Rodgers Does A Bart Starr

[The Shadow]

Anyone out there old enough to remember how Bart Starr's legend was to a great degree forged by the surprise gambling bomb on 3rd and short?
Tis true - you can look it up.

[Willard]

Anyone out there old enough to remember how Bart Starr's legend was to a great degree forged by the surprise gambling bomb on 3rd and short?
Tis true - you can look it up.
On the MNF half time highlights a few moments ago, Chris Berman said the Rodgers-to-Jennings connection looked like a Starr-to-Dowler connection.

[Fritz]

My first memories are hazy, hazy ones, and since I lived in Detroit I rarely got to see the Packers play - football was not wall-to-wall like it is now. I remember, vaguely, Carroll Dale and Boyd Dowler getting passes from an old(er) Bart Starr, but my first real memories occurred when he was, I think, QB's coach and he coached Scott Hunter the year Dan Devine took them to the playoffs.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Anyone out there old enough to remember how Bart Starr's legend was to a great degree forged by the surprise gambling bomb on 3rd and short?
Tis true - you can look it up.

Didn't starr call his own plays?

If so, kinda makes the comparison weak.

[Fritz]

If I heard Rodgers correctly last night, and I don't know if I did, that play was designed to go to Lee but Rodgers spotted the coverage on Jennings and went to him instead.

So the comparison can kinda work.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

If I heard Rodgers correctly last night, and I don't know if I did, that play was designed to go to Lee but Rodgers spotted the coverage on Jennings and went to him instead.

So the comparison can kinda work.

Totally agree half heartedly

[red]

i was watching the game with my old man. right after the play he said, "just like starr"

[Patler]

I remember those well. He would fake to Taylor, step back and hit Dale or Dowler, usually Dale as I remember them. It got to be quite common, to the point that you knew it would happen once a game or so, but their running game was good enough that the defense had to honor it. Sometimes Starr would do it early in a game, sometimes late. It wasn't if he would do it, but when.

...and yes, he did call his own plays. All QBs called their own plays back then.

[Cleft Crusty]

I remember those well. He would fake to Taylor, step back and hit Dale or Dowler, usually Dale as I remember them. It got to be quite common, to the point that you knew it would happen once a game or so, but their running game was good enough that the defense had to honor it. Sometimes Starr would do it early in a game, sometimes late. It wasn't if he would do it, but when.

...and yes, he did call his own plays. All QBs called their own plays back then.

That's right Patler. And it wasn't as complicated as some make it out to be. The playbooks back then were about four pages - sometimes Starr would diagram the play in the dirt. Playbooks these days, especially in GB, are he size of phone books and the play has to be called in - at least the basic formation, with some choices up to the QB on the field to determine.

[Noodle]

The play call itself is only a small part of it.

Besides, my guess is if Rodgers sees something he doesn't like, he can check down or change the play at the line. So, in effect, he's making the play call.

The thing that set Starr apart, and that will maybe make Rodgers special, is executing the damn thing when everything is on the line. That's what takes ice water in the veins, and a pretty special skill level.

[oregonpackfan]

Oh yes, I remember it. As Patler mentioned, Starr pulled the bomb so often on 3 and 1 and 4th and 1, that defenses sometimes anticipated the "surprise bomb" by just playing 4 down linemen. Starr would then just call an off tackle running play to Jim Taylor for a 3 to 4 yard gain.

As others mentioned, Starr did call his own plays. IMO, he is one of the smartest game managers ever to play quarterback.

[gbgary]

Anyone out there old enough to remember how Bart Starr's legend was to a great degree forged by the surprise gambling bomb on 3rd and short?
Tis true - you can look it up.


i said the very thing in the game thread. straight out of bart starr's playbook.

[Guiness]

Is there a clip of Jennings on that play?

He was stupid open. I'd like to see what he did to that CB. Tickle him on the way by?

[Zool]

Is there a clip of Jennings on that play?

He was stupid open. I'd like to see what he did to that CB. Tickle him on the way by?

