McCarthy Improves Team's Record & Mind-Set

Coming off a 4-12 season in 2005, the Green Bay Packers on multiple occasions appeared headed for their second straight losing season in 2006.

There was the 1-4 record at the bye week, with three home losses already. There was the 3-5 mark after an agonizing game at Buffalo. And there was the 4-8 record, which included humbling home defeats to the Patriots and Jets, with four games remaining.

At each of those stages, a first-year NFL head coach might have been inclined to throw up his hands and declare, "This isn’t working." He might have thought it was time to question his instincts, overhaul the playbook, shake up the roster, or make a change on his coaching staff.