To me, what makes Calvin Johnson the best wide receiver in the game is that he is 6'5" and can catch balls when he's got guys draped all over him. He's a good route runner, but no better than Jordy. So the question remains: how did Johnson get so, so open, and Nelson not?
Lots of good posts in this thread. I want to add one bit: I wonder if Rodgers is getting too insulated, too cocky. He seems so damn arrogant on the field, and by that I mean that when a pass isn't completed, he often gesticulates angrily at his receiver about it. He kinda shows guy up on the field, and that's not cool. How about if Jordy gestured angrily at Rodgers for missing on that fourth down pass? I think Rodgers is maybe getting too much of a free pass from his coaches and teammates.
"The Devine era is actually worse than you remember if you go back and look at it."
KYPack
CJ had 10 targets, 6 catches for 82 yards, no TD's and a long of 26.
JN had 7 targets, 5 catches for 59 yards, no TD's and a long of 18.
Yes CJ was going up against better DB's, but those numbers are not 'Wide open all day'. I don't think there is a defense in the league that wouldn't take that line against CJ.
Fire Murphy, Gute, MLF, Barry, Senavich, etc!
Perhaps it is because he towers over almost every DB so he can snatch the ball out of air over defenders?
I wonder if most really good QBs get cocky after a while? We've seen P. Manning and Brady bitching at their receivers for screwing up and they have been getting away with that for years.