Greg Cosell spoke on KNBR Monday afternoon. Here’s what he said about Aaron Rodgers.
Q: How good is Aaron Rodgers, and can the 49ers contain him?
COSELL: I’m not saying this to be bold or controversial, but I don’t think Aaron Rodgers is playing particularly great football. I think he’s so physically gifted – he can throw it on the run better than anyone in this league – but he’s leaving an awful lot of plays on the field.
I think he’s indecisive and tentative in the pocket. He’s not pulling the trigger on throws that are there. I think this has been an ongoing thing all throughout the season.
Some people would say I’m nitpicking because of his numbers, but he’s so physically gifted that there are times that he still makes plays. The biggest concern with Aaron Rodgers and their pass offense right now is not the rhythmic flow of it, it’s the extension of plays. That’s where he’s at his best right now.
I would bet that the Packers will have to do some chipping with Jermichael Finley, with back, because their right tackle, Don Barclay, and quite frankly their left tackle, Marshall Newhouse, I don’t think they’re going to be able to block Ahmad Brooks or Aldon Smith.
Q: Why do you think Rodgers is leaving a lot of plays on the field?
COSELL: Sometimes he’ll leave plays on the field, move and make another play. Sometimes he’ll leave plays on the field, move and get sacked. His first two sacks this week were on him. He didn’t pull the trigger to open receivers and then he couldn’t get away. The defense then beat him. There’s been stretches of this season where he’s been like this. But he’s so physically gifted where he’ll make throws and you’ll go, “Wow, not many people make that throw.”
Q: It seems like their offense is not fazed when their in third and eight, third and 12.
COSELL: And that’s what you have to be concerned about. The burden Rodgers puts on your defense is this: No defense is built to cover, whether it’s zone or man, for four, five or six seconds. No defense it built to do that. And Rodgers, with his ability to extend plays – not only extend them, but then make throws at the intermediate and deeper levels, which is something not a lot of quarterbacks can do – that’s the burden he puts on your defense.
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I agree with Cosell. The packers won that game 24-10. That game should’ve been 45-10. Minnesota gave the Packers the ball all night. Rogers made a ton of poor reads and throws. Look at all the green zone opportunities. Chances inside of the Vikings 40.
What stood out to me more than anything in that game was the sacks Rogers took. It appears as though to me that he didn’t care much about the sacks. I thought he was going to get hurt on one of the last ones he took with around 3 minutes left. He almost got hammered on that blitz but he got up. I just know we need to get to him with 4. Watch Randall Cobb!
Spell Rodgers correctly and then we’ll listen to your rambling…
So sensitive Stu, you must be shorter in person.
Stu
Go to hell
I have to agree as well. As much as I love A-Rod, I always see plays that end up in sacks or incompletions when if he made the right reads, we can pick up more 1st downs and TD’s. There was a 3rd and 1 play in the playoff game this past Saturday where he bombed it to one of the receivers when a check down would have given our defense more rest. If he took more check downs to extend drives, a Super Bowl would be almost guaranteed.
He needs to hit his check downs and his discount double check downs.
Cosell is correct about Rodgers has not been playing his best football. Now keep in mind last week he was 23/33 for 275 a TD and rating of 105. The week before Rodgers was 28/40, 365, 4 td and rating of 131. Most QBs would love to have those kind of numbers, but this is considered an off by Rodgers standards. But what he does not say is that they have not played a full game yet where all 4 above avg WR were healthy and on the field at the same time. Jennings missed like 9 weeks with surgery. He is coming back and down goes Nelson. Then the game before Nelson comes back down goes Cobb. So last week they all were on the field for the first time together since like week 3 and even then they were not healthy. They really nursed Cobb and Nelson last week. Not to mention he did not talk about that the fact they have gone through their 3 RBs they started the year with and now are playing 2 RBs that they signed to the team around week 12. FYI keep an eye on Harris as he is very fast and completely change of pace RB the Packers have never had before.
So now the Packers finally come into this game with the 4 WR healthy and a fast RB in Harris that Rodgers has finally gotten use to. Now does that mean they will light up SF, NO. But finally he has a chance to have all his weapons on the field which will create match up night mares for SF and could allow Rodgers to look like everyone thinks like Rodgers can look like.
Just a heads up 23jordan, it is Rodgers with a D.
Mike,
Who cares how ROGERS name is spelled. He’s not the QB of my squad. KAEPERNICK is! See, I spelled that right.
No offense, but you’re poorly read if you cannot spell the name of the number-one QB in the league. Other than that you are good to go. By the way, the Snap-On guy was just here and he’s looking for you…
Oops, gotta go! See ya…
I.P.
My bandwagon is full clown. No room for you. Check back with me on Sunday.
