Lost in a 'bleh' season

Post #1 » by **ReasonablySober** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 4:01 pm

(somewhat) is the play of Rodgers.

He's making a lot of people look real good and a lot of people look real stupid.

He's only started six games, yes. But yesterday you saw two young QBs from the same draft class, one the second QB taken and the other the fourth, but a world of difference separated their play. It's almost easy to forget that QBs in their sixth start are usually supposed to struggle mightily.

His numbers extrapolated over 16 games:

3952 yards
64.2%
7.7 ya/att
37 total TDs
11 INTs
280 yards rushing

Here's to hoping he's not injured seriously over the final ten games. He has a chance to put up a special season in GB.

Post #2 » by **paulpressey25** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:14 pm

I realize some Favre-philes will argue that Favre's leadership intangibles would have us at 4-2 or 5-1.

I don't buy it. Our problems reside with poor lines and injuries. Our passing game is not the problem here. A-Rod is doing outstanding.

Post #3 » by **MickeyDavis** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 7:10 pm

Rodgers has played very very well, no doubt about that.

What this team needs to do is beat a good team. The teams we've beaten are 4-12. The teams we have lost to are 12-6. Beating a 3-2 Indy team at home would be great going into the bye.

And I think we will beat them.

Post #4 » by **Wade-A-Holic** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 7:30 pm

Hopefully our running game picks up against Indy. They did a great job stopping Baltimore's ground game, although you could put 10 in the box against Baltimore and they still aren't a threat to beat you with the pass. Will Sitton start next week? I think there's a huge net gain to be had in the running game from him being in and Colledge being out at guard. Colledge is one of the worst run blockers I've ever seen from the guard position.

LUKE23 · Post #5 » by **LUKE23** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 7:51 pm

Rodgers has played amazing. I'd say the way he has pulled through these last 2 games is just as impressive as his overall play/numbers, if not more.

It's really unfortunate we are hurting as bad on D as we are. Jenkins was playing great this year, and with Harrell coming back, I really think that a Jenkins/Pickett/Harrell/Kampman line would have been absolutely dynamite.

The only real trouble spot on this team WHEN HEALTHY is the offensive line. The tackles are aging very quickly and TT has yet to pull a G diamond out of the draft yet, just a bunch of "solid" guys.

The future is looking very bright for this team overall. OL needs some upgrades though. We'll also need to address DB, which is something I'd look at in FA this year (Gamble).

Kerb Hohl · Post #6 » by **Kerb Hohl** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 8:08 pm

I would say we need to take a look at getting some younger DBs, however I will add that Tramon Williams has been stellar in my mind thus far.

Post #7 » by **MickeyDavis** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 8:11 pm

I know TT wants to use a chunk of our available cap space to give extensions to some of our guys, which is great. But it will be interesting to see how much cap space we have going into next off season and what TT does with it.

Post #8 » by **ReasonablySober** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 8:13 pm

Yea, Tramon Williams looks like a good one. Like any DB, he'll give up his share of plays. But he's absolutely a starter in the NFL.

LUKE23 · Post #9 » by **LUKE23** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 8:24 pm

I think the fact that BOTH Harris/Woodson are getting up there means we need to add an upper level guy at the position. Corner is one spot on the team where I like to be stocked up at. I don't know when Harris' contract is up, but given his health condition and age, he's nearing the end. A starting duo of Woodson/Gamble next year, with Williams nickel and Blackmon dime is money. Then Tramon is ready to step in at the other starter when Woodson is finally finished, with Blackmon moving to nickel and hopefully Lee being ready for dime duties.

Kerb Hohl · Post #10 » by **Kerb Hohl** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 8:33 pm

LUKE23 wrote:I think the fact that BOTH Harris/Woodson are getting up there means we need to add an upper level guy at the position. Corner is one spot on the team where I like to be stocked up at. I don't know when Harris' contract is up, but given his health condition and age, he's nearing the end. A starting duo of Woodson/Gamble next year, with Williams nickel and Blackmon dime is money. Then Tramon is ready to step in at the other starter when Woodson is finally finished, with Blackmon moving to nickel and hopefully Lee being ready for dime duties.

Well said. I can live with that.

Post #11 » by **MickeyDavis** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 8:35 pm

I like Tramon too. Bush must have some blackmail pictures of MM or TT to stay on the team.

Post #12 » by **ReasonablySober** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 9:19 pm

A lot will depend on how Blackmon and Lee progress. They must have seen something in Pat to take him where they did. If Tramon is the real deal I'm fine going into next season with our group of CBs.

El Duderino · Post #13 » by **El Duderino** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 10:09 pm

I had high hopes for Rodgers and he's exceeded my expectations. The only real flaw he's shown as a first time starter is holding the ball to long which has lead to a few extra sacks and a couple of fumbles, but he's a smart guy and i expect he'll improve in this area as the snaps pile up. The other thing he really needs to try doing is taking less unnecessary hits. We have nothing behind him and Aaron needs to fully understand that throwing a few passes away here and there is worth more to the team than him getting plastered by some big lineman or linebacker.

As for Tramon, hard not to love a kid like him. Undrafted free agent who was cut a few times and through hard work has turned himself into a high quality NFL player. He can run, seems physical, and has solid cornerback instincts. The Colts Sunday will be a great test for the whole secondary.

xTitan · Post #14 » by **xTitan** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 10:26 pm

Sure Rodgers holds on a bit to long some times, every QB does, the old man did it twice yesterday and does anyone hold onto the ball longer than Romo and Big Ben? You can say Romo is the perfect example why you shouldn't hold on so long because yesterday was the first game this year that I saw him getting hit alot and now he has a broken finger and is out a month.

