I get it, the O-line sucks. But I my whole issue has to do more with Rodgers progression as an NFL player.
My problem is simply that he holds on to the ball too much just like he did in game #1 as opposed to game #20. The O-line is terrible, there is no debating that but IMO Rodgers is blame a lot more than 15%. I think a lot of sacks are 50/50. Even when Favre was giving them up left and right in the first 3 games, I said the same thing.
1) As a QB, its your job to read blitzes, if your giving up a lot of sacks where you have no time to react, then you probably failed to read the defence properly and get it out with a quick slant, etc. - That may have to do with coaching though and their instructions to him/latitude to call plays. That will come with time but you cannot expect the O-line/RB to pick up every single blitz, it doesn't happen.
2) You have to sometimes just plain get rid of the ball. For example, that safety. I do not understand how that is even remotely the O-line's fault. Your at the half yard line. You konw you have a couple of seconds MAX to get rid of it. That is on Rodgers. And I hate when he thinks hes faster than he is. Yes he's mobile but he is not Michael Vick. You think your going to outrun Jarden Allen out of the endzone, your not. Play within yourself. Even on last year's safety too, Jarden Allen just plain ran him down.
3) You have to take risks sometimes. I get it, he doesn't get a lot of INTs but I think sometimes you have to take risks. He seems to not want to pull the trigger if its close. But I think you can play like that if you have the Ravens defence of 2008 or whatever. Just like I said last year, our defence is not an elite defense, so take the risks.
Overall, I like Rodgers progression. But this part of his game gets me antsy. He's a statistical giant but a lot of times he gets these 70 yard, 1 minute drives down by two touchdowns. I hate when people just look at stats and scream "whatever look at his stats". Its not all about stats otherwise Warren Moon and Dan Marino would be the two greatest QBs in the history of the NFL. But their not, its about something else, winning. Either your a winner or your not.
Do I think the true "legends" just happen to have the best teams every year, i.e. Manning, Favre, Brady. No. For example, Jets. This was the Mangenius Jets, not the Rex Ryan Jets and they went from 4-12 to 9-7 (including 8-3 at one point) with Favre. And the Packers went from 13-3 to 6-10. Maybe its all just concidence that happens or that the Colts are good EVERY single year, who knows.
But IMO, the most important position in football is exactly that, the most important position. Tahts why I think Rodgers has a lot more control over sacks than just a passive bystander. The O-line sucks but at least show some kind of sign of progression is all I'm asking for. But this excuse that its all the O-line will only hurt his progression in the long run IMO.
"RedSoxExcel" wrote: