Zero2Cool
13 years ago

McCarthy, Rodgers agreed on aggressive air game before the Super Bowl 

DALLAS The first clue came about two hours before kickoff when the inactive list was released for Super Bowl XLV. Packers fullback Quinn Johnson was not on the active 45-man roster for the final game of the 2010 season.

Apparently, bruising blocking backs would not be needed Sunday afternoon. The Packers tied an NFL record held by the Rams with the fewest rush attempts (13) by the winning team.

Coach Mike McCarthy wanted to be aggressive through the air with Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers.

The play-caller and the quarterback are on the same page, McCarthy said Monday. Just the conversation we had in the locker room before the game. It was simply, Let me be aggressive as the play-caller; you have to be the disciplined one and keep us in favorable plays and throw it away if you have a bad look. And he did a great job with that. I think he has the best set of skills in the league as far as his pinpoint accuracy, his athletic ability, and all of his best football is in front of him

He let the play-caller be aggressive and he managed the football game.

The run was an absolute afterthought in the second half. The team had six rushes and two were scrambles by Rodgers. Only four handoffs were called after the break.

Rodgers took over on both second-half scoring drives. He and Jordy Nelson connected for a 38-yard slant on third-and-10, one play after Nelson had a drop. Rodgers found Greg Jennings for an 8-yard touchdown two plays later to go up 28-17.

The quarterback responded again late in the fourth quarter when the Steelers cut the lead to 28-25. Only one run was called as the Packers tried to work the clock down. He completed passes to Nelson, Jennings, James Jones and Tom Crabtree en route to a 23-yard Mason Crosby field goal.

The entire gameplan was to live or die on Rodgers performance.

I felt good about the plan, felt good about the way I practiced, the way I prepared, the way I studied and just knew I was getting a lot of opportunities and expecting to make those plays that were going to be there, Rodgers said.

Bling-bling

One of the favorite postgame topics has been the fact that McCarthy had his team measured for rings Saturday night. The decision seems like an overt show of confidence, but McCarthy downplayed the ploy some.

I wish Id have made a bigger deal out of it, McCarthy said. I just told them that were going to get measured for rings tonight, at snack. I felt it was the right time to do it. I talked to Sean Payton about some of the things he did from a scheduling standpoint. Scheduling is so important during the course of the week, and you want to do certain things at certain times, and I felt that was the appropriate time.

I thought it would be special. I thought it would give us a boost of confidence to do it the night before the game. But thats about as far as I took it.

Rodgers, however, didnt get measured. He was in the shower.

Hopefully, I can still get sized with that, Rodgers said.

Defensive player of the year AWOL

Steelers safety Troy Polamalu was named the NFL defensive player of the year last week but was largely ineffective in the biggest game of the year. He finished with three tackles and came into the picture late on two touchdown passes by Rodgers.

Rodgers explained how he was able to dictate the game to Polamalu, not the other way around.

Hes a guy that you have to be aware of him, where hes at all times, Rodgers said. Hes a great player, had a great season, but guys have to respect where my eyes are looking so it was important to me to use good eye control on the field and not stare anybody down because he can cover a lot of ground quickly and when he was down in the box, we made sure he was picked up in the protection schemes.

A couple of times when he came on blitzes, we adjusted the protection to make sure we had him picked up because hes a very talented blitzer and when hes high, a deep safety, you just have to make sure you are good with your eyes.

New wheels

Being named Super Bowl comes with all kinds of perks. Rodgers got a shiny new trophy. He looked into the camera and shouted, Im going to Disneyland! And Rodgers will be a guest on the David Letterman Show on Monday.

He got a car, too. Super Bowl sponsor Chevrolet presented Rodgers a brand new, 426-horsepower Chevy Camero convertible.

Chevrolet Director of Advertising Kevin Mayer announced that Rodgers will get to pick the color.

"Kareem Copeland" wrote:


UserPostedImage
Zero2Cool
13 years ago
Didn't think I'd ever see this.

Let me be aggressive as the play-caller; you have to be the disciplined one and keep us in favorable plays and throw it away if you have a bad look.

"Mike McCarthy" wrote:


UserPostedImage
DGB454
13 years ago

Didn't think I'd ever see this.

Let me be aggressive as the play-caller; you have to be the disciplined one and keep us in favorable plays and throw it away if you have a bad look.

