Midseason report card: Rodgers nearly perfect; defense far from it
Quarterbacks
In his fourth season as a starter, Aaron Rodgers is as close to a slam dunk for the most valuable player award as anyone could be at the halfway point of the season. Rodgers leads all NFL quarterbacks in completion percentage (72.5), which would top Drew Brees’ NFL record of 70.62 percent set in 2009. (Brees, at 71.0 percent, also is on pace to break his record). Rodgers also leads in touchdown passes (24), three more than Brees. He’s slightly off pace of Tom Brady’s record of 50 touchdown passes set in 2007. Rodgers has thrown just three interceptions, two of which were tipped by receivers. Among quarterbacks who have started every game this season, only San Francisco’s Alex Smith, who has been picked off twice, has thrown fewer interceptions. Rodgers’ passer rating of 129.1 would obliterate the single-season record of 121.1 set by Peyton Manning in 2004, the second of his four MVP seasons. Last year at this time, Rodgers’ rating was 85.3, he had thrown nine interceptions, had half as many touchdown passes and had a completion rate 11.2 percentage points lower. Rodgers’ decision making has been at an all-time high. He hasn’t forced balls into coverage and has spread the ball around while still making sure his top-two playmakers — receiver Greg Jennings and tight end Jermichael Finley — get the most targets. Backup Matt Flynn, in the final year of his rookie contract, did nothing in the preseason to damage his chances of becoming a starter somewhere else next season. Practice-squader Graham Harrell hasn’t shown enough to assure the Packers that he’s their next No. 2 after Flynn departs.
Grade: A
Running backs
By now, it’s become clear James Starks is the No. 1 back even though Ryan Grant remains the starter in the base offense. But that’s in name only. Starks has gotten more carries (96) than Grant (61), who missed one game because of a bruised kidney. More telling is that when the Packers need to run the clock out at the end of games, Starks gets the call. He’s also the third-down back, where he’s been charged with allowing ¼ sack, according to STATS. Other than one bad game at Chicago in Week 3, when he gained just 5 yards on 11 carries, Starks has run hard and made the right read more often than not. He could break a few more tackles which would help his average (4.6 yards per carry), a mark that ranks eighth among the NFC’s top 11 rushers. Grant’s best game came at Chicago, where he had 92 yards on 17 carries. But his season-long run is just 14 yards. Fullback John Kuhn has converted all three of his third-and-1 carries and has one touchdown catch. Given how many weapons Rodgers has in the passing game, there’s not a great need for a dominant running game. But it could do better than 20th in the league in yards per game (104.4) and 23rd in average (4.0).
Grade: C
Receivers
Greg Jennings has picked up where he left off last season, when he led the league in receiving yards (98.4 yards per game) over the last 11 games. Jennings ranks fourth overall in the NFL in catches (48) but second among receivers behind only New England’s Wes Welker (66). He’s sixth overall in the NFL in receiving yards (723) and fifth among receivers. He has a team-high six touchdown catches. According to STATS, he has dropped just one pass. Jordy Nelson, who signed a three-year, $13.35 million contract extension, has emerged as the clear-cut No. 2 receiver. Among the receivers, he has been targeted the second-most times (41) behind Jennings (66). He has become the big-play receiver with an average of 19.7 yards per catch on 29 receptions and five touchdowns. He has only one drop. James Jones, who was re-signed for three years and $9.6 million after he drew little interest in the brief free-agency period this summer, got off to a slow start largely because his opportunities were limited but has four touchdowns in the last five games despite being targeted just 26 times. He has 20 catches and an average of 17.4 yards per catch. Donald Driver, barely a starter even in name anymore, has two drops, according to STATS, but could have been charged with more. Sometimes, he’s not even included in three-receiver sets. He has just 15 catches and a career-low 8.3 yards per catch with two touchdowns. There’s almost no way the Packers bring him back next season under the terms of his current deal, which includes a roster bonus of $2.2 million and a base salary of $2.6 million in 2012. Rookie Randall Cobb, who is averaging 17 yards per catch on 11 receptions, looks like the next great slot receiver in this offense.
