Ready to Resume?
So now that Chad Clifton (-3.7) is back we can stop worrying about Marshall Newhouse protecting Aaron Rodger’s blindside? Not so fast. If this sporting vignette was anything to go by then perhaps it’s a case of better the devil you know. In the 25 snaps he played before leaving the game, it was obvious Clifton was off the pace. His first three plays read like a story of increasing embarrassment as he first gave up a hurry, followed by a hit, and then a sack; twice failing to anchor against a bull-rush. It got better, but only relative to this initial disaster, and by the time he’d left 22 snaps later, he’d given up one more hit and a 1-yard tackle to Lawrence Jackson.
Relevant Raji
While the Pro Bowl is now considered a universal symbol of inadequacy, certain selections go beyond poor and border on the surreal. In what world can a player as big as B.J. Raji (-3.5) play so poorly for so long and still make the trip? It’s inconceivable to think of a 350lb man as invisible, but despite playing 79% of all defensive snaps, his play is generally undetectable.
In 885 snaps he’s picked up three sacks, one hit, 16 hurries and 13 tackles. Thirteen. One-three. In almost 200 less snaps Brandon Mebane has 37. Thirteen is the same number as the following NFC interior linemen with their snaps in parentheses; Shaun Rodgers (301), Trevor Laws (315), Dan Williams (244), Matt Toeaina (401), Letroy Guion (508).
No doubt we’ll have some comments below about how “he was always double-teamed” or “he was standing up the center so someone else could make a play”. I hope not, because that would be rubbish; complete unadulterated nonsense. The truth is he’s been terrible, but no one with a vote watches enough football to either do the right thing or care. If one of the 50 souls with an All-Pro vote sees fit to waste it on him then they should have it confiscated immediately. If you are interested in what he contributed in this game then there is plenty of footage of him leaning on Detroit linemen and absolutely none of him helping his team.
Game Notes
- All the Packers’ defense could manage in 61 drop backs was a paltry two sacks, a hit and five hurries.
- In this game Jordy Nelson put his average yards per pass route ran to 3.05 almost a full half yard ahead of last year’s top performer Brandon Lloyd (2.59)