Aaron Rodgers Excels Despite Defensive Pressure

GoldieMember

If you aren't a premium user at Pro Football Focus you are truly missing out. Pro Football Focus is one of the best sites for a number of different rankings and statistical analysis. They break down every play by every player on every team throughout the course of the season and rank them to see who is the best at their positions and what teams excel at the different aspects of football. We certainly use their stats regularly, and while it's not an exact science, PFF's grades are highly valuable for comparison.

Today I came across a very interesting break down of the quarterbacks in the league. Pro Football Focus examined how each NFL quarterback fared against pressure coming from all places: their blindsides (LT or RT), left guard, center, right guard, unblocked pressure, and no pressure at all. I was under the impression that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers couldn't be more impressive thus far in his career — that was, until I looked at this particular break down.

It's no secret that Rodgers gets sacked a lot. In fact, Rodgers has been sacked 211 times since becoming the Packers' starting quarterback in 2008, by far the most of any quarterback in that time frame. Rodgers' stats, however, haven't suffered at the hands of his poor offensive line play.

According to Pro Football Focus, Rodgers was the best quarterback in the NFL when facing pressure from both the right tackle (Bryan Bulaga and Don Barclay) and left tackle (Marshall Newhouse) in 2012.

rest of the article here:
http://www.acmepackingcompany....t-defensive-pressure

5/30/131:49 PM

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

fightphoe93Member

I think back to that Denver game in 2011 where Von Miller was regularly beating whomever he was lined up against like a drum. He had 2 or 3 sacks in that game, but Rodgers was just amazing how he danced around and picked the Broncos apart despite all the pressure.

If the Packers had a better offensive line, he would turn his currently record breaking performances into almost untouchable performances. It is astounding how good he is after having looked so mediocre in 2005 and 2006. There was no sign of what was to come with him during those years.

5/30/134:40 PM

IL_Pack_FanMember

Another reason for the O-line swap. He's great with pressure on either side, but doesn't even seem fazed by pressure from the right. In fact, I think we'd all agree one of the most dangerous aspects of his game comes when he's scrambling right.

I'm really not worried with whoever ends up winning that battle, so long as Bulaga and Sitton settle in on the left.

5/31/138:32 AM

da YooperMember

Definitely overpaid for him.

5/31/138:59 AM

BorisPerson Man Camera Dildo Shop - NFLFU®

quote:
Originally posted by fightphoe93:
It is astounding how good he is after having looked so mediocre in 2005 and 2006. There was no sign of what was to come with him during those years.

I agree in 2005 & 06 Rodgers didn't look very good.

The pre-season of 2007 you saw Rodgers taking apart the Steeler defense. Admittedly that is pre-season but I remember Tomlin distinctly saying "we had trouble with their scrambling QB"

In '07 you saw the magic in Dallas when our savior went down with an "injury". Rodgers almost single-handedly beat the Cowboys that day. I knew we were going to be ok at QB after that Dallas performance in 2007.

5/31/1312:22 PM

H5Keyboard Warrior, troll hunter

Oh, but Boris, he then hurt his ankle and the Favrettes called him injury-prone!

5/31/131:03 PM

IL_Pack_FanMember

Remember the talking heads saying Pack would seriously consider the likes of Jay Cutler and Brady Quinn in their drafts because they weren't sold on Rodgers?

Good times.

5/31/131:25 PM

H5Keyboard Warrior, troll hunter

Tight-Lipped Ted... he keeps them all guessing, wrong.

5/31/131:39 PM

ChilliJonI hate the Vikings!

Welcome to the N"if"L

Good stuff.

5/31/132:24 PM

michiganjoeMember

quote:
Originally posted by Boris:
In '07 you saw the magic in Dallas when our savior went down with an "injury". Rodgers almost single-handedly beat the Cowboys that day. I knew we were going to be ok at QB after that Dallas performance in 2007.

I recall significant skepticism about that performance from many fans. Dallas let up and prepared for Favre seemed to be the most common refrains.

As far as his sacks go, I just hope he throws it away a bit more frequently this season.

5/31/132:24 PM

chickenboyTic Toc

quote:
Originally posted by michiganjoe:
I recall significant skepticism about that performance from many fans.

Really? I remember me, the guys I watched that game with and most fans on here very excited that the Pack had something in him after several rather unremarkable preseason performances.

5/31/132:30 PM

GoallineLarge Antenna

quote:
Originally posted by Boris:
In '07 you saw the magic in Dallas when our savior went down with an "injury". Rodgers almost single-handedly beat the Cowboys that day. I knew we were going to be ok at QB after that Dallas performance in 2007.

