Divisional Round: 49ers @ Packers - Saturday, January 22nd 7:15PM

[GAME05]

If Rodgers saw the two-deep safety coverage before the snap, the mid-middle would be the first read and then the corners. You'd ignore Adams' deep route down the middle. They seemed to have disguised that well, but then if Rodgers saw the delayed blitz you'd again be wanting to look for the open guy in the short- or mid-middle. Either way the deep route down the middle would be the last place you'd want to throw it. The pass protection was good and the blitz was picked up, so there's no reason to have hurried that throw to Adams and the extra half-second would have been enough to have seen Lazard. At the worst you let Jones peel off his block and you get him in the flat for 5 yards.

 

Really it just looked like a Favre throw. Rodgers is frustrated nothing is working so he just chucks it up to his best receiver regardless of the coverage against him.

[jason21nl]

The blocked punt came under 5 minutes left in the game. You basically just needed to get the damn thing off and they probably win.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

And the truth is that the one season Rodgers won a title he was indeed bailed out of a horrible game with a QB rating in the 50s in Chicago and singlehandedly dominated another in Atlanta.

 

It can be a cruel game for sure. He did seem to fall on the bad side of luck more often than not, particularly in the playoffs. Even that punt block was almost comical, how long the ball hung in the air and then landed precisely in front of the wrong guy who had nobody in his way.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

The blocked punt came under 5 minutes left in the game. You basically just needed to get the damn thing off and they probably win.

 

I mean it's possible something better happens if they can take a safety there or even tackle someone at the 10. Just another Packer comedy of errors.

[jason21nl]

If Rodgers saw the two-deep safety coverage before the snap, the mid-middle would be the first read and then the corners. You'd ignore Adams' deep route down the middle. They seemed to have disguised that well, but then if Rodgers saw the delayed blitz you'd again be wanting to look for the open guy in the short- or mid-middle. Either way the deep route down the middle would be the last place you'd want to throw it. The pass protection was good and the blitz was picked up, so there's no reason to have hurried that throw to Adams and the extra half-second would have been enough to have seen Lazard. At the worst you let Jones peel off his block and you get him in the flat for 5 yards.

 

Really it just looked like a Favre throw. Rodgers is frustrated nothing is working so he just chucks it up to his best receiver regardless of the coverage against him.

 

 

Rodgers was under pressure all night. I wouldn’t doubt if Rodgers saw the blitz and figured he wouldn’t have much time so throwing too Adams, even doubled, would be the best option.

 

FWIW my buddy was at the game and said all game the WRs couldn’t get open.

[MrTPlush]

Rodgers did plenty to win, plenty. Expecting any QB to go throw it for 400 yards in that kind of weather is just comically unrealistic. Most fans probably can’t wait for their gas to pump at Kwik Trip without sitting in their car. Let alone throw a football accurately.

 

People can over analyze decisions and plays, it’s fair to an extent, just know how many open wide receivers literally any QB ever misses in a game. And yes, while he probably was all-in on Adams on that play…again, any QB does that on plays all game long.

 

Rodgers is pretty much going to get thrown under the bus because A) always popular to blame the QB and B) the more people convince themselves Rodgers blew the game the better they will feel when he poops on the organization and leaves.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I don't think he did plenty to win. He had a nice drive and then did nothing. He didn't make any horrible mistakes though and that should be enough when your defense is as dominant as it was.

 

It's inexcusable and perfectly Packers that they lost a playoff game almost solely due to ST blocking. Incredible really. They could have even possibly withstood ONE block, just not two.

[homer]

If Rodgers saw the two-deep safety coverage before the snap, the mid-middle would be the first read and then the corners. You'd ignore Adams' deep route down the middle. They seemed to have disguised that well, but then if Rodgers saw the delayed blitz you'd again be wanting to look for the open guy in the short- or mid-middle. Either way the deep route down the middle would be the last place you'd want to throw it. The pass protection was good and the blitz was picked up, so there's no reason to have hurried that throw to Adams and the extra half-second would have been enough to have seen Lazard. At the worst you let Jones peel off his block and you get him in the flat for 5 yards.

 

Really it just looked like a Favre throw. Rodgers is frustrated nothing is working so he just chucks it up to his best receiver regardless of the coverage against him.

 

 

Rodgers was under pressure all night. I wouldn’t doubt if Rodgers saw the blitz and figured he wouldn’t have much time so throwing too Adams, even doubled, would be the best option.

 

FWIW my buddy was at the game and said all game the WRs couldn’t get open.

