Rodgers marks off another item on checklist
PHILADELPHIA Aaron Rodgers(notes) began his stint as the Green Bay Packers starting quarterback amid a storm of skepticism, at one point being informed that he sucked during a training camp practice by a 6-year-old.
Rodgers, even as he has developed into a bona-fide star, has largely been defined during his three seasons in the Frozen Tundra Hot Seat as legendary passer Brett Favres(notes) successor by his perceived shortcomings, perpetually praised in a Yeah, but kind of way.
On Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field, in a taut first-round playoff game against a tough opponent with a potent quarterback of its own, Rodgers took another huge step out of Favres shadow and into the figurative arms of Packer Nation. In leading the sixth-seeded Pack to a 21-16 victory over Michael Vick(notes) and the third-seeded, NFC East-champion Eagles, Rodgers recorded his first career postseason victory and whisked a few more perfect spirals into the windpipes of his remaining detractors.
More than an hour after Sundays triumph, as he stopped for a security screening in the cold, dark bowels of The Linc before boarding the Packers team bus, Rodgers correctly pointed out that no one man has ever single-handedly won a playoff game. In this case, a stunning 123-yard performance by untested rookie halfback James Starks(notes) and a brilliant defensive effort capped by cornerback Tramon Williams(notes) end-zone interception of a Vick pass with 33 seconds remaining underscored that message.
Yet Rodgers, wholl guide the Packers into Saturdays divisional-round road clash against the top-seeded Atlanta Falcons, understood that he was leaving Philly with one more stigma in shambles.
Its always something, he said. The first year, they said I was injury-prone. The second year, I held onto the ball too long. This year it was, He cant win a playoff game. Im sure some people still have their checklists, but Ive kind of put those three to bed.
Though Rodgers didnt put up the eye-catching numbers that have typified his terrific 2010 season, he and his teammates will sleep soundly this week as they prepare to face a Falcons team that narrowly defeated them in the Georgia Dome six weeks ago. In that 20-17 Atlanta victory, Rodgers summoned a sensational effort despite Green Bays complete absence of a ground game and Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy didnt even bother trying to create the illusion of balance.
The following week Starks, whod spent the entire season on the physically unable to perform list while recovering from a hamstring injury (after having sat out his senior campaign at the University of Buffalo because of a shoulder ailment), made his debut in a victory over the San Francisco 49ers, gaining 73 yards on 18 carries. However, his lack of preparation in practice limited him to just 11 carries over the regular seasons final four games, making Sundays breakout effort all the more improbable.
The guy had the game of his life, Rodgers said of Starks. When the line is opening up holes and James is running it like that, it takes a lot of pressure off of me.
Or as wideout Greg Jennings(notes) put it in the Packers locker room, his eyes getting big: If we can run it oh my gosh. It opens up a lot of things, obviously. If we can establish a run and keep it going for 60 minutes, with the way our defense is playing, were a team that cant be beat.
Though they finished a somewhat disappointing 10-6 and needed home victories over the New York Giants and Chicago Bears in the final two games to sneak into the postseason, the Packers have good reason to consider themselves a legitimate title contender.
Their defense, led by All-Pro outside linebacker Clay Matthews(notes) and the vastly underrated Williams, is playing at a championship-caliber level. That wasnt the case a year ago, when the Pack was repeatedly torched by Kurt Warner(notes) in a 51-45 first-round playoff defeat to the Arizona Cardinals, wasting a sublime comeback performance from Rodgers in his postseason debut.
Equally important is the fact the 2010 Packers have demonstrated an uncanny ability to overcome adversity. No team has suffered as many significant injuries as Green Bay, which lost starting halfback Ryan Grant(notes) in the season-opening victory over the Eagles at The Linc the game in which Vick commenced his stunning professional rebirth and ended up with 15 players on injured reserve, including talented tight end Jermichael Finley(notes), fiery inside linebacker Nick Barnett(notes) and three other starters.
I think its made us stronger, veteran cornerback Charles Woodson(notes) said. Weve had to overcome a lot, and a lot of different guys have had to step up. And when you get contributions from so many people, thats what makes you a complete team.
Said Rodgers: This was a team victory. It was very fulfilling. The thing I love about this team is that there are a number of guys who were not counted on to do anything, and theyve been put in positions where they have to contribute. And theyve come through. And its made us stronger no doubt about it. We have a lot of very hungry guys, guys who have been cut, whove been inactive on game day, whove been backups, playing big roles for us.
