RODGERS OVER AND OUT

Rodgers' 5 TD' Highlight Big W Over KC

It almost isn’t fair.

No matter how an opponent approaches the game, no matter what they try or how they practice, no matter how much film they study the inescapable conclusion is it just doesn’t matter right now… Aaron Rodgers will find a way to beat you and in the process reduce you and your team to a band of stumblebums.

 

How many times have teams tried to sub only to have Rodgers see the swap and catch the other guys with too many men on the field? In his post-game press conference Rodgers was asked if he ever looks across to the other team’s sidelines to see if they’re going to try to sub. Rodgers replied with and snickering “Yes, I do. When I see a couple of big bodies trying to come in we know they’ve got to go two-for-two (players) so we’ve worked on it and we’re going to make them sprint off.” And if they don’t Rodgers will make them pay.

 

Rodgers’ football IQ is not only off the charts it’s almost an embarrassment of riches as to

possessing that trait in addition to all his physical attributes. How many suckers have bitten on his hard count only to give the Packers a free play? Pro football is a damn tough game but the way Rodgers is playing it right n owe he is reducing veterans to the level of rookies. Make no mistake about it – Aaron Charles Rodgers is the best player in the game and on the planet right now and it isn’t even close. Rodgers can make every throw from every angle and does not even need to set himself to do it. When teams give Rodgers a free play it is just too easy for the kid from Chico who was once overlooked by almost everyone – including 23 other teams in the 2005 draft – is now looking down upon the rest of the NFL from a very lofty perch.

 

When asked if the game looks as easy to him as he makes it appear his response was vintage Rodgers. “No…. I don’t have that vantage point. I’m just trying to make plays.” Rodgers job has been made that much easier by an offensive line that has been nothing less than stout thus far. “It all begins up front (with the offensive line)” said Rodgers. They’ve been big all year. Three games, three sacks.” His shrug and grin told the rest of the story. Rodgers has avoided hard hits, sacks picks and is in command of his arsenal. A master of understatement Rodgers added “If they (the offensive line) keep blocking like that we’re going to be tough to beat.”

 

James Jones was on the waiver wire at the end of camp and Green Bay happily snatched him up.

Jones has been a most pleasant surprise and looks as if he has not lost any of the communication he shares with Rodgers. “We were lucky to have James available at the end of cuts” said Rodgers.  Jones chipped in with 7 catches for 139 yards and a 2^nd quarter TD when Rodgers drew the Chiefs Dontari Poe offside and hit Jones form an embarrassingly easy 6 points. Jones also was the recipient of the games longest game a nifty 52 yarder that occurede3d when the Chiefs were drawn offside yet again. Rodgers doesn’t just use his arm; the hard count that draws opponents off is typically followed by the majority of the team not playing the play through to completion. For the night Rodgers went 24/ 35 for 333 yards and 5 TD’s.

 

Jones is not the only reclamation project in Green Bay. After the last cuts of the year ILB Joe Thomas was released and was playing on Dallas’ practice squad. After Sam Barrington went onto the IR list GM Ted Thompson replucked the former Packer who found himself immediately on the field and was credited with 3 tackles, albeit at a price. As QB Alex Smith was scrambling as he started his slide Thomas was going for the big hit but ended up with a KO of DE Datone Jones when he collided with Jones’ head. Jones will undergo concussion protocol in the next week. UDFA LB Jayrone Elliott just keeps making plays. He had a sack and is making a strong case for himself every time he is on the field.

 

Randall Cobb also had a huge game with 3 TD catches of his own. Cobb was masterful around the

goal line utilizing rub routes to make what appeared to be the same play. As Cobb lined up inside in a trips formation of Rodgers saw the cornerback playing off Cobb it became a simple game of pitch and catch as the outside receiver ran inside to create congestion while Cobb ran free underneath to grab and turn into the end zone for 6.

 

The Packers dominated the game in all three

phases yet again. Rodgers and the offense are the beginning point in Green bay. But the defense is also making a case for itself. Mike Daniels continues to grow with every passing game. A former 4^th rounder from Iowa is becoming the leader of a very nasty group. The D harassed Chiefs QB Alex Smith relentlessly last night piling up 7 sacks and a pick by Sam Shields that he almost returned for a TD. As Rodgers staked the Pack to a huge lead Charles was held in check while Smith was limited to a 2 of 7 attempts and 39 yards (38 of which came on a throw  to TE Travis Kelce) as Green Bay went into halftime up 24 – 7. B. J. Raji has slimmed down considerably and in a contract year is playing like the #9 overall pick he was coming into the NFL. With Daniels and Raji both due new contracts Ted Thompson and the rest of the Pack’s brain trust are already figuring how to keep them both in Green Bay.

 

So stunningly good has Rodgers been it almost doesn’t even matter who is in or out at the WR

position anymore. WR Davante Adams left the game early after he tweaked the ankle he rolled last week. In the Green Bay assembly line of wide receivers rookie Ty Montgomery stepped up and chipped in with a TD catch of his own on a great adjustment when Rodgers was flushed out of the pocket. As Rodgers rolled to his left Montgomery jammed on the brakes to reverse field and follow his QB and take the toss, turn his shoulders and dive in for the TD. “We don’t want to give him (Montgomery) more than he can handle” said Rodgers. “Ty’s a great player and he’s going to have a long career here.”  Nothing like having the league’s reigning MVP endorse and anoint the next player in line.

 

For the 3^rd straight week the Packers have faced an elite running back. But in succession the Packers have continued to improve defensively against the run. Matt Forte toasted the Packers’ D for 141 yards in week 1. But since then the run D has been an altogether different story. Seattle’s Marshawn Lynch was help to 41 yards on the ground and the Chiefs Jamal Charles, one of the most explosive backs in the NFL was held in check with just 49 yards on 11 carries and a 4 yard TD Kansas City was held to a total of 75 yards on the ground for the night.

 

Having Rodgers and the offense does help the defense by taking elements of an opponents’ attack

away. Smith is not the QB Rodgers is, but then again no one is. And Kansas City is most decidedly not a pass-first offense. They are a ground and pound group that gets little in way of scoring form their wideouts. Jeremy Maclin finally ended the WR TD drought by hauling one in last night ending an 18 game streak ignominiously held by Smith and the Chiefs of not having a WR catch a TD pass.

 

With the Detroit Lions at 0- 3 and the Chicago Bears already having a fire sale with whatever talent they have left the Packers are perched alone at the top of not just the NFC North but the NFC itself, and if one is inclined to play the Power Ranking game if Green Bay

isn’t at the top of the NFL right now it won’t take very long to find them. The sting of the loss to Seattle last year is seen in not just the Pack’s ability to start fast but now they are focused on not letting up. In the past two games Green bay has broken fast, faltered as both Seattle and Kansas City mounted comeback attempts but rose again at the end to finish off a beaten opponent. Next they head west to their one time tormentors in San Francisco. Colin Kaepernick is coming off an ugly performance against the other NFC powerhouse Arizona Cardinals with 4 picks and 2 of them were an NFL record setting back-to-back pick 6’s. The 49ers are a total mess right now and now they have to face the red-hot Packers

 

If Kaepernick remains as shaky as he has recently been exposed to be it gives the Packers and Rodgers a few more extra chances to light up the scoreboard.

 

It almost isn’t fair.