The Forgotten Man? (at least on this site)

by MikeDB on Oct 13, 2011 10:12 AM CDT

With all of the talk of the super TE, Jermichael Finley, the breakout year of Jordy Nelson, the early disappearance of James Jones (only to reappear with a 70-yard TD catch) and the exciting rookie Randall Cobb - no one is talking about our biggest playmaker of all, Greg Jennings. I haven't seen any reference to the absolutely amazing run after the catch and dive into the endzone by Jennings in the Atlanta game on APC at all.

This has to be one of the most amazing runs after a catch that we've seen. Watch it again. Jennings catches the ball around the 16-yard line and runs toward the sideline making a 110 degree cut - at full speed -

toward the endzone at the 11, then he dives from the 4-yard line, while switching the ball from his left hand to his right hand. And he scores by diving, Jordanesque, 14 feet through the air.

No one else on the Packers could have made such a play, and very few if any other receivers in the league could have done so. Greg Jennings is a unique talent.

Among fans, at least, so much focus has gone to Finley and his talent, which is special in itself, that we seem to have forgotten that the Packers also have one of the most talented WRs in the NFL. Even in all the build up to the Atlanta game, we heard of how the Falcons didn't respect the Packers. But I never read mention of the fact that Roddy White was on ESPN and he told the ESPN football people that Jennings was not a top WR.

I'd like to ask where others rank Jennings among the best WRs in the NFL.

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Best WRs in the league...

I think it goes:
C. Johnson
L. Fitzgerald
A. Johnson
R. White

After that you get into the level of guys like Greg Jennings, Vincent Jackson, Wes Welker, Steve Smith (Carolina) DeSean Jackson, Dwayne Bowe, Mike Wallace, Miles Austin, Brandon Lloyd, Steve Johnson, Brandon Marshall, Reggie Wayne, etc

So, short answer to your question, I’d say he’s top 10 in the whole league. Probably 5th or 6th best.

by Jeffersap on Oct 13, 2011 10:58 AM CDT reply actions

I’d put White in the second tier as well. Megatron, Fitz, and Andre are the top 3 in whatever order you see fit. After that, it’s more of a jumble and depends on what you want in a WR. Some of those guys are beast deep threats and some are possession guys. The thing Greg has going for him is that he can probably do both equally well. So he’s somewhere between 4 and 10 I’d say.

Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!

Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl XLV Champions!!!!

I also edit things at Ridiculous Upside. Check it out.

by Omaha Sun on Oct 13, 2011 12:15 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

No way White is in the top 5

Falcon fans are saying he’s not even the best WR on the team!

SUPER BOWL CHAMPS

by Chief Oshkosh on Oct 13, 2011 3:46 PM CDT up reply actions

No Welker in the top 5?

I mean, I hate the Pats as much as the next Bostonian or bandwagoner, but Welker is averaging 9 receptions, 148 yards, 1 TD per game. At this rate, he will break 1,000 receiving in 7 games and could break Jerry Rice’s single season receiving yards (1,848) and Marvin Harrison’s single season reception record (143).

Sure, having Brady as your QB helps, but that’s still impressive.

by Mark O'Rourke on Oct 13, 2011 4:13 PM CDT up reply actions

Correction

I hate the Pats as much as anyone outside of Boston and the stupid bandwagoners.

by Mark O'Rourke on Oct 13, 2011 4:16 PM CDT up reply actions

I agree

Welker is a top 5 WR in my opinion.

by Zundar on Oct 13, 2011 4:36 PM CDT up reply actions

I think the reason for this is that we have come to expect nothing less from him. We all know how good he is, and he’s been good for several years now.

Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!

Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl XLV Champions!!!!

I also edit things at Ridiculous Upside. Check it out.

by Omaha Sun on Oct 13, 2011 12:16 PM CDT reply actions 3 recs

Exactly.

We’ve gotten a bit spoiled with our offensive weapons. I think that because Finley missed last year, talk of him this year has gone up because of that added dimension to an already potent offense.

