Welcome to day two of our two-a-day 2009 Green Bay Packers post season grading extravaganza. Today we break down halfback Ryan Grant and NFL defensive player of the year Charles Woodson.
Again, stats help but these grades are from a fan’s perspective only. Film is great, but how many times did a player leave you hoarse from cheering? How about from yelling? That’s the kind of thing that is important to me. It is also why today’s report card might leave you a little surprised.
Ryan Grant
You all know that Ryan Grant has been my second favorite whipping boy all season. It’s not that I am a Grant hater, it’s just the fact that he’s the only actor in a two-person play. That I suppose is not his fault. What is, is Grant’s inability to adjust when the first hole isn’t there.
Ryan Grant is a power runner. He might not look like it, but North and South is the way he boogies. He was terrible during the first part of the season. He had no big plays, he ran into the back of his blockers on nearly every down, and could not make the cutback to save his life. The screen game was non-existent if even in the playbook at all.
Amen you say? Well did you really expect anything more? Everyone, fans included, knew what we had in Ryan Grant going into the season. We had a power runner, with no hands, and questionable skills in pass protection. No big surprises that he didn’t excel in those areas. In the areas he does excel in: downhill running, taking care of the ball, and navigating around the pile, he without a doubt actually improved.
Ryan Grant also did one thing this year that many other players did not. Ryan Grant played smart football. He didn’t turn it over, he didn’t make stupid plays, and he didn’t commit penalties. Something that you can’t say about many on the rest of the squad. As the season wore on, he also improved on his strengths. He started hitting the hole, making cutbacks, and breaking big plays. He ended up with an admirable stat sheet, and maybe most importantly stayed healthy all season long.
It isn’t Ryan Grant’s fault that he doesn’t have a complete skill set. It’s the Packers fault for not realizing and supplementing those limitations with a player who possesses those traits.
Ryan Grant is a role player. He’s the Thomas Jones of Leon Washington, the Marion Barber of Felix Jones, and the Pierre Thomas of Reggie’s Bush. Unfortunately, he’s not the Grant to Jackson, Grant to Green, or if Jersey Al had his way, the Grant to Lumpkin that we sorely need in the backfield.
No one is scared of the run when they play the Packers. That’s not Ryan Grant’s fault. When the defense knows your limitations it’s easy to make adjustments. Find a change of pace back, and no one is bitching about Ryan Grant.
Since I grade primarily on expectations, Ryan Grant pretty much met all of them. I knew what to expect from Grant all season long, just like the Packers should have. Ryan Grant delivered what we already knew he had, and he did so without making mental mistakes. He improved in his core areas, and when used correctly produced results.
Slight subtraction for killing my fantasy team.
Grade: B+
Charles Woodson
Writing a grade analysis for Charles Woodson is pretty stupid if you ask me. The guy simply played lights out. Charles Woodson did everything this season and more.
I can’t count the number of times I had to jump out of my chair and scream after Woodson made a game changing play. It seemed everytime you turned around this guy was either sacking the quarterback, causing fumbles, or making interceptions. All the while shutting down premiere tightends and receivers on the side. He played linebacker, he played safety, he played animal.
Not since Reggie White have we seen a defensive player take over games like Charles Woodson did this season. I will go a step further and say without Charles we go 9-7 last season or perhaps worse.
He hasn’t lost a step, he plays through injuries, and he does it all without jumping around like a idiot after every big play he makes. A silent assassin well worthy of the award he received this year.
Rex Ryan can eat me. He only wishes he had a Charles Woodson.
Slight subtraction per Greg Jennings for being too awesome.
Grade: A+
Who do you want next?
7 - People Actually Wrote Something Here
jeremiah Said,
i like grant. i am a grant guy. i think that grant is a much of a victem of no depth at RB, as he is of a poor run blocking OL, and a stupid sceme IMO(the ZBS zucks). i will take ryan grant on my fantasy team any day of the week. he runs hard, he protects the ball, and he doesn’t wear down over the course of the game.
what do you say about woodson, gold star.
next up? jennings and jenkins?
[Reply]
Posted on January 20th, 2010 at 12:23 pm
Max Said,Says a lot about Woodson that our 3-4 wouldn’t have been half as good without him. With Harris in, and not injured, the secnd half of the season could have been a lot more, as Woodson could have got invloved in more blitzing duties. However even without Al in Woodson was still a beast. A++ for being the face of our new D.
I’m always mixed on Grant. I either think he’s too basic, or he does enough to help out our pass-first offense. I still think we need a speedy number 2 back to work with him, but you can’t take away his stats and he does grind out the yards, so B- from me.
[Reply]
Posted on January 20th, 2010 at 12:26 pm
Anonymous Said,aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa all the way
[Reply]
Posted on January 20th, 2010 at 7:40 pm
PackersRS Said,Man, those were the most perfect analysis about both Grant, specially Grant, and Woodson that I’ve heard.
Get a C.J. Spiller and you’ll see the greatest show on turf.
Just one mistake, Alex. Charles Woodson deserves an “S”. It’s not only the highest grade possible ever, it’s also the simbol on his jersey.
[Reply]
Posted on January 20th, 2010 at 11:27 pm
Greg C. Said,Nice analysis, Alex. I thought you were going to rip on Grant again. I agree with the B+ grade and most of your points. One area that I think you underestimated a bit, though, is his ability to catch the ball. I think he caught something like 25 passes and only had one drop. He even made a couple of nice catches of off-target passes later in the season. I think he has improved that part of his game, even though he is not a natural at it.
You criticize his blitz pickup as well. I haven’t noticed any problems there, but that’s another one of those things that sometimes escapes me, as I almost always focus on the ball.
[Reply]
Posted on January 21st, 2010 at 5:09 pm
Steve in Mpls Said,Grant has his moments, and there in lies the problem, consistent play making. My favorite
player of all time was John Brockington. Totally fearless, knees pumping high, just look at
old film and watch the D-backs pretend to slip, fall down, or pathetically throw themselves
at his feet. Fear. Jacobs has it for the Giants, Larry Johnson (when he wants to) and maybe
a couple others. The Packers need a angry beast in the backfield, period.
[Reply]
Greg C. Reply:
January 21st, 2010 at 6:41 pm
The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Here is a direct statistcal comparison between Grant and Jacobs:
Ryan Grant 2009
G 16 ATT 282 YDS 1253 AVG. 4.4 TD 11 FUM 0 LOST 0
Brandon Jacobs 2009
G 15 ATT 224 YDS 835 AVG 3.7 TD 5 FUM 2 LOST 1
[Reply]
Posted on January 21st, 2010 at 6:27 pm
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