Packers on brink of NFC North title, play Detroit

DETROIT» Aaron Rodgers had his 37th birthday recently and is showing no signs of slowing down.

In fact, Rodgers is having one of his best seasons for the Green Bay Packers as they close in on winning the NFC North for a seventh time since 2011.

The Packers (9-3) can repeat as division champions with a win on Sunday at Detroit (5-7) and a loss by Minnesota at Tampa Bay earlier in the day.

Even if the Vikings beat the Buccaneers, Green Bay can earn a postseason bid with a win at Ford Field and some losses by other teams.

With Rodgers under center, the odds of winning are in Green Bay’s favor against the Lions because he is 16-5 against them as a starter — and he’s playing some of his best football. He has the second-highest quarterback rating of his career, just behind his numbers from his 2011 MVP season and ahead of his production from the 2014 MVP season.

“No matter how old he is or what he’s accomplished, it’s all about competing and winning,” Lions linebacker Jamie Collins said. “He’s definitely having an MVP season and that whole offense looks good. He’s not miss

ing a beat.”

Rodgers is in a groove during his second season directing Matt LaFleur’s offense, throwing seven touchdowns without an interception in his last two games. He has an NFL-high 36 touchdown passes, is completing 69% of his passes — his highest as a starter — and has been picked off on only 1% of his passes for a total of four times this season.

Last year, Rodgers had a quarterback rating of less than 100 for a third straight season and had his second- lowest completion percentage as a starter.

“Anytime that you’re in a system for as long as he has been prior to last year, there is a transition process,” LaFleur said. “From a coaching staff standpoint, we’ve done a much better job just giving more opportunity and more freedom to him. He’s shown great ownership in what we’re asking him to do and he’s going out there and playing at a really high level.”

Rodgers shrugs and sheds praise as if it is a blitzing linebacker. He’s quick to deflect credit to his offensive line, running back Aaron Jones, tight end Robert Tonyan and receiver Davante Adams.