Improvements from Aaron Rodgers

[RashanGary]

http://www.packers.com/media-center/videos/Aaron-Rodgers-Highlights/efa0bce5-bce7-4aa6-b3f3-eb51de07c6e5


We'll go back to the 2nd half of last year and now into the preseason.


Last year in the preseason, I think the biggest thing we saw was Aaron's ability to make amazing passes down field. It seemed like every game was a highlight reel of amazing deep throws by Rodgers to Jennings and company. Against vanilla fronts, they had the pass protection to make those types of plays. Once the regular season started, there was a dose of reality that those plays were not as easy to make when teams were really trying to get after the QB.

Fast forward to this year. . . I think in the past there has been an attitude from Aaron to MM, to the whole offense that they want to get away from the gun-slinger mentality. They want to read defenses, get in the best possible play and throw to the open guy, whenever it is that guy gets open wihtout enough regard for getting it out quick. Well, defenses are paid too. Sometimes they show one thing and do another. I think they've gone backwards this year with their thinking a little. This year, there seems to be more of an effort to just executing. They've thrown tight balls to Finley, Jones, Jennings and Driver. Every game is a highlight where we out execute the opponent, not so much out think them. I think the Packers are starting to find a more effective blend between thinking and executing.


So what has Aaron looked better at? I think he's looked more natural and confident. He's bringing it all together. He's getting to the line quickly. He's getting information at the line. He's getting his protections set. After the snap he's looking defenses off, he's finding the open guy sometimes. He's hitting the playmaker other times in tight single coverage. He's hitting guys in stride for big plays after the catch. He's throwing well down the field one time each game. He's razor sharp. His completion percentage is out of this world (compared to last year hwen it was really good, but not elite). He's been extremely consistent. The difference this year is a steadiness. I also think there is a difference in the focus on offense. This year they seem to be focusing on plays that work with decent pass protection. Last year they were focusing on plays that required long amounts of time. This year, while Rodgers could pick apart teams down the field with time, they know that's not the case and they are focused on getting it out quickly. I think it will pay off. Completion % up. YAC up. Yards before the catch down. Wins up.
You're still going to see Rodgers NFL best deep ball, but it's going to come in strategic spots. For the most part, I think we're going to see long, steady drives of execution, topped off with touchdowns, then the big play mixed in once or twice a game vs the beginning of last year where we lived and died by it.

[vince]

I think it's both decision-making and execution.

The Packers are doing a lot of dummy counts and motioning guys to force the defenses to dictate their defense, and Rodgers has more flexibility this year than in years past to adjust on the fly. The receivers are running the right routes based on what they are seeing and Rodgers is making the right decisions to execute both with the right protection and the best place to go with the ball based the coverage.

It seems to me that defenses haven't been real vanilla vs. the Pack so far this preseason, but it's likely to be a bit more challenging starting in a couple weeks.

[bobblehead]

I see very little difference between last seasons fun games and this seasons. He is still throwing deep balls, and he did all those things last year. The biggest difference was made in the second half of last year.

I agree he is improved, but I disagree that I see any difference in this preseason. Last year he ate defenses alive, this year....he is eating defenses alive. When the real games start it will be harder, but hopefully we see the second half of last year ARod immediately this year. (with no allen babre its likely.

[Joemailman]

Reporters have commented that even in practice, they are throwing deep a lot less this year. This is a continuation of what started in the 2nd half of last year. Get the ball quickly into the hands of your receivers so they have a chance to make a play. Use the short passing game to set up the occasional long pass, rather than vice versa. The Packers YAC has gone down since Aaron became the starter, but they should start to reverse that trend this year.

[RashanGary]

Reporters have commented that even in practice, they are throwing deep a lot less this year. This is a continuation of what started in the 2nd half of last year. Get the ball quickly into the hands of your receivers so they have a chance to make a play. Use the short passing game to set up the occasional long pass, rather than vice versa. The Packers YAC has gone down since Aaron became the starter, but they should start to reverse that trend this year.

I see that too. Last year it sort of took off in the 2nd half of the season. This year they're coming out focusing on it as the identity of their offense.

[vince]

This started last year too, but Rodgers has increased his willingness to thread the needle and make throws that he wouldn't make early last year when guys are covered, but there is an opportunity based on leverage and/or the defender not having his head turned quite early enough.

Rather than bypass a guy who is basically covered and hold the ball and/or launch one to the deep outlet, he'll follow through and hit Finley between three guys or throw the back shoulder fade even if the receiver is blanketed rather than lead the receiver. And with his accuracy and arm strength, along with a great chemistry with all four WR's and Finley, he's been pulling it off with regularity.

