McCarthy - angry or frustrated?

[ThunderDan]

Richard Rodgers needs to lose about 20-30 pounds from those saddlebags; it's like a sea anchor. His thighs looks wider and flabbier than Mariah Carey's.

Even with that, he had 58 catches and 8 TDs in the regular season.

[Patler]

Even with that, he had 58 catches and 8 TDs in the regular season.

Nice totals there, but only 510 yards, 8.8 yard per reception. Without the Hail Mary, it was 7.9 yards/rec.
A strange year. More receptions than Finley ever had other than 2012 when he had 61, More TDs than Finley other than his 8 TDs in 2011.
Just no yards.

[mraynrand]

As for Dickrod, I don't think he missed his weight mark, I think he was just given poor direction. Its pretty ambiguous what his ideal playing weight should be and with this season's data point I think they'll have him on track soon. Dickrod did fine this year anyways. The issue isn't that he's not reaching his potential, it's that he doesn't have much potential.

Even with that, he had 58 catches and 8 TDs in the regular season.

I kinda disagree on both. I think he hasn't reached his potential for two reasons - 1) It's the same problem from college - is he a blocking TE or a receiving TE and how much should he have on his frame to execute either assignment? The Packers need to make up their minds. I would go with primarily receiving and let someone else do the blocking. 2) Utilization. Once Rodgers sculpts his body into a receiver, I think he has a higher ceiling, but the Packers will actually have to use him where he is most effective. And that's right up the middle with passes thrown higher, not lowballs like A. Rodgers seems to like to minimize risk and no more tosses in the flat behind the line of scrimmage (unless it's a screen and even then, fewer). Dude has great hands and with a faster frame, he can open up the middle a bit. His ceiling is Jackie Harris, not Gronk or Keith Jackson. Don't ask him to block like Chmura and you'll be OK. And if Perillo is the better blocker, well then you can just keep encouraging him to stock up on beer and brats at the ballpark in the offseason.

[esoxx]

Wonder if Rodgers improved upon his 1.6 YAC from the 2014-15 season.

[Patler]

Dude has great hands and with a faster frame, he can open up the middle a bit. His ceiling is Jackie Harris, not Gronk or Keith Jackson. Don't ask him to block like Chmura and you'll be OK. And if Perillo is the better blocker, well then you can just keep encouraging him to stock up on beer and brats at the ballpark in the offseason.

Jackie Harris? I remember Harris having speed and quickness I can't imagine Rodgers ever having. At times, Harris seemed to lack passion. I always felt he had potential that was never achieved. There was a time I thought he could be a great one.

[Patler]

Wonder if Rodgers improved upon his 1.6 YAC from the 2014-15 season.

According to this site:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/pl...ualified/false

he had 224 YAC!
Of course, if you catch a pass 3 yards behind the LOS, and turn it into a 1 yard gain, that's 4 YAC.

[Bossman641]

Here's the thing I don't get on Lacy. I can understand coming into camp overweight, although I think it's inexcusable. However, 5 months later how have you still not played yourself into shape?!

[Patler]

Here's the thing I don't get on Lacy. I can understand coming into camp overweight, although I think it's inexcusable. However, 5 months later how have you still not played yourself into shape?!

Play yourself into shape doing what? Not practices. Most of those are meetings and walk-thoughs. Nothing of a conditioning slant. Games? Nothing there. Carry the ball three times and you get switched out for a "fresh" back. On his own, during his free time? Not with a video game addiction.

I figure next year he will show up for camp and be switched to guard, maybe DL to replace Raji.

[3irty1]

I kinda disagree on both. I think he hasn't reached his potential for two reasons - 1) It's the same problem from college - is he a blocking TE or a receiving TE and how much should he have on his frame to execute either assignment? The Packers need to make up their minds. I would go with primarily receiving and let someone else do the blocking. 2) Utilization. Once Rodgers sculpts his body into a receiver, I think he has a higher ceiling, but the Packers will actually have to use him where he is most effective. And that's right up the middle with passes thrown higher, not lowballs like A. Rodgers seems to like to minimize risk and no more tosses in the flat behind the line of scrimmage (unless it's a screen and even then, fewer). Dude has great hands and with a faster frame, he can open up the middle a bit. His ceiling is Jackie Harris, not Gronk or Keith Jackson. Don't ask him to block like Chmura and you'll be OK. And if Perillo is the better blocker, well then you can just keep encouraging him to stock up on beer and brats at the ballpark in the offseason.