"Zero2Cool" wrote:

"Mike McCarthy" wrote:



Same here. I guess Aaron Rodgers earned his confidence.
musccy
13 years ago
I was a little curious about the decision to COMPLETELY abandon the running game for nearly 2 quarters, but I like that he attempted to put the foot on the throat, never reverting to a passive attack (even though the execution made it appear to be).
Fan Shout
Mucky Tundra (13h) : Happy Birthday wpr!
Zero2Cool (13h) : Anders Carlson ... released by 49ers
dfosterf (16h) : Happy Birthday!๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š
wpr (17h) : Thanks Kevin.
Zero2Cool (19h) : Happy Birthday, Wayne! ๐ŸŽ‰๐ŸŽ‚๐Ÿฅณ
beast (20h) : Edge Rushers is the same... it's not the 4-3 vs 3-4 change, it's the Hafley's version of the 4-3... as all 32 teams are actually 4-2
Zero2Cool (6-Nov) : OLB to DE and player requests trade. Yet folks say they are same.
beast (5-Nov) : In other news, the Green Bay Packers have signed Zero2Cool to update their website ๐Ÿ˜‹ jk
beast (5-Nov) : Might just re-sign the kicker we got
beast (5-Nov) : Are there any kickers worth drafting next year?
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : Preston Smith for Malik Willis
Mucky Tundra (5-Nov) : Getting a 7th rounder from the Stillers
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : At least we get 7th round pick now!! HELLO NEW KICKER
Mucky Tundra (5-Nov) : Steelers getting a premier lockdown corner!
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : Packers are trading edge rusher Preston Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers, per sources.
Mucky Tundra (5-Nov) : Preston Smith traded to the Steelers!!!!
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : CB Marshon Lattimore to Commanders
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : Bears are sending RB Khalil Herbert to the Bengals, per sources.
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : ZaDarius Smith continues his "north" tour.
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : Let the Chiefs trade a 5th for him
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : Nearing 30, large contract, nope.
Martha Careful (5-Nov) : any interest in Marshon Lattimore?
Zero2Cool (4-Nov) : What does NFL do if they're over cap?
Mucky Tundra (4-Nov) : They've been able to constantly push it out through extensions, void years etc but they're in the hole by 72 million next year I believe
hardrocker950 (4-Nov) : Seems the Saints are always in cap hell
Mucky Tundra (4-Nov) : Saints HC job is not an envious one; gonna be in cap hell for 3 years
Mucky Tundra (4-Nov) : Dennis Allen has now been fired twice mid-season with Derek Carr as his starting QB
Zero2Cool (4-Nov) : Kuhn let go
beast (4-Nov) : I wonder if the Packers would have any interest in Z. Smith, probably not
Zero2Cool (4-Nov) : Shefter says Browns and Lions will figure out how to get a deal done for Za'Darius Smith..
Zero2Cool (4-Nov) : Packers are more likely to have 1,000 yard rusher than 4,000 yard passer
Zero2Cool (3-Nov) : It's raining hard.
Zero2Cool (3-Nov) : Packers inactives vs. Lions: CB Jaire Alexander S Evan Williams C Josh Myers Non-injury inactives: WR Malik Heath OL Travis Glover DE Bren
packerfanoutwest (3-Nov) : Malik Willis: My focus is helping the Packers win, not proving I can start elsewhere. But he could
Zero2Cool (1-Nov) : I had Texans, but the loss of another WR flipped me
wpr (1-Nov) : I thought about taking the Jets but they've been a disaster. Losing to the Pats last week
Zero2Cool (1-Nov) : Surprised more didn't pick Jets in Pick'em.
Please sign in to use Fan Shout
2024 Packers Schedule
Friday, Sep 6 @ 7:15 PM
Eagles
Sunday, Sep 15 @ 12:00 PM
COLTS
Sunday, Sep 22 @ 12:00 PM
Titans
Sunday, Sep 29 @ 12:00 PM
VIKINGS
Sunday, Oct 6 @ 3:25 PM
Rams
Sunday, Oct 13 @ 12:00 PM
CARDINALS
Sunday, Oct 20 @ 12:00 PM
TEXANS
Sunday, Oct 27 @ 12:00 PM
Jaguars
Sunday, Nov 3 @ 3:25 PM
LIONS
Sunday, Nov 17 @ 12:00 PM
Bears
Sunday, Nov 24 @ 3:25 PM
49ERS
Thursday, Nov 28 @ 7:20 PM
DOLPHINS
Thursday, Dec 5 @ 7:15 PM
Lions
Sunday, Dec 15 @ 7:20 PM
Seahawks
Monday, Dec 23 @ 7:15 PM
SAINTS
Sunday, Dec 29 @ 12:00 PM
Vikings
Saturday, Jan 4 @ 11:00 PM
BEARS
Recent Topics
7h / Around The NFL / beast

6-Nov / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

6-Nov / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

6-Nov / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

6-Nov / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

6-Nov / Green Bay Packers Talk / Martha Careful

5-Nov / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

5-Nov / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

5-Nov / Featured Content / Zero2Cool

5-Nov / GameDay Threads / Cheesey

5-Nov / Green Bay Packers Talk / Martha Careful

5-Nov / Green Bay Packers Talk / Martha Careful

5-Nov / Green Bay Packers Talk / Martha Careful

4-Nov / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

2-Nov / Around The NFL / wpr

Headlines
Copyright ยฉ 2006 - 2024 PackersHome.comโ„ข. All Rights Reserved.