That day I made the declaration that he would be better than Favre. The Cowboys were bringing ridiculous pressure and Arod ate it up. The Cowboys gave up blitzing him.

5/31/132:38 PM

ChilliJonI hate the Vikings!

I'm not sure how many times I thought about his play in the Dallas game during the second half of the NFC Championship game against NY, but it was a lot.

5/31/132:44 PM

michiganjoeMember

quote:
Originally posted by chickenboy:
Really?

Skepticism was probably a poor choice of words. Some seemed to read a bit much into one game and others were more cautiously optimistic about the performance.

5/31/133:03 PM

fightphoe93Member

quote:
Originally posted by ChilliJon:
I'm not sure how many times I thought about his play in the Dallas game during the second half of the NFC Championship game against NY, but it was a lot.

In fairnesss, Favre had a very good year. I can see why the team would be reluctant to give up on him at that juncture. That said, the Bears game and that game really did show that the Favre legendary toughness in the cold was just a fleeting memory at that point.

5/31/134:20 PM

Dr._BobMember

I have heard that during the preseason games, Favre was sabotaging Rodgers by sending in the wrong signals. Once Favre was gone, Rodgers excelled.

(I've always wanted to start a rumor.)

5/31/136:52 PM

Pack-ManMember

quote:
Originally posted by fightphoe93:
quote:
Originally posted by ChilliJon:
I'm not sure how many times I thought about his play in the Dallas game during the second half of the NFC Championship game against NY, but it was a lot.

In fairnesss, Favre had a very good year. I can see why the team would be reluctant to give up on him at that juncture. That said, the Bears game and that game really did show that the Favre legendary toughness in the cold was just a fleeting memory at that point.

McCarthy was pissed about Favre's pussy body language at halftime during that game. According to witnesses, he shouted "If that guy weren't Brett Favre, I'd bench his ass" to one of his assistants.

Source

5/31/137:18 PM

BorisPerson Man Camera Dildo Shop - NFLFU®

If you remember, Pelissero used to write for GB Press Gazette before he moved onto the Vikings beat.

5/31/137:59 PM

HenryYou rang?

quote:
Originally posted by Pack-Man:
quote:
Originally posted by fightphoe93:
quote:
Originally posted by ChilliJon:
I'm not sure how many times I thought about his play in the Dallas game during the second half of the NFC Championship game against NY, but it was a lot.

In fairnesss, Favre had a very good year. I can see why the team would be reluctant to give up on him at that juncture. That said, the Bears game and that game really did show that the Favre legendary toughness in the cold was just a fleeting memory at that point.
McCarthy was pissed about Favre's pussy body language at halftime during that game. According to witnesses, he shouted "If that guy weren't Brett Favre, I'd bench his ass" to one of his assistants.

Source

The game where Kyle Orton looked like freakin' Johnny Unitas compared to Bert? Scorched into my memory.

5/31/139:13 PM

Pack-ManMember

Yeah, that one was pretty bad, too. Not only were the Bears godawful that season, but a ton of their starters missed the game. I remember looking at the pregame inactives and thinking "the Pack has this one in the bag". Brett sucked in that one, but the worst player on the field was Jon Ryan, by a huge margin. 2 blocked punts, one bobbled snap that he just covered up for a loss, and a 9 yard shank. I don't really think it's possible for a punter to have worse game than that one.

5/31/139:17 PM

GoallineLarge Antenna

quote:
Originally posted by michiganjoe:
quote:
Originally posted by chickenboy:
Really?

Skepticism was probably a poor choice of words. Some seemed to read a bit much into one game and others were more cautiously optimistic about the performance.

Apparently, those of us "reading too much" into one game were actually spot on.

6/1/139:23 AM

titmfatiedNo Code

quote:
Packers quarterback considers his legacy, Green Bay's new offense
jsonline.com
by Tyler Dunne

In a conversation with Journal Sentinel beat writer Tyler Dunne last week, Rodgers talked about the massive expectations linked to a historic contract, whether the new deal finally gives him the respect he has always sought, the changing personnel around him on offense, the sting of watching the Super Bowl as a spectator, and his overall thirst for more rings and a legacy that will last.

So people want to know: What does a guy with a $35 million signing bonus do?
Nothing. Nothing different.

