Aaron Rodgers got heavily criticized for not attacking the middle of the field during the 2022 season. But what if I told you that he has been avoiding the middle for his whole career. The middle is the most productive part of the field as it allows for shorter throws, and the big plays most often occur there. But Super Bowl champion and four-time MVP winner Aaron Rodgers rarely ever throws to that area of the gridiron. Why doesn't Aaron Rodgers throw to the middle of the field? What does this mean for the Jets' offense? And how has he won a Super Bowl and multiple MVPs' without throwing to the most productive part of the field?
While the middle of the field is the most productive part of the gridiron, it is also the riskiest. Linebackers often zone or man cover in the middle, causing more interceptions due to the increased traffic. Rodgers doesn't throw to the middle of the field because he doesn't want to turn the ball over. It's no wonder he consistently leads the league in interception rate and has only two 10+ interception seasons. His reluctance to throw to the middle certainly has its benefits.
Even though he rarely throws picks, how has he had his success with throwing mostly wide? Most quarterbacks who ignore any area of the field, don't stay in the league for long. But Rodgers has won four MVPs and a Super Bowl. He is one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history, but the talent around him in previous seasons has helped. His best receiver, Davonte Adams, was exceptional at getting open and running routes, making throwing wide and over the middle easier for Rodgers. Jordy Nelson, Greg Jennings, and Donald Driver were all able to catch passes out wide.
But Rodgers did not put up his regular elite statistics in the season prior because he didn't have the talent around him to stray away from the middle. It didn't help that the no.1 wideout, Christian Watson, was primarily a slot receiver. This lack of talent also caused him to throw a career-high 12 interceptions.
What will Rodgers's reluctance to throw to the middle affect his new team's offense? The Jets' offensive coaching staff probably found out about it one way or another. If they somehow didn't, the season could be a disaster. But Rodgers will have more talent in 2023, including the no.1 wideout, Garret Wilson. It will still take for Wilson to adjust to Rodgers' passing style, as he is only entering his second season. Nevertheless, if Wilson caught for over 1,000 yards with a shaky quarterback situation, he should excel with Rodgers at the helm, even if it means running fewer routes to the middle of the field. As for the rest of the Jets offense, we will see plenty of screen passes, quick pitches, and an efficient offense thanks to the clock stopping more often with more plays that end out of bounds.
Rodgers's fear of throwing to the middle of the field has its costs and benefits, but it is safe to say that his success is in spite rather than despite it. It has limited him at times and is one of the many reasons why he hasn't won more Super Bowls in his hall-of-fame career. But it looks like Rodgers will continue to avoid the middle, which is something that defenses should prepare for.
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