Ruh Roh, Rastro: Aaron Rodgers Edition

[Fritz]

I don't know if the link below will open because it's a subscription, but this Washington Post article I read this morning features an anonymous NFL exec whose team also has dealt with an aging star QB situation. His claim is that Rodgers looks uninterested in really following through on plays, ready to take a sack rather than move-and-look, and that he's becoming once again passive-aggressive about the coach and the team. This exec says the Packers should've traded him when they had the chance. The article also talks about Brady's struggles but suggests that at least that team has a defense to hang onto while the offense tries to right the ship.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/10/22/aaron-rodgers-tom-brady/


I think that if this guy is right in his interpretation of what he's seeing, this season's team has greater potential to implode than I think many of us have been thinking.

I just want to be the first to say I was in favor of trading him when they had the chance. Now if they turn it around and win it all, I'll gladly eat crow.

[run pMc]

Rodgers is a complicated fella.

Hard to blame the team for giving him the contract he wanted given back to back MVPs, but he hasn't played well this year. The OL shares some blame -- he hasn't had a lot of time to find open receivers, and there are many many times where he isn't seeing them when open or just throwing inaccurate passes. This season the offense reminds me of McCarthy's last year which is very troubling and makes me think MLF has to be a little less predictable with their plays. CJ Mosley was practically running the crossing routes for the receivers.

I don't think the team really has any power to do anything with Rodgers or his contract. I don't think he wants to retire the same year as Brady, but I don't think he has many seasons left. I think he's done after next season and then GB has a 2 year window of hell with cap situation and searching for a new QB.

[texaspackerbacker]

That is stupid. It's nothing more than typical fake news bullshit from media assholes. Fuck 'em all, even the less bad ones. May they die painfully and soon before they can stir up more trouble.

[Fritz]

Tex, the article is quoting a couple of personnel guys and an NFL GM. So are you saying the writer of the article never talked to these people and is making it all up?

Run, you do at least make a good point about the offensive line. It's been awful. Clean that up and Rodgers will be better.
Bo
But can it be cleaned up? What the hell?

It's too late to go back on the commitment to Rodgers, but they sure are in Super-Bowl-or-Bust mode - as so many of you Rats have been begging for.

So you got what you wanted. So far, it's not exactly working out. But it is a long season, so we'll see.

[beveaux1]

I'd need more evidence than that article gave to explain Rodgers' struggles. I'm more inclined to believe that playing with no WR threat and a much-weakened OL are the biggest factors.

I'm not discounting the fact that he has 39-year-old legs and can't run like he used to, but looking at facial expressions is a little weak after 6 games.

[Fritz]

Valid points, Beveaux.

I still think the biggest immediate issue is this defense because it's the second year of the scheme and the GM has dumped loads of resources on that side of the ball. But the offense has sucked, probably in good part the o-line, and the special teams is its usual sucky self despite the acclaimed ST coach.

Something's just off about the whole team this year.

But I think Rodgers is not leading them out of the mess. He seems part and parcel of the mess. For $105 million guaranteed, I'd expect him to be a little more of a solid figure, both in his play and his words. But we seem to be back to ol' Passive-Aggressive Guy.

[beveaux1]

I agree that the front office expected the defense to carry this team, at least through the first half of the season, while the offense went through its growing pains.

They poured huge resources into that side of the ball and have not had the results they expected.

I don't think they expected the problems on the OL. I also don't think they expected the injury problems of Watson, basically wasting his rookie year development.

If they don't get most of these problems cleaned up, it will be a long, poor year for the Pack.

[red]

i was pretty upset after reading the interview he gave wednesday or thursday when he "clarified" his "simplify the offense" comment.

i'll see if i can find the article again

he basically said he wants to get rid of all the motion and whatnot and fancy schemes, the things many of us have been screaming that we need to do more of. and instead just line up so he can look over the defense and figure out what he wants to do.

this is the same type of crap that we had at the end of the fat mike era, where we were pretty much just running a playground offense. mccarthy gave in, the offense got worse, and it cost him his job.

then the kid coach comes in and tries to change things, and the offense looks much better for 2 or 3 years, then it starts to look more and more like that offense at the end of fat mikes reign.

not he wants to simplify it ever more

IMO, at this point, he's either trying to get the team to trade him out of town or flat out cut him so he can go somewhere where he has total control over the offense

[red]

here's the article

https://sports.yahoo.com/aaron-rodgers-thinks-he-can-fix-the-packers-broken-offense-should-matt-la-fleur-hand-him-the-keys-014315429.html

and i do not agree with the idea that we should "hand the keys" to rodgers

[Fritz]

It would be funny as hell to watch Rodgers kneel down in the huddle and use his forefinger to draw on the palm of his hand what routes he wants the receivers to run, like we did back in the day.

