Al,

It's difficult to be to hard on AR, without him I would hate to think where this team would be, but when watching the game you could see Lazard WIDE open on the crosser and then AR throws up a jump ball to Adams. Why? we'll never know. It certainly is/was a play that make you go Hmmm though.

On that last screen, I think that Redmond pulls up because he sees a big ole blocker heading right at him and is trying to find a way to get around that block.

About the "Why Aaron" play, I noticed Rodgers passing up the easy shorter tosses a few times in the last game even when someone was wide open right in front of him.

Don't get me wrong, he's been taking the shorter passes at a higher rate than in the past, but he still, when given time, will look further down field for the bigger play. Sometimes it pays off big though, and a good QB should take a peek. It's in Rodgers DNA to go for the big strike. Especially if it's 17 on the other end.

Overall, I'm pleased with how Rodgers has managed the offense this year, but in the game situation GB was in against the Lions he should have hit Lazard and taken the easy first down. Then maybe none of the other game-ending nonsense wouldn't have occurred.

Al - when I saw Redmond’s play on the screenI thought exactly what you wrote, “force him inside”, exactly as were coached in HS. Trying to avoid the block is pointless. Just go low and give yourself up and let the inside pursuit make the play.

I’m am always amazed at how so many professional players so often forget some of the most basic techniques that are coached repeatedly at the HS and college levels. No excuse.

As for Rodgers, I think he knew it was second down so he took a shot with his best receiver who he saw had one on one coverage. He figured he still had 3rd down to make a first if the pass the Adams failed. He also could not have anticipated the 5 yard penalty which Crosby’s FG a little more difficult.

Rodgers is going to go for the big play when he has Adams one on one. Especially when he knows he has another down or two to work with. He figures Adams is going to win and he often does. I’m not saying I agree with it, it’s just how Rodgers plays the game. Thanks, Since ‘61

AR cannot totally break his addiction to hero ball. The only explanation I can see is that short throws to Lazard don’t make the Sportcenter highlight reel and big throws to Davante do. As stated above, he has done it less than he has in the past. The trouble is, he saves it for inopportune times when a first down is really needed to salt away the game.

Play#2: Just about everybody was thinking the same thing. Lazard is streaking across the field wide open and could have easily made it inside the 10-yard line. This is where the magnetism towards Davante needs to be restrained. Play smart: work on the clock first, then either punch the ball in or set yourself up for an easy field goal.

I noticed the miss to Lazard during the game. To me that was a big deal. It's better to take the first down than to go fo a big gain. I saw that was a chance to score a TD and put the game out of reach. Crosby saved our butts. This play is a holdover from the McCarthy Era for Rodgers where he tried to do too much. Hopefully this is slowly going away

I noticed the miss to Lazard during the game. To me that was a big deal. It's better to take the first down than to go fo a big gain. I saw that was a chance to score a TD and put the game out of reach. Crosby saved our butts. This play is a holdover from the McCarthy Era for Rodgers where he tried to do too much. Hopefully this is slowly going away

With Rodgers' passer rating and completion percentage soaring the way they are since the Tampa Bay game, it is extremely picky to choose one play where you think he could have made a better choice. The passer rating and completion percentage support his good decision making, not just in this game but in the previous 8 games, and really every game except TB. If he is passing up open routes that are shorter for longer throws, it must be working much of the time. Are we asking for perfection here?

I saw Rodgers taking the clock down to 1 second over and over again. That's always been a pet peeve of mine. I know he's the master of the hard count but Detrout was disciplined unlike our defense who committed way too many penalties.

Biggest improvement from Rodgers IMO in 2020 is not throwing the ball away. 54 throwaway in 2018 by far the most ever in the NFL. I credit MLF scheming WRers open and our outstanding OL giving Rodgers time to throw. The team goes as far as Rodgers can carry us and in 2020 he's the MVP.

Well AR is who he is. From time to time he shows unpatience which is strange for the player of his experience.

That particular 2nd down might finished with TD if Aaron threw the precise pass. That particular throw wasn't good one and Davante played defence, becausr ball was at the hands of CB.

It happens from time to time. And I belive we can live with that, because of Aaron make this team much better with his intelligence, experience and physical capabilities.
Sometime his decisions produce unwilling loses, like at Indianopolis, where he had easy TD if he threw the ball to Big Bob, not forcing the ball to Davante.