[RashanGary]

Judging by the identity they're forging in the preseason, here's what I expect out of the Packers offense and Aaron Rodgers:

Compared to the first half of last year. . . .

1. Get rid of the ball quicker
2. Take advantage of our playmakers ability to beat single coverage
3. Use easier, shorter throws to set up everything else
4. Take fewer, but more effective deep shots
5. Less sacks (obviously)
6. Hit guys in stride, earlier making YAC go up
7. High completion percentage
8. A few more interceptions but not many


I think we'll go from living and dying by the big play to a steady, consistent offense that churns out long, back breaking drives. Oh, and then we'll mix in one or two big plays that are out of this world each game. Big plays will be more at opportune times rather than trying to make it our identity like we did early last year. It's much easier with this team to have an identity that relies more on the receivers, TE's and QB than on the OL. Quicker release means we need better throws and better catches, but it takes pressure off the OL. That's what I think will make us great. That plays to the strengths of our team and I think they realize that now.

Instead of having to work it in, during the season. . this year they're forging the whole offense around this type of offense. The result, I think, will be a much faster start and our coaching staff is still great at adjusting through the season, so it will only get better.

End result, #1 NFL offense. I just don't think there is a better combination of WR's, TE's, QB, RB, OL and coaching anywhere.

[Brandon494]

Judging by the identity they're forging in the preseason, here's what I expect out of the Packers offense and Aaron Rodgers:

Compared to the first half of last year. . . .

1. Get rid of the ball quicker
2. Take advantage of our playmakers ability to beat single coverage
3. Use easier, shorter throws to set up everything else
4. Take fewer, but more effective deep shots
5. Less sacks (obviously)
6. Hit guys in stride, earlier, instead of throwing down field
7. High completion percentage
8. A few more interceptions but not many


I think we'll go from living and dying by the big play to a steady, consistent offense that churns out long, back breaking drives. Oh, and then we'll mix in one or two big plays that are out of this world each game. Big plays will be more at opportune times rather than trying to make it our identity like we did early last year. It's much easier with this team to have an identity that relies more on the receivers, TE's and QB than on the OL. Quicker release means we need better throws and better catches, but it takes pressure off the OL. That's what I think will make us great. That plays to the strengths of our team and I think they realize that now.

Instead of having to work it in, during the season. . this year they're forging the whole offense around this type of offense. The result, I think, will be a much faster start and our coaching staff is still great at adjusting through the season, so it will only get better.

End result, #1 NFL offense. I just don't think there is a better combination of WR's, TE's, QB, RB, OL and coaching anywhere.

Saints

[RashanGary]

We'll see. I like our guys. Finley and Jennings are the two best playmakers on either team IMO.

[rbaloha1]

Arm appears stronger with a quicker release. Throwing a better deep ball.

Overall more confident with line calls and directing the offense.

[Tony Oday]

Judging by the identity they're forging in the preseason, here's what I expect out of the Packers offense and Aaron Rodgers:

Compared to the first half of last year. . . .

1. Get rid of the ball quicker
2. Take advantage of our playmakers ability to beat single coverage
3. Use easier, shorter throws to set up everything else
4. Take fewer, but more effective deep shots
5. Less sacks (obviously)
6. Hit guys in stride, earlier, instead of throwing down field
7. High completion percentage
8. A few more interceptions but not many


I think we'll go from living and dying by the big play to a steady, consistent offense that churns out long, back breaking drives. Oh, and then we'll mix in one or two big plays that are out of this world each game. Big plays will be more at opportune times rather than trying to make it our identity like we did early last year. It's much easier with this team to have an identity that relies more on the receivers, TE's and QB than on the OL. Quicker release means we need better throws and better catches, but it takes pressure off the OL. That's what I think will make us great. That plays to the strengths of our team and I think they realize that now.

Instead of having to work it in, during the season. . this year they're forging the whole offense around this type of offense. The result, I think, will be a much faster start and our coaching staff is still great at adjusting through the season, so it will only get better.

End result, #1 NFL offense. I just don't think there is a better combination of WR's, TE's, QB, RB, OL and coaching anywhere.

Saints


Well lets compare

#1 WR Push Colston and Jennings both are great number 1s.
#2 WR Adv Pack Driver is a better option then Henderson
#3 WR Push Jones = Meacham
#4 WR Adv Pack Nelson is better than Lance Morre
TE Adv Pack Finley is young and on the rise and Schockey is hurt every third day.
#1 RB Adv Pack Grant is much better than Pierre Thomas
#2 RB Adv Saints Bush is better and more versatile than BJack
Our starting OL is about the same as theirs
QB Push Both are elite QBs

[gbgary]

seems more calm/composed/confident. only natural with a year under his belt. a year that had everything...chaos, sacks, getting settled, success. the support he's gotten from the fans there has to had to make a huge impact on his game.

