Jermichael Finley Sounds Off

Thunder Muscle · Post #1 » by **Thunder Muscle** » Wed Nov 5, 2008 2:43 am

Green Bay - Rookie tight end Jermichael Finley wants a bigger role in the Green Bay Packers' offense, but after Sunday he might be lucky to be active for the next game against Minnesota.

Not only did Finley play poorly against the Tennessee Titans, he mouthed off afterward, complaining that quarterback Aaron Rodgers' throws didn't play to his strength and that the coaches have to better understand his talents and what he can add to the offense.

Suffice it to say, he wasn't hearing an amen from the choir.

"I don't agree with the tight end's quote," coach Mike McCarthy said Monday.

Finley was involved in a fourth-and-1 play on the Packers' second possession in which Rodgers threw a "back-shoulder" pass, for which the tight end had to turn around. The ball bounced off his chest, incomplete.

"We were expecting man in that particular situation," McCarthy said of the coverage. "It's a hot situation for that particular play. Jermichael had a poor release. He was too high, and Aaron was trying to 'back-shoulder' him. It's a play that we practice all of the time. It's a common throw in our offense."

Finley was also involved in a second-quarter play from the Tennessee 5-yard line in which he ran a fade route to the left corner of the end zone. There was a man underneath him and a man over the top, but there was enough room for him and Rodgers to connect for a touchdown.

Finley was backing up to the end line when he made an awkward leap for the pass, deflecting it out of bounds with one hand. The Packers wound up settling for a field goal.

"There's nothing I could have done; it was out of bounds," Finley said after the game. "When I was running, the ball was, like, fading more and more. I just made an effort toward the ball so there's really nothing I could have done with that one."

That wasn't exactly the interpretation of offensive coordinator Joe Philbin.

"You've got to get two feet on the ground and go up and jump up and go get the ball," Philbin said. "It isn't that hard of a game. Yeah, I thought he was open. I mean, they had the safety over the top and they walked out a linebacker. It's a pretty good matchup."

As for the throw, Philbin said it was just fine.

"I think so," he said. "I think you have to go make the play. I try to act smart and say there's some special super technique that we had for that but, geez, go get the ball. If you're in the backyard, that's what you would do."

Post #2 » by **ReasonablySober** » Wed Nov 5, 2008 6:00 am

Wow, you have to be a complete moron to spout off on about Rodgers throwing a bad pass or that you, as a guy that came out as a redshirt sophomore and one of the youngest and most unproven players in the draft, need a bigger role.

Seriously, wow. Just shut up rook and do your job.

bigkurty · Post #3 » by **bigkurty** » Wed Nov 5, 2008 6:24 am

Yeah I would deactivate him as well. What an idiot. He is not my kind of player to say the least. Someone should Jack him up in practice for being so stupid.

El Duderino · Post #4 » by **El Duderino** » Wed Nov 5, 2008 9:51 am

Mark Chumra was interviewed by Homer and he was asked about the comments by Finley. Chumra said if Finley had spouted off like that on those good Packers teams, the guys in the locker room would have gone off on Finley even worse than what any coach would have.

Post #5 » by **ReasonablySober** » Wed Nov 5, 2008 2:44 pm

I have to imagine that he's gonna get some heat from the players in some form of another.

xTitan · Post #6 » by **xTitan** » Wed Nov 5, 2008 4:34 pm

Is it just me or does Finley have Raider written all over him.....

Balls2TheWalls · Post #7 » by **Balls2TheWalls** » Wed Nov 5, 2008 6:53 pm

Great players make the big plays, even with the passes aren't right at them. Maybe Jermichael needs to man up and catch a ball.

aaprigs311 · Post #8 » by **aaprigs311** » Wed Nov 5, 2008 7:07 pm

Shut your mouth rookie.

Thunder Muscle · Post #9 » by **Thunder Muscle** » Thu Nov 6, 2008 12:07 am

I kind of like this guy's potential, but this isn't a good sign at all. I can only imagine the ego he'll have if he does develop into anything. This is pretty bold stuff for a guy that's been an absolute non factor thus far in his career.

MikeIsGood · Post #10 » by **MikeIsGood** » Thu Nov 6, 2008 6:18 am

Dufus.

Post #11 » by **Jollay** » Thu Nov 6, 2008 3:53 pm

Unbelievable--after a noticeable, concerted effort to get him the ball--and in key situations.

BuckFan25226 · Post #12 » by **BuckFan25226** » Thu Nov 6, 2008 3:58 pm

xTitan wrote:Is it just me or does Finley have Raider written all over him.....

Yup, Finley for Gallery? DO IT!

TheGhostDog · Post #13 » by **TheGhostDog** » Thu Nov 6, 2008 4:27 pm

Couldn't we somehow trade Finley for Jason Witten? I have a dream that someday Romo will call "hutt" and seeing T.O., Roy Williams and Finley all converge at mid-field to beat the crap out of each other because none of them thinks they are getting the ball enough.

Seriously though, the strangeness of Finley's outburst highlights the usually good job Packers scouts do weeding out "me-first" attitudes. One more such strike against Finley and it's time to work the phones.

Ill-yasova · Post #14 » by **Ill-yasova** » Sun Nov 9, 2008 9:18 pm

N8Frog wrote:I kind of like this guy's potential, but this isn't a good sign at all. I can only imagine the ego he'll have if he does develop into anything. This is pretty bold stuff for a guy that's been an absolute non factor thus far in his career.

You know who else had a terrible ego as a rookie? Aaron Rodgers. You can only hope he evolves in the same way Rodgers did.