Whisenhunt on stat padding

[SkinBasket]

Talking about Fitzgerald being in the game in the 4th:

"Those are important milestones to him as a player and we certainly respect that," Whisenhunt said. "It is a risk and it is something you would feel sick about had he gotten injured at the end. But I have no doubt in my mind that was what Green Bay was trying to do with Aaron Rodgers yesterday as far as the passing statistics. We are talking about something that is important to the player as far as his legacy in the league and I certainly do respect that."

I didn't get the sense that's why Rodgers was playing, especially considering the only benchmark he was close to was TDs, and we ran the first two in. I think Whisenhunt doesn't understand that Green Bay decided to come to Arizona and play a football game.

[packerbacker1234]

Wasn't Rodgers actually close to the yardage record. I believe when he got pulled he only needed 25 yards.

And if thats the case, then how were they stat padding? They would of left him in until we got it.

[hoosier]

That's just bizarre. Hard to believe a HC for an NFL team could really be so stupid as to think that the decision to play or sit your starters comes down to stats. But it's also an interesting statement because it seems at odds with the theory that Arizona is laying low and letting the Packers get overconfident. If that was the goal then Wisenhunt should be talking about how ARod is the Second Coming and all that.

[KYPack]

Good bulletin board material.

Take it like a man, Kenny.

[SkinBasket]

Hard to believe a HC for an NFL team could really be so stupid as to think that the decision to play or sit your starters comes down to stats.

He doesn't just think it, he believes in it. It's the reason he gave for why Fitzgerald was still in the game - because he wanted TDs and 100 receptions, and as a coach he respects that.

[retailguy]

Wasn't Rodgers actually close to the yardage record. I believe when he got pulled he only needed 25 yards.

And if thats the case, then how were they stat padding? They would of left him in until we got it.

Maybe the "stat" GB was concerned with was Rodgers surpassing FAVRE and not Dickey. Favre had second place at about 4200 yards, and Rodgers did surpass that one yesterday?

I have no idea but just a thought.

[Scott Campbell]

His team could have showed a little more pride in themselves yesterday.

[packerbacker1234]

4,434 yards passing by rodgers. Pretty sure the Favre record was irrelevant

[retailguy]

4,434 yards passing by rodgers. Pretty sure the Favre record was irrelevant

I saw some chart flash on the screen during the game yesterday. In the 10 seconds I had to look at it, it seemed to indicate that Rodgers had passed Favre's second place on the list yesterday, but hadn't passed Dickey.

Maybe I read it wrong?

[packerbacker1234]

Roders had not passed favre yet going in, but he only neededl ike 40 yards to do so.

the fact he played long after that indicated, even to the announcers, that they may want him with the all time record. Instead, he got pulled 25 yards short of it.

So, to me, it's clear the packers didn't do it for stat padding. I think it was to maintain momentum.

[Bossman641]

By my count, the Packers ran 47 plays with Rodgers under center.

26 pass
21 rush

That's a 55% pass rate which I would guess is right around their average. The only legitimate claim Whisenhunt could have is that on Rodgers' last scoring drive they passed 10 times and only ran 4. Sounds like sour grapes to me.

[swede]

The only legitimate claim Whisenhunt could have is that on Rodgers' last scoring drive they passed 10 times and only ran 4. Sounds like sour grapes to me.

And, I'll bet six of those ten were screens or short running back dump-offs.

[Joemailman]

The only legitimate claim Whisenhunt could have is that on Rodgers' last scoring drive they passed 10 times and only ran 4. Sounds like sour grapes to me.

And, I'll bet six of those ten were screens or short running back dump-offs.

Pretty much after the 1st play.

Green Bay Packers at 11:47
1-10-GB 6
(11:47) 12-A.Rodgers pass incomplete deep right to 85-G.Jennings.
2-10-GB 6
(11:41) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 88-J.Finley to GB 17 for 11 yards (28-G.Toler).
1-10-GB 17
(11:08) 32-B.Jackson up the middle to GB 19 for 2 yards (41-H.Abdullah).
2-8-GB 19
(10:32) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 89-J.Jones to GB 23 for 4 yards (41-H.Abdullah).
3-4-GB 23
(9:49) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short middle to 32-B.Jackson to GB 40 for 17 yards (28-G.Toler).
1-10-GB 40
(9:03) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 80-D.Driver ran ob at GB 43 for 3 yards.
2-7-GB 43
(8:37) 34-A.Green left tackle to GB 48 for 5 yards (41-H.Abdullah).
3-2-GB 48
(7:56) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 89-J.Jones ran ob at ARZ 44 for 8 yards.
1-10-ARI 44
(7:30) 34-A.Green left tackle to ARZ 41 for 3 yards (78-A.Branch).
2-7-ARI 41
(6:56) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 80-D.Driver to ARZ 33 for 8 yards (28-G.Toler).
1-10-ARI 33
(6:11) 34-A.Green left tackle to ARZ 31 for 2 yards (49-R.Johnson).
2-8-ARI 31
(5:36) 12-A.Rodgers pass short middle to 80-D.Driver to ARZ 17 for 14 yards (49-R.Johnson).
1-10-ARI 17
(4:56) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short middle to 32-B.Jackson pushed ob at ARZ 5 for 12 yards (41-H.Abdullah).
1-5-ARI 5
(4:21) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 88-J.Finley for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
2-M.Crosby extra point is GOOD, Center-61-B.Goode, Holder-7-J.Kapinos.

[Fritz]

Roders had not passed favre yet going in, but he only neededl ike 40 yards to do so.

the fact he played long after that indicated, even to the announcers, that they may want him with the all time record. Instead, he got pulled 25 yards short of it.

So, to me, it's clear the packers didn't do it for stat padding. I think it was to maintain momentum.

If it was about records - if that really was why Rodgers stayed in - then why in God's name would MM pull Rodgers when he was only 25 yards short of Lynn Dickey's record? That makes zero sense. He could've gotten 26 yards on three passes or so.

Whisenhunt's thinking makes no sense, unless he knew only about Favre's single season yards record and not Dickey's.

I do think Lynn Dickey was a helluva QB, by the way. About as mobile as a tree stump, but still a hell of a QB in my book.

[pbmax]

Re: Whisenhunt on stat padding

Talking about Fitzgerald being in the game in the 4th:

"Those are important milestones to him as a player and we certainly respect that," Whisenhunt said. "It is a risk and it is something you would feel sick about had he gotten injured at the end. But I have no doubt in my mind that was what Green Bay was trying to do with Aaron Rodgers yesterday as far as the passing statistics. We are talking about something that is important to the player as far as his legacy in the league and I certainly do respect that."

I didn't get the sense that's why Rodgers was playing, especially considering the only benchmark he was close to was TDs, and we ran the first two in. I think Whisenhunt doesn't understand that Green Bay decided to come to Arizona and play a football game.

This can cut both ways, but I like that this is causing some consternation for the Cardinals. My first reaction was that they are going to be breathing fire for the first quarter after hearing about the beating for a week. But if the Whizz is having to explain Fitzgerald in the game as well, then I think the whole distraction might be a net positive for the Packers.