[Brandon494]

Judging by the identity they're forging in the preseason, here's what I expect out of the Packers offense and Aaron Rodgers:

Compared to the first half of last year. . . .

1. Get rid of the ball quicker
2. Take advantage of our playmakers ability to beat single coverage
3. Use easier, shorter throws to set up everything else
4. Take fewer, but more effective deep shots
5. Less sacks (obviously)
6. Hit guys in stride, earlier, instead of throwing down field
7. High completion percentage
8. A few more interceptions but not many


I think we'll go from living and dying by the big play to a steady, consistent offense that churns out long, back breaking drives. Oh, and then we'll mix in one or two big plays that are out of this world each game. Big plays will be more at opportune times rather than trying to make it our identity like we did early last year. It's much easier with this team to have an identity that relies more on the receivers, TE's and QB than on the OL. Quicker release means we need better throws and better catches, but it takes pressure off the OL. That's what I think will make us great. That plays to the strengths of our team and I think they realize that now.

Instead of having to work it in, during the season. . this year they're forging the whole offense around this type of offense. The result, I think, will be a much faster start and our coaching staff is still great at adjusting through the season, so it will only get better.

End result, #1 NFL offense. I just don't think there is a better combination of WR's, TE's, QB, RB, OL and coaching anywhere.

Saints


Well lets compare

#1 WR Push Colston and Jennings both are great number 1s.
#2 WR Adv Pack Driver is a better option then Henderson
#3 WR Push Jones = Meacham
#4 WR Adv Pack Nelson is better than Lance Morre
TE Adv Pack Finley is young and on the rise and Schockey is hurt every third day.
#1 RB Adv Pack Grant is much better than Pierre Thomas
#2 RB Adv Saints Bush is better and more versatile than BJack
Our starting OL is about the same as theirs
QB Push Both are elite QBs

#1 push
#2 GB - Henderson is much faster but Driver is the more complete WR
#3 Saints - Meacham had 9 TDs last seson
#4 Saints slighty- Lance Moore is not that bad, he was injuried last season but the season before he caught 10 TDs
TE Packers but Shockey is still a top 10 TE in this league
#1 Push, Grant only has better numbers because he doesnt have to share the ball. Pierre has averaged 5+ yards a carry for his career and is a more complete RB then Grant.
#2 Saints- not even close
Starting OL- Saints and not even close. Bree only got sacked 20 times last season and they had the #6 rushing game.
QB push

[MichiganPackerFan]

I was rewatching the Indy game yesterday and noticed how much better they were at the quick, mid-level game. I also noticed that almost every if not every long ball was incomplete and that was a bit disturbing.

[HarveyWallbangers]

#1 WR - Packers - Jennings over Colston (slightly)
#2 WR - Packers - Driver over Henderson
#3 WR - Packers - Jones over Moore (slightly)
#4 WR - Saints - Meachem over Nelson
TE - Packers - Finley over Shockey
#1 RB - Saints - Thomas over Grant (slightly)
#2 RB - Saints - Bush over Jackson
QB - Saints - Brees over Rodgers(slightly)
OL - I really think it will be a push this year

I compared Jones to Moore and Meachem to Nelson because those are really the receivers that are more similar in their respective offenses.

Once we got Clifton and Tauscher back last year, Grant averaged 4.8 yards/carry and Rodgers was sacked 9 times in the last 7 games. Pretty comparable to the Saints stats. Let's not forget that Brees is very adept at reading defense, knowing where to go right away, and avoiding sacks.

Take a look at the Saints OL

Left Tackle: Jermon Bushrod
Left Guard: Carl Nicks
Center: Jonathan Goodwin
Right Guard: Jahri Evans
Right Tackle: Jon Stinchcomb

Bushrod and Stinchcomb are rather ordinary. Goodwin is solid in the Scott Wells mold. Nicks and Evans are good OGs. They are comparable to Sitton but better than Colledge.

[RashanGary]

So it's close. We have an elite offense.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Sacks on Drew Brees, by season:

2002 24
2003 21
2004 18
2005 27
2006 18
2007 16
2008 13
2009 20

Not sure you can judge an OL by Drew's sack totals--because they are always good. I'm sure he didn't have stellar OL every year.

He has averaged 19.3 sacks/year. He took 20 last year.

Saints averaged 4.5 yards/rush. We averaged 4.3 yards/rush, but 4.6 yards/rush in the second half of last year.

Really, the big difference between the two offenses were sacks, and hopefully we got that fixed once we got Clifton and Tauscher back and Rodgers learned to get rid of the ball (ala Brees).