To call yourself a TE you've got to be at least a threat to block as an inline player. Even if he sells out as a receiver he's just not going to be a speed mismatch for a linebacker or size mismatch for a safety. His unrealized potential is as a blocker IMO. I don't think he'll ever be a crushing block as an inline blocker but he needs to find the magic weight and technique were he can hold up a little inline as a pass blocker while continuing to be really effective run blocking at the 2nd level which he secretly is. This is especially true if he's going to spend much of his career run-blocking for Eddie and pass-blocking for Aaron in those singleback formations.

I'd say Dickrod's ceiling is about Owen Daniels. A pedestrian overall talent but a moneyballer--he's played for three different teams all coached by Gary Kubiak. I think you're right that players like that need exactly the right utilization to be starters but in the right fit they'll always earn their check.

[esoxx]

I kinda disagree on both. I think he hasn't reached his potential for two reasons - 1) It's the same problem from college - is he a blocking TE or a receiving TE and how much should he have on his frame to execute either assignment? The Packers need to make up their minds. I would go with primarily receiving and let someone else do the blocking. 2) Utilization. Once Rodgers sculpts his body into a receiver, I think he has a higher ceiling, but the Packers will actually have to use him where he is most effective. And that's right up the middle with passes thrown higher, not lowballs like A. Rodgers seems to like to minimize risk and no more tosses in the flat behind the line of scrimmage (unless it's a screen and even then, fewer). Dude has great hands and with a faster frame, he can open up the middle a bit. His ceiling is Jackie Harris, not Gronk or Keith Jackson. Don't ask him to block like Chmura and you'll be OK. And if Perillo is the better blocker, well then you can just keep encouraging him to stock up on beer and brats at the ballpark in the offseason.

Rodgers couldn't hold Harris' jock. Nor would he probably want to.

[mraynrand]

Rodgers couldn't hold Harris' jock. Nor would he probably want to.

Other than yards/catch, his second year compares favorably with Harris's best year with GB. The Yards/catch factor in the way the Packers have used him in the offense (those passes to the flat don't increase his average). Harris never had more than 4 TDs in a year.

I don't think the difference is a great as you suggest. I also think Rodgers has a lot of room to improve. He could flounder and never develop, but I don't think he has his NFL body yet.

His career trajectory is looking a lot like Greg Olsen right now. Whether he gets as good is an open question, but I still think it's possible.

[Bossman641]

I'd love if DickRod took after Olsen but Olsen ran a 4.51 coming out and DickRod a 4.87. Rodgers doesn't need to be a burner but he does need to drop weight and change his body.

[Smidgeon]

McCarthy upset with running backs coach. Sam Gash has been fired.

[woodbuck27]

MM's an offense minded coach, and the offense was crap for most of the year. He's pissed and frustrated. Lacy took his role for granted and turned into a fat tub of goo. R.Rodgers and Adams were supposed to step up and have big years, and neither did. They are probably a sizable part of the red zone failures this year.

As for locked into rolls after TC, its more that there is very limited prep time for each game. You have to get your starters ready to play, so they get the most reps. There can, and because of injuries has to be, adjustments during the year. In an offense like this, reps are critical to being on the same page with AR. There just isn't the practice time available to get a 4th, 5th or 6th string fully up to speed.

That said, when those backups are thrust into the mix, there should be some subset of the plays that they are actually ready to handle, and those plays are the ones that should be featured, until they can learn more.

" That said, when those backups are thrust into the mix, there should be some subset of the plays that they are actually ready to handle, and those plays are the ones that should be featured, until they can learn more." MadScientist

I hope this is being done. I assumed.......... it was.

Nice post. repped.


PACKERS !

[denverYooper]

Other than yards/catch, his second year compares favorably with Harris's best year with GB. The Yards/catch factor in the way the Packers have used him in the offense (those passes to the flat don't increase his average). Harris never had more than 4 TDs in a year.

I don't think the difference is a great as you suggest. I also think Rodgers has a lot of room to improve. He could flounder and never develop, but I don't think he has his NFL body yet.

His career trajectory is looking a lot like Greg Olsen right now. Whether he gets as good is an open question, but I still think it's possible.

This sounds about right. He can change his body composition and pick up some speed, though he won't ever be a burner like Finley.

He might even become a better blocker with a focus on how his weight is apportioned. He doesn't need to look like an OT to be a good blocker.