The replay showed a double move and the CB stumbled trying to make his turn. Vasher and Jennings 1 on 1 is not favorable for the Bears.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Jennings got on the corner's outside hip, and as soon as the corner started to turn to run with him, he jumped inside of him. Big speed mismatch. Jennings is a fantastic route runner.

[mission]

Jennings got on the corner's outside hip, and as soon as the corner started to turn to run with him, he jumped inside of him. Big speed mismatch. Jennings is a fantastic route runner.

Beautiful isn't it? Seems like such a simple thing to do ... but getting guys' hips turned around and just making a little cut inside at full speed with that fluidity is hard. Once the DB is turned the wrong way it's over every time ... GJ85!!!

[Patler]

Jennings got on the corner's outside hip, and as soon as the corner started to turn to run with him, he jumped inside of him. Big speed mismatch. Jennings is a fantastic route runner.

Beautiful isn't it? Seems like such a simple thing to do ... but getting guys' hips turned around and just making a little cut inside at full speed with that fluidity is hard. Once the DB is turned the wrong way it's over every time ... GJ85!!!

Setting up a defender before making a move is key in every sport. Get him into a position that he can't react quick enough to go with you on your real move. Some athletes do it instinctively, some never get the hang of it.

I see it with kids in hockey all the time. Kids who may not even be all that fast or all that quick get around defenders by making the right move at exactly the right time.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Setting up a defender before making a move is key in every sport. Get him into a position that he can't react quick enough to go with you on your real move. Some athletes do it instinctively, some never get the hang of it.

I see it with kids in hockey all the time. Kids who may not even be all that fast or all that quick get around defenders by making the right move at exactly the right time.

It is amazing. I'm not very big, and I wouldn't have lasted playing tackle football at a high level. However, I was quick enough, had the hand-eye coordination, hands, stamina, and the route running ability to pretty much dominant intramurals football. (Well, at least until I got old. I hit the wall at about 33). There would be guys bigger and faster than me, but most could not keep me from catching footballs. I had an ability to set them up with moves, and I had the ability to judge the ball where I was catching the ball in stride as it got to me. I'm not sure if you are born with it or if it's something that comes with playing a lot of sports as a kid (improving hand-eye coordination), but some people just never get good at it.

I wish I was taller. I could have been a baller.
:D

[gbgary]

Is there a clip of Jennings on that play?

He was stupid open. I'd like to see what he did to that CB. Tickle him on the way by?


here ya go! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkvwtLoh6LU)

[mission]

Is there a clip of Jennings on that play?

He was stupid open. I'd like to see what he did to that CB. Tickle him on the way by?


here ya go! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkvwtLoh6LU)

Watched all that over and over... love it!

[Scott Campbell]

Is there a clip of Jennings on that play?

He was stupid open. I'd like to see what he did to that CB. Tickle him on the way by?


here ya go! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkvwtLoh6LU)

Watched all that over and over... love it!



I watched it now, and will watch it over and over again next Bear week.

[Little Whiskey]

Is there a clip of Jennings on that play?

He was stupid open. I'd like to see what he did to that CB. Tickle him on the way by?


here ya go! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkvwtLoh6LU)

Watched all that over and over... love it!



I watched it now, and will watch it over and over again next Bear week.

not any more. at least not on that link

[HarveyWallbangers]

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-cant-miss-plays/09000d5d812997dd/WK-1-Can-t-Miss-Rodgers-TD-throw

[gbgary]

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-cant-miss-plays/09000d5d812997dd/WK-1-Can-t-Miss-Rodgers-TD-throw

cool! better quality video than the one i posted anyway. thanks!

[KYPack]

Yeah, thanks for that one, Harv.

That NFL site keeps getting better and better.

[Patler]

Yeah, thanks for that one, Harv.

That NFL site keeps getting better and better.

I think their new "Game Day" or "Game Center" or whatever it is called is awful. The rest of the site I agree is getting pretty good.