KEEPING RODGERS CONTAINED
Few NFL quarterbacks have complete command of every facet of their offense, encyclopedic knowledge of any possible tactic by the defense, and a strong enough arm to place the ball wherever it needs to go. We’re talking Brady, Rodgers, Drew Brees, and Philip Rivers, a group that has put in its 10,000 hours on the job. Of those quarterbacks, Rodgers possesses a skill that separates him: The ability to improvise. It’s why Rodgers is generally regarded as the most gifted quarterback in the game. It’s why he could have a field day against the Patriots defense. When the Pats faced a similarly talented quarterback in Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, they did an excellent job in the first half of generating pressure, but not allowing Mahomes to escape the pocket. They weren’t so successful in the second half. On a third-and-2, Maand homes drifted out of the pocket against a three-man rush fired a strike downfield to Kareem Hunt while on the run. That play, a 67-yard touchdown connection, was by no means scripted. Mahomes made it happen outside the structure of the playcall. Rodgers has been doing the same thing for a decade. So how do the Patriots prevent that from happening? Sometimes you can’t. But to limit Rodgers’ opportunities to freelance, the Patriots need to rush with discipline. They can’t give Rodgers all day in the pocket, but they also can’t get too aggressive and allow Rodgers to scramble and get his eyes downfield. Tricky balance.