[red]

It would be funny as hell to watch Rodgers kneel down in the huddle and use his forefinger to draw on the palm of his hand what routes he wants the receivers to run, like we did back in the day.

"i want you to go out 5 yards, then cut all the way across the field, then run a loop, come back to mid field, then go deep"

and fall down and fake being hurt at some point

[beveaux1]

This is a very good podcast, if you haven't seen it. Really damning about MLF and his coaching staff.

https://youtu.be/poZvdJyUQT0

[texaspackerbacker]

Tex, the article is quoting a couple of personnel guys and an NFL GM. So are you saying the writer of the article never talked to these people and is making it all up?

Run, you do at least make a good point about the offensive line. It's been awful. Clean that up and Rodgers will be better.
Bo
But can it be cleaned up? What the hell?

It's too late to go back on the commitment to Rodgers, but they sure are in Super-Bowl-or-Bust mode - as so many of you Rats have been begging for.

So you got what you wanted. So far, it's not exactly working out. But it is a long season, so we'll see.

Does it occur to you that this imbecile who wrote the thing if from the place of the team we play today? Hell yeah, it wouldn't surprise me in the least is he is misquoting, cherry picking, or just play making up shit - and all designed to stir up trouble. ALL of that is what the God damned media shitheads do.

And it's somewhere between humorous and just plain sick that some people in here - or in the God damned media for that matter - think they have a remote idea what's in Rodgers' head.

And talk about regretting re-signing/retaining Rodgers? That's just idiotic. With anybody but him at QB, the team would be in the toilet - the future 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more years when he's gone.

[Bretsky]

Go and listen to all of Redgers recent interviews; he wants to be Payton Manning in his prime when he walked to the line of scrimmage and ran the show.
That's not what the HC wants. The HC brushed off his make things simpler comment. Those to are not seeing eye to eye. And it never helps that Sharon is the smartest person in the world

I feel bad for the HC....just a bit. He's got a DC and a QB he can't really control.

[texaspackerbacker]

He thinks ....., he wants ......, you know this how? Sheeeesh.

[Bretsky]

Does it occur to you that this imbecile who wrote the thing if from the place of the team we play today? Hell yeah, it wouldn't surprise me in the least is he is misquoting, cherry picking, or just play making up shit - and all designed to stir up trouble. ALL of that is what the God damned media shitheads do.

And it's somewhere between humorous and just plain sick that some people in here - or in the God damned media for that matter - think they have a remote idea what's in Rodgers' head.

And talk about regretting re-signing/retaining Rodgers? That's just idiotic. With anybody but him at QB, the team would be in the toilet - the future 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more years when he's gone.


Next year, there are supposedly several franchise QB's. So stockpliing draft pics, and if we could have used them to get a frachchise QB next year...not a bad plan.

Of course, I would not have a whole lot of confidence in Gute making that happen; but that is just me. He doesn't seem to be winning any trophies selecting QB's

[MadtownPacker]

Fuck Fritz!! I told all youz hoes that Santo Aaron was a shitty guy. But all of you loved it too much when he went deep for you.

[run pMc]

Fuck Fritz!! I told all youz hoes that Santo Aaron was a shitty guy. But all of you loved it too much when he went deep for you.

I think most of these highly successful franchise QBs are at a minimum a little off and many times flat-out nutcases (that's an official medical term) and shitty people.
Yes, I know good players aren't necessarily good people. (Aaron is still a good player.)

Aaron's a d-bag, but I think Favre's worse. Brady yells at his teammates like a 2 year old having a tantrum in the supermarket. Thankfully Ben Roeththsliatshrapesberger retired, that dude was cuckoo.

If you hate Aaron, that's your opinion and that's fine. I think he's a psychopath who can play QB well.

As for him not showing interest, it's probably him trying to mask his frustration vs. going the Brady route. I suspect he got a talking to from Gute to not shatter the confidence of Amari, Romeo and the other young receivers.

[Fritz]

Fuck Fritz!! I told all youz hoes that Santo Aaron was a shitty guy. But all of you loved it too much when he went deep for you.

Nah, Mad, I was on the "trade this fucker while you can" bandwagon.

And today's game sure makes more people wish they had.

[NewsBruin]

Here's an un-paywalled link to the WaPo article:

https://wapo.st/3DmTjlB

[Jaire]

I'd need more evidence than that article gave to explain Rodgers' struggles. I'm more inclined to believe that playing with no WR threat and a much-weakened OL are the biggest factors.

I'm not discounting the fact that he has 39-year-old legs and can't run like he used to, but looking at facial expressions is a little weak after 6 games.