Grade: A-minus
Tight ends
A year ago, the offense was centered around Jermichael Finley, and when he went down in Week 5 with a season-ending knee injury, things had to be revamped. This season, Finley has a major role once again but hasn’t been the complete focal point. Teams have rolled coverage his way. Still, Rodgers has thrown his way more times than anyone but Jennings, but his targets (44) are only slightly higher than Nelson’s. He destroyed the Bears’ Cover-2 defense with three touchdown catches in Week 3 at Soldier Field but has only two other touchdowns. He hasn’t had a monster yardage game, yet, either. His top output was 85 yards on seven catches against Chicago. Still, his very presence on the field makes the offense that much more dangerous. People around the league think it’s a foregone conclusion that the Packers will use the franchise tag on Finley next season. Tom Crabtree still handles most of the blocking assignments, but he has allowed one sack, according to STATS. Andrew Quarless is pushing Crabtree as a blocker but has made almost no impact in the passing game. Rookies Ryan Taylor and D.J. Williams play mostly on special teams, where Taylor has become one of the core guys.
Grade: B-plus
Offensive line
Rodgers has been sacked 20 times. That’s four more than last year at this time but 17 fewer than the debacle that was the first half of the 2009 season. In his first NFL regular-season action, Marshall Newhouse has allowed a team-high seven sacks, according to STATS. That’s tied for the third-most in the league, and he has started only five of the eight games. He started two games at right tackle when Bryan Bulaga was out because of a knee injury and the last three games at left tackle for veteran Chad Clifton, who may not return from a partially torn hamstring. Still, Newhouse has shown signs that he could be the eventual long-term replacement for Clifton. At this point, he’s far ahead of rookie first-round pick Derek Sherrod, who held up OK in parts of two games, allowing one sack. The time he spent in training camp trying to beat out T.J. Lang at left guard slowed his development at tackle. Lang got off to a strong start in his first year as a starter but has been up and down since. Still, he’s the kind of battler the Packers want at that position, especially in the running game. He has allowed only one sack and hasn’t been guilty of a holding penalty but has a team-high six false starts. Bulaga hasn’t allowed a sack in six games after giving up a team-high 11 sacks last season. Right guard Josh Sitton, who signed a six-year, $34.5 million contract extension in September, hasn’t played as well as last year. He has given up two sacks after not allowing a sack all of last season. Center Scott Wells, less than three years removed from briefly losing his starting job, has been the top performer. He has allowed just one sack.
Grade: B
Defensive line
Without end Cullen Jenkins, this group has provided little pass rush and almost none since defensive end Jarius Wynn (three sacks) had a two-sack game at Chicago in Week 3. The only sack by a defensive lineman in the last five games came from B.J. Raji at Minnesota on Oct. 24. Raji (two sacks) seemed more effective last season at nose tackle than this year at end. He also has played a ton of snaps in both the base and sub packages. Raji, Ryan Pickett, who has moved back to nose, and Howard Green have helped the run defense improve to No. 8 in the NFL. That’s 10 spots higher than they were last season. The ranking against the run has been aided by the fact that teams have been behind and forced to throw more. Despite playing fewer snaps, Pickett has more tackles (31) than Raji (27). C.J. Wilson hasn’t made much of an impact in either the base or nickel packages. Injured Mike Neal has been taking up a roster spot all season and might be able to return in a few weeks, but it’s no guarantee. The goal-line stand in the final seconds of the opener against New Orleans was perhaps the single biggest play of the season.