The starting quarterback, of course, has played the starring role. He completed 65.7 percent of his passes during the regular season, throwing for 3,922 yards and 28 touchdowns, with only 11 interceptions. His 101.2 passer rating was hardly a fluke; hes currently the highest-rated passer in NFL history with a 97.2 career mark.
On Sunday, Rodgers (18 for 27, 180 yards, three TDs, no interceptions) had his entire skill set on display, showcasing his strong arm on a variety of throws, sliding away from pressure in the pocket to keep plays alive and spreading the ball to nine receivers. He sold his first touchdown pass, a seven-yarder to backup tight end Tom (Dont Call Me Michael) Crabtree late in the first quarter, with a wicked play fake to running back John Kuhn(notes). On his second scoring toss, which gave Green Bay a 14-0 lead with 5:21 left in the first half, Rodgers rolled to his right and perfectly placed his low pass to wideout James Jones(notes) in the front right corner of the end zone.
After Vick drove the Eagles into position for David Akers(notes) 29-yard field goal, Rodgers threw a glorious deep ball to Jones down the right sideline that should have staked the Packers to an 18-point halftime lead, but the receiver dropped it as cornerback Asante Samuel(notes) gave futile pursuit.
The quarterbacks lone miscue a fumble at his own 19-yard line after being sacked by defensive end Darryl Tapp(notes) on the third play of the third quarter set up Vicks 24-yard TD strike to Jason Avant(notes). Rodgers, however, atoned by driving Green Bay 80 yards on 11 plays, ending with a well-executed screen that halfback Brandon Jackson(notes) patiently turned into a 16-yard touchdown reception.
Those were the Packs last points, however, and when Vick scored on a one-yard sneak with 4:02 remaining, then got the ball at his 34 with 1:45 to go, Rodgers stood on the sidelines with a pit in his stomach like everyone else in Packer Nation.
Lose this game, and Rodgers wouldve been subjected to at least another years worth of rebuke from the Favre-o-philes whove never considered him worthy of his legendary predecessors legacy.
Rodgers had to hear all about it in 2008 when, despite putting up big numbers in his first season as a starter, the Pack went 6-10 and lost a maddening succession of close games. In 09 he played even better but suffered the indignity of two heartbreaking defeats to the rival Minnesota Vikings, the team Favre had joined after a single season with the New York Jets. The fact that Favre put up near-MVP numbers and brought the Vikes to the brink of a conference championship further empowered the anti-Rodgers crowd.
This season, Rodgers got the upper hand: Favre and the Vikings endured a nightmarish unraveling, and the Packers swept Minnesota. And while Rodgers was surprisingly left off the NFCs Pro Bowl roster, another Green Bay player who fits that description Williams, a fourth-year cornerback who is quietly one of the leagues best made sure the Packs Super Bowl dreams survived past Sunday:
On first-and-10 from the Green Bay 27, Vick lofted a high pass for wideout Riley Cooper(notes) in the left corner of the end zone, and Williams leapt in front of him to intercept it and give his quarterback a final, sweet kneel-down to end the game.
When Rodgers, now 1-1 in the postseason, reached his locker after showering, Jennings yelled sarcastically, Heeeyyyyy, first playoff win! Its about time! Whats it been, like, 10 years?
Later, in regard to the same subject, McCarthy said, Why dont we wait till the guys done playing? Were just getting started. Hes going to be doing this for another decade.
I think hes special. I dont know how much credit he gets, but its not enough. He has total command. If theres something we dont do, it aint because of Aaron Rodgers.
Whatever Rodgers does in Atlanta next Saturday, and perhaps in the NFC championship game and Super Bowl, the chill he once experienced in Titletown seems to have thawed irrevocably. Last Monday morning, after the regular-season-ending victory over the NFC North champion Bears that put Green Bay into the playoffs, Rodgers went out to breakfast with his friend and fellow Cal alum Adam Duritz, and a middle-aged woman came by the table to ask for an autograph.
Rodgers pointed to Duritz, the lead singer for Counting Crows, and told the woman, You should ask for his autograph. Hes a rock star, man. Hes much bigger than me.
Duritz shook his head, his trademark dreadlocks covering up a smile, and said, Not in this town.
Especially not after Sunday, when Rodgers got his first taste of postseason success. And while it might not have been as momentous for the quarterback as his critics made it out to be, it definitely didnt suck.