Has Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers ever been criticized as much as he’s being criticized right now?
Not to our recollection.
That theme continued on Thursday, when NFL Films senior producer Greg Cosell told Colin Cowherd Rodgers is part of the Packers’ problem.
“He’s very quick to break down in the pocket. So all I’m saying is, he’s part of the problem. I think for many people, the feeling is the receiving corps is not very good, it’s not a great o-line, and those things are probably true right now. Certainly, his receivers have struggled at times to get open versus man coverage. They don’t do a lot of combination routes to help them get open versus man, but I think he’s been very quick to break down. There’s a random nature to his play that can work at times — and he’s probably the master of it — but it’s very, very difficult to play consistently like that week after week after week.”
Here’s the full clip.
Not terribly surprising, at least in terms of the context for the statement. Cowherd has been banging the drum for the anti-Aaron Rodgers faction.
First, Cowherd questioned Rodgers’ leadership (which we agreed with). Then he presented some anecdotes where teammates found Rodgers moody and standoffish.
Now, do we think Cosell’s assessment is accurate?
Well, watch the film. The answer is yes.
We know the Packers’ offensive line is a dumpster fire, but Rodgers is looking for a way out the pocket pretty much from the moment he gets the snap. Hard to go through your progressions or run the play as designed that way.
The Packers’ play caller, Tom Clements, seems to agree. So does ESPN NFL analyst Ron Jaworski.
He said virtually the same thing about Rodgers on PTI, Thursday.
“I’ve been very disappointed with his play the last couple weeks. And I like to call the term “action figure,” and when a quarterback gets in the action figure mode, I get very concerned. By that I mean, he starts looking for areas to run, rather than throw. At the top of the drop, the legs get wider, he’s looking to get out of the pocket, the ball drops down, the face mask drops down looking for somewhere to go. Aaron Rodgers is great at extending plays. I get it. I understand that, but that can’t be the mode of operation consistently in the NFL and that’s what’s happening with Aaron right now. He’s trying to make the plays outside of structure, rather than just staying with the play call, going through his progression and getting rid of the football. I am concerned about Rodgers right now.”
Jaworski also mentioned that he dropped Rodgers from the No. 1 spot on his quarterback board for the first time in who knows how long.
We could care less about that, but it would be nice if Rodgers got back to his old ways and did so against a team with a real, live defense (Detroit doesn’t count).
And by the way, where’s the preplanned and rehearsed R-E-L-A-X this year, bro? Has that t-shirt slogan already played itself out?
Did Jordan sell enough of those shirts?
How do these guys have a job? When your QB is getting hit or pressured every other pass attempt it would make any QB uneasy in the pocket. Everyone knows this, QB1 has been abused the last couple of weeks with our terrible pass protection and he needs to have better passing lanes so he can see the field.
Probably spends too much time with his girlfriend….or wants to!
Remember how bad the Packers were a couple of years ago without Rodgers? Enough said!
The line just needs to step their fucking game up. They’re making Rodgers look horrible, and Lacy too for that matter.
I don’t think Favre ever took this much criticism when he couldn’t win in domes early in his career, couldn’t beat the Bears or Tampa Bay in his last 8 years with the Packers, lead the league in interceptions for 3 seasons, or threw away a bunch of playoff games in his attempt to be the hero. And that’s just his play on the field.
For some reason Favre was made of Teflon.
“Teflon” is usually used in the context of comparison. Let me explain to you why such comparitive terms are not apt in Favre’s case:
u r forgetting that BF came out of nowhere to fulfill the fans’ thirst from a quarter century drought! the success of Favre, esp. the SB win, was the first taste of Lombardi like success in a generation! then Favre had become a “FB God” in GB. that is why he knew he could get away with reckless gunslinging in playoff games vs. Philly [McNabb] or NYG [Eli], because there was only upside glory if his long bombs won those OT games, and if not, the loss would be put on the entire team, not him personally.
