An offseason of frenzy for the Packers will culminate with what could be their most dramatic week in July since the Favre Saga in 2008.
Leading up to Rodgers' decision on whether he will return to the Packers, it's worth pondering what the "doomsday" scenario could look like on the field. As the reigning NFL MVP, it's obvious that there will be a significant drop-off from his production to Jordan Love's as a first-year starter. However, beyond Rodgers' pure brilliance as a passer, there are other aspects of his game that have been taken for granted.
If Love takes over in September, expect these gaps at the position to reveal themselves in an ugly way.
3. Mobility
While most pronounced earlier on in his career, Rodgers has routinely given defensive coordinators gray hairs with his elusiveness in and out of the pocket. Consider some of the best from the early 2000s - Manning, Brady, Brees, Roethlisburger, Ryan and, say...Favre: none known for hurting defenses with their legs. Time and time again, Rodgers has used his mobility to extend passing plays and, even when faced with air-tight coverage, pick up first downs on foot.
It's apparent that, for the passers of the next generation (Mahomes, Jackson, Watson, Murray, Mayfield), this kind of mobility is an entry requirement. And, while Love showed flashes of athleticism from his college film, it isn't entirely clear if he'll bring the same scrambling ability and pocket finesse that Rodgers has throughout his career.
2. The hard count
It's difficult to recall a quarterback with more free plays generated from a frantic hard count that has continually drawn defenders offsides. This special skill has led to big-time first down conversions and home run balls that often shift the momentum in tight games. Equally as important, it's proven to throw off the timing of edge rushers and blitzing corners.
Unfortunately, this aspect of the game will take Love some time and experience to master (as was the case with Rodgers). With the complexities of today's defensive schemes, Love will be forced to prioritize the recognition of personnel packages, as well as the pre-snap cadence with his own unit, before establishing a habit of baiting defenders across the line of scrimmage.
1. Ball security
Rodgers is rivaled by other greats in most key QB stats - but he's simply in a different category of greatness with how well he's taken care of the football throughout his career. While many think of this as exclusively-Brady territory, Rodgers, in fact, has been better, averaging less than seven picks per season as a starter. His TD-to-INT ratio of 4.63 is simply unparalleled for quarterbacks with more than four seasons under their belt, the next best coming in at 3.30 by Russell Wilson.
The interesting part of this attribute is that it's a combination of skill (e.g., throwing accuracy, decision-making) and smarts, the latter of which indicates that Rodgers understands the role of turnovers in winning football games and deliberately chooses to prioritize sacks over picks in his game. So, one can only hope that Love acknowledges the role that this philosophy has played in Rodgers' success throughout his career.
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