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[wizard 87]

My favorite read of the year !

The following is a statistical analysis of the Packers’ season in a variety of categories by beat writer Bob McGinn.

THE RODGERS FILE
The average distance of Aaron Rodgers' 47 touchdown passes was 21.5 yards. A year ago, his 37 TD passes averaged 23.02 yards. This season, Matt Flynn's six TD passes averaged 35.0 yards.

The Packers struck for 20 completions of 35 yards or more in 17 games, an increase from 17 in 20 games last season but a decrease from 24 in 17 games in 2009.

In all, the Packers had 78 gains of 20 yards compared to 83 in 20 games last season, 76 in 17 games in '09, 57 in 16 in '08, 76 in '18 in '07 and 54 in 16 in '06, coach Mike McCarthy's first season. Of those 78 plays, 69 were passes and nine were runs.

Counting regular-season games only, Rodgers ranked first in passer rating with a record 122.5, 16th in attempts (502), 10th in completions (343), sixth in completion percentage (68.3), fifth in yards (4,643), first in yards per attempt (9.25), second to Drew Brees in touchdowns (45) and second to Alex Smith in interception percentage (1.1%).

The average release time of Rodgers' seven interceptions was 2.60 seconds. Previously, his times were 3.18 in 2010, 3.89 in '09 and 3.30 in '08.

Opponents blitzed (rushed five or more) the Packers on 23.7% of drop-backs, down from 30.06% in 2010 and 32% in '09 but up from 22.3% in '08. Foes rushed six or more on 8.5% of drop-backs.

In four seasons as the starter, Rodgers has had just one interception returned for a TD. That was by Tampa Bay FS Tanard Jackson (35 yards) in November 2009. In Brett Favre's last 11 seasons as the starting quarterback in Green Bay, he averaged 2.1.

Six of Rodgers' seven interceptions came with the Packers ahead and one with the team behind. Five came from shotgun formation, two came against blitzes, one came in the red zone, one came inside the Packers' 20, five came in the fourth quarter and 5½ were judged to be his fault.

Rodgers' seven interceptions led directly to 14 points. In four seasons as the starter, his interceptions have led to 23 points per season. In Brett Favre's last 12 seasons as the Packers' starter, his interceptions led to an average of 52.6 per year.

MAKE THAT TACKLE
The Packers recorded just 42 tackles for loss in 17 games, an average of 2.47. That was slightly ahead of last season when they had 48 in 20 games (2.4). In 2009, the Packers had 64 in 17 games (3.77).

Clay Matthews and Desmond Bishop shared the team lead in tackles for loss with 6½. Matthews also tied for first in 2010 with seven and tied for second in '09 with 7½.

They were followed by Ryan Pickett (4½), Erik Walden (three), Tramon Williams (three), Charlie Peprah (2½), Charles Woodson (2½), Jarius Wynn (2½), B.J. Raji (two), C.J. Wilson (two), Jarrett Bush (1½), Robert Francois (1½), A.J. Hawk (1½) and D.J. Smith (1½).

Among the defensive players with none were Howard Green, Mike Neal, Frank Zombo, Brad Jones, Morgan Burnett and Sam Shields.

Based on 17-game totals supplied by the Packers based on their coaches' film review, Bishop led in total tackles with 148. Burnett was second with 112, followed by Hawk (109), Peprah (106), Walden (89), Woodson (85), Matthews (74), Williams (71), Pickett (61), Raji (47), Wilson (41), Smith (38), Shields (36), Wynn (32), Bush (22), Francois (21), Green (21), Zombo (18), Jones (15), Nick Collins (10), Vic So'oto (seven) and Neal (six).

Woodson led the team for the second straight year in missed tackles with 18, two fewer than last season. He averaged 9.3 misses in his first four years.

He was followed by Williams (17), Hawk (15), Peprah (12), Shields (12), Burnett (11), Bishop (10), Walden (six), Raji (five), Francois (four), Smith (four), Wynn (four), Pickett (three), Zombo (three), Bush (two), Collins (two), Jones (two), Neal (two) and Jamari Lattimore (one). Neither Green nor Wilson missed a tackle.