But his mistakes are rare and we have to takenthem, because he brings us lot of joy.

"Why Aaron" not taking the easy first down.... That and play clock management are what separate him from Tom Brady.

Jamal - They'll keep him. Rodgers- Still in Control; looking for the kill. Why wouldn't he throw it to the NFLs best WR. No complaints here. Screen Pass. The Lions ran it, till the packers stopped it. If you have the right LBs. They don't run it.

I’d never blame AR for throwing to Davante one on one with a step heading to the end zone. I don’t care who’s wide open underneath. It was just a bad throw. It’s a td with an accurate throw. I only blame AR hero ball when throwing into double coverage with a check down open underneath. That he hasn’t done much of this year.

The GIF doesn't really show it, but I remember the replay in the game. Adams blew bast the CB and had about 1-2 yards separation on the defender. The problem on the play, in my mind, isn't the decision, but that Rodgers threw it short which held up Adams and turned it into a jump ball. If Rodgers throws it on the left shoulder and leads him more, it's a TD.

On those sweeps, end arounds, and screens we are exposed because we are weak with those types of players including missing Raven Greene. A lot of our tackling leaves much to be desired especially with our D backs. I would hope that we target those hybrid middle linebackers / big Dback types - Troy Polo's guys.

AR has done this going to Adams over the easier open guys at times. Adams will almost always make the catch - but AR needs to give his head a shake as well and I am sure he does in the game reviews that they do. I believe that the Tampa game pick 6 was one of those - Adams will win on that route but only if he has blown by those D backs a few times and since he was just back from injury they were probably sitting on that route.

I'm very surprised that other teams have not screened the Packers defense more. This defense does have a tendency to over commit at times on passing downs. Good catch Al on Redmond. He froze for a second seeing that big guy in front of him, and that's all it took. No matter how many times a player is taught to play down hill, it goes against human nature to do so. (Kind of like running to the sound of gun fire) If one needed a reason why J. Williams gets so many snaps, his ability to protect the QB from blitz and dog schemes is rare. In a quarterback centric league, somebody is going to pay him. I hope that someone is the Packers. The point about Rodgers taking the shot is correct. While other commenters have pointed out the Rodgers to Adams is on another level, this offense is built on moving the chains and exhausting a defense. Something that Rodgers has done well this year.

That decision by Aaron Rodgers to not pass to the wide open Lazard could have cost us the game just as much as the big runback by Detroit on the kickoff after Crosby's field goal.
That kind kind of questionable decision-making may indeed help to explain the difference in Super Bowls between Rodgers and Tom Brady (as noted in a comment above).
On the play, even if Davante Adams has a step or two of separation, it seems a harder throw to him than to Allan Lazard.
Now to be fair to Rodgers, he has been so great this year that this is not a play to dwell on. With it being second down, he did have another play to convert a first down to retain possession. All-in-all, maybe it's a tougher decision between Davante and Lazard than at first sight.
However, it's important to note the decision because it may mean the difference between a Super Bowl this season or not.
Consider the game against the Buccaneers, when after a fast start by the Packers, things turned badly in a hurry, and we were eventually trounced..
I could be wrong, but I was wondering if Rodgers panicked a little against the Bucs after their quick scores turned the momentum of the game.
It was still early enough, and the game was still close enough, that Rodgers could have brought the Packers back gradually.
Instead it seems he went too much for the long strikes rather than the sustained drives of moving the chains.
This was especially bad as a tactic because the Bucs were now pumped up, and their pass rush was harassing Rodgers. The short throws were the way to go.
If I'm mostly right about what happened against the Bucs -- which is one of the rare instances of the Packers being in a really tough spot this season -- then it's critical that Rodgers learn from that experience to keep calm in adversity, and take the easier passes for the most part, especially in critical situations.
Now, to keep this balanced, remember Rodgers last season in the playoffs against the Seahawks converting a clutch play late with a wonderful throw downfield to Adams (against Richard Sherman).
In other words, it's good for Rodgers to take chances at times, and to be daring. It's also good for him to be careful. To be both in the same quarterback is the great challenge.
These are quick decisions, and I don't want Rodgers thinking overly much out there. I'd rather have him make an occasional mistake than to be too hesitant.
Rodgers is so great right now -- and apparently improving on his decision making significantly in taking the shorter throws more often -- that I don't want to mess him up by being too demanding.
However, if he can refine his craft as a quarterback even a little more, I'd encourage him to do so.
As a huge fan of Aaron Rodgers, I truly want all the best for him, on and off the field. and only offer these words if they are accurate and appropriate and ultimately helpful. I know he has to ultimately decide what's best for him in his overall game.
We always want improvement for the Packers (and also for ourselves, in whatever we do). Perhaps the key to getting better at something is to remember the positive things much more often than the negative.
So I encourage Aaron to perhaps remember ten of his excellent plays for every poor one -- or even debatable one.
Again, Aaron Rodgers is fantastic! Whatever his personal ways in striving for his best results as the leader of the Pack, I'm rooting for him!!!