Grade: C
Linebackers
Though he has only three sacks, outside linebacker Clay Matthews remains a load for offenses, who have had to double-team him more often than not. He has combined for 25½ quarterback knockdowns and hurries, according to STATS. He’s also playing the run better than ever. The production hasn’t been the same on the other side, where Erik Walden has played the majority of the snaps. He has two sacks but hasn’t made the kind of impact he did late last season. He also doesn’t play the run well. The plan was to split snaps between Walden and Frank Zombo, but Zombo can’t stay healthy. He has played only 1½ games. It’s clear that backup outside linebacker Brad Jones is just a guy when it comes to defense, although he shares the team lead with six special teams tackles. The mystery is why rookie Vic So’oto, who had 2½ preseason sacks, hasn’t gotten an opportunity on defense. On the inside, A.J. Hawk was lauded last season for his ability to communicate the defense, but this year there have been more breakdowns. Desmond Bishop has played well as long as he’s not asked to cover often. He has been the most effective blitzer, getting home for a team-high four sacks despite his limited opportunities. The backups on the inside, Robert Francois and D.J. Smith, remain untested, although Smith is tied with Jones and tight end Ryan Taylor for the team lead in special teams tackles.
Grade: C-plus
Defensive backs
This mercurial group has been gashed for big plays and has blown far more coverages than anyone expected yet has come up with takeaway after takeaway. Three players rank among the top four in the NFC in interceptions. Cornerback Charles Woodson still has a nose for the football. He shares the league lead with five interceptions. Safety Charlie Peprah, who moved back into the starting lineup after Nick Collins’ season-ending neck injury in Week 2, is tied for second in the NFC with four interceptions, while fellow safety Morgan Burnett is tied for fourth in the conference with three interceptions. When Peprah and Tramon Williams both returned interceptions for touchdowns last week against San Diego, it was only the 10th time that’s happened in team history. Williams and nickel cornerback Sam Shields both have given up completions at a higher rate than last season. Teams have completed passes against Williams 52.7 percent of the times he has been targeted, and he’s allowed four touchdowns, according to STATS. Last year, his numbers were at 43.5 percent and just three touchdowns all regular season. He’s been bothered by his shoulder injury that has prevented him from being as physical. Shields is at 61 percent and two touchdowns after being at 50 percent and three touchdowns last year. Woodson is better this season (42.6 percent) than last (52.6) but has allowed three touchdowns after giving up four all of last season.
Grade: C-plus
Special teams
Mason Crosby has missed just one kick — a 50-yarder in the divisional playoff game at Atlanta — in the last 11 months, and he’s kicking off better than ever. The net punting average (34.2 yards) isn’t what the Packers want, but Tim Masthay has hit the ball well directionally. Rookie Randall Cobb, with his 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the opener, needs to secure the ball more soundly but looks like a dangerous return man. Since Darren Sproles’ 72-yard punt return for a touchdown in Week 1, the coverage units have been better. Rookies Ryan Taylor, D.J. Smith and Jamari Lattimore are the next group of core special teams players.
Grade: B
Coaching
Perhaps Mike McCarthy’s biggest challenge coming off the Super Bowl XLV victory was managing egos, both in his locker room and on his coaching staff. So far, he has done that perfectly. This team has handled success with little or no problems. He and his offensive staff have found a way to involve almost all of the receivers, running backs and tight ends. The coaches made the right choice in picking T.J. Lang to start at left guard. However, defensive coordinator Dom Capers and his staff haven’t been able to correct the coverage breakdowns or find a way to get the pass rush going. Still, this is a bottom-line business, and this team is unbeaten.
Grade: A
Personnel moves
Letting defensive end Cullen Jenkins go to the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency without even attempting to re-sign him was a mistake. General Manager Ted Thompson probably could have had him for the relatively low price of around $4 million a year, perhaps even on a short-term deal. Sure, Jenkins has battled injury problems, but he was the best pass rusher up front last season. Thompson should have done what he did with James Jones and re-signed him because the market was soft. Thompson wisely gave contract extensions to rising stars Josh Sitton and Jordy Nelson. The draft produced a potential big-time playmaker in Cobb, but first-round pick Derek Sherrod disappointed with a poor preseason. Thompson hasn’t made any impact in-season acquisitions like he did last year.
Grade: B-plus
