McGinn's Game Tape

[pbmax]

He has now called Aaron Rodgers the difference in the game twice, and neither was a compliment, obviously. Maintains that the playoff game must have affected him as evidenced by the early INT on a bad decision and bad throw. Later he started holding on to the ball to long again. Clocked 4 of the 5 sacks at over 4 seconds. Fifth was 3.3 sec.

- Gave Collins and Bigby each two missed tackles, said game exposed Bigby for his limitations but might have been Collins worst game of the year. TWill looked non-physical and even Woodson shut it down with no chase of Fitz on 33 yd TD and strip attempt non-tackle later. Bush he kills, but no stats. Does say Bush was one of the victims of bad plays on receivers in bunches.

- Sitton had a whale of game against Dockett and if score hadn't gotten lopsided, they could have run on them.

- Liked Grant, calls him a playoff caliber back. One note of mine, Colledge's holding call nullified Grant's pass catch I think. But it was nice to see him make a catch and yardage, even if for naught.

- Radio had Becht neutralizing Jones. McGinn has Levi Brown. I believe Bob.

- Chillar and Barnett struggled in coverage.

- Good grades - receivers except Driver's dropsies, QB, RBs, O Line, ST and kickers.

- Will be repeating Year 2009 - Secondary, D line and Linebackers.

[Bretsky]

Rodgers had a very solid game. He was stellar. He's gotta make that pass at the end though. It's the pass that puts QB's in the elite level Gosh if he'd have hit that bomb for 80yds think of all the love he'd be getting with over 500 yards passing and the game winner. Patler has stated pretty much how I feel several times in here so I won't go on.

NON OBVIOUS GUYS I WAS DISAPPOINTED IN THAT HAVE NOT BEEN NOTED

1. Cullen Jenkins- Gotta get some pressures from him in a big game; he seemed invisible

2. BJ Raji- I know he's a rook but he seemed non existent as well. No push at all up the middle. Beanie Wells averaged about seven yards a carry.

3. Pickett came off an injury so not sure how much we can expect, but he was a non factor


IT STARTS WITH THOSE GUYS UP FRONT

Their OL kicked the asses of our DL and as a result we were defenseless

[Bossman641]

I'm sorry but I read that article and it is garbage.

If Rodger's performance is only a 3/5 then I don't know what McGinn expects from a QB.

[Bretsky]

I'm sorry but I read that article and it is garbage.

If Rodger's performance is only a 3/5 then I don't know what McGinn expects from a QB.

I'd give Rodgers a 4 for sure; he played very well. He gets a five if he doesn't miss the wide open deep balls. Content wise I have no issues with the article. As always Bob always overdoes the slant a bit

He also notes Jones was pushed around all day and the DL struggled as well

Honestly when you give up over 40pts on D it's probably hard to find anybody on that side who even played average.

Interesing that Matthews was double teamed almost half of the time

[digitaldean]

Silverstein's article wasn't exactly complimentary either. He made it sound like A-Rod had all the time in the world to throw the ball away.

Getting a little tired of the nit-picking guys like McGinn and Vandermause (GBPressGazette) that find a way to be negative about Rodgers. He was responsible for the first horrific INT of the game. After that, the only thing he really did wrong was miss Jennings in OT. McGinn is sharp, but over the past few years his commentary is getting a little tiresome. I hold him in higher regard than Bedard & Nickel, but that's not saying much.

I don't expect a rah-rah type of reporting, but let's stop bashing the kid already. If he makes that throw to GJ, the guy is on a pedestal....

[Bretsky]

missed a wide open Jennings on a throw that should have been a TD in quater one as well DD.

Bob seems to nitpick the timing of the sacks too much IMO

To me his four bad plays were the 1st, the last (didn't read the blitz), and the two long balls

Regardless his play was stellar

[LEWCWA]

Thats what I didn't get. Once they got the score tied and into ot, why not run the ball down their throats. It seemed they could run the ball at will. I can't complain too much though as a perfect play was called, Jennings was wide open deep and Arod choked! The guy played an awsome game, but came up short, when it mattered most. Did the situation get too big for him? It seemed when Greenbay was chasing them all day and the pressure was off, he played great. As soon as the pressure was ratcheted up again, choke job!

