State of our former QB, Aaron Rodgers

[Heyjoe4]

I don't think you can simply exchange two different players and say they would each accomplish what the other did. There is chemistry and intangibles to consider, and I'm just not so certain Rodgers would have seven rings on his fingers, because that is an insane - an unthinkable - amount of rings to have.

I also tend to think Brady was more clutch than Rodgers, although I don't have the stats to prove it, just a hunch.

You nailed it, Brady just always rose to the challenge, as corny as that sounds. Even into his early forties, the guy just brought a laser focus to all he did. His seven rings eliminate the possibility of coincidence. He was just that great, a winner.

Rodgers would have benefitted from better teammates, but that's true for all QBs. Rodgers had the ball in his hands with many playoff games on the line, and more often than not, he didn't come through - or at least that's how I remember it. There certainly were exceptions - thinking about the playoff win in Dallas (2017?) where he threw a 30-yard rope to a TE (can't remember his name, help!). Crosby kicked and then re-kicked 51 yard field goals to win. That was clutch, by Rodgers and the TE who caught the ball and fell OOB, and by Crosby.

I'm not blaming Rodgers for the Packers' inability to win another Lombardi or two - there is plenty of blame to go around for that. He made some terrific plays, mind boggling really over his long career. The playoffs were a different story. As Packer fans, we really don't have much to complain about over the last 30 years.

 

[rmontro]

Rodgers would have benefitted from better teammates, but that's true for all QBs. Rodgers had the ball in his hands with many playoff games on the line, and more often than not, he didn't come through - or at least that's how I remember it. There certainly were exceptions - thinking about the playoff win in Dallas (2017?) where he threw a 30-yard rope to a TE (can't remember his name, help!). Crosby kicked and then re-kicked 51 yard field goals to win. That was clutch, by Rodgers and the TE who caught the ball and fell OOB, and by Crosby.

Jared Cook was the TE. Yeah, that's the game I always think about when I think of Rodgers being clutch. That's also the game where Skip Bayless started calling Crosby "Mason Crossbar" because he hit a field goal that hit the crossbar and bounced in. Kind of the opposite of the Bears "double doink". But when I think of Brady being clutch, I envision him leading a touchdown drive. Rodgers led late scoring drives too, but then the defense would choke. It's complicated.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Jared Cook was the TE. Yeah, that's the game I always think about when I think of Rodgers being clutch. That's also the game where Skip Bayless started calling Crosby "Mason Crossbar" because he hit a field goal that hit the crossbar and bounced in. Kind of the opposite of the Bears "double doink". But when I think of Brady being clutch, I envision him leading a touchdown drive. Rodgers led late scoring drives too, but then the defense would choke. It's complicated.

Jared Cook! Thanks for reminding me rmontro. That was an awesome pass. I think the Packers were out of TOs, nearly out of time, and well behind where they needed to be for a FG. I think that was a 30-yard plus completion, with Cook cradling the perfectly thrown ball and then falling OOB. I also remember Dallas calling a TO just before the first FG attempt, which Crosby nailed anyway. He had to do an encore, and he made it. Great win. I think it was a walk off as well.

Skip Bayless is like a small flying bug that you can't get rid of. Anyone with a first name of "Skip" has other problems as well...

And yeah, the reasons behind the lack of another Lombardi or two in the Rodgers' era are complicated. My instinct says it was lack of a solid, reliable D. Rodgers did choke a few times, but the playoff problems weren't with the offense. And I maintain that is next to impossible to win a SB without at least a top 3 D.

 

[Thirteen Below]

And in the latest episode of as the world turns...

Aaron Rodgers reveals he got married but Steeler QB's wife remains a mystery

Aaron Rodgers said after his first practice with the Pittsburgh Steelers that he got married "a couple months ago."

www.cbsnews.com

 

[rmontro]

And in the latest episode of as the world turns...

Aaron Rodgers reveals he got married but Steeler QB's wife remains a mystery

Aaron Rodgers said after his first practice with the Pittsburgh Steelers that he got married "a couple months ago."

www.cbsnews.com

Wow, he did a pretty good job of keeping that secret!

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

Yes, thank you for doing all that research.

