Jeff Janis: He Who Conquers

[Smidgeon]

IDK, you could see his body control from the start. Certainly had issues with effort and mental early on. I think his improvement was more in those areas. His body control was touted in his draft profiles.

In 2009, Finley had elite body control. He could contort his body to such an effect that it made him an unstoppable weapon. Of course, he got injured and lost something, maybe confidence? Regardless, while he had some (and I remember similarly to Patler), it wasn't 2009 good his rookie year. It did improve dramatically.

[Smidgeon]

Big difference is that when he was younger, Bubba Franks was a terrific blocker. RRodgers not so much.

Also that Bubba was super effective in the red zone. Thus far, RailRoad has yet to establish that dominance.

[pbmax]

No one fell down* at the goal line, then got back up to catch a TD pass like Bubba Franks.


*Mostly on purpose

[sharpe1027]

In 2009, Finley had elite body control. He could contort his body to such an effect that it made him an unstoppable weapon. Of course, he got injured and lost something, maybe confidence? Regardless, while he had some (and I remember similarly to Patler), it wasn't 2009 good his rookie year. It did improve dramatically.

My recollection was that he showed flashes of some pretty outstanding stuff right from the gate, he just took awhile to develop consistency and was also helped when the Packers game planned specifically to use his skills and get him the ball. Maybe I am wrong, but I thought his improvement was more about consistency and effort than about body control.

Some pre-draft analysis:

http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/...finley?id=1072

. A sure-handed pass catcher with the body control and competitiveness to make the tough catch and the athleticism to make defenders miss,

Rare body control for a player his size. ... Can contort in the air to adjust to the poorly thrown pass. ... Good leaping ability and can high-point the pass. ... Competes well for the ball

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/p...torical/584640

Has large, natural hands, with good timing and arm extension to compete for the ball at its high point … Shows no flinch going up for the ball in a crowd … Very fluid getting his head and body adjusted to make off-target catches and has good balance to keep his feet in bounds when working near the sideline

[Harlan Huckleby]

Janis is the new backup quarterback.

Sure, same sorta deal. But the difference is that replacing the QB is a giant shift. Giving Janis 10 to 15 snaps per game can be done easily with little opportunity cost or risk, despite your hand wringing to contrary. At worst, Janis can not-get-open on some shallow routes as well as the others, and he presents a deep threat. The receiver position cries out for experimentation, adjustment.

[Patler]

Sure, same sorta deal. But the difference is that replacing the QB is a giant shift. Giving Janis 10 to 15 snaps per game can be done easily with little opportunity cost or risk, despite your hand wringing to contrary. At worst, Janis can not-get-open on some shallow routes as well as the others, and he presents a deep threat. The receiver position cries out for experimentation, adjustment.

10-15 snaps per game might be a lot to expect when they are getting only 45 snaps/game!

But in a more normal game, I agree. Or at least 5-10. The fact that the coaches haven't been willing to do that with either Janis or Abrederis doesn't speak well of where either one is at right now.

[Maxie the Taxi]

10-15 snaps per game might be a lot to expect when they are getting only 45 snaps/game!

But in a more normal game, I agree. Or at least 5-10. The fact that the coaches haven't been willing to do that with either Janis or Abrederis doesn't speak well of where either one is at right now.

Or it speaks to Stubby's stubborn trust in process and system, or to Arod's lack of trust in them for some f***ing reason.

[Patler]

Or it speaks to Stubby's stubborn trust in process and system, or to Arod's lack of trust in them for some f***ing reason.

I'm not sure where the A. Rodgers trust issue comes from. He has said things about Janis needing to show more in practice, but for the few times Janis has been on the field he has thrown to him a reasonable amount. I don't think there is a trust issue with the QB, because Rodgers hasn't avoided him. In fact, for the little Janis has played, his opportunities have been a lot.

The coaches are another issue. They have to be forced almost to involve someone new midseason.

[denverYooper]

Richard Rodgers - 7 games in to his 2nd year 23 rec/205 yds/8.9 ypc/2 TD
Bubba Franks - 16 games in his 2nd year - 36 rec/322 yds/8.9 ypc/9 TD

Franks's best year was his 3rd - 54 rec/442 yds/8.2 ypc/7 TD

Rodgers is very close in the receiving department. All it would take for him to be close to Franks's amazing TD numbers is 1 or 2 multiple TD games. It wouldn't be a huge stretch for that to happen this year.

[denverYooper]

As for blocking... I think Richard Rodgers is suffering due to an immediacy bias.

If it wasn't for having a lot of responsibility for Ware and, at the nadir of this game, getting motioned to block(??) Ware on the safety, we might not be having this discussion about his blocking. It looked like everyone but Aaron Rodgers on that safety play thought it was a run left to Starks until AR pulled the ball back in. I was right behind the play, sitting in that endzone. It was a mess on multiple levels.

Maybe A. Rodgers and the receiver had a play on, but they were the only ones who thought so. Everyone else was really going after that run left, including for a second, Richard Rodgers. Kuhn could have stepped up to Ware also, but he looked equally confused when Aaron still had the ball and Ware was bearing down.

At least DickRod had the presence of mind to try to block and then to get on the ball... even if it looked pitiful when he took the safety.

[pbmax]

I forgot about that fake/mesh on that play. I wonder how M3 felt about play action or option that close to the goal line.

[pbmax]

Last Janis thought:

When he has seen the field with Rodgers, how many passes has he caught during the course of the play? That is, when he has been running the called route, how often has Rodgers gone to him? Not a trick question, I think he has (once, maybe twice) but I don't really remember.

The two big catches he does have were both on broken plays.

Would you, as a coach put out a player who is not getting open on his called route, but can make plays once things breakdown? Does deciding Janis is your best weapon outside of a double-teamed Cobb mean you alter the offense for him?

[deake]

I think the question is, did Rodgers go to him when he was open on a route, on the one broken play it was a crossing route where he was open early on and Rodgers didn't go to him until it was a busted play. I remember one time when Rodgers did go to him on a back shoulder throw, where the db out muscled Janis.

[Patler]

Last Janis thought:

When he has seen the field with Rodgers, how many passes has he caught during the course of the play? That is, when he has been running the called route, how often has Rodgers gone to him? Not a trick question, I think he has (once, maybe twice) but I don't really remember.

The two big catches he does have were both on broken plays.

Would you, as a coach put out a player who is not getting open on his called route, but can make plays once things breakdown? Does deciding Janis is your best weapon outside of a double-teamed Cobb mean you alter the offense for him?

The same was written about Cobb last year. Remember the article about how much he should be worth, the one that noted how few receptions/yards he had on designed plays? Most were from broken plays. Maybe that's where the Packers are with this receiving group. Let Rodgers buy time while receivers ad lib.

[pbmax]

The same was written about Cobb last year. Remember the article about how much he should be worth, the one that noted how few receptions/yards he had on designed plays? Most were from broken plays. Maybe that's where the Packers are with this receiving group. Let Rodgers buy time while receivers ad lib.

I think this also explains the trouble some of them have with beating man coverage.