I already told you! I deal with the god damn receivers so the linebackers don’t have to! I have coverage skills; I’m good at covering people! Can’t you understand that? What the hell is wrong with you people?!

by msc32887 on Oct 13, 2011 4:00 PM CDT up reply actions

I agree

It really didn’t shock many of us because we are used to it. Jennings needs to make plays twice as amazing as that to put us in awe again. You know, like catching a 99 yard TE with a broken leg…

One game at a time...

by Jabooty on Oct 13, 2011 4:39 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs

Good call

That was an amazing play.

by Curly Lambeau on Oct 13, 2011 2:18 PM CDT reply actions

It was a good run after catch but I wouldn't say it was "amazing" by any means.

All it took was too beat the DB’s to the corner and dive! It was a good play, maybe even very good, but amazing? I don’t see it… Seemed like the kind of run that any WR would do it in the same situation. He didn’t have to break any tackles or make anyone miss. Just ran to the corner and dove! Whats amazing about that… I’ll give him credit for a good play, but Drivers run after vs the 9’ers last year was ALOT better and really was amazing! Jennings was kinda ho-hum by comparison… No broken tackles, no great elusiveness to evade DB’s, just run to the corner and dive! Not amazing at all…

You've been Stroh'd™!!!

by Strohman on Oct 13, 2011 7:59 PM CDT reply actions

I disagree that he didn’t show great elusiveness. I think a lot of receivers would have just lowered their head and tried to just run through the safety to just get as many yards as they could. It took some good elusiveness to get around Robinson, and some really good vision to even decide to take it to try to get around the corner.

But yeah, I don’t think it was particularly amazing either.

Fire Slocum

by packallday555 on Oct 13, 2011 8:52 PM CDT up reply actions

A sharp cut at full speed and staying in bounds

The amazing part was the sharp cut at the 11-yard line that he took at full speed, staying in bounds. I don’t think most NFL receivers could have made that cut at full speed. Most WRs would have been out of bounds at the 8-10 yard line because their momentum would have carried them out. But to be able to make that sharp of a cut – I estimate it at about 110 degree angle (a little more than 90) – and then be able to dive from 4 yards out. It’s a lot harder than breaking a tackle.

by MikeDB on Oct 13, 2011 8:58 PM CDT up reply actions

Sharp cuts

WR have to make sharp cuts at top speed or very near it, or they don’t get open! Thats practically the very definition of route running ability. WR have to do that all the time or they don’t get seperation from CB to get open. The ability to make sharp cuts at top speed has alot to do w/ the reasons WR are successful at all. If they can’t make sharp cuts at top speed they don’t even make it to the NFL.

You've been Stroh'd™!!!

by Strohman on Oct 13, 2011 9:15 PM CDT up reply actions

I've always thought one of Jennings greatest assets was his ability to turn on a dime

The elite recievers do that better that better than anyone else. I also thought that was a pretty special play. I don’t think there are many other recievers that could turn that corner the way he did

by the yooper on Oct 13, 2011 10:37 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Pretty sure there are more than a few that could make that play.

Just don’t see what he did that was special in any way. Good job turning the corner and keeping balance, didn’t really have to do a tightrope act on the sidelines, just when he was running out of room and was hemmed in he dove, like any player would to score.

You've been Stroh'd™!!!

by Strohman on Oct 13, 2011 11:49 PM CDT up reply actions

Yeah, there’s probably other guys that could make that play but not many. Not many guys can stop and start as well as Jennings does imo.

Fire Slocum

by packallday555 on Oct 14, 2011 9:55 AM CDT up reply actions

More stereotype than reality

Really watch receivers go out on routes. Very few routes require 90-110 degree cuts, and those that come close are outs, which are normally short and not run at full speed. A good out will begin with a burst down field then a cut toward the sideline where the receiver slows down.

And yes, I imagine that there are some other WRs that could have made a similar cut, DeSean Jackson comes to mind. But I doubt that any of the big WRs, like Calvin Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald could have done it and stayed in bounds.

by MikeDB on Oct 14, 2011 5:29 PM CDT up reply actions 3 recs

routes

Every out route, ever crossing route require 90 degree cuts. That basically 1/2 or so of the route tree if you include a short cross and out and a deep cross or out. So yeah, I think alot of routes require a 90 degree cut. The good WR, read… the ones that get open, run hard and make cuts at 90% or more of full speed. Jackson is one, andre Johnson could, welker just to name a few. I could go on, but you get the point I think…

WR that run and cut the hardest are the ones that get open… Pretty much as simple as that.