Jared Cook! Thanks for reminding me rmontro. That was an awesome pass. I think the Packers were out of TOs, nearly out of time, and well behind where they needed to be for a FG. I think that was a 30-yard plus completion, with Cook cradling the perfectly thrown ball and then falling OOB. I also remember Dallas calling a TO just before the first FG attempt, which Crosby nailed anyway. He had to do an encore, and he made it. Great win. I think it was a walk off as well.

Skip Bayless is like a small flying bug that you can't get rid of. Anyone with a first name of "Skip" has other problems as well...

And yeah, the reasons behind the lack of another Lombardi or two in the Rodgers' era are complicated. My instinct says it was lack of a solid, reliable D. Rodgers did choke a few times, but the playoff problems weren't with the offense. And I maintain that is next to impossible to win a SB without at least a top 3 D.

Peyton Manning won a Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts and they were 23rd out of 32 teams in scoring defense during the regular season but they played well in the post-season.

 

[OldSchool101]

Wow, he did a pretty good job of keeping that secret!

I once had a secret GF. Not sure if that counts. Lol

 

[Thirteen Below]

I once had a secret GF. Not sure if that counts. Lol

Boy, I sure hope your wife doesn't read your posts here. You just might want to delete that....

 

[OldSchool101]

Boy, I sure hope your wife doesn't read your posts here. You just might want to delete that....

Oh no not like that. Nah. My wife knows im not like that. This was 22 years before she knew I existed. My current Wife would’ve been in High School back then she’s 11.5 years my Junior. I dated this girl for the.. .. her.. … .. oh just forget it.

Must be something to have to hide your wife. I think that happened to Abram from the Bible? He faked it with Pharoah like his Wife Sarai was his Sister out of fear he’d be killed because apparently Sarai looked like a Supermodel Pharaoh found out and was actually upset Abram didn’t tell him. Even back then they had higher moral standards.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Yes, thank you for doing all that research.

Peyton Manning won a Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts and they were 23rd out of 32 teams in scoring defense during the regular season but they played well in the post-season.

Wow that's an interesting stat because I remember that game, it was against the Bears I think. Manning was MVP. Clearly an outlier though on D. Then again, how a team plays in the post season is all we care about.

Thanks for the reminder!

Manning won his second ring with Denver behind their explosive D. Manning only passed for around 150 yards but Denver's D was dominant.

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

Wow that's an interesting stat because I remember that game, it was against the Bears I think. Manning was MVP. Clearly an outlier though on D. Then again, how a team plays in the post season is all we care about.

Thanks for the reminder!

Manning won his second ring with Denver behind their explosive D. Manning only passed for around 150 yards but Denver's D was dominant.

You're welcome. It is a statistical anomaly. The Colts defense was a sieve against the run and then they got Bob Sanders back at safety and they were able to stop Larry Johnson and the Chiefs running attack and were on their way.

 

[rmontro]

Wow that's an interesting stat because I remember that game, it was against the Bears I think. Manning was MVP. Clearly an outlier though on D. Then again, how a team plays in the post season is all we care about.

I remember that, because it was one of the few times I was rooting for the Colts in the playoffs. I live in Indiana and I'm surrounded by Colts fans, so naturally I have to rebel. But I was a Packers fan long before Irsay brought the Colts here.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Wonder if the Vikings can get the Steelers to part with Rodgers now!

Vikings said to be hunting for trade with Michigan Wolverines football legend J.J. McCarthy struggling at OTAs | Sporting News

The Minnesota Vikings may not be sold on Michigan Wolverines football legend J.J. McCarthy as their cornerstone star.

www.sportingnews.com

 

[Thirteen Below]

Wonder if the Vikings can get the Steelers to part with Rodgers now!

Vikings said to be hunting for trade with Michigan Wolverines football legend J.J. McCarthy struggling at OTAs | Sporting News

The Minnesota Vikings may not be sold on Michigan Wolverines football legend J.J. McCarthy as their cornerstone star.

www.sportingnews.com

Man, that's a poorly written (and edited) article. The first half makes the case for why the Vikings have reasons to not be confident in McCarthy, and the second half explains that there is no reason to not be confident in him.

