Quarterbacks watch most film of any position
[img_r]http://cmsimg.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=U0&Date=20081018&Category=PKR01&ArtNo=81018050&Ref=AR&Profile=1058&MaxW=318&Border=0[/img_r]Shortly before he goes to bed at the local hotel where the Green Bay Packers stay the night before home games, Aaron Rodgers fires up his laptop computer one last time and pops in a DVD.
No, he doesnt watch a scene from his favorite movie or some music videos to relax him before his head hit the pillow. Instead, the Packers quarterback plugs in some film clips of Sundays opponent, the Indianapolis Colts.
A lot of times Ill look at explosive gains the other team has given up just to have some positive thoughts before going to sleep, Rodgers said. Or maybe Ill just watch an entire game film again just to go back to the beginning of the week and refresh myself to the flow of the game.
Either way, its the culmination of a marathon of film study that Rodgers and all NFL quarterbacks undertakes on a weekly basis. Rodgers counterpart today at Lambeau Field, the Indianapolis Colts Peyton Manning, is perhaps the NFLs ultimate film junkie. Going back to college, he has logged much of what he has seen on film in spiral notebooks. He has more than a decades worth of them at his disposal. It has helped Manning earn a reputation for being perhaps the most prepared quarterback in the game today.
Ive always been kind of a note taker I guess going back to college, Manning said this week. I always thought when you watch film you ought to have a pen and paper with you. Theres no point in watching film if you dont have something to write down what you see and what you think.
I just go through what I see on film and something that hits me as a reminder to do or a thought that comes to my mind maybe an idea for a play or a reminder of what the defense is doing. The key is youre taking notes on an opponent as youre playing them during the week, but also you need to take notes on the team you just played and teams that you could easily see again if youre fortunate enough to get into the playoffs and obviously all your division teams. Heck, these defensive coordinators move around so much you might see a guy with a different team two or three years later, and you can go back to those notes and talk about what you did. Its just kind of the way Ive learned throughout my career here.
Everyone has his own system of preparation, and Rodgers has already developed one he likes. Its predicated on film study both at the team facility and on his own. Rodgers estimated that he and backup quarterbacks Matt Flynn and Brian Brohm watch on average 60 to 90 minutes of film per day in the meeting rooms. Thats merely what takes place inside Lambeau Field.
At the beginning of the week, the backup quarterbacks write reports on the upcoming opponents defense based on recent game film. Rodgers estimated that when he wrote the reports last season for Brett Favre, he spent eight to 10 hours on Mondays and Tuesdays breaking down four game tapes.
You probably spend a good hour and a half on each game, Rodgers said. You want to be thorough, but you dont have to watch a play four or five times if you know what youre looking for.
While his backups are working on their reports, Rodgers spends Mondays and Tuesdays watching full games of the upcoming opponent. As the week progresses, he watches more specific aspects of the defense. The teams video department breaks down the film into different categories.
They break it down 100 different ways situational stuff, down and distance, red zone, certain spots on the field, by personnel packages, Rodgers said. So during the week I probably see every play a couple of times.
Rodgers prefers to do his extra film work at home on his laptop.
Its advanced so much since 1993, said Packers coach Mike McCarthy, comparing the technology now to when he broke into the NFL as an assistant with the Kansas City Chiefs. When the young quarterbacks came in (this season) they had the option of working off the computer or the (play) book or both. It was an adjustment for them so we gave them both. Aarons migrated to doing everything off the computer. A lot of guys in todays day and age, thats the way they operate.
Film study probably accounts for at least half the weeks preparation.
As far as film watching and reps in practice, a lot of times its 50-50, Rodgers said. When you take a rep in practice against the scout team, and theyre giving you a certain look for a certain play call, Im able when I get on the field and hear the play call, I train myself to be able to flash the images in my mind of the reps in practice or something Ive seen on film.
The majority of the film work is on the upcoming opponent, but every so often McCarthy has players watch themselves on film.
I think its very important (and) not a lot of people do it, McCarthy said. In todays world with these (video) games and these pictures, thats the way their minds work. Its a great teaching tool. But you probably watch less film of yourself and more of your opponent as you get ready.
No player on an NFL team watches as much film as a quarterback. An offensive tackle may take home some short clips of the defensive end hes going to face that week. A receiver may look at footage of a cornerback and vice versa. But a quarterback must understand what an entire defense is going to do, which is why they spend so much time watching film.
McCarthy wouldnt name names, but he did acknowledge that he has gone into a game where he knew his quarterback didnt do enough film work, and it showed.
Ive been there where you wish the guy would have (watched more film), McCarthy said.
Though Rodgers has only prepared for seven regular-season starts, McCarthy believes his first-year quarterback already has a knack for understanding what he sees on film and transferring it to the playing field.
Aarons got a chance to be one of the better ones because he sees the game very well for a younger player, McCarthy said.