December 28, 1975. An important game was taking place that day. The NFC divisional round of the playoffs had pitted the Dallas Cowboys against the Minnesota Vikings. The winner would go on to the championship round and play the LA Rams. It was cold that day in Minnesota. Twenty-five degrees and a windchill of 17 to be exact. There have been colder games, but still, no one wants to play a game outdoors when it feels like 17 degree weather. Unsurprisingly, it was a low scoring affair. Little did anyone know that an iconic moment in football would take place. It would give way to the famous term "Hail Mary." What is a Hail Mary? Originally meaning any sort of desperation play, a "Hail Mary" gradually came to denote a long, low-probability pass attempted at the end of a half when a team is too far from the end zone to execute a more conventional play, implying that it would take divine intervention for the play to succeed.
One of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, Roger Staubach, would be the one to make this term common in football. It was a 14-10 ballgame with 28 seconds left in the game. It was do or die time for the Cowboys and with the team on the 50 yard line, Staubach (who is Roman Catholic) snapped the ball, closed his eyes and said a Hail Mary. With that, he launched the football 50 yards to wide receiver Drew Pearson. Touchdown. And with that, the score was now 16-14 with 24 seconds left. Dallas would eventually go to the Super Bowl, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but this play will forever be remembered as the first Hail Mary play, which many teams would attempt, and normally fail. Every year, teams try to pull off the miraculous play and since 1975, only 29 have succeeded (NFL only). Many say it's all based on luck. If that's true than Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is one lucky man.
Staubach (left) throw a touchdown to wide receiver Drew Pearson (right) with 24 seconds left in the game - being recognized as the first "Hail Mary"
Roger Staubach may have made the term popular, but Aaron Rodgers has taken the Hail Mary as his own signature play. So much so, that most people think of Rodgers when the Hail Mary is mentioned, although it's not just Hail Marys he's seemingly good at. At this point, it feels like he makes at least one awe dropping throw every week. With the ability to make tough throws on the run, under pressure, in crucial situations, he has made people wonder if he's even human. By December of 2015, Rodgers had never completed a Hail Mary. As of January 2017 (13 months later), Rodgers has completed four. Most great quarterbacks get to say they've completed one if they're lucky. The few well respected and/or great quarterbacks who can say they are a part of the 29 completed Hail Marys are Eli Manning, Kurt Warner, Russel Wilson, Joe Montana, and of course, Rodgers (4). That's it. The other 20 were by backups, and starters who no one remembers - which just adds to the very belief that it's all luck. But is it?
Fast forward from Dec. 3, 1975 to Jan. 8, 2017. It's the wild card week in the NFL with the NY Giants going to Green Bay to face the hottest team in the league (read my previous post for more on the Packers 2016 season) and the hottest quarterback in the league: Rodgers and the Packers. But despite being the hottest, many picked NY to win. After the first quarter and a half, it looked like the Giants had figured out a way to shut down the Packers dynamic O and their hot QB. But you can't expect a team to hold down Rodgers for a full 60 minutes, no matter how good their defense is. Down 6-0, Rodgers led the Pack down the field for a *perfect* pass to Davante Adams for the touchdown, and after the extra point, it was 7-6 Packers. But the game was still too close for comfort for Packers fans.
Well no fear, said Rodgers. I'll just drive down to mid field with 6 seconds left in the half on 4th down and drop a dime of a Hail Mary to Randall Cobb for the 14-6 lead. Making everyone wonder if I'm human in the meantime.
Aaron Rodgers (top) heaves yet another perfect Hail Mary against the Giants, this time to WR Randall Cobb (bottom) giving the Packers a 14-6 lead at the half, this would be the beginning of a blow out - 38-13 - continuing Rodgers' hot streak as they would head to Dallas the next week
Anyone who followed football in the slightest couldn't believe it. Not just because this was his 4th Hail Mary, but the way each ball that was thrown had a different story of it's own. With that, let's take a look at each of the great throws. Afterwards, I'll rank them based on difficulty of throw:
- defensive pressure
- balance (the worse the balance the more impressive the throw)
- defensive scheme
- accuracy to complete said pass
- game pressure
(Again, due to video issues, you will have to click the bottom right button that looks like the youtube logo to view the plays)
December 3rd 2015 - Week 13; Green Bay AT Detroit: The Miracle in Motown
Already in a dire situation (due to losing four of their last five after starting the season 6-0) the Packers faced a 20-0 deficit in the second half against the rival Detroit Lions. Rodgers began to get some rhythm and soon they clawed their way back to a 23-21 score. Green Bay only needed a field goal to win, but Detroit consistently got the first downs and defensive stops needed to keep Green Bay from getting close enough. Soon there were 23 seconds left on the clock, and the Packers were on their own 21 yard line with no timeouts. After a few plays that amounted to nothing, it was 3rd and 10 with 6 seconds left. They knew there was no way they could get into field goal range and they weren't close enough to try a Hail Mary. So all they could try were laterals passes. Little did they know that the football gods were smiling on them in that moment.
