and Buffalo in 2010. Five Packers have done it since 1982.
Fackrell recorded three sacks against Buffalo on Sept. 30. He leads the team with eight quarterback takedowns, which has him tied for ninth in the NFL heading into the weekend. He also has five sacks since the bye week.
Fackrell also recorded four tackles for loss and hit Wilson four times.
“I think sometimes plays come your way. I was able to make a good deal of them,” he said. “The win is really all that matters, you know? I’m happy with how I played but I think I left some plays out there. So it’s definitely not like I played a perfect game anyways. It’s a tough loss.”
Tonyan’s big play
Tonyan has spent the bulk of his 2018 campaign playing on special teams, but his first catch – and touchdown – came in a big moment Thursday night.
Playing alongside Graham on the left side of the Packers’ offensive line late in the first quarter, Tonyan continued his route deep over the middle of the field as Rodgers broke the pocket and rolled to the right.
“Bobby’s made plays since he got here,” Rodgers said. “I was really proud of him that he made the team, first of all, because I thought he was very deserving.
”It was just making sure he got in my vision. I rolled out to the right and had a quick flash back to last week when I was thinking about pulling the trigger on Jimmy and kind of in between. I told myself before the game if I got a situation like that to take a shot.”
The 6-foot, 5-inch, 237-pound tight end got position on Seahawks safety Bradley McDougald and came down with a 54-yard score to put the Packers up 14-3 in the first quarter.
Through nine games, Tonyan had played just 10 offensive snaps.
“I’ve just been visualizing the moment and those type of plays,” Tonyan said. “You just have to keep thinking about making big plays. If you’re sitting at the locker room or sitting at home, you just have to think about making those big plays and when they come to you, just make them. When it happened, I was just happy. That’s football. You just have to make plays when they come to you. It is special, but you just have to keep your composure. When plays come to me, I’m just going to make them.”
Turf tough on Breeland
At the beginning of the week – which, of course, was only three days earlier – Breeland didn’t know whether he’d be able to play in Seattle.
He injured his groin Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, and the quick turnaround didn’t help his chances. Breeland was able to start in the slot against the Seahawks, but on CenturyLink Field’s turf his groin couldn’t hold up to halftime.
“It was just the pound,” Breeland said. “It was just the pound over time. especially on the turf. The turf was really what made it worse.”
Missed again
For the second time this season, kicker Mason Crosby had to lament a missed field goal that could have made a difference in the game.
Crosby missed a 47-yard field goal wide left on the Packers’ second possession that would have sent them out to a 10-0 lead.
Crosby said the wind was blowing left to right and he expected it to carry it in that direction.
“I left it too far to the right,” he said. “I was hoping it would come back.”
Crosby missed four field goals in a loss to the Detroit early in the season.