plays like the ones compiled below used to be a staple of a productive Green Bay Packers offense. Unfortunately Youth Mike Daniels Jersey , that component of the offense has fallen on hard times in recent seasons.According to Football Outsiders, the Packers ranked 16th in the league in the percentage of pass plays that began with a play-action fake to the running back in 2017. Granted, this statistic took snaps with both Aaron Rodgers and Brett Hundley into account and one quarterback was certainly more effective than the other. But as APC’s Paul Noonan pointed out in February, the Packers only averaged 5.8 yards per play action pass, a mark only one other NFL team failed to surpass (Oakland, 4.4). Paul pointed out some legitimate reasons behind Green Bay’s low figure in that article.However, some new stats released by FO in its 2018 Almanac reveal an even more startling notion: that the success of the play action pass with Aaron Rodgers has rapidly faded since 2014.In what FO described as the “peak Rodgers” years from 2009-2014, Aaron averaged 10.8 yards per play action attempt. That number not only ranked Rodgers first in the league in that category, but was well above the league average of 8.68 yards in that timeframe.But from 2015-2017, the numbers painted a polar opposite trend. Rodgers’ average dipped to just 6.41 yards per play action attempt in comparison to the league average of 8.75 yards. That number ranked a jaw-dropping 40th in the NFL and placed Rodgers above just one other quarterback: his new backup DeShone Kizer.Surely, the Packers need to improve upon those numbers in 2018. The question is how do they reverse them?Well, for starters, a jump-started running game should make defenses second-guess an offense that has been predominantly pass-first oriented. Though FO stated that it has “never found a link between rushing success and play-action success,” Jamaal Williams and Aaron Jones should give defenses reason to believe the Packers may hand the ball off. The two backs also figure to help as capable check-down receivers on plays that may have otherwise resulted in incompletions. Having limited experience with the young stable of backs before injury, Rodgers should benefit greatly from a season with them at his disposal to aid the play action as both runners and receivers.Losing Jordy Nelson, one of Rodgers’ main targets in the downfield play action game, may be a knock for the Packers. But adding rookie receivers with especially gifted size-speed combinations could make the vertical passing game dangerous as the season wears on if one of them emerges. In addition Color Rush Geronimo Allison Jersey , Rodgers and Davante Adams were an intriguing pass-catch duo last year until that tragic day in Minnesota. A fully healthy season from two players with chemistry could raise the Packers’ play action numbers, as history has shown the ability for them to connect on a long ball with frequency. Of course, Jimmy Graham was signed in part to stretch the field from the tight end position and could contribute to a revitalization of the play action attack.Head Coach Mike McCarthy and the Packers wanted to conduct a full-scale analysis of the offense in the offseason and there is little doubt that maximizing the often-deceptive play action pass was a part of that probe. The return of Joe Philbin, who was a part of three of Rodgers’ so-called peak seasons from 2009-2011 as Offensive Coordinator, may also be factor in the team’s success by getting back to the basics of what once made Green Bay so effective in that area. Philbin’s goal was to make McCarthy look like one of the NFL’s best playcallers and mixing up play action routes that have become fairly predictable could help in its own right.Another category in which the Rodgers-led offense has slipped significantly since 2014 is passing plays of 16 or more yards. If the Packers can restore their potency from the play action, they should reap the benefits in this aspect and deepen the playbook in 2018.Aaron Rodgers weighs in on national anthem, NFL rules changes, & more One thing that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has made perfectly clear over the past several years is that he is much more than just a football player. Rodgers is an excellent golfer and has joined the ownership group of the Milwaukee Bucks, cementing his commitment to sports in the state of Wisconsin. He is also a dedicated member of the community in the area, becoming the most prominent public face of the MACC Fund and recently discussing his ongoing support of the Wounded Warrior Project. With these factors in mind, then, it should come as no surprise that Rodgers has strong opinions about the NFL’s treatment of players both on and off the field, the league’s handling of players’ social justice-related demonstrations, and general current events around the United States. Rodgers shared those opinions in interviews with NFL Network’s Michael Silver and The Ringer’s Kevin Clark, which were both published this week, and his comments are worth examination.In Clark’s piece, Rodgers dives more significantly into the NFL and its own specific issues. Clark’s premise revolves around what Rodgers would try to do if he were in Roger Goodell’s shoes as league commissioner Color Rush Antonio Morrison Jersey , and he had plenty to say. However, one of the most profound statements he made involves the inconsistencies with the league’s owners’ reaction to players who protest about social issues during the national anthem: “If you’re going to take the focus off of what the protest was really about—it was never about the anthem, it was never about the troops, it was about social equality and racial injustice—then make it all about the anthem.” Rodgers points out that other activities continue on in NFL stadiums while the anthem is played, and he also looked back on the period early in his career: “We never came out for the anthem back in the day ... the messaging has been changed. If the owners see it as all about the flag and the anthem, everybody should be held to the same standard.”Rodgers appears to be in favor of everyone in the stadium being treated the same, rather than just the players on the field. He likes the idea of stopping food and merchandise sales during the performance, for example.But in talking to Silver, Rodgers explored the protests themselves in more detail, emphasizing that he and his fellow players “love and support and appreciate the troops” in the US military. Rodgers’ actions with the Wounded Warrior Project in particular illustrate that, even though it is the type of proactive work that often goes unseen or ignored; as he says, “the good stuff doesn’t get the headlines.” Rodgers also says that he refuses to engage with fans — or the current president — when they criticize him or other players for their actions or statements; in his words, doing so would be “giving credence to an opinion and value to an opinion that’s way off base — because they’ve missed the point of what this was all about.”Of course, as a football player, Rodgers has plenty of thoughts on how the league he plays in runs things as well. Furthermore, going through a contract negotiation, as he is now Color Rush Tramon Williams Jersey , is giving him a particularly informed opinion on the league’s financial setup under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.Some of the ideas he suggested are borrowed from the NBA, which is hardly a coincidence. He mentioned things like a soft salary cap, eliminating the franchise tag, implementing veteran-friendly contract options, and others. He also would like to see more communication between the league and players on all rules changes — another area where the NBA has taken the lead under current commissioner Adam Silver.Interestingly, though Rodgers is all for improving player safety in football, there are limits to how far he would be willing to go. The college football targeting rule, for one thing, is something he dislikes (saying “the enforcement lacks a little bit of oversight”), and he’s not a fan of the new kickoff rules. He’s also pleased with the progress on head injuries, saing “I don’t know much more you can do on that except fining teams who don’t adhere to the protocol.”Oh, and of course the guy with the iconic championship belt celebration is fully supportive of players being able to express themselves after touchdowns. “You’ve got to respect celebrations. You love them, look forward to them,” he said. “Let guys be guys.”Let them, indeed.Check out the articles below for much more of Rodgers’ comments on these issues:We Made Aaron Rodgers NFL Commissioner for a Day | The RingerRodgers supports LeBron, implores players to ignore Trump jabs | NFL.com