Is Aaron Rodgers slumping? Or is he falling off?

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

Lemme preface this by reminding everyon that I have said several times that I think that Rodgers will go down as one of the best QBs to ever play the game. So this thread isn't made to just hate on him.

 

Also, that whatever has been wrong with him, he's playing the Lions this week, which is usually what the doctor orders for QBs who are strugling.

 

At any rate, dating back to the St. Louis game of last year, Rodgers and the rest of the offense haven't seemed to be on the same page. And over the past couple of games including last year, he's putting up average to below average consistently...

 

Is this a slump? Or are we seeing the premature end of Rodgers?

[RazorStar 4,025]

It may be hyperbole to say this is the end of Aaron, but wouldn't that just be more interesting? All of this era's great QB's leaving this stage at around the same time? Aaron hasn't looked good recently. He carried a strong first half of 2016 to get into the top half of my QB efficiency rankings last year, but this year he's combing the bottom with guys like Keenum and Oz.

[BwareDWare94 723]

The Packers WRs struggle to get separation. Even with Jordy right now, who clearly isn't 100%, Aaron does not have a single guy who he knows will be open on most plays. He is being forced to go through progressions constantly because nobody gets open. How many throws did he have to make on Sunday night where the corners were right on the receiver's hip? How many times did he have to go back to somebody who he'd already passed by with his eyes? I shit you not, the Packers are struggling because they have slow receivers. Aaron still hits these guys when they bust a coverage, but on most plays he's being forced to throw into ridiculously tight windows and it's simply not a high percentage completion.

 

The Packers receivers, quite frankly, are not that good when they don't have at least one of them playing at an elite level. Until Jordy is 100%, it's going to stay that way.

 

And with Darius Slay and Glover Quin out there this next Sunday, don't be surprised if it's more of the same.

 

Aaron Rodgers is fine. It's time to overhaul the receiving corps and move on to a new coaching regime in Green Bay.

Edited September 22, 2016 by BwareDWare94

[Thanatos 2,847]

I think he's just in a slump. He'll break out sometime this season.

 

@Bware: I don't think that's entirely it. Arod is one of the best QBs we've ever seen. He should be able to do something with sub-average receiving corps. See: Wilson, Russell, and Newton, Cam in 2015.

Edited September 22, 2016 by Thanatos

[BwareDWare94 723]

I think he's just in a slump. He'll break out sometime this season.

 

@Bware: I don't think that's entirely it. Arod is one of the best QBs we've ever seen. He should be able to do something with sub-average receiving corps. See: Wilson, Russell, and Newton, Cam in 2015.

 

He's definitely not playing his best but I'm serious about this separation issue. The Packers WRs are so slow the opposing DBs are like clingy girlfriends. It's seriously pathetic.

 

Ted Ginn and Doug Baldwin are not elite level receivers, but both can get separation. Cam had a great season. Russ had a great half of a season. Sub par weapons usually cause more issues than those two allowed, but they had guys with speed. The Packers, up until Jordy's return, had Randall Cobb, James Jones (now gone) and scrubs.

 

One thing I will acknowledge that I've never seen Aaron do is throw multiple passes per game that should be intercepted. Remember, Terence Newman should have had a red zone INT in this Sunday's game. I honestly think he dropped it because he was so surprised that Aaron Rodgers threw the pass in the first place.

[Thanatos 2,847]

Well that's because, at least as far as I see it, A-Rod's sole weakness is that he refuses to take risks with the football. Which is of course also a strength, but sometimes you have to give your WRs a chance to just go make a play.

Edited September 22, 2016 by Thanatos

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

The Packers WRs struggle to get separation. Even with Jordy right now, who clearly isn't 100%, Aaron does not have a single guy who he knows will be open on most plays. He is being forced to go through progressions constantly because nobody gets open. How many throws did he have to make on Sunday night where the corners were right on the receiver's hip? How many times did he have to go back to somebody who he'd already passed by with his eyes? I shit you not, the Packers are struggling because they have slow receivers. Aaron still hits these guys when they bust a coverage, but on most plays he's being forced to throw into ridiculously tight windows and it's simply not a high percentage completion.

 

The Packers receivers, quite frankly, are not that good when they don't have at least one of them playing at an elite level. Until Jordy is 100%, it's going to stay that way.

 

And with Darius Slay and Glover Quin out there this next Sunday, don't be surprised if it's more of the same.

 

Aaron Rodgers is fine. It's time to overhaul the receiving corps and move on to a new coaching regime in Green Bay.

 

This may have been true in the past but isn't really all that accurate this season.

 

Not to imply that the receivers are free of blame, but against the Vikings Rodgers had several passes sail way over his guys who were running pretty open, as far as NFL open is concerned, and he wasn't facing a whole lot of pressure.

 

Then you had throws behind his guys like the one that was reflected by the Vikings' linebacker with afro hair who's name I can't remember...