...... esp the Oline. It's been really bad. Fix that, and everyone is singing Rodger's praises again. He's never had this bad an oline, as well as a weak WR core with changing parts every week. I'd like to see Stenovich demoted to Oline coach, cuz this is partly coaching. (That said, I haven't looked at the Oline v. Washington, and I'll give this line up a few weeks to figure it out. Glad they got Royce out and kicked Jenkins back inside.) Every QB struggles with a really bad Oline; and AR has lost a step, but still has plenty in the tank imo: had several very nice throws last games.

[Sparkey]

...... esp the Oline. It's been really bad. Fix that, and everyone is singing Rodger's praises again. He's never had this bad an oline, as well as a weak WR core with changing parts every week. I'd like to see Stenovich demoted to Oline coach, cuz this is partly coaching. (That said, I haven't looked at the Oline v. Washington, and I'll give this line up a few weeks to figure it out. Glad they got Royce out and kicked Jenkins back inside.) Every QB struggles with a really bad Oline; and AR has lost a step, but still has plenty in the tank imo: had several very nice throws last games.

Rodgers was hit once the whole game. Plenty of opportunities to step up in the pocket and make a throw, but he often panicked and took the check down or left a good pocket early. One play they showed on SNF, Watkins was wide open and he had a good pocket to step up and throw and yet he dumped it off for 3 yards. No one is afraid of Rodgers arm anymore. He looks lost. Next week we get to watch the best QB in the NFL. Too bad he plays for Buffalo.

[Jaire]

He has to get rid of the ball immediately. He had all day into tomorrow two years ago. I'm not seeing what you're seeing. And they were getting destroyed on some of the run plays.

I'm not saying that Rodgers is playing great: he's not. But fix the OL and AR will be fine: the run game will improve and he will settle down. No one is playing well on offense except Jones right now. Wahle is right; it's ugly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poZvdJyUQT0

[Jaire]

End of the chat with Wahle: AR is starting to see the rush (Jets game). So, yeah, it's Oline. They absolutely need to help AR more.

[Fritz]

Rodgers was hit once the whole game. Plenty of opportunities to step up in the pocket and make a throw, but he often panicked and took the check down or left a good pocket early. One play they showed on SNF, Watkins was wide open and he had a good pocket to step up and throw and yet he dumped it off for 3 yards. No one is afraid of Rodgers arm anymore. He looks lost. Next week we get to watch the best QB in the NFL. Too bad he plays for Buffalo.

I think I saw that play on Twitter. Apparently Watkins made a read at the LOS and went deep - and damn he was open. Rodgers could've easily gotten him the ball - he had time - but he'd pre-determined where that ball was going, and it wasn't to Watkins. We used to complain about Rodgers holding on to the ball too long, but now it looks like the opposite - he's made his decision as to where the ball's going before the ball has been snapped. He looks at the defense pre-snap, makes a decision based on how he sees the defense lining up, and picks his play. If you're the defense and you see this tendency, you bait him into what you want him to do. Rodgers is like a drunk overeager 55 year-old guy at a strip club.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

Next week we get to watch the best QB in the NFL. Too bad he plays for Buffalo.

Patrick Mahomes plays for Buffalo?

[bobblehead]

Next year, there are supposedly several franchise QB's. So stockpliing draft pics, and if we could have used them to get a frachchise QB next year...not a bad plan.

Of course, I would not have a whole lot of confidence in Gute making that happen; but that is just me. He doesn't seem to be winning any trophies selecting QB's

You could argue that Gutes did that, in the immediate aftermath of Rodgers playing eerily similar to how he is playing right now. Lets revisit 2020 QB class.

Burrow, Herbert, Tua, Hurts have all been very successful (and gotten chances to play). Most analysts had Love as a first round pick. He is the only QB in the wave of picks 1-53 that hasn't gotten a real shot. And before we write him off, remember that Tua and Hurts didn't look so hot in their first year of starts.

I thought we should have traded Rodgers for the 3 firsts then. Gutes big mistake was deciding he HAD to hold on to ARod.

[bobblehead]

End of the chat with Wahle: AR is starting to see the rush (Jets game). So, yeah, it's Oline. They absolutely need to help AR more.

He also needs to simply throw it to the "right" guy and not worry about that guy dropping it. I have seen him shy away from open Romeo too ofter after some drops. And in week one Watson was iced after the big drop.

Rodgers has to simply throw it to the (take your pick) Isolated coverage, hot read, presnap read. If the guy runs the wrong route or drops it, the coaches need to handle that.

But yes, I think there were 3 third down drops that would have been a first down in Wasington.