[Bretsky]

I have a hard time calling it a choke; it was just a bad throw.

It was his first playoff game; he was probably jittery in quarter one and that was partially why he got off to the poor start

[Bossman641]

I'm sorry but I read that article and it is garbage.

If Rodger's performance is only a 3/5 then I don't know what McGinn expects from a QB.

I'd give Rodgers a 4 for sure; he played very well. He gets a five if he doesn't miss the wide open deep balls. Content wise I have no issues with the article. As always Bob always overdoes the slant a bit

He also notes Jones was pushed around all day and the DL struggled as well

Honestly when you give up over 40pts on D it's probably hard to find anybody on that side who even played average.

Interesing that Matthews was double teamed almost half of the time

A 4 I can agree with. I just think McGinn is being a little ridiculous. I mean shit, Rodgers went like 8 straight possessions knowing the offense had to score every time down to maybe have a chance and was almost flawless.

And ya, I also noticed right away the Cardinals were chipping or doubling CM3 a lot.

[LEWCWA]

I guess thats my definition of choke. Play was there to be made and well it wasn't. I understand what your saying though. Everyone chokes at some point, imo. This one was extra painful. Why does Greenbay seem to have to lose in such fassion so much? I guess it means they are in the games at least, but boy they sure know how to tear your heart out, while it is still beating!

[Freak Out]

WTF? The guy leads a team back after it was down 31-10 in the 3rd and still gets shit on.

[Bretsky]

I guess thats my definition of choke. Play was there to be made and well it wasn't. I understand what your saying though. Everyone chokes at some point, imo. This one was extra painful. Why does Greenbay seem to have to lose in such fassion so much? I guess it means they are in the games at least, but boy they sure know how to tear your heart out, while it is still beating!

OT

Eagles
Giants
Cards

Not fun

[LEWCWA]

WTF? The guy leads a team back after it was down 31-10 in the 3rd and still gets shit on.

I'm not shitting on Rodgers. He played well, but didn't make the big play to win the game. It is what it is. Nobody cuts Lefty (Phil) any slack when he chokes on the back nine on sunday of a major. They don't talk about all the great shots he made to be in that position thurs-sat, only that he choked sunday.

[Pugger]

WTF? The guy leads a team back after it was down 31-10 in the 3rd and still gets shit on.

I'm not shitting on Rodgers. He played well, but didn't make the big play to win the game. It is what it is. Nobody cuts Lefty (Phil) any slack when he chokes on the back nine on sunday of a major. They don't talk about all the great shots he made to be in that position thurs-sat, only that he choked sunday.

No one is saying YOU shit on Rodgers. It was McGinn doing all the defecating...

[Freak Out]

WTF? The guy leads a team back after it was down 31-10 in the 3rd and still gets shit on.

I'm not shitting on Rodgers. He played well, but didn't make the big play to win the game. It is what it is. Nobody cuts Lefty (Phil) any slack when he chokes on the back nine on sunday of a major. They don't talk about all the great shots he made to be in that position thurs-sat, only that he choked sunday.

Sorry...that was directed at Mcginn.

[LEWCWA]

Alls good!! Well almost, don't know what to do with my Saturday now :evil:

[packrulz]

Arod's throw to Jennings wasn't off by much, the defense lost the game, they couldn't stop Beanie Wells, although I thought the Cards got away with holding the entire game. We Packer fans have a lot to be thankful for:
1. ARod is only maybe 26? He'll be our QB for years, he made the playoffs and threw for over 4,000 yds in his 2nd year as a starter. Alex Smith can't say that, nor can Brett.
2. Wasn't the Packers the youngest team in the league? If not, they're close to it, so it was pretty amazing they made it that far.
3. The 3-4 is installed, it has some bugs but the guys really picked it up pretty quick, they can shore it up in the draft, and next year they'll have Al Harris, Pat Lee, and maybe Harrell back, (who knows?, it could happen). Ty Williams got some valuble playoff experience, and so did Underwood.
4. The O-line struggled early, but they found out Sitton and Lang can play, and hopefully TT will draft a tackle to take over when Clifton and Taucher are done, Spitz will be back next year.
5. TT has at least 7 draft picks, this site has him taking an offensive tackle from USC in the first round: http://www.draftsite.com/nfl/2010mock.htm

[b bulldog]

Without 12, the Packers get blown out. WHAT A STUPID ARTICLE. 12 didn't have a perfect game, he did have a very good game though.

