Confidence can breed results, but when you don't have confidence, sometimes the results have to breed that kind of belief in yourself.
When asked what the Green Bay Packers needed in order to regain confidence lost after a three-game losing streak, 620WTMJ Packers voice Wayne Larrivee revealed a one-word answer:
"Success."
In elaborating, Larrivee explained that there is no "magic elixir" for the Packers to find that confidence. "You have to go out and get it done."
That's something the Packers have not done in three games in losses at Denver and Carolina, and then to Detroit - believed by many to be the NFL's worst team before upsetting Green Bay 18-16 on Sunday.
Especially when it comes to offense, Larrivee admitted that "things aren't together. They're not clicking. There's not that confidence about that football team that you've seen in the past. Something has happened the last three weeks."
Larrivee says part of it involves injuries, and not just the season-ending kind to Jordy Nelson.
"Consider they lost Jordy Nelson. 98 catches, 1,519 yards, 13 touchdowns. This year, Eddie Lacy has not been up to par physically and hasn't been playing a whole lot. Last year, he produced 1,139 yards, 9 touchdowns, plus 42 catches, 427 yards, four touchdowns," explained Larrivee.
"Put all those numbers together: That's 3,085 yards and 26 touchdowns taken right off the top of the highest scoring offense a year ago. That's a lot for anybody to absorb."
How do they respond? They've tried to scheme their way out, says Larrivee.
"They're not doing the same thing every play. They've tried the bunch formations. They've tried crossing routes. They've put Randall Cobb in the offensive backfield," said Larrivee.
"At some point...as a receiver, you've got to beat your man. You've got to win your matchup. Teams are playing the same coverages. They're putting a single safety high. They're putting an extra safety in the box. That does two things: That safety can rush the quarterback on a pass rush, and that safety can defend against the run. Meanwhile, if you've got press coverage, your receivers, I don't care who they are, they have to get open. They have to beat their man. That's not happening enough times right now."
How does it happen? Larrivee explained a simple, but not easy, solution.