I fall into the first camp - I've said several times over the last couple of months the same thing Cowherd said -

"There's so much mystery here: why does Minnesota keep flirting with other quarterbacks, and there are too many conflicting reports on McCarthy? I feel like sometimes there's a bit of a spin job here. His arm and escape ability are modest; his release wasn't super quick—there's no great trait."

I have the same question. For a team that's completely confident in their quarterback, they sure spent a lot of time shopping for different ones. I'm really not sold on McCarthy, and I think some of the people picking the Vikings to win the division are delusional.

 

[Thirteen Below]

Deleted

 

[rmontro]

The selfishness of this guy is appalling, and I can't believe the Steelers are putting up with it. But I guess they have no choice, because he knows he has them over a barrel. So he's been yanking the organization and his new teammates around for months.

He may be selfish, but he definitely doesn't like to put in the offseason work. I think he partly thinks he's above it, and partly thinks he'd rather work out the kinks in the early games. You have to be pretty confident coming into a new system and not be that concerned about learning it. He'll probably want Tomlin to meet him halfway.

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

Aannnddd here we go again. Even though Rodgers and the Steelers agreed to terms, he hasn't signed his contract yet, so he's (once again) missing an entire series of OTAs with his new team - including a mandatory OTA this week.

The selfishness of this guy is appalling, and I can't believe the Steelers are putting up with it. But I guess they have no choice, because he knows he has them over a barrel. So he's been yanking the organization and his new teammates around for months.

And while the organization is minimizing the issue, it's not going unnoticed by his soon-to-be teammates....



Head coach Mike Tomlin is between a rock and a hard place (and get used to it, Mike, because it won't be the last time) because he has to get along with Rodgers. So he's downplaying it.




So for the 2nd year in a row (or is it the 3rd?), Rodgers following his own program, coming and going as he pleases, and disregarding the needs of his new team while spouting cliches about how important it is for everyone to be all in.

Like I said in another thread, once again he's making everything all about him. He feels he doesn't need the drills because he's a 4-time MVP, but his teammates need this time to get familiar with him. He doesn't know their offense, he doesn't know his teammates' strengths , weaknesses, and tendencies, and they know nothing about what to expect from him. He's hurting their new receivers.

By the end of this season, I think Tomlin will be on blood pressure medication.

Steelers forge ahead at OTAs without Aaron Rodgers, say it's of little concern

Ideally, Aaron Rodgers would be signed and participating in OTAs, but the Steelers' brass view him as a plug-and-play quarterback.

www.espn.com

That story is from June 5th. Rodgers is and has been practicing with the Steelers this week.

 

[Thirteen Below]

Well, that's prettyh embarrassing. I don't understand why all those stories came up in google when I searched "aaron rodgers". got a whole list of stories about him not being in camp; every single item was on that topic.

Damn... well, I take it back, and I'd better delete it so it doesn't misinform people. Thanks!

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

Well, that's prettyh embarrassing. I don't understand why all those stories came up in google when I searched "aaron rodgers". got a whole list of stories about him not being in camp; every single item was on that topic.

Damn... well, I take it back, and I'd better delete it so it doesn't misinform people. Thanks!

You're welcome.

'He's all-in': How Aaron Rodgers got acclimated in his first week with the Steelers

Steelers fans want to believe in the 41-year-old quarterback -- and so do his newest teammates.

www.espn.com

 

[OldSchool101]

Wonder if the Vikings can get the Steelers to part with Rodgers now!

Vikings said to be hunting for trade with Michigan Wolverines football legend J.J. McCarthy struggling at OTAs | Sporting News

The Minnesota Vikings may not be sold on Michigan Wolverines football legend J.J. McCarthy as their cornerstone star.

www.sportingnews.com

I’m still surprised they’re going to put all their marbles on a 1st year starter. I just think that’s very unwise. Especially now knowing that there’s a high probability that Rodgers would’ve taken an extra short deal. They could’ve had Aaron on a $13Mil deal and if things didn’t pan out get JJ in there to get some work. Meanwhile they will throw him into the fire rather than let him heal up and train the guy properly.