You've been Stroh'd™!!!

by Strohman on Oct 14, 2011 7:47 PM CDT up reply actions

Oh come on. You’re wrong.

14:58 Jennings finds the seam and gets wide open—Nice but no big deal.
14:57 Makes the catch and turns his head to find 5 defenders preparing to make the tackle. In this fraction of a second he jukes enough of them just enough to make a couple miss and put them out of the play.
14:56 What next? Well, he’s still in the middle of the field with 3 guys bearing down on him and the rest of the D, including the defender who Jennings was lined up against—who Jennings bumped at the line to get open by 3 yards on a short route over the middle—reacting to the juke to now keep him out of the end zone. At least three defenders are directly between Jennings and the end zone and have a good shot at making the play. With zero hesitation Jennings continues directly to the sideline at top speed and
14:55/54 somehow beats them there. Jennings makes the most magnificent cut I may have ever witnessed (this is where the jaw drops to the floor), without losing any speed whatsoever (because if he did, the defenders just push him out of bounds, as they do 99.9% of time in similar situations),
14:53 his right foot tightropes the line (yes, he did tightrope the line because, again, that was the only way he could possibly make it around the defenders), his toes dig in (because that was the only way he could prevent continuing out of bounds), he transfers the ball to his right hand (by golly, because he must) and then,
still 14:53 Jennings launches himself, still somehow at full speed (because, again, that’s the only way he makes it), and proceeds to fly 14 feet, through the air to the pylon.
14:52 Touchdown. Original defender, who had a direct route to the end zone from the middle of the field is now 5 yards away, shaking his head in disbelief.

Seriously. Watch again. He was barely touched, and that only makes it more astounding. I told my son he might never see a play as great as that. We get complacent watching excellence every week and we come to expect greatness. This was beyond that. This was in the zone. This was transcendent. We should all feel privileged to have witnessed it.

by madherb on Oct 14, 2011 1:36 PM CDT up reply actions 4 recs

I was watching other diving into the endzone touchdowns ...

on Youtube and while several of them are pretty cool, in ALL of the ones I could find, the ball carrier had 7-10 yards of straight on running toward the pylon (at least) before diving in from 3-4 yards out. Jennings did this after making an incredible cut and taking only three steps vertical toward the goal line.

by MikeDB on Oct 14, 2011 5:24 PM CDT up reply actions

This is where we disagree.

In this fraction of a second he jukes enough of them just enough to make a couple miss

Yeah he made a split decision on what to do. But he didn’t really “Juke” them, he actually gave a little ground to gain more room, and cuz he was moving full speed, and they were basically just getting moving toward him to try a tackle, he was able to get around them enough to put himself in position to dive for the TD. I think in the same situation, most WR would have made the same split decision to try to get around them. A little good balance and a good dive got him into the end zone. Just doesn’t impress me as an “Amazing” play. Good play, absolutely… VEry good play, I’ll even grant that… But amazing? Nope…

You've been Stroh'd™!!!

by Strohman on Oct 14, 2011 7:55 PM CDT up reply actions

You guys are all missing the small head juke Jennings made to the right just as he turned his head after he made the catch. It is true that most receivers would have had to break a number of tackles to reach the end zone on this play. That is what makes the play that Jennings made that much more amazing.

But I’m not sure why I’m bothering on a sight where commenters rec unintelligible “subjects” and comments such as those that are rec’d below…

I enjoy this site because of Brandon’s work and rarely venture into the 4th grade English that constitutes most of the comments, and frankly, some of the lead stories, here. I know I’m a relative newbie here, but can we all try to raise the level of discourse?

by madherb on Oct 16, 2011 12:05 PM CDT up reply actions

Those last 2 paragraphs are not directed at stroh.

by madherb on Oct 16, 2011 12:34 PM CDT up reply actions

I resent your third paragraph!

I CLEARLY communicate at a 6th grade level…..

at least that’s what my high school teachers told me.

