Blake Martinez

[Heyjoe4]

No we were speaking to his overall catch rate because he’s targeted substantially more down the field. Although he did have a college season at 65% but his college opportunities were relatively limited, so that’s why I think catch % jumps around so drastic.

Anyone that gets 3+ yards past your deepest Defender and is the fastest player on the field and is running away should be considered a threat for a DC. Unless it’s a squirrel on the field, that’s a problem and MN dodged a lethal bullet and I bet they would agree with me.

Yeah they dodged a bullet, Watson had the CB totally beat. But ya gotta catch the ball when it's dropped in your hands. He was said to have a problem with drops and we saw it firsthand.

Rodgers didn't throw another ball his way until late in Q4 when the game was over. Rodgers will keep targeting him, but he has to solve the drop problem. He doesn't present a unique problem for a defense until that happens. As for his speed, he'll be covered with a safety over the top. If all a receiver can do is run fast, he won't last long in the NFL. So he needs to learn to run a variety of routes and to catch the ball, or we can just call him MVS 2.0

Just look at Jefferson, arguably the best WR in football. He can get behind a defender, but he has a great route tree as well. He was all over the field Sunday. And he catches everything. Watson will never be that good, but he has to be a lot better than he was Sunday.

 

[OldSchool101]

Yeah they dodged a bullet, Watson had the CB totally beat. But ya gotta catch the ball when it's dropped in your hands. He was said to have a problem with drops and we saw it firsthand.

Rodgers didn't throw another ball his way until late in Q4 when the game was over. Rodgers will keep targeting him, but he has to solve the drop problem. He doesn't present a unique problem for a defense until that happens. As for his speed, he'll be covered with a safety over the top. If all a receiver can do is run fast, he won't last long in the NFL. So he needs to learn to run a variety of routes and to catch the ball, or we can just call him MVS 2.0

Just look at Jefferson, arguably the best WR in football. He can get behind a defender, but he has a great route tree as well. He was all over the field Sunday. And he catches everything. Watson will never be that good, but he has to be a lot better than he was Sunday.

Are you trying to lead me off the Blake thread again?? (although its very enticing!) I don't want anymore trouble with HalfEmpty he's already scolded us

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Rodgers simply won't throw to guys who can't hang on.

Rodgers is definitely the type to write a guy off, but not this early and not for a rookie IMO.

Rodgers will throw to guys who drop the ball occasionally. He won't tolerate running the wrong routes too often though.

That said, if #9 keeps running by Safeties by 3+ yards 40 yards downfield? it’s a matter of time before he burns someone for a 50+ gain or quick points. Just a few big plays and he’ll have to be accounted for regularly as a deep threat.

Watson burned Peterson on the first offensive play on Sunday. It doesn't do any good if he drops the ball though.

So he drops 40% of his targets? I think it means 40% of his targets are incomplete. Maybe I’m wrong, but dropping 40% of passes doesn’t sound good.

I’m more interested in his catch/drop ratio. Passes he should have caught but didn’t. Again, I don’t think it’s 40%. Can you clarify that? Thanks.

Watson caught a total of 104 passes over his college career. According to PFF he had a total of 15 drops for a drop percentage of 12.6% on 180 targets.

 

[Pkrjones]

Watson caught a total of 104 passes over his college career. According to PFF he had a total of 15 drops for a drop percentage of 12.6% on 180 targets.

Excellent!! Since he caught his last pass his next drop isn't for another 7 targets!! I'm guessing he's learned a valuable lesson & his focus will be a better, now.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Rodgers will throw to guys who drop the ball occasionally. He won't tolerate running the wrong routes too often though.



Watson burned Peterson on the first offensive play on Sunday. It doesn't do any good if he drops the ball though.



Watson caught a total of 104 passes over his college career. According to PFF he had a total of 15 drops for a drop percentage of 12.6% on 180 targets.

Thanks for the stats on Watson. 12.6% drop rate at North Dakota State. I don't know what the average drop rate is in the NFL but have to believe it's way lower than 12.6%. That's gonna be tough to fix unless he spends hours in front of the JUGS machine and/or spends a lot of time with the coaches. I think it can be lowered, but he has to put in the work.

And I agree Rodgers is less tolerant of incorrect routes than drops, but both are bad. He's still gonna give Watson his chances, don't get me wrong. But on Sunday he didn't throw Watson's way again until late Q4. He has too many other guys to try out or work with. I know Watson is fast, but I won't be happy if all Watson turns out to be is MVS 2.0

 

[Voyageur]

Watson will be fine. What we should be talking about is how he can slip behind defenders, to stretch the field.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Watson will be fine. What we should be talking about is how he can slip behind defenders, to stretch the field.

