Football is a complicated game, but sometimes we make it a little more complex than it needs to be.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had one of the best games by a QB we’ve seen in this young 2015 season. He completed 24 of his 35 passes for 333 yards and five touchdowns in a 38-28 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. He probably could have racked up even more gaudy stats had Green Bay kept its foot on the gas pedal in the second half.
Yet, on Tuesday morning, Pro Football Focus released its game grades for Monday night’s game. Rodgers received a -0.2 grading from PFF, and no, it’s not like golf. A negative is not a good score.
In fact, PFF called the performance “average,” despite the whole five touchdowns thing.
“But for a couple of poor plays,” wrote Ben Stockwell, “(Rodgers’) overall grade would have matched the sort of grade that you would be expecting to see from him, but those poor plays, coupled with the relative ease of some of his scores mean his performance (Monday) night was far closer to average than it was to the fantastic performance the box score suggests. The context surrounding his grade is crucial.”
Stockwell and the rest of the PFF gang do fine work, so this is with all due respect, but that is just asinine. Grading Rodgers this way also has a built-in excuse, as they can label anyone who disagrees a simpleton, who’s just looking at the stat line. But anyone who watched Monday night saw a guy on a different level than everyone else.
What PFF admittedly doesn’t take into account, however, are “intangibles.” That, of course, makes a world of difference, as Rodgers showcased his continued evolution as a quarterback Monday night. The Packers QB gets plenty of credit for what he does after the snap, but he also deserves praise for what he’s been able to do before the ball is snapped. Rodgers’ pre-snap routine is a big reason for his success. We’ve seen through three games his ability to get defenses to jump offsides and get free plays — which he seemingly always takes advantage of for touchdowns. He also has the uncanny ability to catch defenses with 12 men on the field.
Even when Rodgers isn’t able to draw the defense offside, he processes the information presented to him and takes advantage, like hitting James Jones on a slant route, right where the blitzing safety was standing.
There’s a reason why Packers backup Scott Tolzien says watching Rodgers is like watching Michael Jordan in his prime.
It’s these sorts of things — combined with the ridiculous physical ability — that separate Rodgers from the rest of the quarterbacks in the NFL, save for maybe Tom Brady. That’s also why no one will be surprised if those two are across the field from each other in February at Super Bowl 50.
FOURTH AND SHORT
1. Doesn’t it kind of feel like the Buffalo Bills are going to be a team we can’t get a good read on all season? There’s undeniable talent, especially on the defensive side. Tyrod Taylor showed against Miami he’s got some ability, too. But is this a team that’s going to be prepared every week? Are they going to have enough discipline? It’s really the same old story with Rex Ryan. However, if the Bills beat up on teams not named the Patriots, they’ll be in playoff contention come wintertime.
2. That same question doesn’t apply to the Ravens, though. They just look like a bad football team. Steve Smith Sr. is playing out of his mind, but it feels like the Ravens are having trouble matching his effort up and down the roster. Baltimore did a pathetic job on defense Sunday, especially when it came to A.J. Green. They’ve played stupid — only four teams have racked up more penalty yards — and the struggle is now very much real after the first 0-3 start in franchise history.
3. The Ben Roethlisberger injury has the potential to change the entire AFC landscape. Just a week ago, the Steelers looked like one of the best teams in the conference. Now, after Roethlisberger went down, there’s no shortage of warranted uncertainty. No one really knows how long they’ll be without Big Ben, and there are even bigger question marks about what they might get from Michael Vick. The injury also opens the door for the Cincinnati Bengals to take command of the AFC North. The Bengals are sitting pretty at 3-0 atop what many thought would be the NFL’s toughest division.
4. Raise your hand if you saw two of the NFL’s seven undefeated teams through three weeks coming out of the NFC South. It’s too early to tell if this is sustainable — and honestly, it’s probably not — but it’s fascinating to see how Atlanta and Carolina are winning games. The Falcons have escaped on three different occasions, while the Panthers are riding a stout defense. The Panthers have to be the favorites moving forward, but there’s something to be said for Atlanta finding ways to win, especially under a young head coach trying to build a winning program.
Thumbnail photo via Jeff Hanisch/USA TODAY Sports Images
