Zero2Cool
15 years ago
Web Page Name 

Green Bay Let's just get this out of the way: Aaron Rodgers has done a lot more right than wrong in his 25 games as starting quarterback of the Green Bay Packers.

His statistics are gaudy. He's fourth in the National Football League with a 101.8 passer rating. Rodgers' 134.9 rating on third downs is far and away the best in the league. He has thrown 17 touchdowns against just five interceptions.

And he certainly has the smarts and the physical tools needed at the position.

But has Rodgers really made the throws or the plays when the team needed him to? You know what we're referring to: tough throws into impossible spots in gotta-have-it moments? The kinds of plays that separate the good quarterbacks from the elite?

It's a small sample in a such a young career, to be sure, but perhaps not. It might be part of the reason, despite the stats and talent, that Rodgers owned just a 10-14 record as a starter heading into Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys.

And then "The Drive" happened against the Cowboys. And it might have changed everything.

Fifteen plays. Eighty yards. Eight minutes, 36 seconds off the clock. And two throws (and catches) that were described by Rodgers' coaches and teammates as "big-time."

And now as a result, maybe Rodgers' time has truly arrived.

"The two big third-down throws, you talk about your quarterback making three or four plays a game, those two right there are huge plays," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Wednesday in a Lambeau Field office right off the media auditorium. "And those kind of plays win games. Those plays can change a game. And that's when you talk about prime-time players. Your prime-time players win big games because they make those one or two plays. Those definitely fit in that category."

Up to that point, Rodgers had made two clutch throws that were in the same ballpark: the late third-quarter, thread-the-needle touchdown pass to Greg Jennings last year at Tampa Bay and the game-winning throw to Jennings in the season opener against Chicago.

But the Packers lost to the Buccaneers, and Jennings was wide open when the Bears busted a coverage.

There's no denying what happened against the Cowboys, however.

On third-and-11 from the Packers' 34-yard-line, Rodgers made a route adjustment at the line and then threw a bullet to Jennings, who was tightly covered by nickel back Orlando Scandrick on the inside. Cornerback Terrence Newman sagged on the outside as he looked to come off his man and jump the route.

Three plays later, on third-and-13 from the Green Bay 45, Rodgers somehow completed a pass down the middle to tight end Donald Lee with linebacker Keith Brooking underneath and safety Patrick Watkins charging hard from the top.

The receivers were, for all intents and purposes, covered on each play. But Rodgers gunned passes in there anyway, something he was reticent to do not only earlier in the game, but for much of his young career.

Rodgers had not shown much of a knack for "throwing a receiver open." But it's essential to success.

"That's something great quarterbacks do," said former Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick, who will call Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers for Fox. "When they go to let go of the ball, you can look at what he's throwing to and go, 'What the heck are you doing?' The really good quarterbacks recognize that the margins the receivers are open in this league are so very narrow and that you do have to throw a receiver open. He showed that ability to do that there."

Former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback and ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski said throwing open is a talent learned through experience.

"This isn't college football where receivers run free and there's big open space and big windows to throw into," Jaworski said. "This is the National Football League. You're constantly squeezing balls into tight coverage. It takes a while to figure out who you are at this level.

"I can remember one of my old coaches, Sid Gilman, would always tell me, 'In the preseason, especially, you've got to experiment. You've got to try to make those throws. Yeah, they're tough throws, but see what you can do. You've got to test yourself.' And it really takes time for a quarterback to understand what he can do in situations. Do you really trust, not only your receiver, but do you trust yourself? And I think what came out of that game is an opportunity where Aaron did make some throws, where there was tight coverage, where there were small windows, where there was only a small area to throw the football."

Rodgers also completed a tough pass on third-and-6 from the Dallas 8 to Jordy Nelson that set up the touchdown that put Packers ahead 10-0. Cowboys standout linebacker DeMarcus Ware was in Rodgers' face, which forced him into an awkward release. But Rodgers found a way to get it there.

There were other encouraging signs on that drive. Rodgers hit on four short passes. He released the ball almost always on rhythm with a three-strep drop. His only release time over 2.77 seconds came on a throwaway out of bounds (another improvement). On his 10 dropbacks (7 of 9, 59 yards, one sack), Rodgers released the ball in under 2 seconds five times.

"That was definitely a point of emphasis, the time clock and playing with some rhythm and some timing," said offensive coordinator Joe Philbin. "It all came together on that drive."

So too may the Packers' season, if Rodgers and the rest of the offense can build on it.

