I don't know if Ted Thompson would have hired Brad Childress had he had the chance to interview him, but the Minnesota Vikings made sure that wouldn't happen when they rushed Childress to Minneapolis to interview him, then made him an offer without letting him get away to interview in Green Bay or any place else. The rest is history. Childress is clueless and the Vikings are not good. And the Packers have a guy by the name of McCarthy coaching their team, and he continues to get it done against the Vikings.
Following Sunday's 34-0 shutout loss over the Vikings, Mike McCarthy's record against Minnesota in his two seasons in Green Bay is a perfect 4-0.
You can find several reasons why the Packers are off to an 8-1 start and most people would start with the play of quarterback Brett Favre. Favre threw three more touchdown passes yesterday and became just the second quarterback to throw for 60,000 passing yards in a career.
But the guy holding the glue together is Mike McCarthy. He's the man that has this group of players searching for continued improvement from week to week. McCarthy is the man that has this Packers team focussed on the task at hand and not looking ahead. Because of that, the Packers haven't been surprised by a team while the Packers are busy looking ahead.
It's Childress that caused a stir in his lockerroom when wide receiver Troy Williamson was informed he wouldn't be paid that week after attending his grand mother's funeral. By the time the Vikings changed their mind it was too late. The Vikings looked flat on Sunday and the Williamson decision likely contributed.
Brad Childress is the same guy that needed to go after a quarterback in free agency and they could have made a run at Jeff Garcia. But they stuck with the group they had and now are paying dearly for it.
While Childress is striking out in Minnesota, McCarthy is flourishing in Green Bay. His record is outstanding and he has the total respect of each player in the team.
I believe when it's all said and done, Mike McCarthy will be considered a great football coach in this game. I know that term is tossed around too lightly at times. But McCarthy has taken this group of players and improved them and given them reason to think they can win. He's reigned in Brett Favre to the point where Favre is having his best season in recent memory.
The Packers are tied with the Dallas Cowboys for the best overall record in the NFC at 8-1 and has football fans pointing towards the November 29th matchup in Dallas. The outcome there could potentially be for homefield advantage in the NFC playoffs.
Nobody considered that kind of talk at the beginning of the season and Mike McCarthy is a big reason why we're talking about it now.
Listen / Download – Mike McCarthy on keeping his team grounded at 8-1. :23
