State of our former QB, Aaron Rodgers

[Heyjoe4]

Over the years, I've watched the motion change considerably. Coaches have worked with players to make their throwing motion much more compact. I've kind of likened it to the difference between a fastball from today's major league pitchers to that of Warren Spahn.

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Makes me wonder how "fast" the fastballs were in that era. They certainly didn't use radar. I guess I'd be surprised if those guys ever threw a single pitch over 90mph. Kinda doubt it.


Great pic BTW!

 

[Heyjoe4]

Could be he was smart enough to read the room. I've seen some reports that fans there are lukewarm toward him, or at least they were last week. I read that last season, when Justin Fields walked out onto the practice field, he was loudly cheered, and some people even stood up. This year, evidently Rodgers gets a few cheers, some claps, but nothing all that welcoming. He probably realizes he's better off not pissing off the fan base.

Good point. He won't be there past this season. Bradshaw, hillbilly that he is, is loved by Steeler fans. Rodgers is smart enough to keep a low profile. Well at least until they start losing games and Rodgers reverts to Rodgers and throws teammates under the bus.

 

[gopkrs]

Makes me wonder how "fast" the fastballs were in that era. They certainly didn't use radar. I guess I'd be surprised if those guys ever threw a single pitch over 90mph. Kinda doubt it.


Great pic BTW!

What, you don't think Kofax had a fast fastball? I don't think Spahn was especially known for his fastball. More for his screwball and all around pitching. Angels had a guy named Frank Tanana. A very fast fastball. Then an injury lost it for him. He came back w/o that great fastball and was still an xlnt pitcher. He had to change his style and was able to do it. Probably not as many really fast pitchers in the past. But they were there. Imho

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

Makes me wonder how "fast" the fastballs were in that era. They certainly didn't use radar. I guess I'd be surprised if those guys ever threw a single pitch over 90mph. Kinda doubt it.


Great pic BTW!

Before radar became very commonly used, Bob Feller threw a pitch in a race against a motorcyle. Attached is the video. It calculates Feller's fastball to be 104 mph.

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I read with today's modern radar, Nolan Ryan's 100 mph pitches would have even higher.

Based on historical measurements and modern calculations, Nolan Ryan's fastball, which was recorded at 100.9 mph when measured 10 feet in front of home plate in 1974, would likely register between 108 and 110 mph if measured using today's standard radar technology, which captures velocity closer to the pitcher's release point. This adjustment accounts for the significant velocity loss a baseball experiences due to air resistance over the 60.6 feet to the plate, with a typical drop of about 9-10%. The calculation assumes the same rate of deceleration as other pitchers and uses the original measurement to project the speed at release. While the exact figure is an estimate based on physics and historical data, it suggests Ryan's fastball was among the fastest ever thrown, potentially exceeding the speeds of modern pitchers like Aroldis Chapman, whose record 105.1 mph pitch is measured at release.

 

[Voyageur]

Makes me wonder how "fast" the fastballs were in that era. They certainly didn't use radar. I guess I'd be surprised if those guys ever threw a single pitch over 90mph. Kinda doubt it.


Great pic BTW!

Spahnie's fastball was only about 90 MPH. The delivery, accuracy, and his mastery of so many other pitches made it look faster than it was. He could throw a 75 MPH change up out of the same motion as the fastball.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Before radar became very commonly used, Bob Feller threw a pitch in a race against a motorcyle. Attached is the video. It calculates Feller's fastball to be 104 mph.

You must be logged in to see this image or video!

I read with today's modern radar, Nolan Ryan's 100 mph pitches would have even higher.

Based on historical measurements and modern calculations, Nolan Ryan's fastball, which was recorded at 100.9 mph when measured 10 feet in front of home plate in 1974, would likely register between 108 and 110 mph if measured using today's standard radar technology, which captures velocity closer to the pitcher's release point. This adjustment accounts for the significant velocity loss a baseball experiences due to air resistance over the 60.6 feet to the plate, with a typical drop of about 9-10%. The calculation assumes the same rate of deceleration as other pitchers and uses the original measurement to project the speed at release. While the exact figure is an estimate based on physics and historical data, it suggests Ryan's fastball was among the fastest ever thrown, potentially exceeding the speeds of modern pitchers like Aroldis Chapman, whose record 105.1 mph pitch is measured at release.

