Who’s Playing Favorites: Rodgers, McCarthy or Both?
Remember the abundance of talent the Green Bay Packers had at receiver – so much that the team kept 10 receivers, seven wide receivers and three tight ends, on the 53-man roster?
Where are they now? Jared Abbrederis, Trevor Davis, Jeff Janis, Ty Montgomery and Justin Perillo combined for a total of zero catches and, yes, zero targets against the New York Giants. You might as well throw in Jared Cook, who, with 53 receiving yards, was largely left out of the passing attack prior to being injured in his third game with the team that was so high on him.
A few of these players – all of whom have showed talent and potential when briefly given opportunities – actually had some offensive snaps against the Giants. It looked for a moment like the team was finally going to give its young players some game experience and a chance to prove their worth.
Did Aaron Rodgers – who has said on many occasions that he needs to have trust in his receivers – simply ignore all the subs, and instead look to those he trusts: Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams and Richard Rodgers? Or, did Mike McCarthy simply use them as decoys, while the intended receivers all along were Rodgers’ fab four?
So, the Packers have four receivers meeting Rodgers’ and/or McCarthy’s approval and five outcasts. In fact, the ratio might soon be three and six, as Richard Rodgers has but five catches for 40 yards on the season. On Sunday Richard Rodgers was targeted five times and amassed a whopping six receiving yards on his one catch. One of these was a perfectly-thrown Aaron Rodgers’ pass that went through his hands in the end zone. With seven minutes to go in the game, a catch there would have clinched the win.
Despite all of McCarthy’s preseason talk about the importance of tight end play and exploiting the middle of the field, Green Bay’s tight end production after four games stands at 14 catches for 125 yards, an average of 31 yards per game. That’s bad coaching.
Whether Rodgers, McCarthy or both are responsible for this misuse of personnel, McCarthy is the one who needs to be held accountable for squandering the talents of his five young receivers. The Packers are known as the prototypical draft-and-develop team.
What happened to the “develop” part?
Something is very wrong in Green Bay. People need to be held accountable period. If anything, I believe that both are to blame. Aaron Rodgers for the ABYSMAL play as of late, his inconsistent accuracy, the last minute time outs (in a hurry up offense?) because they cannot get the play pulled off. The staring down of targets (he never used to do that). The inability to recognize open receiver’s (OTHER THAN HIS “3”), even when he has 3 to 6 seconds to see them because the O line is finally kicking some ass! I have also noticed that he bails quickly from the pocket as well. Which brings me to MM the buffoon. Who is coaching this team? Really! A coach is supposed to be aggressive with his points to the players! It is his team to win or lose. The player is not supposed to dictate each play (if in fact Rodgers is). MM should not be passive aggressive with his coaching. He is the fucking BOSS. He does not act like one! If my posits regarding Rodgers are correct . . . sit Rodgers for a series or two, make him understand protocol and teamwork and his place . . . If this is NOT THE CASE, then that fucking fuck MM needs to go now, because no one can be that bad and get away with it. TT (in this case) should be doing his job and riding both of these fuckers then . . . which then turns to the responsibility of the poser Mark Murphy who should be on TT’s ass for not doing his job. What a cluster fuck in Green Bay through inaction! These guys have seriously dropped the ball, and someone needs to pick it up NOW!
Have not looked at the coaches film yet, however during the game it appeared that Davis and Janis were being used to clear zones (decoys) for other receivers. Rodgers did not appear to even look at Janis and Davis and maybe they were covered as it is hard to say from the views on TV. It did work to some degree. The biggest mistake was when Janis ran his man into the intended deep pass for Nelson. Not sure but I don’t think Janis was used as a receiver again.
At some point if you are going to use receivers to clear zones you have to make the other team believe they are legitimate targets or else when you least expect it that player defending your decoy is going to drop coverage and Pick one off from your intended favorite.
Well said my friend,well said.
Reply intended for MMTTDCSUCK. And maybe we should add AR to that?
Never thought I would say this… but Capers is more often than not holding his side of the bargain. We held on to games on the back of the defense, even when they spend a lot of time on the field because our offense forgot what a first down is.
Regarding the decoy players: agree with Howard, the opponent has to feel they can create danger. Otherwise, it is just “have someone trot by that guy and that guy, and double cover Nelson and Cob”. If some of us realize those guys just play as decoys, clearly other teams’ defensive staff will take note and figure out ways to punish our predictability.
Maybe Rodgers has unrealistic standards for his receivers. You can’t have four Julio Jones clones (speed, height, hands, routes, all ideal).
I do’nt know but can’the owners put a voting for a new president on de agenda? Maybe that would help to get rid of Mad Murphy and his protege’s. Well thats not quite the right word couse one of them is allmost a corpse.