The Packers missed 140 tackles in 17 games for an average of 8.24. Last year, they missed 133 in 20 (6.65). In 2009, the last time they played 17 games, they missed 107 (6.29).

On special teams, Bush and Pat Lee tied for the team lead in tackles with 12. The top five included Jones (11), Smith (11) and Ryan Taylor (10).

Bush led in missed tackles with nine. He was followed by Francois (four), Lee (four), Shields (four), Brandon Saine (three), Taylor (two), Mason Crosby (two), Jones (two), John Kuhn (two), Andrew Quarless (two), Tom Crabtree (one) and M.D. Jennings (one).

The Packers’ special teams missed 37 tackles in 17 games, an average of 2.18. Last year, they missed 45 in 20 games (2.25).

Pickett led the defensive line in tackles per snap with one every 8.12 snaps. He made his 61 tackles in 495 snaps. It was the fifth time in Pickett’s six seasons that he has led in this category.

Next were Wilson, one every 9.68 snaps; Green, one every 10.95; Wynn, one every 14.95; Raji, one every 19.70; and Neal, one every 26.33.

TAKE AND PROTECT
Green Bay and San Francisco shared the NFL lead in takeaways with 38. The Packers were second in giveaways with a club-record 14 and were second in turnover differential at plus-24. In the playoff game, they had one takeaway and four giveaways.

Counting all games, coach Mike McCarthy is plus-68 in turnover differential. He is plus-69 in the regular season and minus-1 in eight playoff games.

Charles Woodson led the team in turnover-producing plays (interceptions, fumbles forced, fumbles recovered) with nine. This is the fourth time in Woodson's six seasons that he has led the Packers in this category.

Following Woodson in turnover plays were Morgan Burnett (eight), Clay Matthews (six), Charlie Peprah (six), Sam Shields (five), Tramon Williams (five), Robert Francois (three), Desmond Bishop (two), Jarrett Bush (two), Nick Collins (one), B.J. Raji (one), D.J. Smith (one) and Erik Walden (one). Among players without any were A.J. Hawk and Ryan Pickett.

Since the Packers lost 15 fumbles in McCarthy's first season (2006), they have lost nine twice (2007, '10), eight twice ('08, '09) and six this year. The total of six was the lowest for the Packers since 1995.

In 17 games, the Packers fumbled 18 times and lost nine.

After not having a running back lose a fumble on a running play since the 2008 finale, the Packers had losses by James Starks in Game 3, Ryan Grant in Game 5 and John Kuhn in the playoffs.

Aaron Rodgers led the team in fumbles with five. He was followed by Randall Cobb (three), Grant (two), Tim Masthay (two), Starks (two), Matt Flynn (one), James Jones (one), Kuhn (one) and Marshall Newhouse (one).

Cobb led in lost fumbles with three, followed by Grant (two), Flynn (one), Kuhn (one), Rodgers (one) and Starks (one).

In four seasons as the starter, Rodgers has 32 fumbles, losing 11.

Among the players not fumbling were Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Donald Driver and Jermichael Finley. In four seasons, Nelson and Finley each have one fumble.

Scott Wells didn't have a bad shotgun snap for the second straight season.

The special teams lost the three fumbles by Cobb and recovered one opponents' fumble (Crosby). The turnover differential of minus-2 leaves the special teams at minus-1 during McCarthy's six seasons.

NOT FEELING THE PRESSURE
Counting playoffs, Clay Matthews led the team in sacks with six. Others players with two or more were Desmond Bishop (five), B.J. Raji (three), Erik Walden (three), Brad Jones (two) and Charles Woodson (two).

For the third straight year Matthews led the team in "pressures" with 53½. Besides the six sacks, he had 27 knockdowns and 20½ hurries. Matthews had 55 in 2010 and 45½ in '09. Since the Journal Sentinel began recording the statistic in 1998, the leader has been Aaron Kampman with 58½ in 2007. Kampman also had 55 in '06.

Following Matthews in pressures (defined as the total of sacks, knockdowns and hurries) were Walden (26½), Bishop (20), Raji (19½), A.J. Hawk (15½), Jarius Wynn (10), Woodson (seven), Jarrett Bush (five), Jones (4½), D.J. Smith (four), C.J. Wilson (3½), Vic So'oto (three), Frank Zombo (three), Morgan Burnett (two), Mike Neal (two), Charlie Peprah (two), Ryan Pickett (1½), Tramon Williams (one) and Howard Green (one-half).

