Mike McCarthy wants to put his pedal to the metal this season.
The Green Bay Packers already play fast with Aaron Rodgers under center, but the goal for coach and quarterback is to up the ante to 75 plays per game, according to ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky.
"That seems to be the answer to some of the different things that defenses are doing," Rodgers said this offseason.
Seventy-five plays per game would outdistance the Denver Broncos' record-breaking offense of a season ago (which averaged 72.25 plays per game) and the no-huddle-happy New England Patriots (71.125 plays per game).
The Packers ran about 67 plays per game in 2013 (69 plays when Rodgers was healthy), McCarthy's second-highest total in eight seasons.
"We play pretty fast, but you always want to play faster," McCarthy said during an interview last month, per Demovsky. "With a guy like Aaron, he plays faster than anybody I've ever been around."
Every offensive coach in the NFL would like to play faster, but few have the total package -- quarterback, receivers, tight ends, running backs -- to offer different looks without subbing. Early this offseason McCarthy pointed out the need for running back Eddie Lacy to become a three-down player so he wouldn't need to come off the field on third down, slowing down the operation.
"I've always been of the belief of getting as many shots as you can, so we've always emphasized playing as fast as you can," McCarthy said. "When you have as many three-down players as you can possibly have, obviously your substitution patterns are cleaner. You're not subbing because you have to, you're subbing just when you need to."
There is no question Green Bay has the quarterback needed to run faster; whether the Packers have the running back and tight ends will be worth watching as training camp approaches.
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