[pbmax]

I replied to Bretsky in another thread that there were correctable plays for Rodgers. The only one I am concerned over long term is holding onto the ball too long. With more exposure to bad protection, that might become a habit.


But in this game, the far larger number of errors and the more correctable ones were on defense. I think that is obvious. What I take away from McGinn is that he essentially thinks that the offense should be even more lethal than the Cardinals, given the way it dominated the 2nd half. And that he feels that Rodgers did not deliver in the first half. He write elsewhere that the two teams were equally

He has a point. But the portion of blame (would he have compared Favre's first playoff game to Steve Young?) left at Rodgers' feet seems an exaggeration.

[wist43]

Don't know how anyone can look at that game and conclude AR was the problem...

They gave up 6 billion yds, 8,000 first downs, 843 pts, and Warner got started on his memoirs...

Somehow that AR's fault??? Wow.

[denverYooper]

I replied to Bretsky in another thread that there were correctable plays for Rodgers. The only one I am concerned over long term is holding onto the ball too long. With more exposure to bad protection, that might become a habit.


Rodgers has shown an ability in the past to work on fixing his game. We'll see what he rolls out next year. I thought Pelissero had a better spin on it in his game tape breakdown (http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20100111/PKR01/301110153/1058/After-further-review--Breaking-down-tape-of-the-playoff-loss-to-the-Cardinals), though. He noted that Rodgers made the Cards pay all day by extending plays, as he tried to do on the last of the game.



Yes, he needed to eat the ball on the final play, or throw it out of bounds, or show better vision to avoid Adams’ rush — anything except keep the ball exposed as he looked to WR Donald Driver on a slant and then WR James Jones on an in, both covered. Extending plays is Rodgers’ game, though, and so goes the fate of those who live by the sword.

[Joemailman]

I replied to Bretsky in another thread that there were correctable plays for Rodgers. The only one I am concerned over long term is holding onto the ball too long. With more exposure to bad protection, that might become a habit.


But in this game, the far larger number of errors and the more correctable ones were on defense. I think that is obvious. What I take away from McGinn is that he essentially thinks that the offense should be even more lethal than the Cardinals, given the way it dominated the 2nd half. And that he feels that Rodgers did not deliver in the first half. He write elsewhere that the two teams were equally

He has a point. But the portion of blame (would he have compared Favre's first playoff game to Steve Young?) left at Rodgers' feet seems an exaggeration.

I agree that the portion of the blame he puts on Rodgers was exaggerated. However, he's right about one thing. The play of the quarterbacks was the difference between the two teams. Rodgers was outstanding. Warner was perfect. He gave Rodgers a 3. I would have made it a 4. However, neither 3 or 4 would have beat Warner's 5.

[Patler]

I wrote earlier this year that sacks are to Rodgers like interceptions are to Favre. Favre throws some interceptions because he can and does throw balls into coverage that others can only dream of completing. Sometimes those throws are intercepted. Rodgers gets sacked sometimes because he won't throw risky passes and because he can escape and extend plays. He doesn't always get away as the pocket closes, or he gets sacked when no one becomes open as he holds onto the ball.

The only thing Rodgers needs to change is better distinguishing plays when he can escape, plays when he won't be able to escape, and plays that are lost causes for throwing. For the latter two he just he needs to get rid of the ball. His "feel" for the pocket should improve with experience. For most QBs it does. His recognition will improve and quicken, and he will realize when there will be no good throwing option available on a play.

Favre in his early days had exactly the opposite problem. He would pull the ball down and run too soon. He didn't always give plays a chance to develop if Sharp wasn't open. Holmgren used to talk about getting Favre to trust his secondary options.

