Sometimes it is the mechanics

[TW]

As I've been saying, the mechanics can change on a QB, and they don't even know it. If you don't have someone there, inside your head, day after day, you can begin to lose the rhythm that made you special.

This article is pretty much what I've been talking about. Even Tom Brady has had a guru in to work on his when it started to be a problem. You don't wait for the wheels to fall off before you fix the problem. McCarthy might want to consider that.

QB Mechanics

 

[rpiotr01]

I think they drill it well enough into ARs head in practice and camp, and for years he's had wonderful mechanics. Past year it's when the lights come on all that drilling goes to crap and he starts winging it. I think he hasn't been trusting the OL or the WR and has gotten happy feet, he feels safer throwing on the run than than hanging in the pocket, even when the pocket is there. It's between the ears. Want to know why Brady is the best? Cause he stands in no matter what. Take a bunch of hits and lose the game? Fine, but he's going to stand in the pocket, own it, set his feet and deliver the ball.

Aaron has shown some signs as of late of breaking out of that a little bit. Let's see where the season goes and if he keeps it up.

 

[TW]

For several years, Rodgers was the better of the two between him and Brady, despite the fact that Rodgers would move around in the backfield. But the one constant he had, no matter what, was his mechanics when he threw the ball. Now the mechanics are out of whack, and you're dismissing it? You might also explain the fact that Brady needed a guru a few years back, and again about a year ago, because of his mechanics, and you're dismissing it as meaningless. Although your comments could be true under some circumstances, they aren't in this instance. Sorry!

 

[rpiotr01]

Huh? Dismissing as meaningless? I was pretty much agreeing with your point. But ok...

EDIT: To be clear, what I said above was that his mechanics are ABSOLUTELY out of whack, and it's been clear for a long time. And what sets Brady apart IMO is that he trusts his mechanics. If they ever needed tweaking I haven't noticed, because to me he's always looked like the Ted williams of throwing a football, i.e. How you'd draw it up.

If we disagree on anything maybe it's that I don't think AR's have gone down the tube for lack of coaching, it's whether he takes the coaching or not. He has been hopping and dancing when there's no need to, IMO because he didn't trust the OL to protect him or the WR to be where he wanted them to be. Lately he's looked a little better, let's see if he keeps it up.

 

[TW]

Your last point, questioning whether or not Rodgers is taking the coaching is a valid point. If he doesn't believe he has a problem, nothing will change. But, if that's the case, it's still a coaching problem, because it's up to McCarthy to make him accept the help, like it or not.

As far as the OL, I have to go by what I'm hearing from people who have been putting a stop watch on him. He's keeping the ball for over a full 1.5 seconds longer than in the past, often longer. Then he's either eating it, or making throws that are essentially late, or ill advised because he hasn't properly set his feet. These are all things that can be improved with a guru working with him for a couple days. I also agree he's moving around when it's not necessary, and he's out of position to make a throw when the opportunity presents itself.

Unless he gets help, his game is going to continue to go down as a Packer. He's no longer a potential HOF QB, in my opinion, unless he ends up getting comeback player of the year next year, and puts up two additional great ones after that, with another MVP, and a Super Bowl would guarantee it.

 

[Mark87]

As I've been saying, the mechanics can change on a QB, and they don't even know it. If you don't have someone there, inside your head, day after day, you can begin to lose the rhythm that made you special.

This article is pretty much what I've been talking about. Even Tom Brady has had a guru in to work on his when it started to be a problem. You don't wait for the wheels to fall off before you fix the problem. McCarthy might want to consider that.

QB Mechanics

I disagree... your assuming that these are all correctable. The man is 32 yrs old. He's taken how many hits in his career ? Are his mechanics off ? Yes is it correctable ? 50/50 at best.

I posted in this very forum in pre season an article that talked about his mechanics but it also talks about the craptastic offense we are running and the lack of talent at WR as some contributing factors.

I've posted this a million times it's not one thing but a sum of many moving pieces that is the issue. Mechanics are only a small part of this.

 

[TW]

I totally agree on the lack of talent at WR. It became obvious last year when Nelson went down. Without him, even the numbers we'd grown to expect from Cobb disappeared. In fact, defenses began to realize that they could do man coverage on our guys and get away with it. The deterioration in this area actually began when we lost Jennings and Jones. They may not have been #1s at the time they left, but they were solid possession receivers, although not great.

Nothing has been done to replace these guys. We've fallen into the routine that you can grab a speed guy from the 5th round down, and you've got a project you can develop. Problem is, there's no time to develop them in this version of the NFL. A 4 year contract and a guy either gets big bucks or is cut.

You're totally right on the offense. It has deteriorated. Predictable. To top it off, I agree that Rodgers has lost confidence in his mates on the field. But, to a degree, they've lost it in him too. They have a serious problem and nobody seems ready to address it.

But, no matter what, Rodgers is going to have to work on his game, even if they do fix the problems with new pieces on the field, and a new direction with the offense. If he's not ready to be prime time, it doesn't mean a hill of anything, because they're going to get beat more than they win.