From NFL.com...
PACKERS WITHOUT RODGERS: Brett Hundley can lead a playoff push
R-E-L-A-X!
Not to steal a line from Aaron Rodgers, but Green Bay Packers fans should chill out because their team is in good hands with Brett Hundley stepping in as QB1 with Rodgers sidelined by a broken collarbone.
Now, I'm not suggesting the third-year pro is poised to play at an MVP level as a first-time starter, but he is more than capable of leading the Packers into the playoffs. And I think he'll begin to show this in Sunday's home game against the Saints.
Hundley exhibits enough of the core characteristics to function as a winning quarterback under Mike McCarthy. From his ample frame (6-foot-3, 226 pounds) to his explosive athleticism to his outstanding arm talent and football IQ, the ex-UCLA standout has made tremendous progress since entering the league as a fifth-round pick. Although preseason success should always be taken with a grain of salt, it's not irrelevant. Hundley's play during the exhibition season suggests that he can perform at a B+ (or higher) level while guiding the Packers' offense. And that's a testament to Green Bay's developmental system, given what I thought about Hundley as a prospect coming out of college.
Looking back at my notes on Hundley before 2015 NFL Draft, I questioned his pocket poise, judgment and deep-ball accuracy. He appeared a little indecisive with the ball under duress and his hesitancy frequently led to sacks (as evidenced by his 125 sacks in three collegiate seasons). Although I loved his athleticism and playmaking potential inside and outside of the pocket, my concerns about his ability to consistently "connect the dots" as a rhythm passer prevented me from affixing a big grade next to his name.
While I thought Hundley was a much better player than the 147th pick in the draft, I believed he needed some time and seasoning to develop into a potential NFL starter. He needed to become a more efficient and effective passer from the pocket, while improving awareness and anticipation against pressure. Studying the All-22 Coaches Film from the past three preseasons, Hundley has improved tremendously as a playmaker from the pocket. He has been more decisive and accurate as a passer, while exhibiting outstanding touch, timing and ball placement.
From a numbers perspective, Hundley's 66.2 completion rate and 10:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio in nine preseason games accurately depict his overall effectiveness guiding the Packers' 2s in glorified scrimmages.
Again, the intensity of preseason football is a lot different than regular-season action, but you can certainly make some solid assessments on Hundley's potential by studying his exhibition outings. After examining how Green Bay performed with Hundley on the field, I believe you will see the team use a variety of quick-rhythm routes from spread and empty formations. While the bulk of those throws will be "catch, rock and fire" tosses (slants, hitches and sticks), he will also work the outer edges of the field on hinges and stop routes. With the Packers intent on using empty formations from a variety of personnel packages, the team can eliminate some of the exotic pre-snap disguises that confuse young quarterbacks in the pocket.
McCarthy will also take advantage of Hundley's athleticism by putting him in motion via an assortment of bootlegs and movement passes following play-action fakes. By using run action and quarterback movement, the play caller can beef up his young field general's completion rate with some easy half-field reads featuring receivers available at every level (short, intermediate and deep) within his sight lines.
From a personnel standpoint, the Packers probably will stay with the same rotation, using a variety of "11" (1 RB, 1 TE and 3 WR) and "12" (1 RB, 2 TE and 2 WR) groupings as their primary sets. But the team could lean more on Aaron Jones at running back -- instead of Ty Montgomery -- to give Hundley a little more pop in the running game. Jones is averaging a healthy 4.8 yards per carry, as opposed to Montgomery's 3.2. If the rookie back can steady the ground game with a more consistent effort, the Packers can alleviate the pressure on Hundley to throw the ball 30-plus times as the driving force of the offense.
One element that might change is the Packers' use of the no-huddle offense. Rodgers loved playing at a breakneck pace, and his ability to call the game from the line of scrimmage prevented opponents from substituting defenders to match up with the Packers' personnel. In addition, Rodgers' savviness operating an up-tempo offense frequently led to Green Bay generating explosive plays on "freebies" due to neutral-zone infractions or illegal-substitution penalties. Without the veteran controlling the game from the line of scrimmage, the Packers could lose one of their sneaky scoring tactics in the short term.
Overall, though, I don't expect Green Bay's offense to grind to a screeching halt with the young quarterback at the controls. Hundley has spent three seasons honing his craft behind Rodgers, and McCarthy has a long track record of elevating the play of his quarterbacks. Although I don't expect the third-year pro to shatter the record book as a passer or fill up the highlight reels as a spectacular playmaker, I believe he will chalk up enough Ws to keep the Packers in the mix as a playoff contender.
Remember, McCarthy found a way to win games with a pair of ho-hum quarterbacks (Matt Flynn, Scott Tolzien and Seneca Wallace) filling the QB1 role in Rodgers' last extended absence in 2013, so I'm not worried about the Packers falling by the wayside with a more athletic and talented signal caller stepping in this time around.
Ted Thompson sits on his hands per former GM: "because they’ve had 25 fricking years of great quarterbacks. Of course it works. Try it without a special quarterback."