[MichiganPackerFan]

Aaron had a good game, not great. One less interception and hitting one of the two to Jennings makes it a great game. (I don't hold the ending fumble against him, because the refs fucked that one up). "Great" games by quarterbacks in the playoffs do not include interceptions that puts your team in position to play from behind. Rodgers strength is the deep ball and he certainly should have hit one one or both of those. That said, his comeback was great to watch. His predecessor certainly would have pressed to hard and thrown 5 more picks. Summary: great game - no, great comeback- yes, but not quite great enough.

[pbmax]

I wrote earlier this year that sacks are to Rodgers like interceptions are to Favre. Favre throws some interceptions because he can and does throw balls into coverage that others can only dream of completing. Sometimes those throws are intercepted. Rodgers gets sacked sometimes because he won't throw risky passes and because he can escape and extend plays. He doesn't always get away as the pocket closes, or he gets sacked when no one becomes open as he holds onto the ball.

The only thing Rodgers needs to change is better distinguishing plays when he can escape, plays when he won't be able to escape, and plays that are lost causes for throwing. For the latter two he just he needs to get rid of the ball. His "feel" for the pocket should improve with experience. For most QBs it does. His recognition will improve and quicken, and he will realize when there will be no good throwing option available on a play.

Favre in his early days had exactly the opposite problem. He would pull the ball down and run too soon. He didn't always give plays a chance to develop if Sharp wasn't open. Holmgren used to talk about getting Favre to trust his secondary options.
Great post. I do remember Favre scrambling in the most ridiculous manner, often looking to get free to scan the field again, but never looking like he knew where to go. I think there is still time for Rodgers to learn this awareness.

Patler, do you recall a source or story that believed Rodgers refused to throw to covered receivers or into tight spaces for fear that interceptions would ruin his stat line? This was one of those stories that resurfaced during the sack struggles early this year and originated around draft time when a lot of bogus stuff is bandied about by teams looking to provide disinformation, and then it is repeated ad nauseum by the gullible sports media. It has started to resurface in commentary about the last play. I don't remember this anything other than gross speculation, but I could be forgetting something.

[Smidgeon]

Aaron had a good game, not great. One less interception and hitting one of the two to Jennings makes it a great game. (I don't hold the ending fumble against him, because the refs fucked that one up). "Great" games by quarterbacks in the playoffs do not include interceptions that puts your team in position to play from behind. Rodgers strength is the deep ball and he certainly should have hit one one or both of those. That said, his comeback was great to watch. His predecessor certainly would have pressed to hard and thrown 5 more picks. Summary: great game - no, great comeback- yes, but not quite great enough.

The game reminded me a lot of the Packers-Colts game back when Favre had Walker the one good season and the media were hyping it as a potential shoot-out (but with the heavy slant going towards the Colts because of the porous Packers D). It became a shoot-out, Walker put up over 200 receiving yards, and I think it was a strip fumble of him that decided the game. Both games had the same element of a shoot-out that Green Bay was slowly and methodically on it's way to winning by putting up a rare game of gaudy performances but came up just short because of a crucial turnover at the wrong time.

[CaliforniaCheez]

McGinn hates the Packers and writes more negativity than any minnesota sportswriter. I have been boycotting his writing for over a year.

I refuse to click on anything he writes.

[Patler]

Patler, do you recall a source or story that believed Rodgers refused to throw to covered receivers or into tight spaces for fear that interceptions would ruin his stat line? This was one of those stories that resurfaced during the sack struggles early this year and originated around draft time when a lot of bogus stuff is bandied about by teams looking to provide disinformation, and then it is repeated ad nauseum by the gullible sports media. It has started to resurface in commentary about the last play. I don't remember this anything other than gross speculation, but I could be forgetting something.

I know of no source at all. Just the third party references you have alluded to. I can see how it could have originated from a comment (not that I actually know of one) by Rodgers saying that he is careful to avoid interceptions. People can easily blow that out of context to a concern by him for his stats, when really he just doesn't want to turn the ball over. No different than a back saying he tries not to fumble.