I'm pretty confident that MLF and Rodgers can come up with schemes to get Watson behind defenders.

If his cutting and separation speeds are anywhere near his straight-line speed, he'll get open. I'm also pretty sure that he needs a confidence boost after the huge Sunday drop. The Bears could be a chance for the team to build some confidence. Although I'm not discounting the Bears' opening win over the Niners. That seemed like more of a fluke than a trend.

 

[Voyageur]

I'm pretty confident that MLF and Rodgers can come up with schemes to get Watson behind defenders.

If his cutting and separation speeds are anywhere near his straight-line speed, he'll get open. I'm also pretty sure that he needs a confidence boost after the huge Sunday drop. The Bears could be a chance for the team to build some confidence. Although I'm not discounting the Bears' opening win over the Niners. That seemed like more of a fluke than a trend.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Watson gets behind the Bears defense and takes one to the house. It probably won't be an opening 75+ yarder, but it will be awesome seeing it happen.

 

[Heyjoe4]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Watson gets behind the Bears defense and takes one to the house. It probably won't be an opening 75+ yarder, but it will be awesome seeing it happen.

Yeah he'll have those big plays, no doubt. I want to see him 1) run different routes and 2) dramatically improve his catch rate from college - 12.6%. He's got tremendous potential. He has to do his part to make it happen. He will.

 

[gopkrs]

Watson will be fine. What we should be talking about is how he can slip behind defenders, to stretch the field.

Geez. If the D is going to play two deep safeties all day; someone has got to get open either deeper or shallower than the linebackers. You should not have to checkdown all the time.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Geez. If the D is going to play two deep safeties all day; someone has got to get open either deeper or shallower than the linebackers. You should not have to checkdown all the time.

I agree. Rodgers can certainly throw dimes in that area of the field. He just needs someone to be there when the ball arrives (and to catch it......).

 

[Voyageur]

It was one pass, a rookie mistake, but a message sent that you need to play us deep or you'll get burnt. If they do respect it, there will be shorter routes open as well.

I always think about how the Dallas Cowboys used world class sprinter Bob Hayes to force deep coverage. He didn't have great hands, but he forced them into covering him deep and short. Let's not put Watson on too short of a leash at this point. I think he showed some pretty good wheels.

 

[Heyjoe4]

It was one pass, a rookie mistake, but a message sent that you need to play us deep or you'll get burnt. If they do respect it, there will be shorter routes open as well.

I always think about how the Dallas Cowboys used world class sprinter Bob Hayes to force deep coverage. He didn't have great hands, but he forced them into covering him deep and short. Let's not put Watson on too short of a leash at this point. I think he showed some pretty good wheels.

It did seem like Rodgers was sending him a message by not throwing to him again until late Q4. Whatever. If it helps Watson to focus and work extra on catching, that's good.

I forgot about Bob Hayes. Hopefully Watson can do more than be a deep threat. If he forces safety coverage, and he will, that will open up the middle of the field for him and other receivers. Things will improve. Losing to the Vikings just sucks......

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Thanks for the stats on Watson. 12.6% drop rate at North Dakota State. I don't know what the average drop rate is in the NFL but have to believe it's way lower than 12.6%.

According to PFF only 24 out of 171 wide receivers with at least 10 targets had a drop percentage above 12.6% in the NFL last season. FWIW Sammy Watkins was one of them.

And I agree Rodgers is less tolerant of incorrect routes than drops, but both are bad. He's still gonna give Watson his chances, don't get me wrong. But on Sunday he didn't throw Watson's way again until late Q4. He has too many other guys to try out or work with. I know Watson is fast, but I won't be happy if all Watson turns out to be is MVS 2.0

I don't think Watson's drop was the reason Rodgers didn't target him anymore until the fourth quarter.

Watson will be fine. What we should be talking about is how he can slip behind defenders, to stretch the field.

It was impressive how Watson was able to get open. Opponents won't put an extra defender on him if he isn't able to catch the ball consistently though.

Yeah he'll have those big plays, no doubt. I want to see him 1) run different routes and 2) dramatically improve his catch rate from college - 12.6%.

I don't think that Watson will dramatically increase his catch rate of 57.8% in college as he will be primarily used as a deep threat this year anyway. He needs to get rid of drops like on Sunday though.

