Zero2Cool
14 years ago
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/99993084.html 

Green Bay If you can picture him lined up like a wide receiver, bending linebackers' ankles with his crossover moves and jumping over cornerbacks to snare jump balls, then introduce yourself to the highlight reel that has been running over and over in Jermichael Finley's head since the 2009 season ended.

In the playoff loss to Arizona, the speedy Finley made his statement about how productive he can be playing multiple positions in the Green Bay Packers' offense, catching six passes for a career-high 159 yards.

The 6-5, 247-pound Finley was regularly spread out wide or in the slot in a receiver's two-point stance, drawing one-on-one match-up advantages against linebackers, corners and safeties, and double coverage in most instances. It is a role he not only embraces, but one he focused on all off-season.

"I just worked on more receiving skills on the outside, two-point stances," Finley said during a break at training camp. "That's all I really worked on. I think I'm better in a two-point because I get to observe everything. Hopefully, I can talk to the coaches to do more two-point out there than get down and block."

As good as Finley was playing the role of Donald Driver and Greg Jennings last year, he's not going to get his wish to play standing up all the time. Not in coach Mike McCarthy's offense, anyway.

The coaches want Finley to improve his blocking so that he can be as effective in-line as spread out. One very prominent observer echoed that sentiment in assessing how effective Finley was at both spots.

"I think most of the stuff we did with him was out of a three-point stance," quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. "We have plenty of plays when he's in-line and he has a Z (flanker) outside of him, and we can run combination routes and different things. There's definitely more that we can do with him and will do with him as he becomes a better blocker, which he has. We'll see more options off him."

Finley's point, however, is: Look at the playoff game.

Of the roughly 60 times he lined up (penalty play or not), he was split out wide or stationed in the slot 39 times or about two-thirds of his snaps.

The Packers, meanwhile, had their most productive game of the season, totaling 45 points and 493 yards, 404 of which came through the air. Of the Packers' six touchdowns, four were thrown by Rodgers, all at the end of sustained drives.

Speaking to Rodgers' point that Finley is just as effective playing in-line as split out, the tight end caught passes of 17, 33 and 38 yards while in-line. But he also caught passes of 44, 18 and 9 yards while split out, and just as important was the effect he had on the rest of the offense.

What the numbers don't show is how much other receivers benefited when he lined up outside. Perhaps the best example was Rodgers' near miss in the first quarter when he overthrew a wide-open Jennings.

Finley, lined up at the inside slot position with Jennings to his left and James Jones split wide, was the one who drew safety help on the play, allowing Jennings to run straight down the field in man-to-man coverage. That ball fell incomplete, but it was just one play that Finley affected.

In general, when Rodgers spotted a mismatch with Finley, he tried to exploit it and, when he was doubled, he generally went somewhere else.

"It gives us an opportunity to go inside and match up differently," Driver said of the receivers. "Sometimes if the corner decides he wants to stay out and guard him, then it puts a receiver on a linebacker or a safety. That's a bad combination on both parts. How do you stop us? You can't."

Driver said he considers Finley part of the receiving group not only because of where he lines up, but also because of the connection he has with the others in the passing game. Finley is a solid route runner with a growing knowledge of the West Coast offense, so his potential to open things up for others is great.

One thing the Packers haven't explored much are the stack formations that bugged their own defense in the playoff loss. Stacking receivers together makes it more difficult to play man-to-man defense and allows receivers to rub off one another and avoid safety help.

"We have a little bit more where we're stacking outside, everybody is wide," Driver said. "That's what we needed. Jermichael can clear through the middle and take everyone with him and we break off him. Or I take the middle and Jermichael comes around off me. It's just one of those combination things that everybody has a different position.

"They're starting to spread us around to give us all an opportunity to get open."

The Packers will never use Finley solely as a split receiver because, as Rodgers said, there are good matchups and effective route combinations they can run when Finley is lined up at tight end. As the Arizona game showed however, there are ways to force the defense into coverage that benefits Finley, and so he'll continue to be motioned out of the backfield or from side to side.