[woodbuck27]

I was a little surprized by how much Aaron missed Greg Jennings on that long pass attempt in OT. Jennings was wide open and if Rodgers gets that one on he steals the game from Curt Warner. Aaron just got a tad pumped on that play and long to Jennings.

Not many people watching that game could fault Aaron Rodgers play overall. He was outstanding. Trouble is... ' outstanding ' was trumped by Curt Warners ' perfect '.

[Merlin]

I was a little surprized by how much Aaron missed Greg Jennings on that long pass attempt in OT. Jennings was wide open and if Rodgers gets that one on he steals the game from Curt Warner. Aaron just got a tad pumped on that play and long to Jennings.

Not many people watching that game could fault Aaron Rodgers play overall. He was outstanding. Trouble is... ' outstanding ' was trumped by Curt Warners ' perfect '.

I still have a bad aftertaste in my mouth so I refuse to say much about this game.

I agree with Woody, Rodgers played a good game after the first quarter IMO. Overtime, he fumbled, it happens and the game wasn't his fault. Just like our previous QB who threw a pick to end our last playoff game, that game wasn't his fault either. It all falls on a shitty, inconsistent, over-rated defense. Our offense proved it can score a ton of points when it needs to, our defense proved it can give up a ton of points when it wants to. For all of the steps forward this team took this year, high defensive draft picks over the years, the defense is STILL no where near championship caliber. Woodson was basically in the secondary by himself and there was some Giancanna (sp?) in at safety, I was like who the hell is that guy?????????

[Gunakor]

not shitting on Rodgers. He played well, but didn't make the big play to win the game. It is what it is.

When a QB throws for 400+ and 4 TD's and loses the game, that's not on the QB. Both Rodgers and Warner did enough to win. Had the Packers won, the blame for Arizona would have been on their defense for allowing Rodgers to do what he did in that game. Being the other way around, the blame should go to the Packers defense for allowing Warner to do what Warner did in that game.

Had our defense bothered to step off the plane and onto the tarmac in Arizona, we wouldn't need Rodgers to connect with Jennings for an 80 yard TD to win the game. We'd have been kneeling on the ball to kill the 4th quarter from the victory formation and buying up travel packages to New Orleans this weekend.

When you lose a football game 51-45 you don't blame the offense. You don't say the offense choked. You don't say the QB choked when he throws for 400+ yards and 4 TD's. Not when the stellar play of your QB is the ONLY reason you're even in the game in the first place. You say the defense forgot to show up and place blame on them. Completely. I mean, how many times are you going to see a football team score 45 points in one football game and lose? Rodgers played a better game than anyone else in a Packers jersey on Sunday. You can't put this one on him.


Nobody cuts Lefty (Phil) any slack when he chokes on the back nine on sunday of a major. They don't talk about all the great shots he made to be in that position thurs-sat, only that he choked sunday

Golf is to football as apples are to oranges. When a golfer slides down the leaderboard on the back nine he has nobody to blame but himself. He didn't have all those top flight performances thursday through saturday only to have someone else let him down on sunday. Rodgers was let down by his defense. A defense that couldn't make a key stop all afternoon, even during Rodgers furious effort to bring the team back from certain elimination. There is no defense to let Phil down on the back nine, the only one who can let Phil down is Phil. Apples to oranges.

[Patler]

There are really two different sets of questions being asked, and I think many people are confusing the answers and analysis for one with the questions of the other:

First set of questions
Did Rodgers produce well enough to win? - Yes
Was the loss primarily due to the lack of performance on defense? - Yes
Should they have needed the completion to Jennings in overtime to win? - No.

Second set of questions
Should Rodgers have been able to connect with Jennings in OT? - Yes
Would a completion have required an extraordinary throw? - No.
Was Rodgers presented with a one play opportunity to win the game? - Yes
By not completing the pass, did Rodgers leave the job undone? - Yes

The incompletion to Jennings was an individual play open to examination apart from Rodgers' overall game performance, and expectations regarding the play do not change as a result of Rodgers earlier performance.

