The Nine Types of Aaron Rodgers Throwaways

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Sure its overkill, but that is what this site celebrates daily.

There is some good info in here. I was especially intrigued by the rollout that doesn't work category. I would have guessed it was blown up by a disciplined defender more than 5 times. I expect some of the others got put into other categories because more than one interesting thing happened on that play.

Of all the repeat plays in the Packers playbook, that one might stand atop having outlived its usefulness.

https://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/packers-film-study-aaron-rodgers-2018-throwaways-229?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

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Quick Pressure: Remain in Pocket: A fantastic GIF that shows what kind of games that teams were getting away with running versus the Packers last year in pass rush.

They get 3 Packers blocking 2 Niners while the wide blitzer is ignored on the Offense's right. Happened several times last year. Not sure if its a bad protection call, bad read or SPRIGGS™ and the guards were just having trouble communicating who to pickup. Often this was done with an overload which is easier to understand but this time they have 4 lineman with 2 guys covering receivers. 5 rushed as the left LB/S ignored the TE who was picked up by an inside backer.

We also speculated Rodgers might be calling this and counting on his elusiveness to avoid that guy. It worked at Atlanta in 2010, did not work last year.

Eventually Packers sent backs or TE to chip or read pass rush first and then run routes, which is part of the reason there were so many late check down routes last year. Its also a reason those check downs failed. Its not really the design of the play to do that, its an afterthought adjustment and it demands a late decision to go elsewhere and that there is time to adjust the throw. When its not a featured part of the offense, it normally doesn't work well especially in a year that pass pressure was more problematic than previous.

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Just saw that this could have been a blown blitz pick up by Jones (I think its him) as he was deep in the I and should have seen it coming. Wasn't shotgun where he could have been on the wrong side of the QB.

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Rodgers Hesitation

Lots of good stuff in these. On this one, the Packer run play action on an outside zone (I think) that works fantastically as the Falcons(?) jump both ILBs into the line to defend.

The Packers run three curls against this and the Falcons are prepared to play man against each. No one is open at the top of Rodgers drop so he waits a beat and then apparently starts to think about his dinner reservations. Its not ideal but Graham has shoved himself open just a bit but it would be a six to seven yard gain.

My first question is why run curls versus a defense being sucked up by play action? Normally, a fooled ILB would have more time to work back to a zone drop or his man. Bad choice.

This was probably Falcons specific though as the middle curl was defended by a nickel DB or safety. So a curl naturally shields the defender from the pass. Could be an option route though. Graham might have to decide what to run depending on who reacts to him.

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Looking at it again, when Rodgers looks at Graham, perhaps a beat early for the route or at least Grahams speed, he is blanketed.

If they get used to each other, Rodgers would know a shove is coming and stay with him. Instead he glances left at Adams who has done less to get open.

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Nice find in the data:

Rodgers threw the ball away a total of 22 times (37.29%) in field goal range. They didn't score on 6 of those drives, with 4 of those coming in Crosby's abysmal 1/5 performance in Detroit.

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It seemed last year that that with Jordy gone, Adams was the only receiver that Rodgers would throw a 50/50 ball to. That is why I think the loss of Geronimo Allison was bigger than a lot of people realize. Rodgers has always trusted Allison in a way he didn't trust the rookies last year. With Allison and Kumerow presumably back healthy, and the rookies no longer rookies, I'm actually kind of bullish on this WR corp. Now if only Graham could get his jumping ability back.

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It seemed last year that that with Jordy gone, Adams was the only receiver that Rodgers would throw a 50/50 ball to. That is why I think the loss of Geronimo Allison was bigger than a lot of people realize. Rodgers has always trusted Allison in a way he didn't trust the rookies last year. With Allison and Kumerow presumably back healthy, and the rookies no longer rookies, I'm actually kind of bullish on this WR corp. Now if only Graham could get his jumping ability back.

He threw some of those to Graham but with brutal results.