In Every Climb and Place....

by PhoenicianPakFan on Oct 16, 2011 7:06 PM CDT up reply actions

Yeah. I am a part of that third paragraph :(

I haven’t put up a fanpost in awhile. I am here for the funnies, the community, and the occasional insight.

Though, we are getting NorthStarr to get into the funnies as of late. Pretty awesome too!

That dog just won't hunt.

by Bush League All Star on Oct 17, 2011 2:14 AM CDT up reply actions

I work with 6th graders, 4th graders, and kindergarteners for my work study job, most of whom speak Spanish as their first language.

Your teachers lied to you. Your communication more closely resembles the kindergarteners.

Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!

Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl XLV Champions!!!!

I also edit things at Ridiculous Upside. Check it out.

by Omaha Sun on Oct 17, 2011 1:29 PM CDT up reply actions

Well done. Here come the test results.

You are a horrible person. I’m serious, that’s what it says: A horrible person. We weren’t even testing for that.

Author at Acme Packing Company, a Green Bay Packers blog, and Editor at BT Powerhouse, a Big Ten Basketball blog
#FireCraigJames
Follow @GSchofield50

by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Oct 17, 2011 1:56 PM CDT up reply actions

Was this the test?

Are you a horrible person? Please check one answer.
[ ] Yes
[ ] No

That dog just won't hunt.

by Bush League All Star on Oct 19, 2011 1:26 PM CDT up reply actions

Saying that other people have 4th grade English skills

usually does not raise the level of discourse.

by Packer Logician on Oct 24, 2011 10:41 PM CDT up reply actions

Nice Job

some people will never agree.. unless they were the ones who first called it amazing, then they would defend it to death. He catches that ball I think he’s going to be takled, He “jukes – oh yes he did” and take off for the sidelines, I think he’s gonna be pushed out… He scores.. I saw WTF, how did he do that? I call that Amazing. /fireworks

by MikeyG76 on Oct 14, 2011 10:33 PM CDT up reply actions 3 recs

Agee totally with how you stated that as far as who would defend how they were wrong to the death

by the yooper on Oct 14, 2011 10:44 PM CDT up reply actions 4 recs

Shove it up your ASS!

You've been Stroh'd™!!!

by Strohman on Oct 15, 2011 10:44 AM CDT up reply actions

Why so adamant

to say that Jennings didn’t make a great play. Are you simply arguing semantics? Or do you not particularly like Jennings>

by MikeDB on Oct 15, 2011 5:51 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

I love Jennings...

Almost bought his jersey over Rodgers in ‘08… I think it was a good play and would go so far as to say very good. But he just didn’t do anything that I consider to be amazing on the play. Did he break any tackles? No.. Did he make a great move to elude a tackler or 2? Not really, a decent cut to the outside away from the 2 safeties, doesn’t qualify as amazing by any means. More a matter of survival probably… And a cut any WR can make and would make away from the safeties closing on him. Then good balance, something all athletes have, to get around the CB who had to do a 270 to try to close on Jennings toward the sideline. Then a dive when he ran out of room. What out of that made the play amazing? Not a thing… Overall a good play and if you wanna call it very good fine. But Amazing? No, not a thing about it was Amazing! Drivers TD vs 9’ers last year was amazing… By comparison this was pedestrian!

You've been Stroh'd™!!!

by Strohman on Oct 15, 2011 6:16 PM CDT up reply actions

Then you are most arguing over word choice?

by MikeDB on Oct 17, 2011 10:56 AM CDT up reply actions

Very good and Amazing

Aren’t even in the same ballpark!

You've been Stroh'd™!!!

by Strohman on Oct 17, 2011 11:57 AM CDT up reply actions

And to be clear...

yooper is the one who was an Ass… Not me!

You've been Stroh'd™!!!

by Strohman on Oct 15, 2011 6:19 PM CDT up reply actions

Juke?