 

[PikeBadger]

I keep reading that Scantling only ran deep routes. I'd guess that somewhere around 65% of his targets were not over 20 yards. I think people forget about his shorter catches because he was so prolific (either good or bad result) on the long routes.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I keep reading that Scantling only ran deep routes. I'd guess that somewhere around 65% of his targets were not over 20 yards. I think people forget about his shorter catches because he was so prolific (either good or bad result) on the long routes.

You're right about that. 63.3% of MVS' targets while in Green Bay were on throws for less than 20 yards.

 

[PikeBadger]

You're right about that. 63.3% of MVS' targets while in Green Bay were on throws for less than 20 yards.

I'm actually mildly surprised by that number. I'm usually conservative in my going by eye estimates. I honestly expected that number to hit 70%.

Were the throws actually less than 20 yards? Or the result of the play?

 

[tynimiller]

I don't think Watson's drop was the reason Rodgers didn't target him anymore until the fourth quarter.

I'd agree outside if memory serves me right one play on our third drive where I swear I saw Rodgers bypass over him. I'll see if I can locate that play exactly again if time allows. In the end though it doesn't matter, Rodgers is no fool...he knows the gifts Watson has and Doubs for that matter, he maybe more than most realize there will be growing pains but the quicker he gets them confident and on the same page the deadlier we are.

 

[PikeBadger]

Is Martinez still playing? Retire?

 

[Heyjoe4]

I keep reading that Scantling only ran deep routes. I'd guess that somewhere around 65% of his targets were not over 20 yards. I think people forget about his shorter catches because he was so prolific (either good or bad result) on the long routes.

Yeah I think in his first year he got that reputation as a strictly deep route guy. But he did add other routes. I don't know if he played out of the slot. Probably not given his height. But he did have a variety of routes he could run. and his catching got better as well. He was pretty dependable.

 

[Heyjoe4]

According to PFF only 24 out of 171 wide receivers with at least 10 targets had a drop percentage above 12.6% in the NFL last season. FWIW Sammy Watkins was one of them.



I don't think Watson's drop was the reason Rodgers didn't target him anymore until the fourth quarter.



It was impressive how Watson was able to get open. Opponents won't put an extra defender on him if he isn't able to catch the ball consistently though.



I don't think that Watson will dramatically increase his catch rate of 57.8% in college as he will be primarily used as a deep threat this year anyway. He needs to get rid of drops like on Sunday though.

"I don't think Watson's drop was the reason Rodgers didn't target him anymore until the fourth quarter."

Disagree. That's a long stretch of play with no targets. Hard to believe Rodgers wasn't sending him a message. I don't think that's a good way to send a message, it hurts the team. But it's not beyond Rodgers to do something like that.

 

[PikeBadger]

Yeah I think in his first year he got that reputation as a strictly deep route guy. But he did add other routes. I don't know if he played out of the slot. Probably not given his height. But he did have a variety of routes he could run. and his catching got better as well. He was pretty dependable.

Lol, ok Joe. How many different people are posting under your name?

 

[OldSchool101]

Watson burned Peterson on the first offensive play on Sunday. It doesn't do any good if he drops the ball though.

It did one thing for me. It showed that his speed more than translated.

I’m not going to continually “hard ding” a player for a missed bomb in his NFL debut. Especially for his very 1st target of his career. Saying it once or twice or maybe even a third time is one thing. Repeatedly and incessantly Harping on a player for a mistake on their first target though? To the point nobody can discuss the player without you interjecting the obvious?
Watson’s dropped pass pales in comparison to how bad that looks. I’d rather relive that drop then have you say it again!
I’m begging you!
Mercy!!

 

[Heyjoe4]

It did one thing for me. It showed that his speed more than translated.

I’m not going to continually “hard ding” a player for a missed bomb in his NFL debut. Especially for his very 1st target of his career. Saying it once or twice is one thing. Repeatedly and incessantly Harping on a player for a mistake on their first target though. It’s bordering on annoying.

All will be forgotten as long as he catches the next one.

 

[OldSchool101]

All will be forgotten as long as he catches the next one.

Hey. At least you didn’t finish by saying
“But he didn’t he dropped it!” Lol
I’m about ready to start slapping own self.

PS. Not much irritates me people will tell you I’m the nice guy. I don’t feel like the nice guy when I here it regurgitated. It just gets under my skin. Do you ever have anything that just makes you want to choke someone to the floor??

I apologize I had a tough day I’ll be nice again