 

EDIT: https://www.reddit.com/r/GreenBayPackers/comments/53kne3/rewatching_the_game_right_now_look_at_rodgers/

Edited September 22, 2016 by DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F

[SteelersNation36 128]

EDIT: https://www.reddit.com/r/GreenBayPackers/comments/53kne3/rewatching_the_game_right_now_look_at_rodgers/

 

That Cook throw, yikes...

[Packers Dynasty 2010 116]

I think he's just in a slump. He'll break out sometime this season.

 

@Bware: I don't think that's entirely it. Arod is one of the best QBs we've ever seen. He should be able to do something with sub-average receiving corps. See: Wilson, Russell, and Newton, Cam in 2015.

 

The only difference is that the coaches acknowledged the lack of talent at WR and schemed plays to get them open. They didn't run iso all game and expect to win. McCarthy is insisting on running iso and if you look at times we have been successful is when we go into a hurryup offense which will incorporate more spacing routes. Look at the comeback effort against Carolina last season. Early on, we ran iso and were getting beat handily. Go into catchup mode and you see more trip formations, along with natural spacing routes. Part of this is the defense going into a prevent but it definitely seems this offense runs so much better when Rodgers is calling all the shots and has it in a no huddle.

 

As for Rodgers, I think it is both him and the WRs struggling. Watching how Rodgers has played recently and last season, it seems he is starting to become scared of taking hits at times. I think the Denver game last season as well the Buffalo game in 2014, when he got injured, affected him more than some think. It would also help if we didn't cut one of our best O-line right before the season and if we fed Lacy more.

 

Dmac, I saw that thread as well but as some comments in there say, he has done that skip throw for a while and it hasn't affected him.

Edited September 23, 2016 by Packers Dynasty 2010

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

I think some of it is Aaron but some of it is scheme and Mike McCarthy as well. Aaron forces some bad throws sometimes. Like he will force balls that have very very little chance of being complete and those balls are almost always outside the numbers along the sideline. Like Thanatos said, he doesn't really take risks... Those forced passes I am talking about aren't even 'good' risks. Those are high risk, low reward plays. He needs to allow his guys to do a couple more jump balls or throw deep and give his WRs a chance to make plays, but he doesn't really trust them to do that.

With that problem comes Problem #2. The Packers used to spread out their WRs like crazy and Aaron would throw to 6, 7, 8 receivers in the first half. These days? He is very predictable in who he is throwing to and where he is going with the football. You COULD blame this on lack of talent at WR, but I don't buy it. Jeff Janis hd a huge game in Arizona after all you read about was how he and Aaron lacked chemistry. He just never got a chance. Ty Montgomery looked like he could have some serious talent last year before his season ending injury.. So far this year? Barely even seen him. He's not getting a chance. We signed Jared Cook to stretch the middle of the field... and guess what... it's worked. Last week against the Vikings, the middle of the field was WIDE OPEN. We didn't use him until the end of the 3rd and early 4th... he would help us get down the field (With the help of Lacy, Problem #3)... then in the redzone, Aaron would go back to throwing those stupid sideline comeback routes which everyone expects and knows we will throw. Then we'd be held out of the endzone... Again, Cook (and Rodgers, he was always open most of the vikings game) just aren't getting a chance.

 

Aaron has become so extremely limited by our lack of player and scheme diversity that it's in turn limited our offense. We don't use our depth, we don't use the middle of the field... It's disgusting at how unimaginative and predictable we are. Like.. for years everyone talked about those little back shoulder passes we threw to Jordy. Well, other teams know we do that a lot... so they have gotten better at defending it. And the offense has leaned on that as a crutch, so we run it a whole lot more... and as I mentioned, teams look for it. They know it's coming. That route that Trae Waynes picked off in the final moments last week? Jordy Nelson....outside the number... on a back shoulder / comeback route. It was poorly thrown as well, for what it's worth.

 

The next problem is that the Packers are not committed to the run game. Eddie Lacy has looked pretty good in VERY VERY limited action so far this year. The numbers as they are purely aren't sexy, but he isn't given a chance. He hasn't gotten 15 carries in either game so far... What the fuck. He's a big power back that feeds off more carries as the game comes to an end. He punishes defenses for 60 minutes and feeds on their carcasses. 3 carries a quarter is what he is averaging... UNACCEPTABLE. He isn't being given the chance to gain momentum over the course of the game and destroy like I know he could. Again, back to the Vikings game, when Aaron and Mike finally showed signs of adjustments in the late 3rd - ish... We were using the TE position more and the VERY OPEN middle of the field and hitting Lacy up the middle ( side note: stop drawing up these long developing toss and stretch plays to Lacy, you cna do them once in a while just to mix it up, but those shouldn't be half of his already limited carries. It's dumb and shows serious weakness in a coach when he can't play a guy to his strengths )... Then all of a sudden on we start putting James Starks in there. Why? Lacy is owning, keep him in there, he's a fine pass blocker (most of the time) he's a fine pass catcher (most of the time). On the 4th down we miss in our own RZ earlier in the game... Lacy helped us get down there, then we decided to trot James Starks out for 3rd & 1 and 4th & 1... result.. Starks stuffed up the middle. WHY?

