Lost in the shuffle of Kurt Warner’s resurrection, the Tennessee Titans’ out-of-nowhere undefeated record and the Detroit Lions forgetting how to win a game, is, in my opinion, the feel-good story of the year. I refer, of course, to the rise of Aaron Rodgers, the Green Bay Packers’ new quarterback.
I have been a Packers fan ever since I watched their scintillating victory against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI when I was 9 years old. I sat and watched Brett Favre play with such boundless energy and saw Desmond Howard run a kickoff back for a touchdown to extend the NFC’s Super Bowl winning streak to 13.
But this year, for only the sixth year since I’ve been alive, the Packers’ starting quarterback is not Brett Favre. Replacing such a legendary quarterback can often be a difficult task. Just ask Cliff Stoudt, who was tapped to replace Terry Bradshaw after he sustained career-ending injuries in 1983. Stoudt proceeded to throw 12 touchdowns and 21 interceptions in his time as quarterback. Despite his shortcomings, the Steelers made the playoffs but then suffered a 38-10 defeat to the Raiders. (I know, it’s tough to imagine the Raiders in the playoffs, isn’t it?) Stoudt was then chased out of town and became a pariah in Pittsburgh. In 1984, when he returned to Three Rivers Stadium as the quarterback of the Birmingham Stallions, he was famously booed and pelted with snowballs throughout the entire game.
But Rodgers stands out among this group. In his first year as the starter, he has compiled a .645 completion percentage, 2,351 passing yards and 15 touchdown passes against only six interceptions. His 94.5 rating is better than both Manning brothers, Ben Roethilisberger and, perhaps most deliciously of all, Brett Favre.
But there’s so much more to football than stats. In every start, Rodgers has proven his poise and confidence in the pocket. He has been unafraid to take on top defenses and has kept the Packers in contention in a weak NFC North. He has also shown remarkable toughness, with backup Matt Flynn only having attempted five passes in Rodgers’ short absence with a sore throwing shoulder.
Rodgers comes to Green Bay after a decorated college career. He came to the California Golden Bears after spending time at Butte Community College in nearby Oroville. He became Cal’s starter in the fifth game of the season, leading the team to an upset of then-No. 3 USC and a victory in the Insight Bowl against Virginia Tech. In 2004, Rodgers had his coming-out party, throwing 24 touchdown passes and leading the Golden Bears to a 10-2 record and No. 4 ranking in the national polls. Many pundits believed Cal deserved an at-large bid to the Rose Bowl that year, but the Texas Longhorns received a bid instead after coach Mack Brown pleaded with voters in the Coaches’ Poll to change their minds. Cal finished the season with a 45-31 victory against Texas Tech in the Holiday Bowl that year and a No. 9 final ranking.
When Rodgers entered the NFL Draft after his junior season, many believed that he would be a top-10 pick. Some even projected that he would be picked first by the San Francisco 49ers. Instead, he fell into the Packers’ laps, who selected him with the 24th pick in the draft. But Rodgers has arguably had the last laugh. Alex Smith, of the stratospheric Wonderlic score, was taken first by the 49ers. He lost his starting job this past year to J.T. O’Sullivan (who?) after a subpar first three seasons with the team and is now being looked at as the latest quarterback bust. Jason Campbell, the other quarterback taken in the first round in 2005 by the Redskins started out well this season, but has yet to take command and leadership of his team the way Rodgers has. In contrast to those other two quarterbacks, Rodgers has benefited from an extended stay on the bench learning the ropes of the NFL from Favre.
Rodgers has only one task left to cement his arrival in the league, and that is to lead Green Bay to the playoffs. Right now, the Packers sit in a three-way tie with the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings for first place in the NFC North. While I’m a bit biased, I think the Packers have the best chance to make it into the playoffs of those three. Every one of their games between now and the end of the season is winnable, with the 8-2 Carolina Panthers being the stiffest test. But with the Panthers’ subpar passing offense (24th in the league) going up against the Packers’ strong pass defense (led by Nick Collins and Charles Woodson, who already have 10 interceptions between them), the Pack is more than capable of pulling off the upset.
With Rodgers at the helm, it seems like anything is possible.
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