GREEN BAY Dean Lowry Jersey , Wis. (AP) — Every year, Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy nips any playoff talk in the bud by saying it’s not a topic of conversation until the team wins 10 games.The Packers hit the season’s midpoint with a 3-4-1 record, meaning there is little margin for error after back-to-back losses to two of the NFL’s powerhouses.To reach double-digits in victories, the Packers will have to win seven of their final eight games. That quest begins with a return home to face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.“We’re focused on winning No. 4. That’s all we’re talking about right now,” McCarthy said on Monday, a day after a 31-17 loss to the New England Patriots.“We improved as a football team the last two weeks, but you have to play your best football coming down the stretch. We’re not playing to the level we need to play in the fourth quarter.”In the final seven minutes of last week’s 29-27 loss at the Los Angeles Rams, the Packers failed to extend a 27-26 lead, had a bad punt, gave up the go-ahead field goal and fumbled the ensuing kickoff.On the first play of the fourth quarter against the Patriots, the Packers were driving into scoring position when running back Aaron Jones fumbled.The Patriots used a pass from receiver Julian Edelman to running back James White to set up the go-ahead touchdown, forced the Packers to punt, then added an insurance touchdown.Not only did the Packers lose the game Kentrell Brice Color Rush Jersey , but they lost ground in the NFC North to Chicago (5-3), which routed Buffalo for its second consecutive win, and Minnesota (5-3-1), which beat Detroit for its fourth win in five games.After hosting Miami (5-4), Green Bay goes back on the road to face Seattle (4-4) and Minnesota.“The games in November are really where teams historically start to separate one way or the other,” McCarthy said. “Our focus is really on our self-scout and things we’ve been working on. The last two weeks, we’re not finishing games.”The problems run across all three phases. Defensively, the Packers have failed to get a takeaway the past two weeks.On special teams, there was Ty Montgomery’s fumble on the kickoff return against the Rams and two penalties against the Patriots.On offense, Green Bay has run a total of 22 plays in the fourth quarter the past two weeks. Against the Patriots, the fourth quarter started with a fumble, continued with a three-and-out and ended with a fourth-down failure.“We’re not hitting on all cylinders,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “We’re hurting ourselves with negative-yardage plays and missed throws and turnovers at the wrong time and not being on the same page too many times https://www.thepackersfanshop.com/Geronimo-Allison-Jersey , whether I’m missing a throw or we’re not in the spot I think we’re going to be at, it’s happening in the worst times. When we have to play our best in those crunch times, we haven’t been playing our best.”To get on track, the Packers are going to have to play through some injuries. Right tackle Bryan Bulaga (knee), safety Kentrell Brice (knee), cornerback Kevin King (hamstring) and linebacker Blake Martinez (ankle) were knocked out of the game by injuries.Martinez, who was injured when he stepped on the ankle of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, returned for the final couple of series.“I pride myself on being a tough guy and I didn’t want to leave my team,” Martinez said.“I knew if I could run straight and do certain things, I could go out there and finish the game.”According to McCarthy, King will be “hard pressed” to be ready to face the Dolphins. Bulaga, who’s suffered major injuries to both knees, avoided a significant injury and could be back for Sunday. Receiver Geronimo Allison might need surgery after suffering a groin injury at Thursday’s practice. Matt LaFleur is stepping into an interesting situation in his first gig as a head coach.The new Green Bay Packers boss (well Oren Burks Jersey , not official as we write this, but soon enough), inherits one of the best quarterbacks in the game (when healthy) in Aaron Rodgers, a Pro Bowl receiver in Davante Adams and a young, up-and-coming defense.More Packers coverage from FOX Sports WisconsinPackers post-Super Bowl 2019 mock draft roundupGreen Bay Packers 2019 impending free agents primerAaron Rodgers' offseason to feature golf, not knee surgeryPhotos of the Week: 1/27/19 – 2/2/19Top Tweets: Wisconsin athletes survive 2019 polar vortexBut also a Packers team which has missed the postseason the past two seasons and fan base hungry for a return and not thrilled at the prospect of a third straight year without a rooting interest in the playoffs (that is, beyond rooting against Chicago or Minnesota).To do so, LaFleur will be going against Packers history.No first-year Green Bay head coach has led the team to the playoffs in his initial year at the helm. As in ever. Not Curly Lambeau. Not Vince Lombardi. Not Mike Holmgren. No one.Interestingly, only five had a better record in his first season with the Packers than the previous season, and two of those just meant getting three and four wins that initial year. However, each of the past two Green Bay head coaches did improve the team's record in his first year.PACKERS HEAD COACHES, FIRST YEARCOACHYEARPREV1ST YROVERALLPLAYOFFSCurly Lambeau1921n/a3-2-1209-104-218*Gene Ronzani19502-103-914-31-10Lisle Blackbourn19542-9-14-817-310Ray McLean19584-81-10-11-10-10Vince Lombardi19591-10-17-589-29-46Phil Bengston19689-4-16-7-120-21-10Dan Devine19716-84-8-225-27-41Bart Starr19756-84-1052-76-31Forrest Gregg19848-88-825-37-10Lindy Infante19885-9-14-1224-400Mike Holmgren19929-79-775-376Ray Rhodes199911-58-88-80Mike Sherman20008-89-757-394Mike McCarthy20064-128-8125-77-29* – Includes championships won before there was a playoff systemOf course, none of this means LaFleur can't lead the Packers to the playoffs in 2019. A look around at the current NFL coaches shows that while it's not common for a first-year head coach to lead his team to the postseason Marquez Valdes-Scantling Jersey , it isn't like it's never happened.Two coaches who were in their first year this season led their team to the playoffs. The same in 2017. Others have led their team to the playoffs in subsequent seasons (probably one reason they are still head coaches in the NFL; we aren't including those fired after the 2018 season).Keep in mind that, of course, circumstances can help or hurt a first-year coach. For example, Drew Brees joined the Saints in 2006 and Andrew Luck was healthy in 2018 after missing all of the previous season, while on the flip side Jon Gruden and the Raiders dealt away some key players this year.But — and good news here, Packers fans — generally speaking teams improved in the first year under the active head coaches. OK, not Bill Belichick, but we think things have still turned out pretty well for New England.CURRENT NFL HEAD COACHES, FIRST YEAR WITH TEAMCOACHTEAMYEARPREV1ST YRBill BelichickPatriots20009-7*8-8Sean PaytonSaints20063-1310-6*Mike TomlinSteelers20078-810-6*John HarbaughRavens20085-1111-5*Pete CarrollSeahawks20105-117-9Jason Garrett**Cowboys20116-108-8Ron RiveraPanthers20112-146-10Andy ReidChiefs20132-1411-5*Bll O'BrienTexans20142-149-7Jay GrudenRedskins20143-134-12Mike ZimmerVikings20145-10-17-9Dan QuinnFalcons20156-108-8Doug PedersonEagles20167-97-9Sean McDermottBills20177-99-7*Doug Marrone***Jaguars20173-1310-6*Anthony LynnChargers20175-119-7Sean McVayRams20174-1211-5*Kyle Shanahan49ers20172-146-10Frank ReichColts20184-1210-6*Mike VrabelTitans20189-7*9-7Jon GrudenRaiders20186-104-12Pat ShurmurGiants20183-135-11Matt NagyBears20185-1112-4*Matt PatriciaLions20189-76-10* — Made playoffs** — Garrett took over as interim coach midway through the 2010 season and went 5-3. He had the interim tag taken away after the season.*** — Marrone took over in the final two games of the 2016 season and went 1-1. He had the interim tag taken away after the season.
