Rodgers needs to go deep for success

[Packnic]

weird little blurb from Jeremy Green at Scouts, Inc. Not sure i agree with everything especially the Arod not being athletic, but it is something to read if your bored.

Go Deep Young Man


Rodgers needs to go deep or Packers will struggle in '08
By Jeremy Green
Scouts Inc.


Updated: May 16, 2008

For the first time in 18 years, Brett Favre isn't going to be under center in Green Bay. Now, the short-term success of the Packers' entire franchise is on first-time starter Aaron Rodgers' shoulders. He will never be Favre, but he doesn't have to be because he has a plethora of talent around him and a coach who will tweak the West Coast offense to cater to Rodgers' strengths.

Aaron Rodgers will finally take over for Brett Favre in 2008.
Head coach Mike McCarthy's West Coast offense is a great system for an unproven quarterback, like Rodgers, to develop in. Inexperienced quarterbacks tend to hold on to the football too long, but because this system is based on mostly three-step and five-step drops, Rodgers should be able to get rid of the ball quicker. He performed well in this system against Dallas last season. He did a good job of dropping back, getting rid of the ball and taking what the Cowboys gave him. But, the Packers' offense needs to add the deep ball to its West Coast system. Rodgers' ability to connect on the deep ball is going to play a large role in Green Bay's offensive success this season.
One thing that made the Packers' West Coast offense under Favre a little different was the element of the big play via the deep ball. Favre was able to scramble and let his receivers get downfield. Rodgers is not nearly as athletic or mobile, but McCarthy must call for some deep balls in order to keep the defense honest. If not, defenses will start bringing their safeties closer to the line of scrimmage, which would make it more difficult to run a traditional West Coast system because it is more difficult to connect on slants, curls and outs.

Stretching the field will also not allow opposing defenses to put eight men in the box to stop RB Ryan Grant and pressure Rodgers. Even though the Packers have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL with tackles Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher and the inside trio of Jason Spitz, Scott Wells and Daryn Colledge, they are used to blocking versus six- and seven-man fronts and not protecting against blitz pressure. When you can connect on a few vertical plays off the blitz, it makes the defense a little more passive and makes the defensive coordinator think twice about trying to rattle the cage of an unproven quarterback.

Week 1 will be a huge test for Rodgers and the Packers' offense. He has to be physically and mentally tough during his first start because the NFL is a copycat league and if he is challenged early on, he could struggle this season. The Packers don't need to recreate the wheel as it pertains to the offense, but a little deep ball will go a long way toward keeping this offense on track in 2008.

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com.

 

[tromadz]

Yeah, he needs to go deep in an offense that is mostly short routes? That makes sense...

I couldn't disagree more.

He needs to be able to hit the slants consistently and all the 10-15 yard routes with accuracy and power to do well, not hit 45 yard go routes.

This article seems like another glorified "The boy ain't Brett Favre!" rant.

So yeah...I disagree.

 

[IronMan]

weird little blurb from Jeremy Green at Scouts, Inc. Not sure i agree with everything especially the Arod not being athletic, but it is something to read if your bored.

Jeremy Green is now on Cal2GreenBay's hit list.

 

[porky88]

I don't necessary disagree. I mean every offense needs to have some sort of deep threat. I think the Packers will have it and they have the perfect receiver for it in Greg Jennings.

Jennings to me is developing into one of the better all around receivers in the league. He kind of reminds me of Steve Smith. He can go deep but he can still take a slant all the way too. I'm not sure he's there yet but it seems like everyone forgets he was just a 2nd year player last season.

People focus to much on Aaron Rodgers. If he just plays within the system, he'll be great because the players around him are great. Then later on as he starts to develop, Rodgers will become the reason why the team is good and his teammates will thrive off of him rather than be it the other way around.

 

[PackFanWithTwins]

The WCO uses short passes by design. Not only is that because they are quick to relieve the pass rush, and lower risk.

But I have always believed that part of the reason is to get the defense out of its normal setup. Part of that being getting the defense to creap up opening the deeper ball.

GB and Rodgers will attempt a few deep balls. They don't even have to be completed, just keep the defense honest.

 

[bozz_2006]

clearly, Brett was much more athletic and mobile than Rodgers... what?

 

[Greg C.]

clearly, Brett was much more athletic and mobile than Rodgers... what?

Yep, he lost me right there. Sounds like Jeremy did not do his homework. He probably wrote this article on his laptop on a beach somewhere far south of Green Bay.

 

[favre2driver]

the writer is horrible.

Rodgers is not immobile or less athletic.

 

[cheesey]

Rodgers is VERY mobile. Thats one thing i noticed right away. He's alot quicker then Favre, and can make some big gains with his running ability that Favre didn't have.
Now.........i agree that he has to show that he CAN "go deep". If he can do that (which i believe he can) he will keep the D from undercutting the short routes. Thats what Favre did. He kept the D on their toes, as they didn't know if he was gonna go deep at any moment. You have to keep the D guessing in order for those short routes to work. We have the WR's that can go deep at any time. Rodgers just needs to show that he can and will do it. And like i said, i think he has the talent and arm to do so.