As an entire unit, the D-line had a mere 37 pressures in 17 games. In two previous seasons under Dom Capers, the unit had 62½ in 17 games in 2009 and 101½ in 20 games in '10.

As a whole, the linebackers had 130 pressures in 17 games compared to 117 in 20 games last year. Meanwhile, the secondary had 17 pressures in 17 games compared to 21½ in 20 last year.

Wynn led the D-line in pressures per snap. Playing 467 snaps, he registered a pressure every 46.7 snaps. Last season, Cullen Jenkins led the unit with one every 16.1 snaps.

Following Wynn at the position were Raji, one every 47.49 snaps; Neal, one every 79; Wilson, one every 113.43; Pickett, one every 330; and Green, one every 460.

Capers blitzed five or more on 42.2% of drop-backs, an increase from 33% a year ago and 27% in '09. It was the highest five-man rate since the Journal Sentinel began tracking rush numbers in 1998.

Capers blitzed six or more on 6.7%, up from 3.7% in 2010 and 4.5% in '09.

In all, Capers blitzed inside linebackers 348 times, cornerbacks 154 times and safeties 28 times.

The most effective rusher among inside linebackers and defensive backs with 15 or more blitzes was Bishop for the second straight year. He had 20 pressures in 137 rushes, or one every 6.85 snaps. He was followed by Burnett, one every 8.5; Bush, one every 8.6; Hawk, one every 9.23; Smith, one every 11.25; Woodson, one every 12.86; and Rob Francois, who didn't have one in 23 attempts.

Clearly, Capers' blitzes from the secondary have dropped off in effectiveness. The unit had one pressure every 6.8 snaps in 2009 followed by one every 9.4 snaps in '10 and one every 10.7 this season.

Matthews led the club in batted-down passes with three, followed by four players with two (Hawk, Pickett, Raji, Woodson) and two players with one (Burnett, Walden). Among the players with none were Wynn, Wilson, Green, Neal and Bishop.

The Packers batted down 13 passes. DE Johnny Jolly batted down 11 of the team's 15 in 2009.

MEASURING THE O-LINE
The Packers' offensive line was charged with 24½ of the team's 45 sacks in 17 games, or 54.4%. Last year, the unit was charged with an identical 24½ of what were 46 sacks in 20 games, or 53.3%.

Marshall Newhouse allowed 10½ sacks, the most by a Green Bay player since tackle Tony Mandarich gave up 12½ in 1990.

Aaron Rodgers was next in sack responsibility with 6½, followed by Evan Dietrich-Smith (3½), Josh Sitton (2½), Chad Clifton (two), T.J. Lang (two), James Starks (two), Bryan Bulaga (1½), Tom Crabtree (one), Jermichael Finley (one), Matt Flynn (one), Greg Jennings (one), John Kuhn (one), Derek Sherrod (one), D.J. Williams (one), Brandon Saine (one-half) and Scott Wells (one-half).

There was no individual fault assigned to 5½ sacks. One sack was charged to the line as a whole.

Ryan Grant wasn't responsible for any.

Wells has allowed just 14 sacks in eight seasons. Sitton has yielded only nine in four years.

In the regular season, the Packers were 22nd in sack percentage. Since a third-place finish in 2007, they have finished 18th in 2008, 29th in '09 and 22nd in '11.

When the Packers won the Super Bowl in 1996, they ranked 18th in sack percentage. From 1997-2006, they never ranked worse than 10th ('98).

Newhouse, with 41½, led the club in "pressures" allowed. That includes all sacks, knockdowns and hurries. Newhouse's total is the highest since the Journal Sentinel began recording the statistic in 1999, surpassing guard Daryn Colledge's 40½ in 2009.

Next among players with more than two was Bulaga with 18, a big improvement from 33½ a year ago; Lang, 16½; Clifton, 15; Sitton, 10½; Rodgers, 10; Wells, 8½; Dietrich-Smith, 7½; Sherrod, 7; Starks, 7; Kuhn, 4½; and Finley, three.