Rodgers snapped it, threw a dart to James Jones, Jones lateraled it to Richard Rodgers, who lateraled back to Aaron Rodgers who then was thrown down by Lions defender Devin Taylor (#98) with zero seconds left on the clock and the game was presumably over...
But wait!
A yellow flag is thrown for a face-mask call on Devin Taylor after tackling Rodgers. And by rule, a game CANNOT end on a penalty, meaning the other team gets 15 yards and *one* more chance to try a desperation play. Bad idea when facing Rodgers. Never give great quarterbacks second chances. So with that the ball was put on the 39 yard line, making it a doable throw for Rodgers (who has the biggest arm in the NFL).
Again, click bottom right button that says youtube on it
Pretty amazing right? I ask you to look up the full replay of that. The way the ball sails high and travels down right to Richard Rodgers is so cool. Rodgers ability to scramble and buy time for his receivers to get down the field is something a lot of great quarterbacks can't do. And without that ability, none of his four Hail Marys would've been successful.
The Packers would eventually finish the season 10-6, getting the 5 seed in the playoffs. After facing the Washington Redskins in the wild card round, it was on to Arizona - the game where more of Aaron Rodgers magic would take place...
Grades:
- Difficulty of throw (accuracy and length): 8.5/10
- Balance: Perfect (10/10)
- Defensive Scheme: Prevent
- Difficulty of Pressure: 7/10
- Game Pressure: 10/10
Final grade: 9/10
January 16th 2016 - Divisional Round;
Green Bay AT Arizona: The Hail Mary pt 2 and 3
This is one of the greatest games of all time, having a little bit of everything (literally). And if you have game-pass, I urge you to go watch the whole thing asap.
With both teams' seasons on the line, every one played to the best of their abilities. After back and forth play by both sides, the Cardinals had a 20-13 lead. And as usual, the Packers were not in a good spot to start their drive. On their own four yard line, with no timeouts it was 4th and 20 (Yeah, you heard right). No one thought there was ANY way this could be pulled off. Little did they know Rodgers was going to pull out of the bag back to back Hail Marys (a Hail Mary does not necessarily mean a touchdown. Just a play of desperation. Some critics and writers include the 4th and 20 conversion as a Hail Mary, some do not).
It's crazy. Escaping to his left, he throws a spiral to Jeff Janis (WHO?) with the season on the line. I include this due to the desperation, and the next play truly is in many ways incomplete without this one.
Grades:
- Difficulty of throw (accuracy and length): 7.5/10
- Balance: 8/10
- Defensive Scheme: Cover 2 man spy w/ 4 man rush
- Difficulty of Pressure: 6/10
- Game Pressure: 10/10
Final grade: 8/10
Now brace yourself for *the* greatest throw of all time:
I will admit I was dumbfounded watching this. It was beauty, perfection and maybe even a little magic thrown in. Assuming you watch the whole thing, they talk about the throw more towards the end. It's as they say: unbelievable. Basically everything Chris Collinsworth (the one with the higher voice) says I ditto. Moving to his left (while also under tons of pressure from Cardinals defense) and launching - LITERALLY - a perfect throw. This was the moment people truly realized the incredible and wizard like abilities of Aaron Rodgers.
Grades:
- Difficulty of throw (accuracy and length): 10/10
- Balance: 1/10
- Defensive Scheme: 7 man blitz with 4 man deep drop
- Difficulty of Pressure: 10/10
- Game Pressure: 10/10
Final grade: 10/10
January 8th 2017 - Wild Card Round; NY AT Green Bay: The "Perfect" Hail Mary?
As I stated earlier, you know how hot the Packers hand was going into this game - and yet the Giants were favored more entering the contest.
Since I already gave a narration to this play, I'll just let you watch this beauty of a rainbow throw:
He had done it again. The Pack would blow NY out from there. It was time to Hail the King of Hail Marys.
Grades:
- Difficulty of throw (accuracy and length): 8/10
- Balance: Perfect (10/10)
- Defensive Scheme: Prevent
- Difficulty of Pressure: 0/10
- Game Pressure: 6.5/10
Final grade: 7.5/10
With an already legendary career, Rodgers had now cemented himself as one of the best QBs and will undoubtedly go down as one of the best, if not the best, throwers of the football. Ever.
Final Rankings:
4. Jan 8th 2017 vs Giants: 7.5
3. Jan 16th 2016 vs Cardinals: 8
2. Dec 3rd 2015 vs Lions: 9
1. Jan 16th vs Cardinals: 10
This is the first in a series of posts on Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Next we will look conclude the series with a look at the spectacular career Rodgers has had since 2008. Talking about his style, statistics and awards.