TallySaint

McCarthy doesn’t start off too well

By SHELDON MICKLES
Advocate sportswriter
Published: Sep 15, 2006



With all of the history and lofty expectations that are heaped on being the head coach of the Green Bay Packers, the last thing Mike McCarthy needed last week was to come up empty in his first game.

In a season-opening game. In a divisional matchup with the rival Chicago Bears. In hallowed Lambeau Field, no less.

In other words, he needed that as much as he needed a toothache.

If it could possibly going wrong for McCarthy, who was the New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator from 2000-04 under former coach Jim Haslett, it did in a 26-0 setback to the Bears.

In addition to being shut out for the first time in 15 seasons, the Packers had three turnovers, converted just one of 11 third-down opportunities and gave up an 84-yard punt return for a touchdown — turning the day into a long and painful one for McCarthy, who had 23 family members and friends in town for his head coaching debut.

“That’s not the way you want to start, that’s for sure,� he said Wednesday during a conference call with Louisiana reporters. “Especially it being a home game, home opener and against a division rival and everything.

“But it’s an opportunity for us to learn from the mistakes we made, and improve on and get ready for this week’s game.�

McCarthy quickly stored the nightmare that was the Packers’ season opener in the back of his memory bank Monday when he returned to work to begin preparing for Sunday’s game with one of his former employers — the Saints.

“It didn’t go away right away, but it’s something that you have to deal with on a personal level when you’re around your family and so forth,� he said. “On Monday, we had a chance to correct it and clean it up. By Monday afternoon, we moved onto the Saints.�

That’s the best thing a team can do after laying a big egg in its season opener. The only thing McCarthy can do is hope they clean up their mess before the Saints, who are 1-0 after opening with a 19-14 win over the Cleveland Browns, come to town.

McCarthy said the Packers performed poorly in short-yardage situations, which prevented Brett Favre and the offense from getting into a rhythm early. But that was just one of the disappointing things about the game, McCarthy said.

“Then, we fell behind and had to play a type of game we really weren’t interested in, and that’s playing from two or three touchdowns behind.

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8)

My Guardian Angel wears a hard hat.