Now, AR came second, after BF. It seemed like a miracle that happens only once or twice in sports in a century, not unlike the NYY following up the acquisition of Ruth with the later acquisition of Lou Gehrig. now in GB after 25 years, we got two great QB in a row, after only one year as the new starter, AR looked to fill the shoes of the great BF! but now, after several years as a deservedly anointed new king of the NFL, AR has to be aware that he might BECOME BF #2 in the eyes of the sports world, and the fact that “BF #1” is an immediate predecessor for the fans and pundits comparisons. that is something that BF did not have to concern himself with as BF had come first, so no such comparisons existed, that is why Teflon was never used as a descriptive for Favre. For exampe, in the mafia:
It is like the “Teflon” of John Gotti; the analogy is apt due to the existence of predecessors who were eventually nailed by the FBI, and as long as Gotti was out free, the moniker “Teflon Don” was used for comparison purposes to previous mafia “Dons”.
So in Favre’s case, there was no immediate predecessor for comparison purposes. Ergo, there was no apt use of the comparative term “Teflon”
What a lame cheap shot and not even relevant to the discussion.
Has this site just turned into a giant echo of everything Colin Cowherd has to say? “Derp derp derp, Cowherd said this and so did we so it must have merit.” When you talk shit about someone for so long you’re bound to have something come up eventually, and that’s when all the critics start screaming “I told you so” at the top of their lungs. Rodgers is human, not superman.
Couldn’t agree with you more deepsky
nice fucking eye-liner Cowherd you douche….
I love Arodge. Fucking thank God he is our QB. That being said, the critisism is fair. For those complaining about our oline, yes they arent great, and Rodgers, even when not getting sacked has had a lot of defense men in his backfield thanks to Lindsley and Baktihari being pushed back, a LOT. However, look, there are QB’s in this league who get hit a LOT more than he does. It isnt like he is getting masacred out there.
Aaron is way too quick off his first and 2nd read and he has happy feet. He has no confidence in the quick slant or out, and he still is adverse to risk. He has the ability to audible out of plays yet seems unwilling to do so.
Watch Peyton Manning. What we have been told is Arodge basically has the same control over the offense on the field as Manning. Yet if you watch Manning, he will often call a play in hurry up, then after going to the center, back off and change the play. He has made his career off of his ability to read defenses this way. Arodge last year, did the same thing, often. I honestly cannot remember the last time I saw Aaron changing a play once the offense was ‘set’ and ready for snap.
Aaron is distracted right now. Lets hope that changes soon.
Colin Cowturd. One step above Skippy Clueless in the “I’ll say anything negative, or tear down anyone, in order to get stupid lemmings to click on my shit.”
“There’s a random nature to his play that can work at times — and he’s probably the master of it — but it’s very, very difficult to play consistently like that week after week after week.”
Ok, Rodgers hasn’t been doing as well as usual. This has been going on for all of two or three games. We’ve got, what, eight seasons worth of pro-bowl play from him, and we’re supposed to be seriously worried about him after two or three below average games?
He got knocked down and sacked like 15+ times last game, so I can understand why a human might not play to his usual standards under those circumstances. Yet, he threw for 369 yards and four TDs, as well.
Given the enormously small sample size of “below average” performance (by Rodgers’ standards), in the context of many seasons of awesome performance, I think I feel comfortable waiting a while before I start buying into this whole Rodgers is “the problem” stuff.
Obviously Rodgers is playing up to his usual standard and yet he has 19 TDs to 3INTs and has the 4th higher passer rating in the NFL at 108, while having faced 5 of the best defenses in the NFL and 2 other solid ones…yeah, Aaron Rodgers is the problem.
isn’t*
Are we even making the playoffs???
MetsPackersRangers, no. The season is over for the Packers. Obviously.
*Qualifier* Even if they do make the Playoffs, it does not prove that they do not suck, nor does it prove that Rodgers is not “the problem.” The Packers must win the Super Bowl, probably in convincing fashion, or it will only confirm our collective assertion that they are “fucking losers” and “chokers” who always don’t win the Super Bowl (except when they did). Got it?
This site sucks….funny how stupid you d-bags are, even though we are 6-2. Suck on a fatty.