 

To tie this up into a neat little bow tie because I could go on forever.... Over the last year plus, the Packers offense has become extremely simplified and thus more predictable and easier to defend. They need to start utilizing the middle of the field, they need to utilize more of their depth chart, they need to commit to the run game. And honestly, I think Aaron needs to relax, he seems too tense out there. And I don't blame him for that. Mike McCarthy and the entire offensive coaching staff ar eputting the entire offense on his shoulders -- but forcing it and not letting it happen naturally. He's trying to do too much and it's backfiring.

 

To actually answer the question... i think he will get better again. Not sure if he will ever get back to never before seen heights that he was at there, but this offense WILL turn around. If it doesn't, Mike McCarthy does need to be fired.

Edited September 23, 2016 by Favre4Ever

[theMileHighGuy 656]

Fuckin too many women (well one woman, probably an awful lot), shooting all these commercials... man's head ain't in the game anymore.

 

Fact: As Peypey filmed more and more spots and commercials, his play declined further and further.

 

He's just not that into it.

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

I think everyone has made some valid points in this thread, especially JD.

 

I consider it a slump...but if he doesn't work his way out of this by year's end...I would have to be leaning toward he's regressing more than a slump.

 

This also may be happening because his heir apparent, Derek Carr is taking over in Oakland

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Fuckin too many women (well one woman, probably an awful lot), shooting all these commercials... man's head ain't in the game anymore.

 

Fact: As Peypey filmed more and more spots and commercials, his play declined further and further.

 

He's just not that into it.

This has come across my mind a few times, but I just don't want to believe it. Aaron came out and said that he (and the team) don't care about media scrutiny because they will go on a tear and as soon as they have one bad game, they will be called out... but really this isn't one bad week... it's like 18 bad weeks.

 

He just got out of it last year because Jordy was gone... but it's obvious Jordy's absence WAS NOT the reason for the low level of play we witnessed. Like I said, I expect it to be mostly turned around this year.

[oochymp 2,393]

I wasn't watching the game, but his statline looks pretty damn good for today, then again it was against the Lions

[SteVo+ 3,702]

R-E-L-A-X

[RazorStar 4,025]

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

I will admit that I thought myself it'd be against the Lions that he found his groove back, but, I'm not sure this game is an indicator of anything except that the issue with the Packers is mostly timing...

 

He didn't face pressure all game, the Lions have like, 2 active linebackers, and has made Andrew Luck and Marcus Mariota look elite.

Edited September 26, 2016 by DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

So... Bump?

[BwareDWare94 723]

The issue is coaching. The Packers don't vary their formations enough, and don't run enough sets from under center to help their running game get going. Some simple adjustments to their play calling would make a world of difference.

 

Mike McCarthy's play calling style has run its course, and if he can't figure that out, that's a problem for Green Bay.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

The issue is coaching. The Packers don't vary their formations enough, and don't run enough sets from under center to help their running game get going. Some simple adjustments to their play calling would make a world of difference.

 

Mike McCarthy's play calling style has run its course, and if he can't figure that out, that's a problem for Green Bay.

 

Problem is, they used to.. I don't know why they chose to scale back the number of formations and personnel groupings. Get different guys involved, it isn't THAT hard.

[BwareDWare94 723]

 

Problem is, they used to.. I don't know why they chose to scale back the number of formations and personnel groupings. Get different guys involved, it isn't THAT hard.

Green Bay had a more effective running game in the best years of Ryan Grant than they do now with better players at the position? Why? Because they let Favre go under center and run more natural running plays. It's time to do the same thing for Lacy/Starks, and if they still don't produce, next. man. up.

Edited October 12, 2016 by BwareDWare94

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Green Bay had a more effective rinning game in the best years of Ryan Grant than they do now with better players at the position? Why? Because they let Favre go under center and run more natural running plays. It's time to do the same thing for Lacy/Starks, and if they still don't produce, next. man. up.

 

You mean short little tosses and stretch plays aren't always natural for a 250 lb running back? CRAZY. And apparently Mike and the staff were pissed at Lacy for bouncing to the outside too much and dancing. Uhhh, probably because you design plays like that and by the time he gets there, so are the defenders, causing him to dance around waiting for a hole....

 

Part of me almost wants to believe that Aaron and Mike are being dumb on purpose so they can ride off on some super hot playoff run or something but... no way that's a real thing. Delusions of grandeur for sure.

[BwareDWare94 723]

They have everything necessary to have a good every-week running game. Time to just make it happen.

[BJORN 679]

Hasn't Rodgers always been hot/cold throughout his career?

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Even if that is true... He's like the least accurate QB in the league right now. That has never been a sentence we would even consider before.