Why does Richard Rodgers play so much?

[Patler]

I know this has been discussed now and then in a number of threads, but I find this quite perplexing. Even if he is the best of an apparently awful group of TEs, why does he play so much?

In years past, MM had a lot of looks that had no TE. One year he used 5 WRs a few plays every game, and 4 WRs were common.

Rodgers isn't a guy who is always open short. He is mediocre, at best, getting open short.
He doesn't open up the field, he is slow and a bit clumsy.
He isn't a guy who gets a lot of yards after the catch. In fact, I think he is awful at it.
He is not a good blocker; he is not a reliable blocker.
He seems to get a penalty, or flat out blow at least one play every game.

Supposedly he has good hands, but to be perfectly honest I can't say I have seen conclusive evidence of that this year.

I'm not suggesting he shouldn't play. But he offers so little advantage when he is out there, WHY DOES HE PLAY SO MUCH?????

[smuggler]

My only thought would be that using him opens up opportunities with personnel matchups in the no-huddle later in the game...

[Pugger]

The reason he plays so much is he is he best TE on the roster presently and MM likes to use a TE in this offense.

I hope this position along with ILB and LT is addressed this spring.

[Fosco33]

Quarless being out since week 3?

[Zool]

He's the least smelly turd in the TE toilet bowl

[pbmax]

In the no huddle, without a TE, you cannot threaten the run enough to keep a Defense from going dime. He wants to be able to force a choice between defending the run and the pass. You go 4 WR and its pass defense all the way.

This is the kind of thing that the SI article by Farrar talks about in the limited scheme the Packers have displayed.

[Patler]

The reason he plays so much is he is he best TE on the roster presently and MM likes to use a TE in this offense.

I hope this position along with ILB and LT is addressed this spring.

Quarless being out since week 3?

I can't buy either one of those, because MM has shown a willingness to play without a TE in the past, for at least a reasonable number of plays each game. So, yes, when he wants or needs to use a TE, Rodgers will be the guy.

To rephrase;

Since Rodgers is the TE he is stuck with, why does MM use a TE so much?

[Maxie the Taxi]

In years past, MM had a lot of looks that had no TE. One year he used 5 WRs a few plays every game, and 4 WRs were common.

This year the math for 4 WRs and 5 WRs doesn't work out because there are only 6 WRs on the roster. One is hurt and the other two are merely decoys cause Arod doesn't trust 'em.

[Patler]

In the no huddle, without a TE, you cannot threaten the run enough to keep a Defense from going dime. He wants to be able to force a choice between defending the run and the pass. You go 4 WR and its pass defense all the way.

This is the kind of thing that the SI article by Farrar talks about in the limited scheme the Packers have displayed.

The answer to that is simple. Don't use no huddle so much. The have had significant stretches in games over the years when they have not used no huddle. In fact, MM has been critical of himself at times for not using it enough.

So again I ask, since RR is the TE he is stuck with, why does MM insist on using a TE so much?

[Joemailman]

I know this has been discussed now and then in a number of threads, but I find this quite perplexing. Even if he is the best of an apparently awful group of TEs, why does he play so much?

In years past, MM had a lot of looks that had no TE. One year he used 5 WRs a few plays every game, and 4 WRs were common.

Rodgers isn't a guy who is always open short. He is mediocre, at best, getting open short.
He doesn't open up the field, he is slow and a bit clumsy.
He isn't a guy who gets a lot of yards after the catch. In fact, I think he is awful at it.
He is not a good blocker; he is not a reliable blocker.
He seems to get a penalty, or flat out blow at least one play every game.

Supposedly he has good hands, but to be perfectly honest I can't say I have seen conclusive evidence of that this year.

I'm not suggesting he shouldn't play. But he offers so little advantage when he is out there, WHY DOES HE PLAY SO MUCH?????

MM used 4-5 WR's more when the Packers had great WR depth (Driver, Jennings, Jordy, Jones, Cobb). That's not the case now, especially with the injuries to WR's. Also, I think they've moved away from spread formations more since drafting Lacy. They've become somewhat more of a running team, and want a TE blocking. Rodgers may not be a good blocker for a TE, but he gives you more than you would get from Janis or Abby.

[pbmax]

The answer to that is simple. Don't use no huddle so much. The have had significant stretches in games over the years when they have not used no huddle. In fact, MM has been critical of himself at times for not using it enough.

So again I ask, since RR is the TE he is stuck with, why does MM insist on using a TE so much?

That was the plan they worked on for the entirety of the last two off seasons. Past behavior indicates that he is not giving up on the plan until Game 8 of the season.

I suspect changes (that began last week but fell apart when the D failed to answer their alarm clock) will continue this week. And as they are home, improvement on O, with better pass pro, will be very likely.

[Patler]

Let's throw in another variable, Aaron Ripkowski. Don't forget, one of the positives he offered was that in college he also lined up as a TE.

He’s one of the most stereotypical sledgehammer fullbacks in the 2015 draft. He added to his stock by also playing some series at tight end. As a primary blocker, his pass catching will be a work in progress.

[pbmax]

I agree with Joe that Lacy is a factor (same with Starks and the other big guy). You want a TE to help create a hole for him as he is not going to make the defender miss in the backfield.

If they went with one of the smaller guys from camp (Crockett, Neal and the other smaller guy) then I could see them run 4 WR and hope the scat back and threat of short RB pass would suffice for a run game.

[pbmax]

Let's throw in another variable, Aaron Ripkowski. Don't forget, one of the positives he offered was that in college he also lined up as a TE.

Well, that is one of the weird things about M3. He usually, not always, has choices. But he is squarely in the don't panic camp, to the point where you wonder if he is paying attention. I think it works well as a method to build a cohesive team and direction, but the time it takes for adjustments is maddening.

A lot of times he reminds me of Marty Schottenheimer, though I think he is more patient which is a good thing. Marty was a bad combination of stubborn and panicky.

My concern is how he interprets feedback and stats. I am convinced that he looks at running success numbers at the end of games and does a calculation that is only one step better than "When Tony Dorsett gains 100 yards, the Cowboys are 32-3". He doesn't think running is more optimal late with a lead, he thinks he needs to run every time as long as he has a lead. There isn't much of an adjustment for the best talent on his roster. Nor is there a recognition that time is perhaps paramount, but possession is almost as important.

There is a reason Rand and Maxie call him "Stubby", as they like to say.

[Patler]

Maybe they should start working with Tretter running a few routes as a TE. He started college as a TE, didn't he?
He is probably nearly as fast and as quick as RR, and should be a better blocker.

Heck, they threw a pass to Tauscher one time, why not Tretter as a blocking TE more than the once or twice they used it last week.

Twice they put Janis in motion, but then kept him in to block. That could present intersting wrinkles.