If I’m not the world’s biggest Jeff Janis fan, I’m somewhere in the top five. I got on board the day he was drafted, I’ve never wavered, and I still have no reason to do so.
I’ve made my case incessantly, but most passionately and sensibly back in July. Janis is as good an athlete as Atlanta’s Julio Jones or any other NFL wide receiver – and athleticism matters in athletics.
I gave up arguing earlier in the season, after three years of doing so. I admit defeat. Mike McCarthy and/or Aaron Rodgers have a prejudice against my guy that borders on hatred. It goes beyond what is best for the team. Last year, a reporter who was in a position to know – I can’t recall which one – gave a simple explanation, saying QB Rodgers “loathes” Janis.
So I’ve shut up. I watched silently as undrafted rookie Geronimo Allison was inserted into the lineup ahead of Janis around midseason. Then last week, when a Packers wide receiver was briefly injured, I stared in disbelief, but said nothing as untested rookie Trevor Davis, who was first benched and then made inactive in December, came onto the field for five plays.
A Super Bowl Berth at Stake?
The Packers are now facing their best opportunity in six years to return to the Super Bowl. The latest injury report is out: Jordy Nelson (ribs), Davante Adams (ankle), and Geronimo Allison (hamstring) are all listed as questionable. I can’t remain silent any longer.
Fans, keep your eyes glued on the Packers’ receivers when they go up against the Falcons. Watch closely. Will the Packers play one, two, or even three injured receivers in preference to Jeff Janis?
Are hurt and limited receivers really better than a healthy Janis? Is a game of this importance the right time to bring in the inexperienced Davis, who wasn’t even suiting up a month ago?
Will McCarthy continue, as he’s done for three years now, to deny Janis playing time as a receiver?
In those three years, this magnificent athlete has had but ONE extended chance to play wide receiver, and then only because McCarthy ran out of bodies in last year’s playoff game against the Cardinals. Is seven catches, 145 yards and two touchdowns on such a playoff stage and without practicing with the starting unit, not good enough for any further opportunities? And please don’t recite that “he’s not good in practice” or “he dropped one pass” baloney.
If McCarthy throws away this rare chance to advance to the Super Bowl on Sunday, and it appears it’s due to whatever grudge the Packers are using to hold back Janis’ career, he’ll fully deserve all the crap that Packer Nation can hurl his way.
Assuming that not all three injured receivers are well enough to play well, what’s it going to be, Big Mike?
We all thought Jarret Boykin was a stud too. It happens, players have some talent, just enough to make an impact for a game or a few games. The game tape piles up, and teams catch on to what weaknesses that player has. If Jeff Janis really could make that kind of difference, he would be out there.
101 of Janis’s receiving yards came on just 2 plays. That’s all pretty much all he’s good for. You can run a whole offense based off of just that. That’s not how it works in the McCarthy/Rodgers offensive game plan.
* can’t run a whole offense
Exactly Chad.
The Packers run a precision offense based on routes and timing and full knowledge of the offense.
It’s been reported that Janis does not excel in these area’s.
But those people who never have met Janis, talked to him, watched him practiced, know far more than any of those dumb, stupid coaches who spend everyday with him and do it for a living.
Hard to argue with those people who are obviously smarter than anyone else.
Rob, as far as last week goes I believe Janis was also injured in the Giants game. I think the team wanted to limit a injured Janis to STs. In the Giants game Janis did receive snaps in the first half as a receiver. I do not believe he received many snaps, if any in the second half. Not sure if that is why the offense started clicking in the second half or not.
I really think the team has Janis running the wrong routes if they truly want him to receive the ball. In most cases they have Janis run a go and no matter what anyone says it has to make Rodgers question the one drop in the game. What we don’t see is how many drops or route mistakes Janis makes in practice. I think Janis would be better running across the field or diagonally to Rodgers. Unless the team wants to keep running Janis deep to clear zones then keep those type of routes 10 to 20+ yards down field as Janis has had problems avoiding linebackers in shallow crossing routes. Janis appears to be better at catching a ball he is facing or is coming from his side. Over the shoulder catches on the run have been a problem for Janis.
You really have to stop going over the top on some things.
Do you really want to insinuate that if the Packers don’t go to the Super Bowl, it’s because they didn’t use Janis? Talk about losing credibility.
Do you have some 1st hand knowledge to proclaim there is a grudge against Janis?
Do you confuse the word grudge, with the simple aspect of his inability to do what is needed to be featured in the offense more?
Do you really expect us to believe, you have the right read on Janis, sitting in your chair at home, vs. the coaches whose life business is preparing and evaluating NFL talent, and the only reason for not playing Janis, is that they have a grudge against him. A grudge that you can’t prove.
Listen closely Rob. A refusal to integrate a player more in the offense, isn’t then automatically deemed a “grudge” Look up the word grudge. It doesn’t define it as “the refusal to play an NFL wide receiver.”
More coaches than just McCarthy are involved in game planning, what players play, how much they play, how much they are featured.
But here’s what boggles my mind the most. That from your perch on Whidbey Island. You think you seem to know better than all these coaches and off. coordinators, who should be playing, That you know better on Janis, than all these coaches who know his game, watch him everyday. I’ll bet if i went back far enough, i’d find you complaining that Adams was ahead of Janis.
Now..brace yourself. A players physical stats, metrics don’t make him a football player that deserves more playing time. Just because a player has similar metrics to Julio Jones, does not make him Julio Jones. A players 40 time, height, burst, agility, does NOT automatically make him a NFL wide reciever that deserves more playing time.
