This story is getting tired, isn’t it? Jeff Janis plays, Jeff Janis makes plays, but Jeff Janis rarely plays because Jeff Janis either doesn’t run good enough routes, doesn’t have the trust of quarterback Aaron Rodgers or, you know, just… Buffoon.
Well, Jeff Janis is finally playing meaningful offensive snaps for the Green Bay Packers. He’s doing so for the same reason he’s always played any offensive snaps for the Packers — they have no other option.
It’s like last season’s playoff game in Arizona, when the Packers were without Jordy Nelson, Davante Adams and Randall Cobb. They had to play Janis.
This year, it’s a slightly different situation. Because of the lack of a viable running game, the Packers have had to resort to a short passing game that employs more than three receivers. Add in the fact that the Packers have no tight end production, Ty Montgomery has been used extensively in the backfield and both he and Randall Cobb missed last week’s game and again, the Packers have no choice.
They have to play Janis.
What has Janis done with the first extensive regular-season action of his career? Not much.
Eight catches, 53 yards, a 6.6 yard average and one touchdown.
The average, like that of most of the Packers’ receivers this year, is pathetic. However, that touchdown catch, which came last week in Atlanta, is giving people hope.
That includes Janis himself, who suggested that maybe he finally has the much-coveted Aaron Rodgers’ trust nod.
“He was pretty jacked,” Janis said. “He kind of smacked me on the chest, I think, once. He was pretty excited, and it was a cool moment. Any time you can score on something like that, it’s huge confidence-wise, trust-wise for Aaron and the coaches. It kind of opens their eyes a little bit.
“Just to see him react that way, it just kind of gives you that feeling, I guess, where in the back of your mind, you know that he’s going to throw me the ball if he really needs to. He’s going to trust me to make a play.”
The funny thing there is this part of the quote — “if he really needs to.”
Everyone has been waiting for Janis to break out. That obviously hasn’t happened yet and it may never happen.
And here’s Janis suggesting that Rodgers only throws him the ball if he absolutely has to. Frankly, that’s not surprising.
For whatever reason — let’s call it “trust” — Rodgers rarely looks anywhere other than Nelson, Cobb or Adams. Recently, the exception has been Montgomery, who has 20 receptions over his last two games played. That comes after zero receptions (albeit on very limited snaps) prior to those two games.
So things can change.
Will they finally change for Janis?
We still have our doubts, but it’s probably closer to happening now than it ever has been before.
“That comes after zero receptions (albeit on very limited snaps) prior to those two games.” – Joesph
Riddle me this Joe…Tell me how a wide receiver catches a pass, when the QB never threw the ball to him? Yes, it’s true Montgomery had 0 receptions prior to those 2 games. It’s also true, Rodgers never threw him the ball.
Please don’t tell me it’s because he couldn’t get open. He’s caught 20 passes of 25 targets, that’s 80%, that’s better than anyone on the team. When he’s part of the actual game plan, all he does is get open.
Let’s also give this trust issue a rest, in a cheap attempt to make Rodgers look like an asshole. Besides Rodgers, the coaches and position coaches have all said that Janis wasn’t there yet, in reference to running his routes correctly, knowing the whole playbook. Janis has also admitted these things, and said he needed to “earn” Rodgers trust. Lets not pretend that any QB on any team, doesn’t need to have trust in his receivers running the right routes, and making the right breaks. Especially in a timing offense like the Packers run.
What a POS you are.
What is a john smith? Is that a user name the writers here use? Well, your moms a POS……So what’s your point asshole?
Just post under your name. Don’t be such a pussy.
It kind of opens their eyes a little bit.
Here’s what I think seems to be going on. Most of the WR receiver routes run by the packers rely on the receiver to make a move one-on-one versus a DB and get open. The WRs are supposed to read the coverage and determine which move to make, and Aaron will make the same read and throw the ball into space for the WR to go get it. If the WR makes a different read, Aaron looks like a fool and throws it to no one. So I guess Jordy and Randall know how to make the moves Aaron expects, if Davante were to ever make an effective football move it might be the one Aaron would expect, and apparently Jeff has no clue how to decide which move to make. Is it that tough to make the same read as Aaron? I have no idea.
On second thought, if it is so hard to figure out how to read the coverage the same way as Aaron, maybe it’s not such a great way to run an offense.
Agree with Alan. If that is required from the WRs, you need pretty smart ones, restricting the list of candidates.
I don’t know if the receivers reading the coverage, dictates the route they run, maybe a play or 2 but overall, i doubt it. It’s hard enough to learn all the plays, but then to hang variables on them depending on the coverage seems far fetched. Shawn may know more about this than i do though.
No mention of Janis’ lack of blocking ability. I think that plays a huge part in why he doesn’t get much playing time.