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

I’m still surprised they’re going to put all their marbles on a 1st year starter. I just think that’s very unwise. Especially now knowing that there’s a high probability that Rodgers would’ve taken an extra short deal. They could’ve had Aaron on a $13Mil deal and if things didn’t pan out get JJ in there to get some work. Meanwhile they will throw him into the fire rather than let him heal up and train the guy properly.

I wonder too as he had no playing time last year and much of his experience at UM was helped by Stalions signaling in the defense he was facing so can he experienced enough to read NFL defenses and coverages?

 

[Heyjoe4]

Man, that's a poorly written (and edited) article. The first half makes the case for why the Vikings have reasons to not be confident in McCarthy, and the second half explains that there is no reason to not be confident in him.

I fall into the first camp - I've said several times over the last couple of months the same thing Cowherd said -



I have the same question. For a team that's completely confident in their quarterback, they sure spent a lot of time shopping for different ones. I'm really not sold on McCarthy, and I think some of the people picking the Vikings to win the division are delusional.

Well I would think by now they have an idea of the player they drafted. I think UM's pedigree carried a lot of weight when he was drafted. Well, they're gonna have to dance with him now. We'll soon find out what he can do, or can't.

 

[Magooch]

Well I would think by now they have an idea of the player they drafted. I think UM's pedigree carried a lot of weight when he was drafted. Well, they're gonna have to dance with him now. We'll soon find out what he can do, or can't.

I'd agree with that, and honestly I often feel like teams just get enamored with the idea of a player having a "first round grade". Regardless of what the player shows in camp (or actually in-game), teams will have a tendency to look back and think "Well he wasn't a first round prospect for no reason" and seem to assume that there must be SOME way to get it right and tap into that potential.
In the case of the Vikings for instance - regardless of what they've actually seen out of McCarthy, they're probably telling themselves that they made this big investment in him, they had him graded as a first round player, and other teams did too...so the talent must be there, they just have to figure out how to unlock it and come good on their investment.

I remember hearing a guy on ESPN radio a few years back (I can't recall who) who said something like "NFL teams view first-round QB flops the same way a lot of women view attractive but emotionally immature/unavailable men: they all think to themselves 'I can fix him'. No matter how hard a QB flops, if they were taken in the first round, some team is gonna convince themselves that it'll be different for them"

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

I'd agree with that, and honestly I often feel like teams just get enamored with the idea of a player having a "first round grade". Regardless of what the player shows in camp (or actually in-game), teams will have a tendency to look back and think "Well he wasn't a first round prospect for no reason" and seem to assume that there must be SOME way to get it right and tap into that potential.
In the case of the Vikings for instance - regardless of what they've actually seen out of McCarthy, they're probably telling themselves that they made this big investment in him, they had him graded as a first round player, and other teams did too...so the talent must be there, they just have to figure out how to unlock it and come good on their investment.

I remember hearing a guy on ESPN radio a few years back (I can't recall who) who said something like "NFL teams view first-round QB flops the same way a lot of women view attractive but emotionally immature/unavailable men: they all think to themselves 'I can fix him'. No matter how hard a QB flops, if they were taken in the first round, some team is gonna convince themselves that it'll be different for them"

Which reminds me of the old marriage adage: Women marry men thinking they can change them, but they never do. Men marry women hoping they never change, but they do.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I’m still surprised they’re going to put all their marbles on a 1st year starter. I just think that’s very unwise. Especially now knowing that there’s a high probability that Rodgers would’ve taken an extra short deal. They could’ve had Aaron on a $13Mil deal and if things didn’t pan out get JJ in there to get some work. Meanwhile they will throw him into the fire rather than let him heal up and train the guy properly.

I would fully understand the Vikings elevating McCarthy to their starting QB had they been coming off of a loosing season and were in rebuild mode. However, that isn't the case, they went 14-3 last season, guided by a Veteran QB, Sam Darnold, whom actually played pretty well and was rewarded for such by the Seahawks with at 3 year $100.5M contract.

As a Packer fan, I obviously want to see McCarthy fail this season and beyond. As an NFL fan, I don't think putting a QB, coming off of a major injury, in his first year of playing (in the NFL), in charge of a 14-3 team to be a wise move by an organization.