Packer Fan Rant

[Pugger]

Well, they drafted a big guy with less than 40% body fat, Datone Jones in first round, and so far its been the old look-like-Tarzan-play-like-Jane story.

I'm fine with the D-line. They need more from Perry, who has been a downgrade from Walden.

For the first 3 games Jane had a bum ankle so lets see how she performs this Sunday.

[ThunderDan]

I have a hard time believing that Rodgers struggles throwing a slant (physically). The trouble the Packers have with the slant is that teams like to jump the first window and if Rodgers holds until the second window, Rodgers typically is then investigating cloud shapes.

Perfect example of this was in the SF game. SF showed a blitz with 7 men coming. ARod read the blitz perfectly and had Finley down the seem for a TD. Willis at the snap backed out of the blitz over the C, closed the throwing lane to Finley and knocked down the pass.

If ARod hadn't thrown to Finley right away he was eating the dirt.

[Patler]

I have a hard time believing that Rodgers struggles throwing a slant (physically). The trouble the Packers have with the slant is that teams like to jump the first window and if Rodgers holds until the second window, Rodgers typically is then investigating cloud shapes.

Who said he struggles with it? As a coach you play to your players strengths, and a players strength is sometimes determined by what he prefers or is most comfortable or confident in.

I doubt there is any throw that Rodgers actually struggles with. But I completely believe he prefers some to others, and may be better at some than others, even without "struggling" on any.

[red]

Why fewer slants? MM gave us the answer in Rodgers' first year as a starter. He was asked about changes that were necessary when a new QB takes over. His response was that the basics of the offense would stay the same, but play calls would differ based on differences in what the different QBs do well and are most comfortable with. He gave two examples. He said (as we all knew) that Favre was very good at and very comfortable throwing slants, but that throw was not a particular strength of Rodgers. On the other hand, he said Rodgers was exceptional at midrange and deep sideline throws, which, he said, Favre was not particularly strong at.

So, with Rodgers, fewer slants and more sideline throws to Nelson!

ah right

and we all know damn well that fat mike has an inability or is unwilling to teach anything new to anyone

[mraynrand]

Who said he struggles with it? As a coach you play to your players strengths, and a players strength is sometimes determined by what he prefers or is most comfortable or confident in.

I doubt there is any throw that Rodgers actually struggles with. But I completely believe he prefers some to others, and may be better at some than others, even without "struggling" on any.

Well then, let me rephrase: Rodgers has zero trouble throwing a slant. I have no absolutely no doubt he is more comfortable (physically) throwing a slant than most any equal or longer throw and is better at it than Favre. The Packers don't throw slants due to the way teams defend it and the propensity for sacks.

[Maxie the Taxi]

Well then, let me rephrase: Rodgers has zero trouble throwing a slant. I have no absolutely no doubt he is more comfortable (physically) throwing a slant than most any equal or longer throw and is better at it than Favre. The Packers don't throw slants due to the way teams defend it and the propensity for sacks.

Errr...That was my first thought exactly.

[pbmax]

Rodgers has also mentioned that the slant is part of a combo route package they run (its not the only time it can be run, but it is the most common call) called flat/slant concept.

Teams can choose to deploy coverages (Bears did this) to take this away, i.e. put maximum pressure on those two routes. The tendency for McCarthy and the Packers is then to audible or throw to the other routes. The defense has committed a LB and a CB to man coverage in short zones. That leaves the TE one on one versus a LB in the middle of the field and the opposite WR in single coverage with one safety over the top. The safety cannot cheat to the other WR because that would leave half the field open for the TE to run into OR the flat receiver to wheel into down the sideline.

McCarthy was probably speaking about QB preference over what to do about a defense deployed to stop what you are trying to run. He was deflecting attention about the choices of his two QBs to himself. Favre wouldn't care if you sat on the slant and would throw it anyway. Rodgers prefers targeting the weakness you just exposed by focusing on the other side.

The other problem here is that the best slant receiver is probably Jones now that Jennings is gone. And he is not as good as previous Favre targets at getting off drapery coverage and catching the ball away from the body. Witness the INT in Cincy.