That is one wild, and imo inaccurate way to measure the speed of a pitch. And I really doubt Feller threw at 104mph. Even today, with much better athletes in pro sports, and radar, the fastest fastballs are around 100 to maybe 102.

What amazers me is the amount of movement pitchers can get on fastballs. The Brewers young phenom, Misiorowski, throws consistently around or above 100mph, and somehow gets the ball to "jump" about an inch just as it reaches the plate.

 

[Heyjoe4]

What, you don't think Kofax had a fast fastball? I don't think Spahn was especially known for his fastball. More for his screwball and all around pitching. Angels had a guy named Frank Tanana. A very fast fastball. Then an injury lost it for him. He came back w/o that great fastball and was still an xlnt pitcher. He had to change his style and was able to do it. Probably not as many really fast pitchers in the past. But they were there. Imho

I really don't know if pitchers in the 50s and 60s were throwing 95mph plus fastballs. I doubt it, but I'm not aware of any way to measure the speed of the ball, and at what point in the delivery.

 

[Voyageur]

I really don't know if pitchers in the 50s and 60s were throwing 95mph plus fastballs. I doubt it, but I'm not aware of any way to measure the speed of the ball, and at what point in the delivery.

There were several pitchers who hit 100 MPH with pitches in the 60s. Nolan Ryan, Koufax when he went for it, Steve Dalkowski. There are others. In the 50s, Feller, Herb Score, Ryne Duren. They say that Bob Turley who was clocked at about 97 or 98 MPH with a cathode ray tube & oscilliscope may have actually been throwing at about 101. I could name several others who could dial it up.

 

[Thirteen Below]

I really don't know if pitchers in the 50s and 60s were throwing 95mph plus fastballs. I doubt it, but I'm not aware of any way to measure the speed of the ball, and at what point in the delivery.

It seems there should be some way to slow down the film of the pitches, and precisely measure the amount of time it took for the ball to travel from the pitcher's hand to the plate.

 

[Magooch]

Still a fair bit of game left (~7 min as of posting this), but Rodgers sure is looking pretty sharp today thus far...Steelers run game and defense doing their best to make sure they don't get the W though.

He is definitely considerably more limited in mobility, but still excellent at utilizing the mobility he has left, making quick decisions, and still an exceptional ability to find the open man, even in really tight windows (or "throw them open")

Ironically, I feel like thus far Rodgers looks better for the Steelers than he ever looked for the Jets, and on the flip side Fields looks better for the Jets than he ever did for the Steelers LOL

 

[milani]

Still a fair bit of game left (~7 min as of posting this), but Rodgers sure is looking pretty sharp today thus far...Steelers run game and defense doing their best to make sure they don't get the W though.

He is definitely considerably more limited in mobility, but still excellent at utilizing the mobility he has left, making quick decisions, and still an exceptional ability to find the open man, even in really tight windows (or "throw them open")

Ironically, I feel like thus far Rodgers looks better for the Steelers than he ever looked for the Jets, and on the flip side Fields looks better for the Jets than he ever did for the Steelers LOL

It was an unexpected shootout. I went with the Steelers because of Boswell. 60 yards. Contrast to Koo missing the game tying FG for Atlanta from 44. Right now I feel for that guy.

 

[longtimefan]

Still a fair bit of game left (~7 min as of posting this), but Rodgers sure is looking pretty sharp today thus far...Steelers run game and defense doing their best to make sure they don't get the W though.

He is definitely considerably more limited in mobility, but still excellent at utilizing the mobility he has left, making quick decisions, and still an exceptional ability to find the open man, even in really tight windows (or "throw them open")

Ironically, I feel like thus far Rodgers looks better for the Steelers than he ever looked for the Jets, and on the flip side Fields looks better for the Jets than he ever did for the Steelers LOL

His strength now is his smarts

 

[milani]

His strength now is his smarts

Playing for a better team and a better organization and a better head coach. That helps.

