I remember few years ago someone was saying Aaron Rodgers doesn't like motion because it makes hit harder for him to read the defense and basically that he wasn't smart enough.
Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool
That's BS...
Though in MM's scheme, which was similar to what the Colts ran with Peyton Manning, you get isolated matchups, and it is easier for both teams to read, and harder for the defense to throw complex stuff into it, it's make pick your matchup you want and run a ton of isolation routes.
Motion does add more movement, but as the article talks about, it puts more stress on the defense laterally, which is why this scheme is taking the NFL by storm, as I believe over 25% of teams are now running it, after basically only Shanahan and Kubiak teams were the only ones that ran it for years.
Now, with the motion, the defense can surprise and do something unexpected, but it's rare, usually the defensive guys all have to be on the same page, or some player has to purposely go off script, and they usually don't unless they're a star and have earned the coaches trust to take chances.
It's not the motion that makes it more complex for the offense, it's the combo routes, instead of the isolation routes that Mike McCarthy ran, LaFleur a lot more routes that work together...
And honestly, I think Rodgers biggest issue was willingness to take the short throws when open... of course, part of MM's scheme and a QB natural instincts is to hold the ball and look for a even bigger play... Rodgers had to get over that and clear was over it last year.
In this Wide Zone scheme run by LaFleur, you look for a lot.of.run after the catch opportunities, which often means short throw, and hopefully long run. Rodgers had to adjust to that after doing the exact opposite under Mike McCarthy for over a decade.
And in Rodgers first year in this scheme, he was asked why don't they do more up tempo things, and he replied, a bit more around about, but basically said they didn't have the right personnel (they didn't have the h-backs for it) and other guys were still learning the system.
Adjustments cleared needed to be made, but I don't believe for a second Rodgers intelligence was one of them... he surely knew where the hot routes were, and if he didn't, well in this scheme just find where the RB or TEs are... and basically you got your answer.