Its almost as he was not happy playing the game any more. I guess I can't really blame him given how things were going. I'm not sure I saw much of that passion during the game. Truthfully I didn't see a whole lot that was different from the last several weeks (not sure how that viking game snuck in there) but after that last play it certainly was there. During the post game interview he sounded excited and happy again. I hope its a sign of things to come.
Originally Posted by: sschind
Did see emotion and fire that I haven't seen from Rodgers in a while, and it first showed when he ran the ball in for the TD and spiked it. I hope he is able to keep that fire burning. It was looking like he was getting burned out or something and not just this year.
Gotta remember that even though it is his job, it is still a game.
Originally Posted by: PackFanWithTwins
If you watch AR's facial expression in the first 3Qs of this game I think about those Southwest Commercials from a few years back, "Wanna get away?" He' s the proverbial guy taking a jumpshot and he sees the hoop being small like a hoop at a carnival and he doesn't want to be there.
BUT, look at his expression in the 4th; he doesn't look like he just smoked a joint and took a hit of Nyquill, his eyes are brighter; his eyes and head are darting. His posture and body language completely changed; he was more animated at the LOS, in the huddle and on the sideline. If you look you'll see this also occurred in 4th Q of the 1st Det. and Car games; it's just that there was no celebration afterward.
AR is pissed at the game plan; when the game plan gets tossed; he comes to life. AR's troubles since Denver are 100% driven by his attitude.
The first 6 weeks AR begrudgingly ran the Offense. I expected and I'll bet my left nut that AR expected the O game plan to transform during the bye and come out in Denver; when MM kept the governor on; AR got pissed.
Now, Game 13, for sure the governor comes off. The losing has forced MM to reveal some of the Offense earlier than planned. in the last few weeks we've seen several unscouted looks on bunch formations; middle screens; Cobb more in backfield; using Cobb on fake hand-offs; we saw the Jordy 60 yrd guaranteed TD play; etc. This week we saw R.Rodgers moving across the middle for the first time, instead of those short outs, wheel routes off those outs and sitting in hook zone gaps. Interestingly, those were the routes that AR was most accurate on because he liked them!!!! If AR doesn't like the route combos he sulks and his accuracy sulks with it.
The #3 Offense will return v. Dallas, and everyone will believe the world is right; this will mask the underlying problem that AR will only play when he feels like it. And hopefully, his Yips are temporary.