Do the friends and family members come out of the woodwork?
Not really. My family's really good about that. This isn't my first contract, so I've already dealt with a lot of that stuff with people. And I think in general, when you have success it can redefine relationships. Part of that is sad, but other parts of it are exciting when you get to meet some different types of people and people you can relate to who have had similar experiences. That's the enjoyable part of that. But my family — both immediate and extended — has been great. They're very supportive. It's been nice to be able to do some things for them and give back to my folks who gave so much to us boys.

In what ways do expectations and/or pressure on you heighten with this deal?
Not personally. I don't put extra pressure on myself. There might be external expectations that rise, and that's OK because I put a lot of pressure on myself to be successful. I just think it gives my position as a leader on this team and the face of the franchise some final legitimacy, if I needed it at all. I take that role very seriously. It's being a role model. It's being a good teammate. It's being a good representation on the franchise.

For me, the new contract was just a reminder that this is going to be my home for my career. I don't have any desire to play anywhere else. If I play well, there's a good chance that this is a deal that won't have to be redone at all. When you look at some of the other deals that guys signed, there are some very large cap numbers late in those deals. Five-year deals turn out to really be three-year deals because of the cap numbers. We felt like our deal gives the Packers a chance to still be able to field a very solid team and we won't have to rip up this deal and try to do a new one in three to five years. continue

Tons more past the click. I never in a million years thought Rodgers would have signed the contract he did. It's crazy money, but he easily could have negotiated more if he wanted to. That last part about not having a pressing issue with a renegotiation is smart business by both sides, imo. Cost certainty allows them to both concentrate on what they do best: Rodgers playing QB and the organization surrounding him with talent and managing the cap (which should start going up in the later years anyway).

6/1/139:26 PM

titmfatiedNo Code

quote:
A lot of changes on offense this year. Greg Jennings is gone. The offensive line is reconfigured. What challenges do you and the offense face now?
Losing Greg and Donald (Driver) gives some other guys some opportunities. We have three of the best in the league as a combination with Jordy (Nelson), James (Jones) and Randall (Cobb). I'm really excited about those guys, and then we've got some guys behind them who have a chance to make the team and contribute. I like our offense and I like what we can do in the passing game. And now, I think we can complement it with a more consistent running game with two stud backs we got in the draft and a former used car salesman.

6/1/139:35 PM

Green CrustaceanCrabby Member

quote:
Originally posted by Hungry5:
Oh, but Boris, he then hurt his ankle and the Favrettes called him injury-prone!

There were a lot of these sort of episodes with the Favre supporters at that time. I remember national pre-game shows like ESPN (Mortenson) and Fox (don't remember who) stating that the Packers were disappointed in Rodgers and didn't think he could play in the 2006-2007ish time frame. I can't find any data to support unfortunately except for this drivel from John Clayton:

National Media Criticism

6/1/1310:01 PM

RatPackMember

I liked A-Rod would like a legacy similar to Bart Starr rather than TOG.

6/2/136:45 AM

FLPACKERMember

..I've always maintained that although TT got all of the heat for the Favre saga, MM was the driving force behind wanting Favre gone....with good reason.

6/3/135:09 AM

BorisPerson Man Camera Dildo Shop - NFLFU®

I've always said.... No way TT gets rid of Favre if MM wanted him to stay. To quote a great phrase... "It was time!"

The NFC CG vs. the Giants in Lambeau was all the proof MM needed.

I'm still pissed. We should have at least 1 more trophy in the case.

FF

All hail Rodgers

6/3/132:22 PM

MN SnowBongMember

quote:
Originally posted by Green Crustacean:
There were a lot of these sort of episodes with the Favre supporters at that time. I remember national pre-game shows like ESPN (Mortenson) and Fox (don't remember who) stating that the Packers were disappointed in Rodgers and didn't think he could play in the 2006-2007ish time frame.

I remember it too. Many Favre jocksniffers wrote Rodgers off before he became a starter.

6/3/137:02 PM

titmfatiedNo Code

quote:
Originally posted by Boris:
We should have at least 1 more trophy in the case.

How so?

6/3/137:11 PM

chickenboyTic Toc

quote:
Originally posted by MN SnowBong: I remember it too. Many Favre jocksniffers wrote Rodgers off before he became a starter.

I don't believe you had to be a Favre jocksniffer to wonder if 12 was the heir apparent. His performance in relief in said 'Pokes game was really all fans had to go on besides lackluster preseason performances.

Whether you are a Favre lover or hater doesn't have to go hand-in-hand with one's opinion on whether or not AR was a capable NFL QB.