Great pickup by Williams because Turner doesn't even see the blitz and should have helped. That's why Redmond is not a starter, but Kings attempted tackle where he lowered his head was comical and sad at the same time. We could use a solid tackler similar to Greene but with a bit more size and durability, but I guess so do most teams. I watched last night's game between two possible playoff teams and don't remember any defense being played.

On the ARod critique I think it would be useful if someone, not me!, would take a look at how many times he went to the underneath guy and moved the chains instead of going deep even if it looked like he had a shot.

As for Williams he has been a great blocker from day one. Jones has become a decent one but Jamaal just really likes to do it it seems.

I love it when film is provided along with the analysis. It helps a nube like me get the most out of it. thanks for going the extra mile.

Ya, poor decision by Arod, really multiplied by the timing/situation in which he did it. Did anyone ask him what his thought was on the play? I bet the coaches did in the film room. Gutsy question for a Packer media guy to ask.

Great catch on redmen, It, to me, is just one example of how the packers defensive players make way too many poor decisions. be it Z and Preston and run containment or the ILB crew on gap plugging. Does anyone really expect petinne to come out and throw his guys under the bus.

I'm hopeful on Jamall only because of the Market, 20201 Cap, and the overall view on paying Rb's. I don't see him as a starter, maybe someone in the league will and will pay him, for his sake I hope so, but as a back-up in GB, even as a Timeshare guy with Dillon he has a great deal of value. Might be a situation where his best option, where he brings the most value is GB and they give him an above Market contract for a backup RB. I assume that market isn't a cap killer. Just hoping. I wouldn't be thrilled putting all my eggs in an unproven RB w/o much behind him.

Just wanted to mention Vernon Scott made some plays in his limited snaps if you have an opportunity to view the game again, I think he is out TCU , maybe some depth for Raven Greene hopefully .

I think most of us would love to keep both Jamaal and Jones and I don't think it's out of the question. Dillon as a quality back-up/insurance for the next couple of years isn't bad. I know the feeling is you can always find a RB late in the draft, but if we're already solid with these three it allows us to look for that DL or ILB we so desperately need. Jones really really wants to stay. His new agents will ask for the moon but the kid might give GB a home discount. I love Jamaal, but Jones is a top ten RB and neither Dillon nor Jamaal are talented enough to replace him as full-time starters. I think Linsley, King, Kirksey, P. Smith, and a few others won't be back which is why I believe there's an outside chance both Williams AND Jones are re-signed. They make a truly great duo and are a huge reason for the great offense this year. Rodgers and LaFleur both know that. Jamaal and Jones are character guys, hugely popular in the locker room, who bring a lot of enthusiasm to the team. If I'm the GM I try to keep them both. Hornung and Taylor stayed together, why not Jones and Williams?

About the "why Aaron" play, I think Rodgers quickly saw Adams' advantage over CB and simply missed a pitch that normally doesn't miss.
About the "Screens Kill" play, I think it is a typical mistake to report to the lack of aggression and therefore to the attitude that sets the DC. Why Pettine ????? Fire fire fire
Greetings to everyone from Siena. Go Pack Go

This is just a tidbit from OTC by Nick rather than Jason Fitzgerald:

If Jaire Alexander earns a pro bowl nod, his 5th year option salary will increase by $2.976M from $9.89M to $12.869M.

Yes, that increase will be factored in even if he is extended, which probably won't happen in 2021, but will prior to his 5th season in 2022. BTW, I don't see how the Packers extend him this offseason without roughly doubling his 2021 cap hit, something they can't afford to do.