Rodgers and sack time.

[MadScientist]

Personally I like having a QB that would rather eat the ball and take a sack then chuck it up to a 50/50 situation. You loose so much field position on every turnover.

I wouldn't mind seeing more dump offs and balls out of bounds too.

Something I was noticing on the RB receiving stats. Levens and Green had tons of receptions. Grant's biggest year in terms of number of catches was 2007 despite having significantly fewer rushing attempts than in 2008-9. While it is possible that somehow Grant was in for more passing plays in 07 than in 08-9, it is not very likely. MM could have also changed the offense to go 5 wide more often or if there was a back he was stuck blocking. The one undisputed change was the QB change. It does really look like AR needs to dump off more, at least at first glance.

[Upnorth]

http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=nfcnorth&id=57286

So it appears Rodgers ranks 35th for time in pocket and had the highest sack rate at 8.0%. In spite of a poorish ol, part of the blame is definitely on Rodgers.

[pbmax]

Dorsey was close, and possibly a bit better than Grant before he got hurt in 98. After that he wasn't nearly as good. Levens was used as a receiver much more, but how much of that was player and how much was scheme is hard to tell. Bennett was a plugger who never fumbled, but his YPC was in line with Barty Smith, Terdell Middleton and Darrell Thompson. Not exactly a guy that opposing defenses feared.

Back to Rodgers and holding the ball long. His numbers against the blitz show that he can be quick and decisive. Against coverage he holds the ball waiting for a receiver to come open past the point where the OL can't stop the rush. The OL needs to be better at stonewalling the defense when there is no blitz, the receivers need to be better at getting open against the coverage, and Rodgers needs to give up on the down field option a bit quicker.

That is perhaps the biggest difference between McCarthy and the other Mike's WCO. Much less passing to backs.

[bobblehead]

Stats don't wag the dog by the tail. People do.

My point is that a team that is so built around the run that it manages a 5.0 avg probably isn't good enough at passing.

The Denver team that beat us in the superbowl was dominant in the run game, but Elway had enough left in the tank as a passer to win the big game. Balance is key, you must be able to run the ball effectively, but you also must be able to pass it on 3rd and 4.

[woodbuck27]

Personally I like having a QB that would rather eat the ball and take a sack then chuck it up to a 50/50 situation. You loose so much field position on every turnover.

I wouldn't mind seeing more dump offs and balls out of bounds too.

Yes.

PACKERS !

[Noodle]

AR may hold the ball a little long, but I think that stat is affected by how often he has to bail and move around because the rush is on him so fast.

He really doesn't seem to get the opportunity to just drop, set, and throw.

Too often its drop, duck, bob, weave, move, then either throw or get drilled.

[RashanGary]

Favre had 14 sacks in 2007 behind a Clifton/Colledge/Wells/Spitz/Tauscher line

Rodgers had 34 sacks in 2008 behind the same OL


I think the QB has a lot to do with the sack numbers. AR holds the ball. I think it's obvious. He risks his body, loses yards, but makes a ton of big plays doing it. It is what it is. He's the best QB in the game right now. He has his own style. It's won one championship so far. It works.

We don't have to gloss over everything he does though, like there is not give and take. He does take a lot of sacks and a lot of them are because he doesn't unload the ball quickly like some other QB's do. He's more like Big Ben in that he'd rather hang on to the ball and make something happen.

[ThunderDan]

BF had 15 INTs in 2007
ARod had 13 INTs in 2008 as a first year starter.

That was ARod's worst year for INTs.

[packer4life]

balls out of bounds too.

THANK YOU. This, to me, is Rodgers' only weakness. He will take a sack instead of throwing a ball at his HB's feet; he will take a sack instead of getting outside the tackles and throwing it into the stands. I am fine with a no-throw to prevent a field-postion ruining INT, but I am not OK with Rodgers taking a preventable sack!

[3irty1]

There are certainly the "duh" plays that are frustrating to watch when it comes to Rodgers not throwing it away. I think I've even seen him run out of bounds to lose 3 or 4 yards rather than toss it away. I think its worth noting though that 90% of these seem to be on 3rd down. Rodgers doesn't mind taking a sack vs throwing it away if the next play is a punt anyways... he'd rather compete on 3rd down as long as possible and extend the play. Once in a while he wiggles out of the situation and makes a throw. Its not the most invalid strategy.

[Pugger]

Yes, Rodgers does hang onto the ball too long and is loathe to throw it away into the stands. Besides the loss of yards my biggest problem with him taking all these hits is we just cannot afford to lose him to injury!

[woodbuck27]

Yes, Rodgers does hang onto the ball too long and is loathe to throw it away into the stands. Besides the loss of yards my biggest problem with him taking all these hits is we just cannot afford to lose him to injury!

MM and his QB coach have to make Aaron Rodgers realize that's a very real possibility unless he somehow changes his style.