[Bretsky]

There are really two different sets of questions being asked, and I think many people are confusing the answers and analysis for one with the questions of the other:

First set of questions
Did Rodgers produce well enough to win? - Yes
Was the loss primarily due to the lack of performance on defense? - Yes
Should they have needed the completion to Jennings in overtime to win? - No.

Second set of questions
Should Rodgers have been able to connect with Jennings in OT? - Yes
Would a completion have required an extraordinary throw? - No.
Was Rodgers presented with a one play opportunity to win the game? - Yes
By not completing the pass, did Rodgers leave the job undone? - Yes

The incompletion to Jennings was an individual play open to examination apart from Rodgers' overall game performance, and expectations regarding the play do not change as a result of Rodgers earlier performance.


:!: :!: :!:

[get louder at lambeau]

Not many people watching that game could fault Aaron Rodgers play overall. He was outstanding. Trouble is... ' outstanding ' was trumped by Curt Warners ' perfect '.

That's it in a nutshell.

Judged by the most commonly used standard of objective measure for QB play- passer rating, Rodgers had the 3rd best game of his career. He ended with a 121.3 rating, plus a rushing TD and a fumble lost. 5 total TDs. That's a lot for any QB in any game, much less a young QB in his first playoff game.

Unfortunately Packer fans don't really get to celebrate Rodgers's great game, because the other QB was about as close to perfect as any QB in history has ever been in the playoffs.

[denverYooper]

The incompletion to Jennings was an individual play open to examination apart from Rodgers' overall game performance, and expectations regarding the play do not change as a result of Rodgers earlier performance.

Even Rodgers admitted that this is the play that kept him awake at night after the game.

I have a good feeling that we'll get to see him hit some of those in his career to win games.

[Harlan Huckleby]

People are giving Rodgers too much blame for taking that final sack. It was third down. What chance do the PAckers have if they have to punt from deep in their own territory? The defense had hardly stopped Arizona all day, they would start nearly in field goal range. Rodgers had to take a chance in that situation.

[Smidgeon]

Not many people watching that game could fault Aaron Rodgers play overall. He was outstanding. Trouble is... ' outstanding ' was trumped by Curt Warners ' perfect '.

That's it in a nutshell.

Judged by the most commonly used standard of objective measure for QB play- passer rating, Rodgers had the 3rd best game of his career. He ended with a 121.3 rating, plus a rushing TD and a fumble lost. 5 total TDs. That's a lot for any QB in any game, much less a young QB in his first playoff game.

Unfortunately Packer fans don't really get to celebrate Rodgers's great game, because the other QB was about as close to perfect as any QB in history has ever been in the playoffs.

Not to undermine your point becasue it's a good point, but the QB rating was never intended to measure a QB's play over the course of a game. It was designed by the Elias Sports Bureau (the stat place) to measure a QB's play over a season. So while it is a measure that can be used to categorize his play (or Warner's play) in this game or any other game, it's not the best measure. I don't know what the best would be. Maybe who won and who didn't. Maybe turnovers. Maybe third down conversions. Maybe fourth down conversions. Maybe crucial first downs. Maybe TDs. I don't know. But the QB rating's value is better in the long term than it is in the short term.

[get louder at lambeau]

Not many people watching that game could fault Aaron Rodgers play overall. He was outstanding. Trouble is... ' outstanding ' was trumped by Curt Warners ' perfect '.

That's it in a nutshell.

Judged by the most commonly used standard of objective measure for QB play- passer rating, Rodgers had the 3rd best game of his career. He ended with a 121.3 rating, plus a rushing TD and a fumble lost. 5 total TDs. That's a lot for any QB in any game, much less a young QB in his first playoff game.

Unfortunately Packer fans don't really get to celebrate Rodgers's great game, because the other QB was about as close to perfect as any QB in history has ever been in the playoffs.