"There are always some defining moments in a player's career," Jaworski said. "You look back at plays, drives. That could be one of them. It's against the Dallas Cowboys, it's a must-win game. You're at home. You've had some people on your back a little bit. It was a heck of a drive under tough situations against a team that gets after the quarterback."

And it likely signifies a big step in Rodgers' development.

"Is this putting him into that elite group of quarterbacks? Yeah, I think he's taking that step with those throws," McCarthy said. "When you make those types of plays, those are the kinds of plays that win games.&ensp.&ensp.&ensp. If he continues to do those types of things, I think they'll talk about him that way."


UserPostedImage
dyeah_gb
15 years ago
This article is a strectch since it was only one drive. I do agree with the main point that Rodgers is a good qb but still has a lot of room to grow. I suspect that he has a hard time finding his receivers because the windows of opportunity for his open receivers go by so quick. I was pleased to see him control the tempo much more in the 4qth quarter of the game.

I think this is something that I have to consider as a fan; that I have to be patient as Rodgers and the offense continue to mature.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool - R. Feynman
PackFanWithTwins
15 years ago
Keep calling plays like was done against Dallas, and you will continue to see Rodgers play the way we know he can. Remember the 9+ minute drive against Carolina last year.

The scary thing is, yes Rodgers has room to improve, and when he does, he is going to be damn good.
The world needs ditch diggers too Danny!!!
Stevetarded
15 years ago
Rodgers made a "tight throw into a small window" 50 yards down the field against TB and everyone said it was bad.
blank
Rockmolder
15 years ago
Makes you wonder, if the Bears CBs had been tighter on Jennings against the Bears, would that have made for a better completion by Rodgers? Would he then have made that throw that "we're all waiting for" for the comeback?
Nonstopdrivel
15 years ago
This is a dumb article. It's a backhanded compliment at best, full of qualifications and "maybes." If the Packers lose this week against the 49ers, the columnists -- ahem, reporters -- will all be back to their snide remarks again.

As I said before the season began, rank bandwagon jumpers, all of 'em.
UserPostedImage
15 years ago
I really wanted to see Rodgers trust in the offense, himself, and his receivers and make those throws when the rhythm offense dictates. That was what made me so happy about that drive.
UserPostedImage
Wade
  • Wade
  • Veteran Member
15 years ago
Give me a break.

Further proof that the quantitative understanding of the average journalist is at C- level or worse. One observation does not a defining sample make.

I like Rodgers. I'm glad he's the QB. But it has nothing to do with his performance in one game, much less his performance on one drive.

I like Bedard, too. Fortunately for him, my like isn't based on a single column that he has written.

Dumb.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)
Silentio
15 years ago

Rodgers made a "tight throw into a small window" 50 yards down the field against TB and everyone said it was bad.

"Stevetarded" wrote:



Yeah and the ball hit the receiver in the hands.
blank
15 years ago
He made that throw with a separated shoulder too.
UserPostedImage
Fan Shout
Mucky Tundra (20-Jun) : GB-Minnesota 2004 Wild Card game popped up on my YouTube page....UGH
beast (20-Jun) : Hmm 🤔 re-signing Walker before Tom? Sounds highly questionable to me.
Mucky Tundra (19-Jun) : One person on Twitter=cannon law
Zero2Cool (19-Jun) : Well, to ONE person on Tweeter
Zero2Cool (19-Jun) : According to Tweeter
Zero2Cool (19-Jun) : Packers are working on extension for LT Walker they hope to have done before camp
dfosterf (18-Jun) : E4B landed at Andrews last night
dfosterf (18-Jun) : 101 in a 60
dfosterf (18-Jun) : FAFO
Zero2Cool (18-Jun) : one year $4m with incentives to make it up to $6m
dfosterf (18-Jun) : Or Lions
dfosterf (18-Jun) : Beats the hell out of a Vikings signing
Zero2Cool (18-Jun) : Baltimore Ravens now have signed former Packers CB Jaire Alexander.
dfosterf (14-Jun) : TWO magnificent strikes for touchdowns. Lose the pennstate semigeezer non nfl backup
dfosterf (14-Jun) : There was minicamp Thursday. My man Taylor Engersma threw
dfosterf (11-Jun) : There will be a mini camp practice Thursday.
Zero2Cool (11-Jun) : He's been sporting a ring for a while now. It's probably Madonna.
Martha Careful (10-Jun) : We only do the tea before whoopee, it relaxes me.
wpr (10-Jun) : That's awesome Martha.
Mucky Tundra (10-Jun) : How's the ayahuasca tea he makes, Martha?
Martha Careful (10-Jun) : Turns out he like older women
Martha Careful (10-Jun) : I wasn't supposed to say anything, but yes the word is out and we are happy 😂😂😂
Mucky Tundra (10-Jun) : I might be late on this but Aaron Rodgers is now married
Mucky Tundra (10-Jun) : Well he can always ask his brother for pointers
Zero2Cool (10-Jun) : Bo Melton taking some reps at CB as well as WR
Zero2Cool (10-Jun) : key transactions coming today at 3pm that will consume more cap in 2025
Zero2Cool (9-Jun) : Jaire played in just 34 of a possible 68 games since the start of the 2021 season
Zero2Cool (9-Jun) : reported, but not expected to practice
Zero2Cool (9-Jun) : Jenkins has REPORTED for mandatory camp
Zero2Cool (9-Jun) : I really thought he'd play for Packers.
buckeyepackfan (9-Jun) : Packers releasing Jaire Alexander.
Mucky Tundra (8-Jun) : (Context: he wants his defense to create turnovers)
Mucky Tundra (8-Jun) : Giants DC Shane Bowen tells players to “be a damn pirate."
dfosterf (6-Jun) : Semper fi !
Cheesey (6-Jun) : This is why I have so much respect for those that have gone through battles
Cheesey (6-Jun) : I can't even imagine what that would have been like
wpr (6-Jun) : "Come on, you sons of bitches. Do you want to live forever?"
wpr (6-Jun) : Facing a line of machine guns 2 time medal of Honor recipient, First Sergeant Dan Daly told his men,
wpr (6-Jun) : Another detachment went into the Belleau Wood.
wpr (6-Jun) : On the 6th the Marines took Hill 142 but suffered terrible losses.
wpr (6-Jun) : It’s time to remember dfoster’s Marine brothers in Belleau Wood. The battle went on from June 1-26. Nearly 10,000 casualties.
packerfanoutwest (6-Jun) : Nick Collins and Morgan Burnett have signed with the PACK
packerfanoutwest (6-Jun) : he won't be wearing #12, maybe he will wear number two
packerfanoutwest (6-Jun) : He will fail this season, should have retired
Mucky Tundra (5-Jun) : Thus the cycle of Hall of Fame Packer QBs going to the Jets and then the Vikings is broken
bboystyle (5-Jun) : Rodgers to steelers on 1 year contract
Zero2Cool (5-Jun) : It's the cycle of civilizations. Get lazier, lazier, softer, softer and vanish.
Martha Careful (5-Jun) : great point. every aspect of society, including art, culture and sports has degraded.
dfosterf (4-Jun) : Green Bay sweep meant something to society about stopping pure excellence. We have the tush push now
dfosterf (4-Jun) : We old Martha.
Please sign in to use Fan Shout
2025 Packers Schedule
Sunday, Sep 7 @ 3:25 PM
LIONS
Thursday, Sep 11 @ 7:15 PM
COMMANDERS
Sunday, Sep 21 @ 12:00 PM
Browns
Sunday, Sep 28 @ 7:20 PM
Cowboys
Sunday, Oct 12 @ 3:25 PM
BENGALS
Sunday, Oct 19 @ 3:25 PM
Cardinals
Sunday, Oct 26 @ 7:20 PM
Steelers
Sunday, Nov 2 @ 12:00 PM
PANTHERS
Monday, Nov 10 @ 7:15 PM
EAGLES
Sunday, Nov 16 @ 12:00 PM
Giants
Sunday, Nov 23 @ 12:00 PM
VIKINGS
Thursday, Nov 27 @ 12:00 PM
Lions
Sunday, Dec 7 @ 12:00 PM
BEARS
Sunday, Dec 14 @ 3:25 PM
Broncos
Friday, Dec 19 @ 11:00 PM
Bears
Friday, Dec 26 @ 11:00 PM
RAVENS
Saturday, Jan 3 @ 11:00 PM
Vikings
Recent Topics
8h / Green Bay Packers Talk / bboystyle

20-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

20-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

20-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

18-Jun / Random Babble / Zero2Cool

16-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / dfosterf

15-Jun / Random Babble / Martha Careful

14-Jun / Around The NFL / beast

14-Jun / Community Welcome! / dfosterf

13-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / dfosterf

13-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / Adam

12-Jun / Random Babble / Martha Careful

12-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

12-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

12-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

Headlines
Copyright © 2006 - 2025 PackersHome.com™. All Rights Reserved.