Both Rodgers and McCarthy have given Janis praise when he’s earned it. So don’t act like you know there is some “prejudice and hatred” towards Janis. You don’t know that. Just because you had an infatuation with a player when he was drafted, doesn’t mean he should get more playing time.
Lastly…..Many, many GM’s, head coaches, players, have repeatedly stated, that the difference between college ball, and the NFL, is 90% mental. Read into that what you’d like.
But do yourself a favor, let go of your Janis obsession. Just like the Tebow faithful did. Maybe try corresponding with local Packer reporters from the Milw. Journal, or Green Bay Gazette, they have listed E-MAILS. Talk to someone that might have real legitimate insight into what you seem to suffer so much pain about.
Move on.
In the article I linked to, I answer one of your arguments: “Can Janis fail despite his athleticism? Anything’s possible, but no other wide receiver with near his athleticism has failed, other than due to serious injury. I’ve rated 18 others as next in line to, but well below, the [five most athletic receivers of 589 dating back to 1999, of which Janis is first]. Only one, Chaz Schilens from 2008, got a fair chance and failed to become a steady NFL starter, but he also had serious injuries two years in a row.
As to whether the coach and QB are biased, after Janis’ heroics tied up the Cardinals game last year, on the flight back from Arizona, Rodgers happened by where Janis was seated, and said “Nice game.” That was all. Shortly after that game, here’s how much praise McCarthy heaped upon him at his press conference: “They need to earn their opportunities. I thought (Janis) struggled in the preseason, frankly. He picked it up on special teams and he had a helluva year on special teams. As a receiver, he was inconsistent.” No mention of the Cardinals’ game. When Rodgers was fed a specific question this season as to whether Janis should see more action, he instead talked up Geronimo and Trevor without saying one word about Janis. I’ve saved up a half-dozen pages of such crap. And I’ve got almost as many p pages on Packers’ beat writers and national NFL followers asking why Janis isn’t playing. The best evidence, however, is that Rodgers won’t throw to him when he’s in there – leaving guys like you to wrongly conclude he’s not getting open or he’s under-performing.
Uh huh. Let it go my man, let it go.
MM is a terrible coach though. Janis should be playing!!!!!!
http://www.packersnews.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2016/11/21/94245920/
You are absolutely correct, Rob. If given the chance, Janis will shred the Atlanta secondary.
I’m always in awe of predictors of future events. Anyone have the 6 winning powerball #’s for tonight?
My guess here is that they still do not trust Janis`s hands and route running skills. By the way Janis is not “dumb”. He scored well into the twenties on the Wonderlich Test. Rob, as for your other article about Abbrederis I wish he was still there also but they decided to release him. To be honest, I wouldn`t doubt if he asked for his release so he could hook up with another team that was going to give him more possible playing time. As you`ve pointed out Abby is a great route runner with good hands and very decent speed. Should be playing somewhere.
Wonderlic
I don’t recall anyone posting in here that Janis was dumb.
Maybe you are just one of those types of guys that likes to speak for everyone because your so much smarter than the rest of us.
7. JEFF JANIS, WR, SAGINAW VALLEY STATE
AFC scout: “Big, strong guy. Little straight-line. He’s got straight-line speed so he can run by people. But when he starts having to run routes, he struggles a little bit in and out of his breaks.”
AFC scout: “He’s horrible.”
NFC scout: “Free agent. I don’t think he’s going to be much better than that. He’s no Jordy Nelson, all right?”
NFC scout: “He’s a good small-school player. Raw.”
AFC scout: “He ran real well at the combine but I didn’t like him down there in Mobile.”
AFC scout: “No, he’s not a player. He caught 1,000 passes but he had 1,000 chances, too.”
Bob McGinn
Who cares what a bunch of random scouts say? It’s not going to determine his career. If that were the case we wouldn’t even know who Steph Curry was, and he’s a multiple time league MVP. Good job scouts. Not saying Janis is gonna be the next Jerry Rice, but how many times has Adams dropped the ball or completely fucked up at the offenses expense? Yet Rodgers continued to force him the ball more than any other receiver. Adams is another guy who is athletic, but if you can find one person who wanted him on the field at the begining of the year I can guarantee they’re a damn liar. Things have worked out ok since then, but look at all the opportunites he was given. You can’t tell me that if Janis was given that many opportunities that he wouldn’t make some sort of splash.
It’s a point of reference, 3 seasons after the draft to compare what they said back then, makes it relevant.
Are you contending Janis problem is just lack of opportunity? Isn’t that what all the Tebow fans said about Timmy?
No worries gentlemen….
He’ll get waived and picked up by NE….
Belechik and Brady will turn him into a all-pro slot receiver to replace Edelman when hes up for a huge salary increase…
Well, after 3 seasons, and bonehead mistakes he’s making on special teams. It shouldn’t be long now.
The only thing I know consistently about WRs in Green Bay is they value WRs as much as McCarthy values his position/assistant head coaches. The more the merrier.
What would be the motivation of not playing Janis if they think he can play?
They don’t want to be better? Rodgers doesn’t want a deep field threat? Think about how stupid that is.
Or Robs contention that there is a grudge against Janis that he refuses to play him? If that were true, Why keep Janis on the roster? Why not get rid of him?
The Jeff Janis debate and peoples views, are seriously lame.