Not to undermine your point becasue it's a good point, but the QB rating was never intended to measure a QB's play over the course of a game. It was designed by the Elias Sports Bureau (the stat place) to measure a QB's play over a season. So while it is a measure that can be used to categorize his play (or Warner's play) in this game or any other game, it's not the best measure. I don't know what the best would be. Maybe who won and who didn't. Maybe turnovers. Maybe third down conversions. Maybe fourth down conversions. Maybe crucial first downs. Maybe TDs. I don't know. But the QB rating's value is better in the long term than it is in the short term.

Never said "best", I said "most commonly used".

It's clearly a better measure when averaged over time, but until someone comes up with a better per game composite rating system, it probably is the "best" as well, since it takes more aspects of play into account than any other measure currently available. The others that you mention are only tiny individual parts of a QB's performance, not a composite measure of overall performance, so they would be more likely to show skewed results than passer rating. I'd love to see someone come up with a more comprehensive stat, but there currently isn't one that I know of so passer rating is the best and most widely accepted statistical measure of QB performance that we have.

[Smidgeon]

Not many people watching that game could fault Aaron Rodgers play overall. He was outstanding. Trouble is... ' outstanding ' was trumped by Curt Warners ' perfect '.

That's it in a nutshell.

Judged by the most commonly used standard of objective measure for QB play- passer rating, Rodgers had the 3rd best game of his career. He ended with a 121.3 rating, plus a rushing TD and a fumble lost. 5 total TDs. That's a lot for any QB in any game, much less a young QB in his first playoff game.

Unfortunately Packer fans don't really get to celebrate Rodgers's great game, because the other QB was about as close to perfect as any QB in history has ever been in the playoffs.

Not to undermine your point becasue it's a good point, but the QB rating was never intended to measure a QB's play over the course of a game. It was designed by the Elias Sports Bureau (the stat place) to measure a QB's play over a season. So while it is a measure that can be used to categorize his play (or Warner's play) in this game or any other game, it's not the best measure. I don't know what the best would be. Maybe who won and who didn't. Maybe turnovers. Maybe third down conversions. Maybe fourth down conversions. Maybe crucial first downs. Maybe TDs. I don't know. But the QB rating's value is better in the long term than it is in the short term.

Never said "best", I said "most commonly used".

It's clearly a better measure when averaged over time, but until someone comes up with a better per game composite rating system, it probably is the "best" as well, since it takes more aspects of play into account than any other measure currently available. The others that you mention are only tiny individual parts of a QB's performance, not a composite measure of overall performance, so they would be more likely to show skewed results than passer rating. I'd love to see someone come up with a more comprehensive stat, but there currently isn't one that I know of so passer rating is the best and most widely accepted statistical measure of QB performance that we have.

I agree. I think they should come up with something that measures in game effectiveness.

Even if it was his third best game using that common standard, I would personally have a hard time putting a loss in his "best games" column. I would agree that from the statistic it was his third most effective game (or something like that), but it was still a loss, and in the end that's the only important statistic...except when we are all collectively prognosticating into the future...

<this is where I'd insert a smiley with a wizard's cap if I had such a smiley>

[Sparkey]

Thats what I didn't get. Once they got the score tied and into ot, why not run the ball down their throats. It seemed they could run the ball at will. I can't complain too much though as a perfect play was called, Jennings was wide open deep and Arod choked! The guy played an awsome game, but came up short, when it mattered most. Did the situation get too big for him? It seemed when Greenbay was chasing them all day and the pressure was off, he played great. As soon as the pressure was ratcheted up again, choke job!

The first play in OT was a great call. It was there for the taking, but the throw was a bit long and it also looks like on the play that Jennings sort of turned straight up the field and Rodgers threw a bit at an angle towards the corner. Don't think that mattered, though.

Second play, run that gains a big chunk, but called back on the hold by Colledge. Re-do on 2nd down goes to Jones for 15 of the 20. Third down, the defenders all came up at the snap and pressed the receivers. That caused AR to double clutch, which gave Adams the time to get to him.

For AZ, a perfect call at the perfect time. The hold by Colledge was a killer as it changed from 3rd and 1 to second and 20, which almost forces the throw on 3rd and 5.

The players gained a ton of experience in that game. Lets hope the lessons are learned for next season. lets also hope we don't have so many injuries on the secondary that the 7th db ends up starting...