[ThunderDan]

Well then, let me rephrase: Rodgers has zero trouble throwing a slant. I have no absolutely no doubt he is more comfortable (physically) throwing a slant than most any equal or longer throw and is better at it than Favre. The Packers don't throw slants due to the way teams defend it and the propensity for sacks.

Maybe the issue is with the WRs. The way James Jones gave up on the slant and cost the Pack an INT I would be afraid to throw them also.

[Carolina_Packer]

Here's a different slant. Too many members of our offensive line are getting pushed back into A-Rod's lap on pass pro. That's gotta get solved. My rant would be if P. Manning and Brady can have clean pockets and time to survey, then why can't Rodgers? Are the receivers not doing a good enough job getting open? Is A-Rod holding the ball to long deciding or does the o-line struggle as a whole with pass pro? MM would say pad level, I guess. If we can win more often than not on that front, A-Rod is going to have time to use his considerable skills and the receiving corp. will have time to get into their patterns.

[red]

Here's a different slant. Too many members of our offensive line are getting pushed back into A-Rod's lap on pass pro. That's gotta get solved. My rant would be if P. Manning and Brady can have clean pockets and time to survey, then why can't Rodgers? Are the receivers not doing a good enough job getting open? Is A-Rod holding the ball to long deciding or does the o-line struggle as a whole with pass pro? MM would say pad level, I guess. If we can win more often than not on that front, A-Rod is going to have time to use his considerable skills and the receiving corp. will have time to get into their patterns.

what i noticed, at least in the last game, was a QB who can't even complete his drop before he needs to worry about protecting the ball and moving

in years past you could put some blame on a-rod for holding the ball too long, or the WR's not getting open fast enough, but this year its all been on the o-line so far.

it just makes me sick watching a guy like peyton just sit there for 5, 6,7 seconds without having to worry about anything

[Patler]

Well then, let me rephrase: Rodgers has zero trouble throwing a slant. I have no absolutely no doubt he is more comfortable (physically) throwing a slant than most any equal or longer throw and is better at it than Favre. The Packers don't throw slants due to the way teams defend it and the propensity for sacks.

So MM lied about it during the Q&A years ago?

[pbmax]

So MM lied about it during the Q&A years ago?

There is a difference between ability to do something and comfort doing something. He probably did not want the focus to be on Rodgers' choice as a young QB, because it would immediately be cast as a limitation compared to Favre.

[mraynrand]

So MM lied about it during the Q&A years ago?

I guess so. I guess either MM had to be lying or you are totally wrong. There can be no other way to look at it.

[dahammer001]

Here's a different slant. Too many members of our offensive line are getting pushed back into A-Rod's lap on pass pro. That's gotta get solved. My rant would be if P. Manning and Brady can have clean pockets and time to survey, then why can't Rodgers? Are the receivers not doing a good enough job getting open? Is A-Rod holding the ball to long deciding or does the o-line struggle as a whole with pass pro? MM would say pad level, I guess. If we can win more often than not on that front, A-Rod is going to have time to use his considerable skills and the receiving corp. will have time to get into their patterns.

MM talks about pad level, gap integrity, and we gotta get this fixed. Here is what I do not understand! If I was MM, somebody on the offensive besides Marshall Newhouse would lose their job period end of story. The one pet peeve I have with Rodgers is that he holds the ball to long, I think a quicker release t would cut down on the sacks. Some packer fans seem to think that the wrs have a hard time getting open, remember James Jones caught 14 tds last years with people draped all over him!

[Fritz]

MM talks about pad level, gap integrity, and we gotta get this fixed. Here is what I do not understand! If I was MM, somebody on the offensive besides Marshall Newhouse would lose their job period end of story. The one pet peeve I have with Rodgers is that he holds the ball to long, I think a quicker release t would cut down on the sacks. Some packer fans seem to think that the wrs have a hard time getting open, remember James Jones caught 14 tds last years with people draped all over him!

I found the PF and PA numbers both interesting and surprising, given our general views of the team's offense and defense so far this year:



NFC NORTH W L T PF PA Pct.
Detroit 3 1 0 122 101 .750
Chicago 3 1 0 127 114 .750
Green Bay 1 2 0 96 88 .333
Minnesota 1 3 0 115 123 .250


From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz2glH1NC5C


So...last in the NFC North in "points for" and first in the North in "points against."

Interesting. What does this tell us?