Aaron Rodgers Is NOT The Problem

[pbmax]

A very long and detailed look at what the receivers are costing the QB, includes last year's efforts.

http://presnapreads.com/2016/11/10/aaron-rodgers-and-growing-weary-with-greatness/

There is nothing coincidental about the perception of Rodgers’ performance slipping the same time as the quality of his supporting cast disappears. His receivers are the primary culprits, Jordy Nelson has lost his athleticism in return from his torn ACL, Randall Cobb is being exposed as a limited receiver in a scheme (we’ll get to it) that doesn’t help him, Davante Adams needs to be schemed open and even then he doesn’t offer much upside with the ball in his hands if he catches it, Richard Rodgers can’t get open on his own or make contested catches so he’s a hindrance rather than a help.

[Zool]

TLDR: WRs aren't getting open or making plays and Stubbs has them all running 7-9 on the route tree.

We really should get some royalties from these sites for doing their legwork.

[pbmax]

Short version no matter who you assign blame to?

Deep ball has deserted the Packers. That coincides with James Jones leg injury last year (he was mostly back shoulder but still was headed downfield). Once teams moved coverage forward AND played man, the short game was all that worked.

[pbmax]

Ouch.

Rodgers has been accurate on 80.2 percent of his throws. That would have ranked seventh in the NFL last year.

80.2 on its own is impressive but the singular number can be misleading if the quarterback isn’t throwing the ball down the field. That’s not the case with Rodgers this year. Entering last week when the Lions had the same first eight game sample as the Packers have right now, Matthew Stafford’s average depth of target was 6.85. Rodgers’ right now is 8.45.

1,225 of Stafford’s yards at that point had come after the catch, 56.9 percent of his yards. 1,011 of Rodgers’ yards have come after the catch, 49.6 percent of his yards.

The Packers receivers don’t create YAC of their own, it typically comes from well executed schemes or route combinations. They also don’t offer Rodgers much help at the catch point. In his eight game sample, Stafford had 15 inaccurate passes caught by receivers for 214 yards. Rodgers has four for 42 yards. Having Golden Tate, Marvin Jones, Anquan Boldin and Theo Riddick instead of his current supporting cast would have a huge impact on Rodgers’ production.

[pbmax]

Ouch Ouch

What McCarthy’s gameplanning does is take a group of receivers who are incapable of getting open on their own and gives them no help getting open. Rodgers is then expected to complete passes into tighter windows while throwing further downfield than his peers.

Zool is right. This reads like a summary of some of the work we have done her, though vastly more organized and less profane.

Basically, the offense is run like they expect the QB to be inhuman on command for the entire game. They make nothing easy on themselves.

[gbgary]

yup...once teams stopped playing zone against us, and went tight man, the world changed with election night suddenness. did mm make adjustments? not permanent ones. going dink and dunk and spread worked but they haven't stuck with it. not to give Rodgers a free pass but he's had a few bad games too.

[Smidgeon]

I remember arguing a few years back during a season that the upcoming draft would need to feature a high round WR. At the time, it seemed like a bold statement since the Packers were stacked (I think it was Jennings' last season). They were deep and talented, but I guessed that the talent would leave or grow old.

And it has.

TT has tried drafting WRs since, but only Adams has been higher than a 5th (?) round draft pick. We need a draft that favors us with some skill positions at the back end of the round. Usually it's just big bodies there since the 1st round skill players go in the top 15-20.

We need a high WR. We have the O-line. We have the D-line. We have the QB. We have the young LBs and CBs. We have the Ss. We might have the OLBs (depending on Perry's health and sustained success tied with Datone finding more success). We have a stopgap at TE who--I think--should be signed for more than one year. If Lacy comes back, we have the RB. We need the WRs. And possibly the next TE or RB. We're short on all offensive skill players outside the QB. And we need one more star on defense (could still be HHCD next year).

But it's paramount this coming year that TT grabs a tested, talented pass catcher in Round 1. Heck, Janis' light may turn on and he might stop rounding routes (which shouldn't be a problem because of his 3-cone, but his 3-cent head--I'm assuming despite his wonderlic--keeps getting in his way). Jordy is the Kampman of WRs. Talented enough combined with a work ethic that put him over the top. We need a guy that can just do it. It ain't Adams, Cobb (he's a superb slot/secondary WR), Janis, Montgomery, Davis, or Geronimo!.

We need someone.

[pbmax]

Much of this comes down to overestimating Cobb as a No. 2 receiver. He doesn't work like that. He is OK as a 3, if you don't need him to get open by himself right away.

[Rutnstrut]

There can't be anything wrong with their current receivers. TT and stubby claimed they were the cream of the crop young guys when they let Jones go. Is Jones the answer, not really. But when healthy he is a hell of a lot better than anyone they have now.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Much of this comes down to overestimating Cobb as a No. 2 receiver. He doesn't work like that. He is OK as a 3, if you don't need him to get open by himself right away.

He also has a habit of coming through in the clutch. All I would say for sure is Cobb is too little to b e a #1. Packer problem isnt Cobb, it's that they don't have a #1.

[King Friday]

Much of this comes down to overestimating Cobb as a No. 2 receiver. He doesn't work like that. He is OK as a 3, if you don't need him to get open by himself right away.

To me, Cobb is fine as a #2 WR...if you run an offense that values using different techniques to get the receiver open.

Put Cobb in New England, and he'd be putting up numbers that would easily validate his talent. Cobb is currently wasted in Green Bay.

It all comes back to the SYSTEM...which puts the blame squarely on the head coach, not the players.

[Pugger]

To me, Cobb is fine as a #2 WR...if you run an offense that values using different techniques to get the receiver open.

Put Cobb in New England, and he'd be putting up numbers that would easily validate his talent. Cobb is currently wasted in Green Bay.

It all comes back to the SYSTEM...which puts the blame squarely on the head coach, not the players.

What is really stupid of Mac and the offensive coaches is if the scheme you are trying to use isn't working - and it hasn't in over a year - isn't it time to try something else that just might? This small paragraph from the article linked above says it all: "What McCarthy’s gameplanning does is take a group of receivers who are incapable of getting open on their own and gives them no help getting open. Rodgers is then expected to complete passes into tighter windows while throwing further downfield than his peers."
And if one of our WRs does get open he drops the damn thing. If I were AR I would be getting damn frustrated. All these years Mac and the coaches have depended upon Rodgers to be perfect and when he isn't the whole damn offense goes down in flames, especially now with no threat of a running game. I think it is well past time for Ted and/or Mark Murphy to consider a change this offseason and bring in a new HC and staff before things really start to get ugly.

[pbmax]

There can't be anything wrong with their current receivers. TT and stubby claimed they were the cream of the crop young guys when they let Jones go. Is Jones the answer, not really. But when healthy he is a hell of a lot better than anyone they have now.

Jones wasn't the answer during last year's slide.

[CaptainKickass]

.


"The steaks were too high"

[Infamous]

SMH..#12 actually is DEFINITELY missing open receivers!! Cobb was open several times in the 3rd quarter and #12 looked away from him..