 

Two guys blitzed and they came from 9 and 7 yards from the line of scrimmage. And given the angle, they were probably more like 10 - 12 yards from the ball. It was actually a really bad defensive call as they had no shot at getting home unless Rodgers was flushed from the pocket.

[homer]

Rodgers did plenty to win, plenty. Expecting any QB to go throw it for 400 yards in that kind of weather is just comically unrealistic. Most fans probably can’t wait for their gas to pump at Kwik Trip without sitting in their car. Let alone throw a football accurately.

 

People can over analyze decisions and plays, it’s fair to an extent, just know how many open wide receivers literally any QB ever misses in a game. And yes, while he probably was all-in on Adams on that play…again, any QB does that on plays all game long.

 

Rodgers is pretty much going to get thrown under the bus because A) always popular to blame the QB and B) the more people convince themselves Rodgers blew the game the better they will feel when he poops on the organization and leaves.

 

You can tone down the sanctimony. Rodgers didn't play well and missed an obvious throw. The special teams unit was obviously the bigger culprit.

[brewcrewdue80]

Well on this play about Lazard the Safety chose Adams when I imagine the play design has Lazard pulling that safety for a moment to cover him. Leaving Adams 1v1.

 

Want to sum this up? You get what you pay for. 2020 draft has 5WRs selected between Love and Dillon selection out of 7 with over 1000yards receiving, 3 that are over 1500yards and 1 of them 1yard from 2000yards. Rodgers didn't target any WR not named Adams more than 1. The problem should have been resolved in 2020 wasnt. And here we are lamenting another playoff loss. #2 WR in 2020 and 2021? 33 rec for 690 and 40 for 513 yards.

For reference Tampa, Rams, and 49ers #2s this season was 1035, 802, and 826 yards respectively.

 

 

Edit add. That safety doesn't bite on the play design simply because everyone knew its Adams or bust. Rodgers was throwing to nobody else.

[GAME05]

It's one play, not an encapsulation of how well or poorly Rodgers played the entire game. I have no idea. There's too many moving parts.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

My issue with the whole "lack of #2 WR" thing is that, while it was a factor in this game...they easily win this game with the even the slightest competence on ST.

 

I don't think this loss is terribly complicated. They did not care about ST and thought they could compensate for it with offense and what ultimately was a pretty good defense. Gross oversight by MLF and a disaster that unfortunately MANY of us thought could be their undoing.

[LouisEly]

It came down to four plays:

1) Blocked punt

2) Blocked field goal - I rewatched it this morning and the 49ers had six rushers left of the snapper and the Packers only had four blockers. Before the timeout they had the same thing, and the only adjustment the Packers made was to have Davis and Lancaster swap sides. The Packers didn't move a lineman over to that side in the timeout and still had four blockers to six rushers - the other side had three rushers (the other two defenders were off the LOS) and four blockers. That if anything is grounds for firing the special teams coordinator.

3) Lewis' fumble - big momentum shift, the 49ers were on their heels

4) Aaron Jones not going out of bounds on the 75-yard pass play at the end of the first half. For some reason he runs at the defender trying to juke him when the defender is still 10 yards away and gets tackled in-bounds. If he runs full-tilt down the sidelines he goes out of bounds around the 10-yard line and the clock will stop with 26 seconds left and they don't have to use their last timeout. With 26 seconds and a timeout they have three shots at the end zone for a TD from the 10-yard line; with a TO left they can even try a short play to get inside the 5 and have two plays from short yardage for a TD. I might even put this at #3 ahead of Lewis' fumble.

[yourout]

It came down to four plays:

1) Blocked punt

2) Blocked field goal - I rewatched it this morning and the 49ers had six rushers left of the snapper and the Packers only had four blockers. Before the timeout they had the same thing, and the only adjustment the Packers made was to have Davis and Lancaster swap sides. The Packers didn't move a lineman over to that side in the timeout and still had four blockers to six rushers - the other side had three rushers (the other two defenders were off the LOS) and four blockers. That if anything is grounds for firing the special teams coordinator.

3) Lewis' fumble - big momentum shift, the 49ers were on their heels

4) Aaron Jones not going out of bounds on the 75-yard pass play at the end of the first half. For some reason he runs at the defender trying to juke him when the defender is still 10 yards away and gets tackled in-bounds. If he runs full-tilt down the sidelines he goes out of bounds around the 10-yard line and the clock will stop with 26 seconds left and they don't have to use their last timeout. With 26 seconds and a timeout they have three shots at the end zone for a TD from the 10-yard line; with a TO left they can even try a short play to get inside the 5 and have two plays from short yardage for a TD. I might even put this at #3 ahead of Lewis' fumble.