I think Williams is an upgarde over Al Harris, there were plenty of times, specifically weeks 1 and 2 where Harris was clearly beat, but poor QB's could not make good throws. I also believe Pat Lee is going to be special, he is big, fast, and physical...even raw he has made some very good plays on the ball.

Is KGB the worst DE in the NFL? I said he should be let go before the season and it amazes me that he is still on the team, awful football player. I did think Thompson played solid football yesterday.

El Duderino · Post #15 » by **El Duderino** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 11:52 pm

Yea all QB's can get caught holding the ball to long, but where i hope and think Aaron will eventually improve is using his check downs more. On Sunday with the sack/fumble and couple other sacks, he didn't feel the pressure well and was caught looking downfield to long while having open check downs. Besides yardage lost, i'm as much or more concerned about his health given what's behind him. Still though, for a first time starter, it's a pretty minor quibble. Every needed tool is there to be a long time quality QB so long as he can stay pretty healthy.

As for KGB, the injury is obviously affecting him and mixed with his age, he's lost a step. For a guy who relies entirely on his speed to beat tackles around the edge, it's a very bad sign for him and the team given they have nobody else to rush the passer from the important blind side.

LarryHarris · Post #16 » by **LarryHarris** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 12:19 am

I think Aaron has exceeded expectations as well. The one thing that troubles me is that it seems that he throws a lot of routes where the receivers end up taking big hits. One of the best things about Favre that it seemed like people didn't talk about is that he always seemed to do a good job keeping his recievers out of harms way. This is probably something Aaron will learn with time, but I am just hoping it doesn't result in injuries to any of our wideouts.

The other thing that worries me is it seems that teams aren't that intimitated by Rodgers yet and they are playing a lot of 8 in the box. This makes sense against a young QB, but it is also limiting our running game. Once teams decide that it is worth leaving guys out of the box against Rodgers, the game will certaintly become harder for him, and hopefully he will be able to make the adjustments.

I think that most Packer fans thought there was no way Aaron would look as good as he had, I certaintly didn't. Let's hope he keeps learning...

Neusch23 · Post #17 » by **Neusch23** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 12:26 am

while many up here believe that while Rodgers has good numbers, he doesn't have the respect of the team. He is looked at as a equal, and not a legend that people need to work hard for.

Granted, that is something that has to be believed since there really is no way to prove whether one player is playing harder than another player because someone is or isn't here. However, Rodgers isn't HALF the leader that Brett was, and I have spoken to many with in the team on this. several have said that things this year just are not like last year, that the locker room is just "different".

I have to say, and I have been to all but one home game, lambeau has a different feel to it. While I was a big supporter of Brett staying, and I strongly believe we would be one win better AT LEAST, and have a running game with production near double what it is now. You can't justify this with any stat other than I see teams load up on us, and force Rodgers to beat us. Rodgers had a good arm, and is accurate, however, he just hasn't proven enough yet to have the other team fear him. His numbers are good, but to me, with the D's he is seeing, they are watered. When they have wanted to stop him, other than the lions, they have been able to contain him, IMO.

LarryHarris · Post #18 » by **LarryHarris** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 12:30 am

Neusch23 wrote:while many up here believe that while Rodgers has good numbers, he doesn't have the respect of the team. He is looked at as a equal, and not a legend that people need to work hard for.

Granted, that is something that has to be believed since there really is no way to prove whether one player is playing harder than another player because someone is or isn't here. However, Rodgers isn't HALF the leader that Brett was, and I have spoken to many with in the team on this. several have said that things this year just are not like last year, that the locker room is just "different".

I have to say, and I have been to all but one home game, lambeau has a different feel to it. While I was a big supporter of Brett staying, and I strongly believe we would be one win better AT LEAST, and have a running game with production near double what it is now. You can't justify this with any stat other than I see teams load up on us, and force Rodgers to beat us. Rodgers had a good arm, and is accurate, however, he just hasn't proven enough yet to have the other team fear him. His numbers are good, but to me, with the D's he is seeing, they are watered. When they have wanted to stop him, other than the lions, they have been able to contain him, IMO.

We haven't gone to 5 WRs at all so far from what I've seen and that was one of the most effective sets last year for Favre. I have a feeling they don't trust Rodgers to release the ball fast enough...

Ayt · Post #19 » by **Ayt** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 12:47 am

I'll give a shout out to Collins as well. We haven't had a safety play this well since Sharper in his prime. Hopefully Bigby can get back soon because he would be a big help in stopping the run compared to Rouse and Peprah.

Ayt · Post #20 » by **Ayt** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 12:54 am

Neusch23 wrote:while many up here believe that while Rodgers has good numbers, he doesn't have the respect of the team. He is looked at as a equal, and not a legend that people need to work hard for.

Granted, that is something that has to be believed since there really is no way to prove whether one player is playing harder than another player because someone is or isn't here. However, Rodgers isn't HALF the leader that Brett was, and I have spoken to many with in the team on this. several have said that things this year just are not like last year, that the locker room is just "different".

I have to say, and I have been to all but one home game, lambeau has a different feel to it. While I was a big supporter of Brett staying, and I strongly believe we would be one win better AT LEAST, and have a running game with production near double what it is now. You can't justify this with any stat other than I see teams load up on us, and force Rodgers to beat us. Rodgers had a good arm, and is accurate, however, he just hasn't proven enough yet to have the other team fear him. His numbers are good, but to me, with the D's he is seeing, they are watered. When they have wanted to stop him, other than the lions, they have been able to contain him, IMO.

So is it Rodgers fault we are 27th worst against the run and 23rd in points allowed? Does he need to show more leadership in the defensive huddle in your opinion?