Great post Cheesy.
Barfarn - I too have been critical of Aaron Rodgers and some Burt-like tendencies, but how you can come out blasting after this game blows my mind. TWO THIRDS of the available WRs for the majority of this game WEREN'T EVEN ON THE ROSTER AT THE END OF TRAINING CAMP.
So he skipped a 4th down pass to Jones...BFD. His mobility in the pocket, a 61 yard shot to Janis, eluding pressure for a hail mary...and he didn't get to touch the ball in OT, and you blame him?
Shields has two picks bounce of his hands, broken coverage on Fitz's TD and Aaron Rodgers is who you dwell on?!?
Originally Posted by: musccy
Since 2010, the Defense has closed out several Playoff games; AR has closed out only one [and that one only because Cobb caught a deflection on a choke throw by AR on 3rd and 11 w/ 2 minutes left to preserve 5 pt win v. Dallas]; but no one on Defense is making anywhere near 22M per and you blame the defense?
Note: Shields was playing his first game with little practice in 4 weeks; that is to largely to blame him for failed INTs. But, he should be kicked in the nuts for stopping his play when Floyd kept on playing on the Fitz deflection.
Much of what I've been bItching about with AR was ratified by this performance. If Kapernick has talented receivers, a great OL, and really good RBs performing well; he's pretty good. Take away one facet and he is mediocre; take away two and he stinks. This is why Kap got a 10M per prove it deal and MVP AR got 22M per w/ a ton guaranteed. But, for much of this year AR was Kapernick. And this cost us, AGAIN, the ability to play playoff games in GB.
Nerd complains that we can never put anyone away, and you all know this is 100% true. Here's why: (1) When Brady is up by 7 or 10 or 13 late in 3rd, they score, and score some TDs in their last few possessions-Game over, regardless of what the D or STs does. (2) Give the ball to Brady with 3 minutes, down by 7 or less, so now he has 4 downs to get 10 yards and he will score, leaving well under 1 minute, unless the opposing D does something amazing or if one of the other 10 on offense causes a turnover. (3) With weapons and OLman injured; Brady makes others around him better. AR might be as good or better than Brady in many other situations; but he can’t carry Brady’s jock strap on these 3 critical issues.
In AZ, there is no arguing that AR played well for 3 quarters; those 3 long drives under the circumstances was MVP type stuff. But, then comes the 4th Q. He AGAIN, becomes the deer in the headlights. In AZ, on 3 "normal drives" [not counting last drive] in 4th Q, Rodgers was 3-7-11 yards [a 50.2 passer rating]. What is his 4th Q passer rating with the game on the line? I'll bet its historically very low for a guy thought to be a pro-bowler, let alone an MVP. He wins what, 1 in 10, 1 in 20, on last drive opportunities? We saw this repeatedly in his rookie year and we've see it repeatedly in regular season since and now it is part of his core playoff character to wit:
In 2010:
In Philly: We're up 21-10 w/ ball w/ 4:27 in 3rd Q; game over right? Nope! We have a 3 and out; one 1st and punt; and another one 1st and punt; and Tramon INTs ball in endzone to preserve the 5 pt win.
In Atl: Rodgers can manage the game in 4th Q.
In Chicago: We're up by 14 w/ a 1st and goal at 8, with 9:02 left in 3rd: game over right? Nope! AR throws INT; then one 1st down and punt; then 3 and out; then 2 1st downs and punt; then a 3 and out; and yet another 3 and out. Raji gets a pick 6 in there AND Shields gets a pick to preserve the 7 point win. [Thank God Todd Collins and Caleb Hainey were QBing].
In the Super Bowl: up 21-10 to start 3rd; AR comes out with a 3 and out; another 3 and out; one 1st down and punt; and yet another 3 and out. One 1st down in 4 drives. This kills a D, yet CM3 causes the fumble and w/ a short field AR does move the team for TD. Now on last drive were up by 3 and a TD ends the game, but we only get 3 and leave 2:10 for Pitt. The D had to close the game, again, not our $22M QB.
Rodgers can only win a playoff game, if he can manage a game in the 4th Q. The difference between 2010 and 2015 is that 2010-Rodgers wasn't sucking up 1/6th of the cap; so there's 1-2-3 more guys on defense that could be paid, giving the D more depth and talent to assist in closing out games, especially when those games are on the road.
In 2011:
V. Giants: He just plays a horrible game. The O comes alive in meaningless 4th Q. [Sound familiar?]. Rodgers had a 62 QB rating in first 3 quarters and a big fumble.
In 2012:
V. Minn: AR manages a 4th Q in easy win
V. SF, Shields spots us a 7 point lead; but AR completes just 5 passes in first half; giving SF the ability to catch up and run over us in second.
In 2013:
v. SF: We have ball first and goal at 9 w/ 6:12 left down by 3 and can only get FG; leaving it to an underpaid and depleted D to preserve the tie.
In 2014:
v. Dallas: AR played his only Brady-like playoff game. In 4th Q, down by 1 drove 8 play in 80 to score TD [to R.Rodgers, BTW] to take 5 point lead [Though he flubbed the 2pt conv. Then with game in balance he got ball back and drained the last 4:06 [Though Cobb did catch a horrible choke throw/deflected pass on 3rd and 11 that if not caught would have given Dallas 2:00 to score a TD].
V. Seattle: Total choke job in Seattle w/ a 55.8 passer rating for game and a joke of a 59.9 passer rating in 4th Q.
If AR cant close games, I'll still take him; but not for 22M! Because he's making 22M instead of a Kapernick's 10M, we must in 2016 let go a chunk of the D that will hurt all three levels. Not being able to resign Perry and Neal, hurts Peppers, who will have to play more; an UDFA will have to man the NT position, Hayward's loss will hurt the Secondary's play and depth. Now this depleted D is supposed to close out games for deer-headlight boy in 2016 and 17? The ONLY reason a person is paid 22M is because he will win games for you! Well, unless you're the Lions.
Of course, when he can throw all caution to the wind, down by 2 scores with 6 min to go; or down by 7 w/ 54 seconds, he will let his talents loose and if the Defense is undisciplined, he might even pull off the miracle. But, even in these caution-less moments his deer-in-the-headlighted-ness affects his play. His clock management is outrageously bad at the most critical moments. Wasting critical timeouts; do any of you realize how stupid that throw to Rodgers was in the Minn. Game ? And there is no excuse for that dumbass fake spike, NO EXCUSE!
I started forming this post when we punted on 1st 4th Q drive, Brady would have ended the game right there. Then the failure to move the ball on 2nd drive in 4th Q w/ 4 plays to get 10 yards was just outrageous. I'm not impressed nor have ever been impressed by the heroics and the last minute luck. I give zero credit to the Majikowski fluff crap. If you need that stupid luck crap, it is only because you suck as a team and it only makes stupid fans giddy. And whether Janis makes drops the Hail Mary or makes the catch; or our defense gets a pick 6 in OT for the win; or Fitz runs through the D like they’re little bitches; Rodgers is who he is. And he is not worth anywhere near 22M per!
And because Rodgers will absolutely suck in 40% of his Playoff games, and will suck in the 4th Quarter of 90% of close playoff games; it is statistically impossible for GB to win 3 or 4 in a row against playoff caliber teams, IMPOSSIBLE. We mind as well trade him to Browns for a 1st and 3rd and McCown. We'll be a better team for it.