Packers: Five things they need to fix during the bye week
By Jesse Fry
2. Play with rhythm
The Packers used to run a lot short quick throws and timing patterns. Rodgers takes the snap, one-two-three, step and throw. Now the pattern seems to be one-two-three, step up, step to the side, run right, throw. While Rodgers may be one of, if not the best at improvising a play, he’s just as deadly when he gets the ball out on time and in rhythm.
In order for this to happen, Rodgers needs to trust what he sees and start taking what the defense is giving him. Many times the announcers will say there was no one open. If you watch the all-22 film you can see there are plenty of times where this is not true.
A receiver will come open at the top of his route, but Rodgers will hold on for the big play. Sometimes it works, other times it doesn’t. Lately it hasn’t worked as much.
Play-calling is also to blame. I don’t know what Coach McCarthy was thinking but no one was buying the bootleg after the first quarter in Monday’s game. I mean no one. Not the 49ers defense, not Jane in section 101, not the announcers, you get the point.
Yet the play kept getting called and the results were getting worse and worse. Also, calling slow developing plays with rookie receivers and a banged up offensive line leaves too much room for error.
On the Packers’ final two drives, we got to see what playing on time looks like. Rodgers got the ball out at or around three seconds or less, and there was nothing the defense could do.