 

[Andy]

The McCarthy offense at times has deep routes, but for the most part it is slants, screens and intermediate routes. It is a typical West Coast offense. You pick up yards in chunks.

 

[cheesey]

The McCarthy offense at times has deep routes, but for the most part it is slants, screens and intermediate routes. It is a typical West Coast offense. You pick up yards in chunks.

Oh, i know. What makes the WC offense so deadly is the possibility that you may just go deep at any point though. You **** and dunk the D, then surprise them with the long ball once in awhile. If your QB doesn't have the ability to make the long throw, the D can cheat up on you. Thats what made Favre so deadly with it. The D KNEW he could also burn them deep at any time. Look what Favre did in OT against the Broncos last year. If the D knows Rodgers is capable of that too, it keeps them guessing, and they can't jump the short routes.

 

[Sangill]

Favre was able to scramble and let his receivers get downfield. Rodgers is not nearly as athletic or mobile, but McCarthy must call for some deep balls in order to keep the defense honest.

Huh...??? What did I miss - has Aarons lost a leg or something?

Edit: Just realised this had already been covered. Sorry

 

[Zombieslayer]

Yeah, he needs to go deep in an offense that is mostly short routes? That makes sense...

I couldn't disagree more.

He needs to be able to hit the slants consistently and all the 10-15 yard routes with accuracy and power to do well, not hit 45 yard go routes.

This article seems like another glorified "The boy ain't Brett Favre!" rant.

So yeah...I disagree.

I agree with Trom here.

MM designed his O to be interchangeable with QBs. Even if Favre played another year, if Favre went down, Rodgers could step in and run EXACTLY the same O and have similar results.

I don't know MM personally, but if I understand it correctly, that's what he designed.

The changes you will see in '08 have NOTHING to do with the fact Favre retired and everything to do with MM wanting to implement changes. You will see more runs. MM has said repeatedly that a perfect game is 50 runs.

That said, MM also designs his O against an opponents' weakness. You will see very few runs against the Vikings and a lot of passing.

What Favre was doing last year worked. So MM will tweak it a little and it will be very similar, except with more Grant and Jackson and hopefully more screens. We need to bring back the screen and I'm sure MM will work on that.

 

[A1MEANGREEN]

the writer is horrible.

Rodgers is not immobile or less athletic.

:yeah:

 

[Cal2GreenBay]

weird little blurb from Jeremy Green at Scouts, Inc. Not sure i agree with everything especially the Arod not being athletic, but it is something to read if your bored.

Jeremy Green is now on Cal2GreenBay's hit list.

It's a wonder writers like this can even have a job.
You guys all said what I needed to say...

 

[CaliforniaCheez]

Three thumbs down on that article.

 

[Buckeyepackfan]

BF had the uncanniny knack of being able to avoid or sidestep a rusher, but as far as being more mobile than A-rod, as has been posted before, the writer of that column doesn't know what he is talking about.

AR showed some mobility and scrambling ability in the Dallas game, if he can show that throughout the coming year it will be one more thing a Defensive has to worry about.

As far as Having to go deep, in the WCO you take what the defense gives you. Until last year I think most would agree that Brett would not show enough patience at times, and would force the ball deep, but That was always one of the things that made him so fun to watch, you never knew when he would let it go and who would end up with the ball.

Hopefully A-Rod stays injury free and has a chance to show what he can do, IMHO The Pack will be fine as long as AR plays within himself.

 

[cheesey]

weird little blurb from Jeremy Green at Scouts, Inc. Not sure i agree with everything especially the Arod not being athletic, but it is something to read if your bored.

Jeremy Green is now on Cal2GreenBay's hit list.

It's a wonder writers like this can even have a job.
You guys all said what I needed to say...

Cal.......these so called "sports writers" figure that anyone that isn't a Packer fan will read what they write and believe it. We who are more "in the know" about our team KNOW he's full of crap......and no facts.

 

[Zombieslayer]

Three thumbs down on that article.

How did you get three thumbs?

Never mind. I won't ask. :shock:

 

[bozz_2006]

Three thumbs down on that article.

How did you get three thumbs?

Never mind. I won't ask. :shock:

you don't want to know where the 4th thumb is.

 

[cheesey]

Three thumbs down on that article.

How did you get three thumbs?

Never mind. I won't ask. :shock:

you don't want to know where the 4th thumb is.

YES I DO!!!! :wink: :lol:

 

[Timmons]

Wow, this writer sucks!

Aaron is less mobile than Brett AND we have one of the best O lines in the NFL, due to Clifton and Tauscher? Really? I was pretty sure that all the talk around TnC is whether their knees will hold up.

Aaron is a great fit, because he is more mobile than Brett and he's a more accurate thrower too. I'd also like to point out that I think Aaron has a better deep ball, mainly in his decision of WHERE to throw deep.

What is unproven is he leadership during gametime. Obviously Brett had that. I beleive that Trom is right in that Aaron will be fine, especially basing that upon what we saw in the Dallas game.

The upside for us is if Aaron doesn't deliver the stupid throws that Brett did, then we will be better off.

Also, if he is able to scamble for yards, ie the Dallas game, that will force linebackers to have to respect taht which should make the TE's job easier.