Great Finley Article

[gbpowner]

It's not always easy to predict future performance based on past performance. Colonel Sanders shouldn't have hawking chicken in his 40s. Grandma Moses shouldn't have taken up painting in her 70s. Jeremy Lin should be working at some quiet desk as an economist by now.

I'm glad to see Finley has signed for another 2 years at a relatively reasonable price for the 1st year. Jermichael is still a kid and the YOTTO may still be yet to come in 2012 when he finally lives up to his and our expectations.

 

[ivo610]

Look at the numbers though, Nelson, Jennings, and Finely are all in the top 50 receivers, NO only had 2, Graham and Colston. Then when you look at just WR's James Jones had more yards than Meachum and Moore. Sporles had a great season. Also remember that Brees threw 657 times compared to Rodgers 502, just statistically the Saints are going to have more rec. The Packers offense was much more efficient than the Saints and out scored them too.

Rodgers threw consistently to more players per game, think it was on average 8 different guys per game.

I laugh at saints fans who claim they had the greatest offense in nfl history. Wasn't even the best of the 32 teams last season!

 

[GeeDogWarrior]

Does anyone here think Finley has lived up to the expectations on him?

Depends on what he does in 2012, 2011 he was coming back from that knee injury, no off season, so he was kind of like a step slower, less consistent.
The Finley from 2009 - 2010 was a beast, that playoff game against the cardinals, I don't think he ever dropped a pass tbh.
If he has a monster WR like season (close to a 1000 yards/10 tds/less drops) then Idk, get him signed long term, idk, I like him.

 

[Wood Chipper]

Well he got 2 years so I guess we will see if he actually improves or not.

 

[fettpett]

Well he got 2 years so I guess we will see if he actually improves or not.

realistically it's more like 1 season, If he doesn't do well next season they cut him, if the does great the restructure the deal for more years and reduced cap number.

 

[HyponGrey]

If he can mentally get over his injury, he can be the dominant TE we all hope he will be. As of now he has 2 years. He will never reach any kind of potential if he doesn't

 

[morningwood]

I laugh at saints fans who claim they had the greatest offense in nfl history. Wasn't even the best of the 32 teams last season!

And I laugh when I think back to last year before the season started when I was blasted by a few here for saying that Graham might turn out to be a better receiving TE than Finley. Now, one season later, any discussion of Finley leads to the question of whether he is as good as Graham. The fact was that the people who laughed at what actually turned out to be an understatement of Graham's potential probably had no idea of who he was.

 

[Bagadeez04]

Is this entire article based on one statistic? Yards per attempt? Hardly a well-rounded analysis of Finley's production...there are so many other factors/stats that come into play here.

But I think an analysis of what most of us already know is unnecessary...Finley is a player who has yet to live up to the "potential". While he's done some nice things (someone said the most productive Packer TE), I still get the sense he hasn't reached the elite level I expect he is capable of reaching.

Signing him to a two year deal was a perfect move by Ted...if in two years he has still not become an elite TE then we can part ways with him if we so choose. But if he does put it all together and becomes a dominant TE...which he is fully capable of doing...then we can keep him around.

 

[bozz_2006]

And I laugh when I think back to last year before the season started when I was blasted by a few here for saying that Graham might turn out to be a better receiving TE than Finley. Now, one season later, any discussion of Finley leads to the question of whether he is as good as Graham. The fact was that the people who laughed at what actually turned out to be an understatement of Graham's potential probably had no idea of who he was.

Yep, I remember that.

 

[Bagadeez04]

And I laugh when I think back to last year before the season started when I was blasted by a few here for saying that Graham might turn out to be a better receiving TE than Finley. Now, one season later, any discussion of Finley leads to the question of whether he is as good as Graham. The fact was that the people who laughed at what actually turned out to be an understatement of Graham's potential probably had no idea of who he was.

So you came to say that Graham is better than Finley? You are right. What's your point?

 

[bozz_2006]

It was in the weeks leading up to the opening game. People here were crowing about Finley and what an unstoppable beast he was. Morningwood said that Graham was good too, and people here flipped out on him.

