Is a-rod coasting now that he got his huge contract?

[denverYooper]

The funny thing here is that Rodgers had a great second half/4th quarter, the thing he often gets dinged for. The (misplaced) knock on him these last couple of years is that he's a front runner and loads up the stats in the first 3 quarters but can't get it done in the 4th. Yesterday, he played the kind of 2nd half that people say he doesn't, and people are complaining about him regressing.

Sure, he fumbled a couple of snaps and threw an INT in the redzone. But he got it done when it counted at the end of the game. That, and a competent D and run game, are often how guys get a reputation for being great 4th quarter QBs.

GB's last 3 drives were their 3 longest and they produced on their last 4 drives:
38 yards, 3:04, FG
80 yards, 2:22, TD
72 yards, 7:35, FG
69 yards, 2:04, Victory formation

[denverYooper]

Now, I am concerned about the team's performance in the Red Zone since the 49er game. That has been troubling lately.

[mraynrand]

Yesterday, he played the kind of 2nd half that people say he doesn't, and people are complaining about him regressing.

I bet Rodgers couldn't do regression if you gave him a Ti-89 and an instructional youtube video

[Pugger]

If you think about it he lost 2 WRs and the Ravens D line - especially the guys on the edges - can be a handful for the best linemen in the league. He did make the throws when he needed to. The biggest one was the one to Finley late in the 4th to seal the deal. It is kinda funny. This isn't the first thread I've seen on a Packer forum this morning where someone was questioning Rodgers' play.

[Smidgeon]

The offense hasn't seemed nearly as explosive as in 2011. I remember in the following offseason someone saying that the playcalling would change a bit to no longer gas the defense (maybe I'm misremembering). Now that the defense is playing well, why aren't they going back to that style? Does the offense no longer have the personnel? Are defenses suddenly better defending than they were for every game except the Chiefs and playoffs? (That last I find hard to believe that no team before the Chiefs tried to defend them that same way.) Anyway, I wonder about the offense's effectiveness too, but I don't know where the finger gets pointed. I'm guessing to the o-line. But that's a completely uneducated guess.

[Pugger]

I think opposing defenses should just key in on the Packers' run game. That will clearly stop this offense.

[3irty1]

The offense hasn't seemed nearly as explosive as in 2011. I remember in the following offseason someone saying that the playcalling would change a bit to no longer gas the defense (maybe I'm misremembering). Now that the defense is playing well, why aren't they going back to that style? Does the offense no longer have the personnel? Are defenses suddenly better defending than they were for every game except the Chiefs and playoffs? (That last I find hard to believe that no team before the Chiefs tried to defend them that same way.) Anyway, I wonder about the offense's effectiveness too, but I don't know where the finger gets pointed. I'm guessing to the o-line. But that's a completely uneducated guess.

No longer has the personnel. In 2011 the Packers had Jennings and Nelson both who could routinely get open deep. Jordy still shows the ability to get by a man but it had been a while before we'd seen him reel one in over his shoulder. Two deep threats like we had in 2011 is highly synergistic as coverage can't simply be rolled to one side or another and there are way less match up problems for opposing covermen. Jones, Nelson, and Finley don't really have the long speed to blow past DB's. They typically rely on YAC for big plays.

[Smidgeon]

No longer has the personnel. In 2011 the Packers had Jennings and Nelson both who could routinely get open deep. Jordy still shows the ability to get by a man but it had been a while before we'd seen him reel one in over his shoulder. Two deep threats like we had in 2011 is highly synergistic as coverage can't simply be rolled to one side or another and there are way less match up problems for opposing covermen. Jones, Nelson, and Finley don't really have the long speed to blow past DB's. They typically rely on YAC for big plays.

I was explaining to my girlfriend last night that Finley used to be great and now he's just good. Will he ever get back to his pre-ACL form, or is this his ceiling now? He was on pace to be league-changing.

[Joemailman]

I was explaining to my girlfriend last night that Finley used to be great and now he's just good. Will he ever get back to his pre-ACL form, or is this his ceiling now? He was on pace to be league-changing.

I think he's very good, and that's it. He's on pace for a 64-730-6 season.

[mraynrand]

I was explaining to my girlfriend last night that Finley used to be great and now he's just good. Will he ever get back to his pre-ACL form, or is this his ceiling now? He was on pace to be league-changing.

You can tell Rodgers has too little confidence in him. In 2009, Rodgers would throw balls over his head and expect him to catch them. Yesterday - like the last two years - he throws them in front or low. I think Rodgers is afraid of stuff going through his hands and getting picked. But the higher throws are where he wins all the battles with slower and shorter LBs/DBs. With confidence and higher throws, Finley could get three or four more catches each game, if his hands could be trusted.

[Smidgeon]

You can tell Rodgers has too little confidence in him. In 2009, Rodgers would throw balls over his head and expect him to catch them. Yesterday - like the last two years - he throws them in front or low. I think Rodgers is afraid of stuff going through his hands and getting picked. But the higher throws are where he wins all the battles with slower and shorter LBs/DBs. With confidence and higher throws, Finley could get three or four more catches each game, if his hands could be trusted.

Well, even if he doesn't get that confidence back, like Joe said, he's on pace for another good year. I just wanted him to step up and be the TE he was in 2009-2010.

[3irty1]

I was explaining to my girlfriend last night that Finley used to be great and now he's just good. Will he ever get back to his pre-ACL form, or is this his ceiling now? He was on pace to be league-changing.

Finley will always seem like an underachiever because of what he did from the end of 2009 until his injury in 2010 but he's secretly playing the best all-around ball of his career right now. You see that block where he decleated Suggs and sent him into another LB? Part of the issue is that what made him elite was his ability to high-point the ball and out-jump covermen. We simply haven't been throwing him those kinds of jump balls because... well this isn't Madden. But I guess in 2009 it was.

[pbmax]

When I look to portion blame between a QB and WR, I always give the benefit of the doubt to the 3rd year bench warming WR rather than the Super Bowl MVP.

[Patler]

The big problem with Finley is that he just is not reliable. The only thing consistent about him is his inconsistency. He made a nice block on one play, but got totally blown up on another, which I think resulted in a sack. He made a nice catch and run at the end of the game, but ends it by going out of bounds to stop the clock. That came after having a key drop in the first half on a nicely thrown 3rd down pass.

Nelson had a drop and missed block too, but he has other games in which he is solid through out. With Finley it seems you get good and bad every game.

[Smidgeon]

Finley will always seem like an underachiever because of what he did from the end of 2009 until his injury in 2010 but he's secretly playing the best all-around ball of his career right now. You see that block where he decleated Suggs and sent him into another LB? Part of the issue is that what made him elite was his ability to high-point the ball and out-jump covermen. We simply haven't been throwing him those kinds of jump balls because... well this isn't Madden. But I guess in 2009 it was.

Makes me wonder why the red zone fade to Finley isn't being used. His second year he made that his unstoppable play. Equivalent to Jordy's sideline catches.