 

Solid list.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Rodgers did plenty to win, plenty. Expecting any QB to go throw it for 400 yards in that kind of weather is just comically unrealistic. Most fans probably can’t wait for their gas to pump at Kwik Trip without sitting in their car. Let alone throw a football accurately.

 

People can over analyze decisions and plays, it’s fair to an extent, just know how many open wide receivers literally any QB ever misses in a game. And yes, while he probably was all-in on Adams on that play…again, any QB does that on plays all game long.

 

Rodgers is pretty much going to get thrown under the bus because A) always popular to blame the QB and B) the more people convince themselves Rodgers blew the game the better they will feel when he poops on the organization and leaves.

 

Rodgers is getting thrown under the bus because this team was built around the idea of him playing at an MVP level. He was FAR from it last night. Perhaps those are unrealistic expectations, but it is what it is. This team was always going to go as far at #12 took them. He wasn't good enough last night, and the season is over because of that. Sure, other factors were in play, but the defense game up 6 points. The team in total gave up 13. An offense led by an MVP QB should be able to top that.

[homer]

Three of the Packers' five lowest-graded defensive players were Jaire Alexander, Whitney Mercilus and Za'Darius Smith.

 

Two of the Packers' five lowest-graded offensive players were Josh Myers and Randall Cobb.

 

 

This is what I meant when I said we might be expecting too much of the guys coming back.

[TURBO]

Not sure why thee 49ers would want Rodgers. Sure he makes them better but then they have to pay more than for Grapolo plus give up picks. They kind of went almost all in on Trey Lance already.

 

yeah theres zero chance he goes to the Niners. they gave up a ton of picks to get Lance.

 

zero chance?

 

I wouldn't go that far, like I said, getting Rodgers to play two more seasons in SF, then turn it over to Lance isn't that far fetched if they want to win NOW!

[TURBO]

No way the Browns give up on Mayfield just yet...

 

Just yet? They've given him 4 seasons ...

 

I view the upcoming season as Mayfield's make or break year...

[wallus]

After carefully thinking about this game for a long time, my response is...

 

 

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[TURBO]

Man Rodgers is getting just skewered today. He has really become footballs version of a pro wrestling heel.

 

That's what happens when you come off like an arrogant prima donna drama queen.

 

You can get away with it if you win, but not if you lose.

 

There were a lot of fans on the fence with this guy, and could probably be pushed either direction. He wins last night and next week, the fans would have been fine. He lost, in typical fashion, so what do you really expect?

 

I almost feel bad for him, then I remember the pre-season nonsense and the vaccine crap, and that feeling of empathy goes away.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

It's the vaccine and nothing else. The minute he decided to be some vaccine debate symbol (don't think that was his intention but inevitable when someone of his stature makes his opinion known) he was setting himself up for this when he lost.

 

The rest of it, i.e. the off-season, discontent with Packers, was nothing. Nobody would have really cared about any of that. He made himself a mascot on the most divisive thing in the country at the moment.

[homer]

Not sure why thee 49ers would want Rodgers. Sure he makes them better but then they have to pay more than for Grapolo plus give up picks. They kind of went almost all in on Trey Lance already.

 

yeah theres zero chance he goes to the Niners. they gave up a ton of picks to get Lance.

 

zero chance?

 

I wouldn't go that far, like I said, getting Rodgers to play two more seasons in SF, then turn it over to Lance isn't that far fetched if they want to win NOW!

 

Well yeah it's never zero but the 49ers have no 1st round pick in 2022 or 2023 so I'd be shocked if they were able to put together a package for Rodgers.

[PeaveyFury]

It's the vaccine and nothing else.

 

While I do think that (and the related circus resulting from it) pushed some who were on the fence over to the other side, I think you're off the mark on the whole. We have extended family in Green Bay, and have been there 6-8 times over the past year. Any you know where COVID stopped being a thing anyone cared about 12 months ago? Green Bay, Wisconsin. Undoubtedly a factor in some minds, but I would bet that 80+% of the fanbase doesn't really care about the vaccine thing other than as one additional straw to break the camel's back.

 

Those that are done with him this morning are done with him because of either A)his whole on-and-off the field 'body of work' the past few seasons, or B)being fed up with another playoff disappointment that fell in no small part on his own shoulders last night.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I'm more referring to national media and the Twitter verse. That whole piling on has been due the vaccine and ramped up with the whole "I'm immunized."

[GAME05]

Eh, twitter and the media don't care about football and just want to celebrate that someone they disagree with had a bad day.