 

[Thirteen Below]

His strength now is his smarts

Reminds me of something Troy Aiken said, years ago after he retired. Something like, "By the time I felt like I really understood how to play the game, I couldn't anymore."

Edit: spaced out and momentarily confused Aiken with Tony Romo

 

[PackAttack12]

He's not capable of consistently taking 5-7 step drops and waiting for plays to develop down field anymore, but if he has the right supporting cast (running game, defense, ST, good enough OL), he can still use his brain and arm to be an effective NFL quarterback.

Funny enough, he didn't get much from defense and running game today and still flourished. It'll be interesting to see whether or not he can sustain it.

Week 1, fresh, and out for blood is one thing. Week 12 and banged up as a 40+ year old man is another.

Regardless, it was his best football game in 3 years. Easily.

 

[gopkrs]

The jets were a lot tougher than I thought they'd be. And Pittsburg's defense more porous than I thought they'd be

 

[weeds]

Rodgers .... took three steps out of the box and dropped a wrist flicked 40 yard TD to the corner of the end zone. It was a thing of beauty.

 

[weeds]

The jets were a lot tougher than I thought they'd be. And Pittsburg's defense more porous than I thought they'd be

Amazing what no B.S. HC can do for an organization.

 

[OldSchool101]

Rodgers tore it up. What’s interesting is both Aaron and Jordan should’ve had 1 INT. Both threw a pass off balance that should’ve been an INT.

This is where many were wrong about Aaron last year, he’s not a bottom dweller QB as much as some want him to be. Bottom Dwellers don’t face a Top 10 Defense and toss 4 TD’s

 

[rmontro]

This is where many were wrong about Aaron last year, he’s not a bottom dweller QB as much as some want him to be. Bottom Dwellers don’t face a Top 10 Defense and toss 4 TD’s

I see him more as a middle of the pack type of guy right now.

 

[weeds]

Rodgers passed Favre on TD's today.

 

[rmontro]

Rodgers passed Favre on TD's today.

I remember when Favre was #1, he's down to #5 now.

I also remember when Peyton Manning passed him, and they played a prerecorded message from Favre. But Manning was looking over game footage with a coach and didn't appear to even be listening. Made it seem like Favre cared about the record, but Manning didn't. I suppose they play that stuff mostly for the fans anyway.

 

[PackAttack12]

Rodgers and the Steelers have looked far from impressive as a whole so far, but they have more than a legitimate shot at contending for the division if they can stabilize the defense and if the offense comes together more.

They are tied for the division currently at 2-1 with the Bengals. We all know the Bengals are about to nose dive without Burrow, and the Browns are not good enough to contend (their win over us, not withstanding.)

To me, that leaves the Steelers and Ravens.

Steelers next 3 games:

Vikings
Browns
at Bengals

Ravens next 3 games:

Chiefs
Texans
Rams

The Steelers could very well be 5-1 heading into the showdown with the Packers, and the Ravens could very well be 2-4 or 3-3.

They have to find a way to take advantage during this stretch of games, but it’s quite interesting how things have fell thus far.

 

[JPPT1974]

Well it seems he has revived his career so far with the Steelers!

 

[Heyjoe4]

Rodgers and the Steelers have looked far from impressive as a whole so far, but they have more than a legitimate shot at contending for the division if they can stabilize the defense and if the offense comes together more.

They are tied for the division currently at 2-1 with the Bengals. We all know the Bengals are about to nose dive without Burrow, and the Browns are not good enough to contend (their win over us, not withstanding.)

To me, that leaves the Steelers and Ravens.

Steelers next 3 games:

Vikings
Browns
at Bengals

Ravens next 3 games:

Chiefs
Texans
Rams

The Steelers could very well be 5-1 heading into the showdown with the Packers, and the Ravens could very well be 2-4 or 3-3.

They have to find a way to take advantage during this stretch of games, but it’s quite interesting how things have fell thus far.

Rodgers is playing much more relaxed than he did in NYC. That's not really a surprise. The Steelers will keep Tomlin's winning-season streak alive. They are far from a complete team, but Rodgers is giving the fans something to be happy about. And he seems to be having fun. That would make for a good, last season for him. The Steelers might even win a playoff game.