A total of 16½ pressures didn't have individual responsibility.

The line yielded 125½ pressures in 17 games compared to 138½ in 20 games a year ago. Running backs were charged with 13½, quarterbacks 11 and receivers 7½.

Also by subjective count, the Packers allowed 102 "bad" runs in 418 carries, or 24.4%. Last year, they allowed 142 in 529, or 26.8%. A bad run is defined as a gain for 1 yard or less excluding goal-line, short-yardage or kneel-down plays.

Sitton led the team in bad runs with 17, followed by Newhouse (14½), Lang (11½), Wells (eight), Bulaga (six), Dietrich-Smith (six), Starks (six), Crabtree (4½), Grant (four) and Sherrod (3½). No one else had more than three. Nine and one-half runs weren't assigned individual fault.

Clifton gave up just 1½, Finley allowed one and Andrew Quarless allowed one-half.

CATCH THAT BALL
Of the eight Packers who were the target of more than 25 passes in 17 games, Ryan Grant had the lowest drop rate. By subjective judgment (there can be no other way when it comes to dropped passes), Grant dropped 1 of 29 for a rate of 3.45%.

At wide receiver, Greg Jennings led with 4 in 106 (4.72%), which is just slightly higher than his rate in 2010 (six in 159, 3.77%) and '09 (six in 128, 4.69%).

The others were Jordy Nelson, 5 in 100 (5%); Randall Cobb, 2 in 34 (5.89%); Donald Driver, 5 in 61 (8.2%); and James Jones, 6 in 57 (10.53%).

Nelson's drop rates had been 10.9% in 2010, 10% in '09 and 1.9% in '08. Jones has never been lower than 9.1% in five seasons. Driver's last outstanding catching season was 2007, when he dropped merely 2 of 134 (1.49%).

As a whole, the wide receivers dropped 23 of 358 targeted passes, or 6.43%.

Jermichael Finley had the worst drop rate with 13 in 103, or 12.62%. He didn't drop any of 25 last season, and in his first three seasons he dropped 7 of 117, or 6%.

Also at tight end, Tom Crabtree dropped 1 of 9, Andrew Quarless and D.J. Williams each dropped 1 of 4 and Ryan Taylor dropped 1 of 2.

Following Grant at running back were John Kuhn, 1 in 2; James Starks, 3 in 41; Brandon Saine, 0 in 9; and Alex Green, 0 in 1.

In all, the Packers dropped 45 in 17 games, or 2.65 per game. A year ago, they dropped 46 in 20 games, an average of 2.3.

FEWER FLAGS FLY
From 2007-'09, the Packers had more problems with penalties than any other team. In 2007, they ranked 29th-worst in penalties with 113 and 31st in penalty yards with 1,106. In '08, their rankings were 31st (110) and 32nd (984). In '09, they ranked 32nd (118) and 31st (1,057).

This season, the Packers tied for first with Indianapolis with 76 penalties and finished second to the Colts in penalty yards with 591. In 2010, they tied for third with 78 and were third with 617.

The Packers' 591 penalty yards were their fewest since 1974, when they had 536 in two fewer games (14).

Counting all the games, the Packers had a remarkably low number of penalties on defense with 19. That's their fewest since the defense also had 19 in 2000 (as always, only accepted penalties were counted).

For the second straight season, the defensive line didn't have a single penalty in the regular season. Last year, the unit had two in four playoff games. This year, the unit wasn't penalized in the playoff game, either.

B.J. Raji has had merely one penalty in three seasons.

The linebackers had 10 penalties, including four by Clay Matthews and two each by Desmond Bishop, A.J. Hawk and Erik Walden.

In the secondary, only two players - Charles Woodson (seven) and Tramon Williams (two) - were penalized. Woodson had 12 in 2010. Williams had 16 in the previous three seasons.

Charlie Peprah hasn't had a penalty in the last two seasons, and Sam Shields and Morgan Burnett have had just one.

Mike McCarthy's first five teams had averaged 42.4 penalties on defense.

On offense, the Packers drew 51 penalties, their most since 2005. McCarthy's first five teams had averaged 44.