[Fritz]

You could argue that Gutes did that, in the immediate aftermath of Rodgers playing eerily similar to how he is playing right now. Lets revisit 2020 QB class.

Burrow, Herbert, Tua, Hurts have all been very successful (and gotten chances to play). Most analysts had Love as a first round pick. He is the only QB in the wave of picks 1-53 that hasn't gotten a real shot. And before we write him off, remember that Tua and Hurts didn't look so hot in their first year of starts.

I thought we should have traded Rodgers for the 3 firsts then. Gutes big mistake was deciding he HAD to hold on to ARod.

Agreed. I am not sure why so many Rats are so sure Love was a horrible pick. We don't really know that yet. Give the guy a year to start, and then we'll talk.

[texaspackerbacker]

Undoubtedly this ground has been covered a ton of times. He may or may not end up being terrible; He could even end up being fairly good or even very good; I suppose there's a slim slim chance he even ends up being something like Favre or Rodgers. It was just a colossal error to draft him at the time they drafted him. We didn't need a replacement starting QB then or for at least several years after, and any number of college QBs coming out have just as good a chance to be good or great as Love has.

[Jaire]

Rodgers was hit once the whole game. Plenty of opportunities to step up in the pocket and make a throw, but he often panicked and took the check down or left a good pocket early. One play they showed on SNF, Watkins was wide open and he had a good pocket to step up and throw and yet he dumped it off for 3 yards. No one is afraid of Rodgers arm anymore. He looks lost. Next week we get to watch the best QB in the NFL. Too bad he plays for Buffalo.

Not that simple

1) They had a lot of protection help.
2) Most the plays were designed to get it out in 1.5 seconds: every pass play that Tom was left alone, it was out immediately (you can see all his one on one reps in pass pro). Sweat is very good, but Tom was really struggling with the power rush.
3) The run game was not going well. Maybe the worst all year.
4) AR's QB coach graded the Washington performance as AR's best all year. The receivers were all over the place. I understand guys are young and a revolving mash unit. So, I don't fully put it on them, but the result was a hot mess with six drops, all catchable balls. Some of those were put in safe spots, others on the numbers.

The line looked better than it was. Still promising so long as Jenkins at least can play this week.

[Bretsky]

Agreed. I am not sure why so many Rats are so sure Love was a horrible pick. We don't really know that yet. Give the guy a year to start, and then we'll talk.

Part of the reason so many are anti Love was it was just the wrong time, AND at a time when many of us were begging for another competent WR, Tee Higgens and Michael Pittman were there for the pickem and instead we throw a 4th and a 1st for a QB a couple years too early....whispers...and Higgins and/or PIttman could have been the difference a year or two in the playoffs

[Fritz]

That's the fun of all this, eh Bretsky? If only, if only.

I mean, you might be right. Maybe that one other player would've gotten them past Tampa two years ago or SF last year. We'll never know. But I thought the Pack was prudent to be thinking ahead though I wish they'd have communicated better with Rodgers on the plan. If Love turns out to be a turd, then you're right. But if he becomes a solid NFL QB, especially if it's for GB, then maybe it was a good pick. We shall see.

[SudsMcBucky]

Undoubtedly this ground has been covered a ton of times. He may or may not end up being terrible; He could even end up being fairly good or even very good; I suppose there's a slim slim chance he even ends up being something like Favre or Rodgers. It was just a colossal error to draft him at the time they drafted him. We didn't need a replacement starting QB then or for at least several years after, and any number of college QBs coming out have just as good a chance to be good or great as Love has.

Exactly this. The pick was just a colossal error in TIMING. AR was never hinting at retirement like BF was when AR was drafted.

[bobblehead]

Part of the reason so many are anti Love was it was just the wrong time, AND at a time when many of us were begging for another competent WR, Tee Higgens and Michael Pittman were there for the pickem and instead we throw a 4th and a 1st for a QB a couple years too early....whispers...and Higgins and/or PIttman could have been the difference a year or two in the playoffs

Thats a legit criticism of the pick, but not a legit reason to conclude Love is horrible and that made it a bad pick.

[bobblehead]

Exactly this. The pick was just a colossal error in TIMING. AR was never hinting at retirement like BF was when AR was drafted.

AR also had 4? or was it 3 years left on his deal. He had nothing to worry about as far as Love went. The brass liked Love there and made a pick. Rodgers only job was to win an MVP or 2 and then demand an extension when he had one full year left instead of throwing a fit with 3 or 4 years left. And if he is like my wife and pissed that the brass didn't pick up his subtle hints that they needed to keep kumerow then he should have flat out called Gutes and done what I tell my wife all the time. TELL HIM. Don't hope he can read into your inuendo.