With one final game left on a wild regular season, Green Bay has made it back to the playoffs; this is in part due to the rising Aaron Rodgers.
When Brett Favre left a couple seasons ago and was not allowed back, a lot of pressure was on Aaron Rodgers. The Packers went 6-10 last season but Rodgers still threw for over 4,000 yards and was near in tops in QB rating and this year is slightly better statistically speaking but with a current 10-5 record and are in the playoffs.
Analysis and Conclusions:
Aaron Rodgers is no Brett Favre (besides not being a media-hog); Brett won 1 SuperBowl with Green Bay while delivering them to a consecutive SuperBowl appearance a year later.
However, Aaron is just finishing his 5th season this year and if Green Bay builds a little more, this guy could be the team's franchise player (if he isn't already). Brett left big shoes to fill in Green Bay but it seems for now that Aaron Rodgers is taking his own path and has paid off going to the Pro Bowl, having back-to-back 4,000 passing yard seasons, remaining near the top in terms of QB rating and has gotten Green Bay into the playoffs.
Aaron Rodgers is still in the shadow of Brett Favre (thanks to the Green Bay media) but is gradually making the shadow a little smaller and casting his own.
I for on have been supporting Aaron Rodgers since the pre-Jets fiasco last year, and while we didnt make the playoffs until this year, it was never the doing of Aaron Rodgers, he's tough, plays through injuries, and unlike Favre, has a tendency NOT to throw to the team in the opposite jersey.
I'm glad he picked up a lot from Favre, but that he protects the ball and doesn't make the "slam your head into a wall WTF was he thinking" play just makes him that much more appealing to me. Granted, he lost 2 games to Favre that I really wish we could have had back, but with him, comes the one thing we don't have anymore in Green Bay, the headache that became the "Will I or won't I?" mindset every offseason.
I have believed from the very beginning Ted Thompson made the right decision, go Aaron.
Aaron Rodgers is a fantastic player with a good attitude and I love the way he plays the game. I hope he has a long career because I enjoy watching him play. And I hope he and the Packers eliminate the Vikings from the playoffs this year.
Though Packers fans better hope the Raymond James curse that haunted Favre hasn't carried over to Rodgers. Favre never won there I believe, but those games were all at least when the Bucs were good.
Very good and valid points both you guys have made; through all the drama, the one good point was that while Aaron waited on the sidelines, he was taking notes and learning from the future hall-of-famer (if Brett decides to ever retire).
Another thing I like about Rodgers is that his attitude is very mature. Shakespeare couldn't have conducted a better drama than what Favre did when he went to the Jets and yet Rodgers took it all in without adding fuel to the fire that was not too long ago. And now? Green Bay is back into the playoffs and Rodgers' career is off and running. Not every team has a potentially good QB waiting behind a good QB (or future hall of famer for that matter) and I think it was smart of Green Bay to have a guy like Rodgers waiting for his time (and needless to say, his time is no longer waiting).
I live near Buffalo so I can only envy what it's like to have a solid QB for years to come.
Not a Packer fan by any reach, but Rodgers should get serious consideration for MVP this season. He's been amazing and his efficiency at the QB position is incredible.
From a numbers perspective, not only has Rodgers become the first QB ever to throw for over 4000 yards in his first two seasons as a starting QB, the Packers this year became the first team ever to have consecutive seasons with a 4000 yard passer, two 1000 yard receivers, and a 1200 yard runner. Not that that means anything without playoff success.
McCarthy went on record earlier this week saying that the work Rodgers has done should put him in the discussion of being a 'Packer great' or some such wording (I just tried to find it but couldn't).
He's won over the fans at Lambeau. There is certainly no concern about his durability at this point, either. Here's hoping for a long and successful career.
ETA - I found the quote: Aaron Rodgers is a Pro Bowl quarterback. That's the facts. I fully understand the greatness of Brett Favre, but this is the beginning of another great career Green Bay and (fans) should embrace that.
Originally posted by djpNot a Packer fan by any reach, but Rodgers should get serious consideration for MVP this season. He's been amazing and his efficiency at the QB position is incredible.
I would consider putting some votes down for Rodgers but not at the very top (I am sure someone will start a thread on their award winners).
But still, Rodgers as it was mentioned as thrown back-to-back 4,000 yards as he was moved into the starting position last season and the guy is in his 5th NFL season which means Aaron Rodgers has a very bright future.
Again as for MVP, top ten, maybe outside the top 5 because you have Peyton Manning and Brett Favre looking both to win their 4th MVP while Chris Johnson who now finished the season just over 2,000 yards rushing (though I will debate that since Vince Young took over, he was 8-2 as the starter), Philip Rivers and Drew Brees who I think are the top candidates. So then again, he would be a legitimate top 5 in terms of voting for MVP.
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Originally posted by TheBucsFanThough Packers fans better hope the Raymond James curse that haunted Favre hasn't carried over to Rodgers. Favre never won there I believe, but those games were all at least when the Bucs were good.
It's more than just Favre: No team that lost to the Bucs in the regular season has ever followed up with a Super Bowl title. By that measure, the Saints & Packers are both doomed to failure.
smark/net attack Advisory System Status is: Elevated (Holds; June 18, 2006) While the switch from Cena to RVD should alleviate some complaints, the inevitability of the belt's return to Cena (note where Summerslam is this year) and the poor initial showing by the new ECW are enough to keep the indicator where it is for now. The pieces are in place, though, especially on RAW, for improvements to be made to the IWC's psyche in the near future.
Eh....Bryan Westbrook wouldn't have helped you out, anyway. He sucked for the Cowboys last year, and he already had injury problems before. Gilbert Brown is a big loss, though.