6/3/137:38 PM

GoallineLarge Antenna

Yeah, but it sure helped, didn't it?

6/3/137:57 PM

BorisPerson Man Camera Dildo Shop - NFLFU®

quote:
Originally posted by titmfatied:
quote:
Originally posted by Boris:
We should have at least 1 more trophy in the case.
How so?

Either 2003 or 2007 especially.

6/3/139:03 PM

chickenboyTic Toc

quote:
Originally posted by Boris:
Either 2003...

Draft AR out of Butte?

6/3/139:11 PM

titmfatiedNo Code

I wholly agree abuot 2003. It was a brutal ugly end by Favre and I'll never forgive Sherman not going for it on 4th and short.

I just don't think the 2007 team was beating the Patriots if they got by the Giants. That Pats team was unbelievable and we were a Cinderella story. I was pretty apprehensive about our chances if we would have made the Superbowl. As much as losing that NFC championship game hurt I think being the last team to lose to the perfect Pats would have hurt even more. It wouldn't be hard to imagine Favre feeling the scoring pressure and putting up another int circus trying to keep up with Brady.

I think 2011 had a better chance of bringing home another trophy than 2007 if they moved past the Giants personally.

6/3/139:44 PM

FLPACKERMember

Another reason that MM grew tired of Favre's act, he was not interested in helping anyone else or correcting mistakes:

"• How can Rodgers still improve? "Aaron Rodgers has the opportunity to grow like anybody else. It's not the level of play, per se, but his ability to raise the level of play from the people around him. He does an excellent job of that. His interaction in the meeting rooms, with the quarterbacks, with the perimeter group, is higher than its ever been. It is very important for a veteran, established player to do that; our veterans do that as a whole. I think Aaron's exceptional at it. He's done a really good job of helping the younger quarterbacks and helping everybody. It's important to create that environment for growth. For Aaron, it is definitely a strength of his. He's just like everybody else, he's hit the fundamentals hard this year. He's had some little things we're working on. And I look forward to it carrying over on to the field. Just make sure he has the tools and the resources to do what he does. And that's play great football."

6/6/138:30 AM

TdogProspective Member

quote:
Originally posted by titmfatied:
I just don't think the 2007 team was beating the Patriots if they got by the Giants. That Pats team was unbelievable and we were a Cinderella story. I was pretty apprehensive about our chances if we would have made the Superbowl. As much as losing that NFC championship game hurt I think being the last team to lose to the perfect Pats would have hurt even more. It wouldn't be hard to imagine Favre feeling the scoring pressure and putting up another int circus trying to keep up with Brady.

I can agree with that 100%.

6/6/138:36 AM

chickenboyTic Toc

I would have had no problem losing to the Pats. The Pack would have gone in as a major underdog. I'm not sure anyone had any Super Bowl aspirations going into 2007. Would trade a Favre interception meltdown in the Bowl for a Championship game win in one second.

6/6/138:44 AM

ChilliJonI hate the Vikings!

The Favre discussion has finally reached the point that the debate is when and where we would have taken the backbreaker.

Legacy!

6/6/138:54 AM

Grave DiggerMember

Hindsight is 20/20 and although it would be great to have another NFCC win, the SB would have been brutal. The DLine wasn't getting any pressure and those CBs couldn't have kept up with Brady...that offense would have destroyed Bob Sanders' defense. And I think Belichick would have worked over Favre to the point where, as tit put it, it would have been an INT circus.

6/6/139:00 AM

HerschelMember

quote:
Originally posted by Boris:
I've always said.... No way TT gets rid of Favre if MM wanted him to stay. To quote a great phrase... "It was time!"

The NFC CG vs. the Giants in Lambeau was all the proof MM needed.

I'm still pissed. We should have at least 1 more trophy in the case.

FF

All hail Rodgers

And yet without Favre they don't even make the NFCC Game as Ryan Grant inexplicably turned in to a point guard. MM and TT wanted their own guy, which is their prerogative and Harlan signed off on blowing the team up in '05. A big part of me doubts they ever expected to be on that position that quickly (kind of like the Queens last year caught a big break with a star player short on future) but it was never going to end well as long as Favre could still play. Going to Rodgers and trading Favre was a step back at the time, but one that was made with the future in mind as Rodgers was ascending and in the final year of his contract while Favre only had a couple of years left in the tank.

Lets face it, as Packers fans we've been pretty darned spolied with Quartebacks the last couple of decades. No other team has been as fortunate (though Indy may eventually join the club).

6/6/139:10 AM

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