How far it goes will depend on the opponent and how good of a lobbyist Finley is.

"They're going to work something," Finley said. "We're in a West Coast offense; we just need to pass the ball every down if we could. No disrespect to the running backs, but we have to roll with what we got, what's strong right now.

"I'll do whatever I have to do, especially the two-point. I'm ready to go."


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bozz_2006
14 years ago
Now he sounds like T.O. again... hopefully in a few years he will really grow up.
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go.pack.go.
14 years ago
This has me a little bit worried. I hope this doesn't cause problems in the locker room.
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Bigbyfan
14 years ago
This isn't one of of my favorite articles about Finley. I agree with bozz, I immediately thought of T.O. when reading this.
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Nonstopdrivel
14 years ago
Motherfucker better get his ass in there and block. Dude has a hankering to be a celebrity.
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go.pack.go.
14 years ago
After thinking about it, I see where he is coming from. He has a good point. Look at the playoff game. If we used him more like we did in that game, we would win a LOT of games.

I don't think he meant anything by it. He was probably just thinking out loud. Something he hasn't learned not to do yet.
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azrunning
14 years ago
Don't like this talk. It's all pretty innocent now but I'm afraid of what could happen. Hopefully what happens is more maturity and with success the fame and fortune will follow.
BAD EMAIL because the address couldn ot be found, or is unable to receive mail.
PackerTraxx
14 years ago
Maybe Quarless will come through and we can just split him out at wide receiver.LOL

Actually, if Quarless does come through our 2 TE set should have a plethora of possibilities.
Why is Jerry Kramer not in the Hall of Fame?
Yerko
14 years ago
To start, Finley is one cocky s.o.b....good or bad? I don't know. Sometimes the cockiness shines and other times it comes off as real douschey.

Anyways, to side with him a little bit here...Finley is by far a receiving tight end more than a blocking tight end. To me, he just doesn't come off as a guy that would like to be in a 3-point stance and block a big ugly. He IS a true glorified tackle (what tight ends are typically called)...he wants the touchdowns more than anything.

As a fan who wants to see the Packers win every single game, I don't want to see Finley blocking someone because I don't think he can block...not even a linebacker. He just seems like too much of a pretty-finesse type player.

Finley can be in a 3-point or 2-point stance, but in the end I want to see him going for passes as well, not blocking.
UserPostedImage
14 years ago
i like how he basically called out Grant at the end there. lulz.

I agree with Twinkiegorilla.

bozz_2006 wrote:


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Mucky Tundra (12h) : also, no bueno when a guy starts getting concussions right off the bat in his career
Zero2Cool (13h) : Concussion is worse. Banks probably vet off day via back booboo claim
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Zero2Cool (16h) : Savion concussion ... not good.
packerfanoutwest (24-Jul) : Aaron Rodgers’s first pass of first team period was picked off
Mucky Tundra (24-Jul) : tbh I didn't hear of his passing
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : Cosby Show. Malcom Jamal Warner I think is real name
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Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : Hulk Hogan gone too.
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : Oh, it's toe injury
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dfosterf (24-Jul) : Sounds like an ankle not a knee for Fields
dfosterf (24-Jul) : Ya Flaccp on Browns
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : Maybe Tyrod Taylor instead
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : He's on Browns, right?
dfosterf (24-Jul) : They would probably go with Flacco is my guess if Fields out
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packerfanoutwest (24-Jul) : Packers introduce 1923-inspired classic uniform, leather-look helmet
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Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : I have forum updated on different site. We'll see how this one goes before going to that
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wpr (23-Jul) : It's funny the PA complained about the locker room. It wasn't that long ago it was top shelf. Things change in a hurry.
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Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : NFLPA report said Packers lockerroom needed upgrade. Whining bout where you change?
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