Yes http://www.packerslockerroom.com/authentic-aaron-rodgers-jersey , sometimes a receiver will heroically make it to the sticks, but in general, if a quarterback doesn’t throw to the sticks, they are often (but as it turns out, not always!) conceding a punt, which is the equivalent of conceding a turnover.Every year, Football Outsiders measures a QB’s propensity to check down at the worst possible time through the stat of ALEX (Air Less EXpected, named in honor of Alex Smith). ALEX is a measure of whether or not quarterbacks throw to the sticks on third down. Checking down on third down is usually a bad idea, and so ALEX was developed to shed light on the cowardly, while highlighting the accomplishments of the smart and brave. The good thing for the Green Bay Packers is that even in a down year, Aaron Rodgers, was smart and brave, throwing to the sticks on 3rd down more often than anyone outside of the otherworldly Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs. The bad thing was that Rodgers wasn’t actually very good at completing those passes, because even though he was 2nd in ALEX, he was 21st in conversion rate. There are all sorts of reasons for this, including poor play-calling Womens Antonio Morrison Jersey , an outdated strategy that relied on “trying to make third down manageable,” a maddening tendency to take sacks, an inexperienced receiving crew, and throwing bombs on 3rd and 1 for no good reason. However, the fact still stands that Rodgers was smart enough to throw past the first down marker, though he was unable to actually complete most of those passes.2018 was an interesting season that really showed everyone the value of intelligent playcalling, and in ALEX, the geniuses came through in an unconventional way. Jared Goff, Andrew Luck, and Drew Brees all ranked in the lower half of ALEX, but as it turns out, if your scheme is good enough your receivers can actually pick up first downs through YAC. Surprisingly, all three of those quarterbacks finished in the top ten in conversion rate. Some short passes are made out of panic, and some are made out of well-designed surgical strikes; in the modern game, ALEX probably requires more context than it used to. If you generate reliable YAC, throwing short isn’t so bad. Goff and Brees are typical of a movement in the NFL that has well-run teams focusing on avoiding third downs altogether Womens Jamaal Williams Jersey , often throwing to the ALEX-level on first and second down. On third down, the Saints and Rams in particular focus on conversion rate above all else. They get conservative in terms of bombs and other low-completion-percentage, high leverage throws, but pull out any play that can get them ten yards, whether or not the requires an ALEX throw. The smart teams have figured out which plays are most likely to move the sticks, and that is what they run in crunch time.It’s better to be Aaron Rodgers than old Alex Smith, but it’s best to have a good QB working in an analytically-minded offense. Maybe we’ll get there next season. Marcus Mariota and Matt LaFleurWe may not know much of new head coach Matt LaFleur, but at the very least he had Marcus Mariota throwing to the sticks, and unlike Aaron Rodgers, Marcus was pretty good at doing so. In 2018, Mariota ranked 10th in ALEX and 5th in conversion rate. That alone would provide some hope for Matt LaFleur, although Mariota was also good in ALEX before LaFleur arrived. I suspect that ALEX is more of a coaching-based stat when we see high conversion rates paired with low ALEX, and more of a QB stat when we see either low-low, or any kind of high ALEX. In any case, this probably says more about Mariota than LaFleur, but at least LaFleur’s offense wasn’t getting in the way. Matt LaFleur is going to get plenty of national exposure in his first year as Green Bay Packers head coach.More Packers coverageGreen Bay Packers 2019 NFL draft capsulesPackers close out 2019 draft Womens Aaron Ripkowski Jersey , select LB Summers in seventh roundPackers add CB Hollman, RB Williams in sixth roundPackers address defense in fifth round, select DL Kingsley KekePackers use third-round pick to select TE Jace SternbergerThe NFL released the 2019 schedules Wednesday night and the Packers are slotted for five games in prime time, including the previously announced Thursday season opener at Chicago to open the NFL’s 100th season.Green Bay also will play on Thursday night against Philadelphia in Week 5, on Sunday night at Kansas City in Week 8 and has two Monday night affairs, Week 6 vs. Detroit and Week 16 at Minnesota.LaFleur was set up nicely to begin his Green Bay career, as the Packers will play five of their first seven games at home. Of course, this also means four of Green Bay’s final six games are on the road, all coming after the team’s bye week, which is in Week 11.For the third consecutive season, the Packers will end their year against the Detroit Lions.The complete schedule (all times CT):Week 1: Sept. 5 at Chicago Bears, 7:20 p.m.Week 2: Sept. 15 vs. Minnesota Vikings, 12 p.m.Week 3: Sept. 22 vs. Denver Broncos, 12 p.m.Week 4: Sept. 26 vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 7:20 p.m.Week 5: Oct. 6 at Dallas Cowboys, 3:25 p.m.Week 6: Oct. 14 vs. Detroit Lions Womens Bart Starr Jersey , 7:15 p.m.Week 7: Oct. 20 vs. Oakland Raiders, 12 p.m.Week 8: Oct. 27 at Kansas City Chiefs, 7:20 p.m.Week 9: Nov. 3 at Los Angeles Chargers, 3:25 p.m.Week 10: Nov. 10 vs. Carolina Panthers, 12 p.m.Week 11: Nov. 18 BYEWeek 12: Nov. 24 at San Francisco 49ers, 3:25 p.m.Week 13: Dec. 1 at New York Giants, 12 p.m.Week 14: Dec. 8 vs. Washington Redskins, 12 p.m.Week 15: Dec. 15 vs. Chicago Bears, 12 p.m.Week 16: Dec. 23 at Minnesota Vikings, 7:15 p.m.Week 17: Dec. 29 at Detroit Lions, 12 p.m.