 

[FrankRizzo]

So you came to say that Graham is better than Finley? You are right. What's your point?

Is point was not that he was right, as you mentioned, but that he was ripped on for saying it before it actually happened.
Egg on the face of anyone who ripped on him for saying it.

I appreciate comments from people before the obviouse becomes obvious.
Hopefully nobody was rude and immature and called the guy names or ridiculed him for saying it.

Now, let's see how Graham does for an encore to that great season, and if J-Mike can step his play up a notch.
Finley needs to get faster and quicker, because I saw very little separation from him, compared to Graham.
I worry that J-Mike's knees aren't the same, but am told that takes time to come back from and get back to the level they were before..... hope so.

Because what made 88 so great (late in the 09 season, he was great) was his combination of size, speed, and hands.
Last year, all he had was that size. His speed was average or worse, and his hands were worse too. He was a shell of his former self.

 

[morningwood]

I appreciate it guys. I wasn't trolling then and I am not trolling now.

And FR is right, both of these guys are young. The book is not written yet, in fact it's just starting. There are indicators for each of these players that suggest HoF type careers. I will say it again, I think Finley is a special player. His talent is amazing. On the other hand J. Graham now has exactly just three years of football (at any level) under his belt.

My biggest concern about Graham is that he plays so physical. I love it, but anytime you see a player taking and delivering blows like he does you worry about longevity. Also, he is not going to sneak up on any team this year.

 

[ivo610]

And I laugh when I think back to last year before the season started when I was blasted by a few here for saying that Graham might turn out to be a better receiving TE than Finley. Now, one season later, any discussion of Finley leads to the question of whether he is as good as Graham. The fact was that the people who laughed at what actually turned out to be an understatement of Graham's potential probably had no idea of who he was.

You decided to quote me? The guy who said this before the season started...

finley still needs to prove himself. Everyone sees the talent, but Packer fans think he is better than he is. I hear people say best tight end in the league and I laugh. Sorry but you need to actually prove that. some of the most talented players have failed.

 

[morningwood]

You decided to quote me? The guy who said this before the season started...

I see your point -- I using your post re: Saints as a launching point to bring up that discussion in this Finley thread. I may have implies something I did not mean to.

I laugh at you for reasons unrelated to Finley.

 

[ivo610]

I see your point -- I using your post re: Saints as a launching point to bring up that discussion in this Finley thread. I may have implies something I did not mean to.

I laugh at you for reasons unrelated to Finley.

 

[PackersandPokemon]

Does anyone here think Finley has lived up to the expectations on him?

The problem with Finley is that he's the one putting these expectations on himself. He wouldn't be under so much scrutiny if he kept quiet. The media hyped him up for this season because he said he was going to be great; unfortunately, he was good but not at the level he boasted.
3rd best in the league would satisfy most people, but not when they're promised the best.

 

[FrankRizzo]

The problem with Finley is that he's the one putting these expectations on himself. He wouldn't be under so much scrutiny if he kept quiet. The media hyped him up for this season because he said he was going to be great; unfortunately, he was good but not at the level he boasted.
3rd best in the league would satisfy most people, but not when they're promised the best.

Right on, and he was FAR from the 3rd best TE in football last year.
We all are aware of Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski breaking records, but Vernon Davis also was a man compared to Finley. Vernon was what we hoped we'd get from Finley.... or what we wished we had gotten with that 2006 #5 overall pick Hawk, when we selected him a pick before Vernon, but that's another story.

On this offense, with these WRs, J-Mike ain't gonna rack up stats like Graham and Gronk, but he just needs to cut down the drops. And shut his pie-hole when it comes to any negativity.

 

[PackersandPokemon]

And Vernon Davis did all that with Alex Smith throwing the ball to him. How anyone can drop so many balls coming from Rodgers and expect to be hailed as great is beyond me.

 

[HyponGrey]

Nicely said Rizzo and Packemon

 

[NelsonsLongCatch]

Slaughter25 - You realize I just posted the article and didn't write it, right?