The breakdown was 31 for the line, seven for the wide receivers, seven for the tight ends, three for the quarterbacks and two for the running backs. There was no individual fault on one.

T.J. Lang led the line with seven, followed by Josh Sitton (six), Bryan Bulaga (four), Marshall Newhouse (four), Scott Wells (four), Chad Clifton (two), Evan Dietrich-Smith (two) and Derek Sherrod (two).

The six for Sitton were a career high. Bulaga had 10 as a rookie in 2010.

Greg Jennings had three to lead the wide receivers, whereas Donald Driver didn't have any for a second straight year. Jermichael Finley led the tight ends with five after having none in his first three years. Aaron Rodgers had three after having averaged six in his first three seasons as a starter. For the second straight year, James Starks didn't have a penalty.

STOPPING BIG PLAYS
The Packers allowed 85 plays of 20 yards or more in 17 games. That's the most since the Journal Sentinel began tracking this number in 1994. In 2004, they allowed 81 in 17 games.

A total of 74 of the 20-plus plays were passes and 11 were runs.

Here's the breakdown of responsibility for the 11 20-plus runs: Charles Woodson (2½), Desmond Bishop (one), Morgan Burnett (one), Howard Green (one), Charlie Peprah (one), B.J. Raji (one), C.J. Wilson (one), Nick Collins (one-half), A.J. Hawk (one-half), Clay Matthews (one-half), Erik Walden (one-half) and Tramon Williams (one-half).

Among the players not responsible for a 20-plus run were Ryan Pickett, Jarius Wynn, Mike Neal, Frank Zombo, Sam Shields and Jarrett Bush.

Here's the breakdown of responsibility for the 74 20-plus passes: Williams (16), Bishop (nine), Shields (nine), Bush (eight), Peprah (eight), Woodson (6½), Burnett (five), Hawk (five), Walden (two), Nick Collins (one), Pat Lee (one), Matthews (one), Raji (one) and D.J. Smith (one). One-half of a pass had no fault.

Williams' total of 16 is the highest by a cornerback in Green Bay since Doug Evans allowed 17½ in 1995.

Robert Francois and Zombo didn't allow any.

Of the 32 touchdown passes allowed in 17 games, 24½ were allowed by the secondary, 5½ by linebackers and two by the defensive line.

Responsibility fell this way: Woodson (five), Peprah (4½), Shields (4½), Williams (3½), Burnett (three), Bishop (2½), Bush (2½), Hawk (two), Wynn (two), Collins (1½) and Jamari Lattimore (one).

Williams led the team in passes defensed with 24, followed by Woodson with 21, Burnett with 16, Shields with 15 and Peprah with 14.

Source http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/the-rodgers-file-c63ua6p-138019428.html

[Cheesedog]

Interesting stuff, thanks for posting.

Some nice numbers in there but some bad ones too... An almost 13% drop rate for Finley. They better not pay him much. 

[ahein24]

As pathetic as the defensive numbers are we had a great record. You have to think if you add 2 play makers on Defense and a liitke depth this team is a shoe in for a SB ?

[Jaymo]

Since McCarthy got to GB, he tried to replace Wells. It was one stiff after another. I said it then, and I say it now. Wells is one of the best centers in the NFL. He should have gotten Pro Bowl recognition a long time ago. He got a bum rap because McCarthy kept trying to replace him.

I guess the stats now prove what I was saying about the guy. Not only good in the trenches, but a darned good coach on the field, calling out blocking assignments.

Based on the stats, if Hawk has to go for missing tackles, Woodson and Williams need to be sent packing first! 

I think you might get a better assessment of the missed tackles if you based it on the percentage. In other words, take the total misses, add it to the tackles made, then take that total and divide it into the missed tackles for a percentage. That's where you'll see how much of a real problem anyone had with tackling.

I believe these stats tell a better story than the flat stats we see all year long, or any weenie's statistical analysis quotient that's meaningless. 

Thanks for sharing these Wiz. They're very telling. If you notice, what I have said about "no push" in the defensive line is exactly what the stats point out. Because of the lack of a third entity on the line, they were able to play double teams on our two solid down linemen, and do man on the weakest link.