FuzzyLumpkins
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The loss of quarterback Aaron Rodgers and an undeniable decline in athletic ability resulted in a shocking final stat line for Green Bay Packers receiver Jordy Nelson in 2017.
Coach Mike McCarthy ruled out Nelson (shoulder) for Sunday’s Week 17 matchup with the Detroit Lions, ending the veteran receiver’s season.
His final numbers in 2017: 53 catches, 482 yards and six touchdowns over 15 games.
A year ago, Nelson played in 16 games and caught 97 passes for 1,257 yards and 14 touchdowns. He caught 44 fewer passes for 775 fewer yards and eight fewer touchdowns this year.
Nelson also played roughly 200 fewer snaps and received 64 fewer targets.
The dropoff was severe.
Nelson had zero games with 100 or more receiving yards and finished the year with nine straight games under 40 receiving yards. He averaged 9.1 yards per catch, 32.1 yards per game and had just one catch over 30 yards.
Over the final nine games, Nelson caught 28 passes for 192 yards and zero scores. His final touchdown in 2017 came in Week 5, one week before Rodgers suffered a broken collarbone on Oct. 15 against the Minnesota Vikings.
Nelson’s last catch over 20 yards was a 26-yarder from Brett Hundley after Rodgers went down in Minnesota. His longest reception over the final nine games was just 17 yards.
Of Nelson’s 482 receiving yards, only 129 came after the catch. He averaged 2.4 yards after the catch, by far the lowest of his NFL career.
Nelson is currently the only receiver this season to see more than 80 targets and produce fewer than 500 yards.
Even when Rodgers was healthy during the first five games, Nelson was on pace for fewer than 800 receiving yards. And when he returned in Week 15, Nelson caught only three passes and made no impact on the 31-24 defeat.
https://packerswire.usatoday.com/2017/12/29/jordy-nelsons-final-numbers-in-2017-are-hard-to-believe/
When I say “underlying,” I mean that Nelson has indeed slowed down – both as to speed and quickness, and this slowdown has had a snowball effect, leading to a major drop off in targets, catches, and yardage.
As recently as 2014, Nelson was statistically computed to be the best deep receiver in the league. We’ve had 14 games to observe Nelson this year. He is not the deep threat he once was. He can still get deep, but now it is only for a brief moment as most defensive backs, being faster, can recover rapidly. When your deep threat deteriorates, defenders can guard you more tightly.
Next, look at Nelson’s footwork. His moves seem like they’re almost done in slow motion compared to, say, Davante Adams. As with his deep sprints, the separation he gains from defenders due to his moves is short lived. He does separate, but the quarterback usually has to anticipate Nelson’s break if he is to get the ball to him prior to the defender closing that gap. At any rate, that’s what I see on the film.
https://www.totalpackers.com/2017/12/jordy-nelson-now-going-forward/