Maybe that is the reason why he gives less picks than almost any QB in the league… Many things may look like a mistake but if you look at them a little further you can realize that maybe he is not throwing because he is not sure. ¿Open guys and ARod still not throwing the football? Maybe he considers it is not a safe pass. And believe it or not, for me a 3&out and the rival starting in his own 20 is a better result for a drive than a pick and the rival starting in your 45.
You’re all idiots. Listen to 5 minutes of his radio show and you will know this. He knows literally everything about every play. I trust the MVP. Also the argument that he throws less picks because he is unsure is completely ridiculous. If he was unsure he would throw more picks. Do some research before you put none sense in a reply. All of this is just nit picking at a qb that is 1 2 or 3 in the league based on ones opinion. To say that a guy who has the highest passer rating, lowest int percentage, highest touchdown percentage and all the hardware one can imagine is playing bad and is unsure is just irresponsible. Don’t get the point of any of this bashing.
Another sign of being unsure is taking a lot of sacks which Rogers has this season. I don’t want to try and jab you on this. Rogers is the best QB in the league.
My argument was not that he throws less picks because he is unsure, but throwing less picks because he doesn’t gamble the football. It’s very simple, Schaub throwing to an open Casey an then the pass is Picked by Leon Hall…
Just to clarify a few points you might have missed, Mr. Bitz:
1. Greg Cosell, the person quoted in the original blog post above, is an NFL analyst and a senior producer at NFL Films — he is not a “niner”.
2. The word “unsure” was only used in your post — it was not used by Cosell or by any other posters. Further, neither Cosell nor any poster above claimed that Rodger’s low interception rate was the result of uncertainty or tentativeness (which you, reductively, conflate as “unsure”).
3. The only poster who referenced interceptions above, JB, was actually doing so to counter Cosells claim that Rodgers has not been “pulling the trigger on throws that are there.” JB’s point is that Rodgers likely understands the consequences of riskier pass attempts better than Cosell and is not taking such riskier opportunities in order to reduce the chance of interceptions.
4. While I have known many intelligent and sophisticated Green Bay Packers fans, including a Wisconsin judge who is on the Packer’s board, your post unfortunately plays into the stereotype that many 49er fans hold of Green Bay fans – that Packer fans are uncouth, defensive, and lacking in the reading comprehension and writing skills necessary for effective communication in this medium.
Of course, given your proclivity toward misapprehending the written word as evidenced in your posts above, I suspect you will consider my comments as “none sense”.
Lol! JPN, you had me at “conflate”!
Just to clarify I was responding to you niners fans posts not mr Cosell’s remarks. Also the typos can be attributed to my use of an iPhone. Yes uneducated people from Wisconsin have access to iPhones. We also have access to English courses. So sorry for our unsophisticated way of life doesn’t allow us to have effective communication skills for this medium. Also aren’t you idiots the ones you elected an Austrian man you can’t pronounce the word constitution. See you on Saturday. on second glance you will be too busy in the library studying the dictionary so you can articulate you’re disgust in message boards.
Ps thanks to the niners organiation and mr Cosell for adding to that chip on his shoulder, as a Packer fan it is sincerely appreciated.
Pass that chip along to your running backs who suck. Wasn’t your starting running back selling womens underwear at Macy’s a month ago?
He was working at the mall with Al Bundy.
You’re funny, you know he was a used car salesman. Tough to find any other Undrafted running backs around the league or players of recent merit who
had odd jobs before finally making their mark. See Kurt Warner and Arian foster. Not saying DaJuan is close to the caliber but you’re argument that he sucks because of that is baseless. Not to mention our sucky backs has 3 touchdowns last week.
Then again I get the point you’re niners. Lets just see what happens. You guys feel bad because you passed on him, I get it. Add to the chip on his shoulder it’s welcome.
Rodgers has a lot of fans on this board because he is a local kid and many wanted him drafted over Alex Smith. However that has nothing to do with what an NFL analyst has deciphered in his film breakdown.
I agree with this as well. But I’d add in a healthy dose of stubborn play calling by MM. After watching this offense closely for years, there are lots of deep patterns and long developing plays in the play book. I don’t like them one bit, but McCarthy goes on stretches where he calls them heavily.
It’s a form of Maddenitis. Where you keep picking that big play because you just KNOW it’s gonna work this time. Keep picking them apart bit by bit. Stop going for the jugular all the time.
This just in. Rodgers is human.
Come On. This is Laughable. Rodgers leads the league once again in QB rating. He threw for over 1,400 yards and had 11 Touchdowns in the month of December. He has had no running back and his WR have been out multiple games all season. His 40 Touchdowns and over 4,000 yards came as the most sacked QB in the league.