OK, so looking at the replay, Jennings catches a post at about the 17 yd line, running upfield, he has the 2 Safeties coming right at him to make the tackle. He makes a cut to get outside, Which is simply running to daylight, something any WR would choose instead of running full speed into 2 safeties. The cut was decent but not terribly difficult by any means, and hardly what I would call a “Juke”. By making a relatively easy cut to get outside, he then has Jones and a CB (#23) running upfield, the CB has to change direction from running upfield to run toward the sideline (270 degreees, cuz hes looking at Jennings) to try to tackle Jennings at the sideline. Jennings still running full speed has the HUGE advantage cuz the CB has to stop and does a 270 (3/4 of a full turn), which allows Jennings to reach the corner. Jennings does a nice job of keeping balance to maximize the space he has, till he dives. Sorry, Not “Amazing” by any means… A good play? Absolutely… A very good play? I’ll grant that… An Amazing play? Definitely Not…

http://www.packers.com/media-center/videos/GameDay-Packers-Falcons-highlights/9b5f538f-fc92-4cf6-9f4f-ef9f852e882f

Time index 2:23 at start of play. Now go compare that to Drivers catch and run vs SF last year, where he breaks tackles, eludes or Jukes them and runs over them at the goalline. Now that is an AMAZING play! Jennings looks ordinary by comparison. One amazing, the other not even close if difficulty, but very good on its own.

You've been Stroh'd™!!!

by Strohman on Oct 15, 2011 10:44 AM CDT up reply actions

An excellent observation

One that has gone unmentioned for far too long.

When I read this, I thought to myself, “he really hit the nail on the head with this one.” But it didn’t seem like a really big deal – we’ll chuckle at ourselves and at the least we’ll admit that Jennings is an elite athlete.. But I can tell by the responses you’ve received that at least one person has taken this very personally. Any guesses as to why?

"I'm a relatively respectable citizen. Multiple felon perhaps, but certainly not dangerous."
— Hunter S. Thompson

by I voted for Kodos on Oct 16, 2011 12:07 AM CDT up reply actions 2 recs

Agree totally

I don’t have time now asdays to watch replays in my life. But I kn ow the game of football and that was as good as it gets

by the yooper on Oct 14, 2011 10:41 PM CDT up reply actions

I give you it was a good cut

But let’s be honest here, that is no where near the greatest cut you have ever seen or you started watching football after 1999. Remember that guy in DET called Sanders, played him twice a year. He would make cuts that I honestly thought his knees/ankles would explode and lose little to no speed doing them and then cut again making defenders look stupid. Old Barry did that cut at least twice a game, and maybe even twice in the same run.

by Adin on Oct 15, 2011 5:45 AM CDT up reply actions

I remember Barry well. You probably remember that many of those incredible cuts resulted in few additional yards, but you’re right, if anyone else is going to score in this situation, it is Barry.

Jennings getting into the end zone required a confluence of actions that were made perfectly and without the slightest hesitation: the head juke, the speed to reach the corner, the cut at top speed, the sideline tightrope, the leap, the soar, the switch of the football to the right hand. It isn’t just the cut but the cumulation of actions, all of which were absolutely required, without the slightest hesitation, for him to reach the end zone, at a crucial time of the game.

by madherb on Oct 16, 2011 12:24 PM CDT up reply actions

Well I did mention it after the game.

In my post-game recap I wrote:

Their second touchdown on an amazing catch-and-run by WR Greg Jennings put them up by eight points.

It was a little buried, but I thought enough of the play to nominate him for game MVP (he lost to Rodgers, which has been happening a lot this season.)

Talk about the best WR in the league and no love for Doug Baldwin? Shame!

Seriously, based on this season, Welker, Wallace (he has at least one 40+ yard catch per week), Vincent Jackson and Jennings are all great. And Calvin Johnson is probably outplaying them all. There are a couple guys who are great but injured (Andre Johnson and Roddy White), and some have to play with Kevin Kolb (Larry Fitzgerald), who might otherwise deserve to be in the discussion too.

by Brandon on Oct 14, 2011 6:17 PM CDT reply actions

Sorry I missed that line

I’d say that Jennings is the best of the non-big receivers in the NFL. So I’d put him above Welker and Roddy White, and for now at least above Mike Wallace. It seems to me that Rodgers spreads the ball around more than about any other QB in the league, so Jennings won’t get the numbers like White had last year, or Welker is getting this year. But I’d Jennings over either one of them. Of course, I am biased, too.