Are you forgetting what SEA just did to the 9ers? Not to mention is took NE turning the ball over 4 times to barely beat them (NE beat themselves).
I understand SF beat GB the first week of the season. However, it wasn’t your beloved Kaepernick that did it, it was the player sitting on your bench that threw for over 200 yards and 2 TDs that game.
It’s going to be an exciting game but you’re grasping at straws.
I have a question:
Is your post in response to the main blog post or to any of Jordan23′ posts (he is the only poster who mentions Kaepernick before your post)? If your comment is in response to a Jordon23′s post, then “laughable” may be an appropriate description.
If your comment is in response to Greg Cosell’s analysis, than I wonder why you are making any reference to the 49ers QB (then or now). Cosell is an NFL analyst and a senior producer at NFL Films and is generally considered to be objective in his analysis (although, he does, on occasion, overreach in his analysis, especially when inferring the thought process and motivation of players). He was commenting on what his film study shows him regarding Rodger’s current play. He draws no conclusion as to the relative merits of Rodgers vs. any other QB, not does he indict Rodger’s ability. I am not sure how his comments, or those of most commentators so far, could be construed as laughable as, with a few exceptions, they have been respectful of Rodgers and his abilities.
JPN,
You are classless. Why are you concerned about my post? I dont tbink I refenced you in it. Never exchanged a comment with you. Whats your deal?
@ 23jordan:
You reap what you sow.
Thanks claudes nutz!
@ 23welcher:
If you want to thank me, pay me the $100 you owe me.
Hey nutz. As long as I owe you, you’ll never be broke!
Jordan your reputation precedes you.
Kapwho,
Cosell isn’t stating Rodgers is playing poorly. He said he’s leaving plays on the field. Even when doing that, he is so talented he’s still making enough plays to win games. It speaks more to the lack of pass protection and respected running game than it does Rodgers. He’s pressured constantly and that causes the eyes to drop prematurely sometimes. He’s great but he’s also human. You can only take so many hits before you start looking over your shoulder.
As far as the Niners go, they went into Foxborough and beat the Patriots in a place they hadn’t lost a game in December in a decade. Brady led a furious comeback but the Pats lost. Hard fought game long trip home and then right into the fire of a really tough place to play on the road in Seattle. They got bombed by Seattle no doubt about it, but the previous weeks events pretty much led to that result. The Niner defense was gassed; they were on the field for over 90 plays against the Pats. They had also lost their heart and soul in Justin Smith to injury. Seattle had more energy, played harder and made a laugher out of it, but it was one game. If both SF and Seattle win this weekend and they come to the Stick, it will be a much different situation.
Before any of that transpires however there is a game this week and it’s going to be a good one I think. Rodgers and the Packer passing attack is formidable but the Oline and rushing defense will be their undoing. These teams are not exactly the same as they were to start the season, but the Niners dominated that game in Lambeau and it was through running the football, and getting consistant pressure on Rodgers along with stopping the run with only 4. I think the Niners match up well with GB and will win this game.
Thanks Rocket. How nice of you!
You’re welcome Jordan. You earned it.
He sure did! smh LOL
I agree with Cosell. There are a number of plays where he’s simply looking for more when he should simply take wht the defense gives him. His tackles are backup quality at best. Don’t get me wrong , Im’ a packer diehard fan, but I feel that he needs to play a little smarter and throw more quick slants when they are there.
You know who else played smart, didn’t force passes, kept his INT numbers low, extended plays, and threw on the run?
Steve Young.
Just sayin’.
Know who else does all that?
Colin Kaepernick.
Just sayin’.
Yes sir Grimey!
At least green bay has a qb!
Whatever. Our backup QB beat Green Bay.
Well I hope Aaron Rogers shows up cause he stinks on ice, is a terrible QB and we will drop him like a sack of spuds. On the other hand if Aaron Rodgers show up we are in for a hell of a game…
I.P.
No worries. Rogers
Aaron Rodgers is the best QB in the NFL. Even on an off night it is extremely difficult to contain the Packers passing game for 60 minutes. It’s a bit like playing the Patriots, in that even when you’ve had them beat most of the game, they can come back in a hurry.
Every QB leaves some plays on the field. Winning football is about the plays they make though, not the ones they miss. Rodgers makes a lot of plays.
Just another bit of clarification as to why Cosell talks about football rather than working within the NFL.
As if Rodgers needs more motivation. It doesn’t matter that Cosell isn’t with the 49ers. Any percieved slight is something that he’ll use for motivation. First game in San Fran and you know he’ll be bringing his best game to show them what they missed out on.
Hold on to your seats folks, because it’s gonna be a long ride.
You need to crawl back in the hole you came out of!