AARON RODGERS
As the Texans visit, the star QB looks like his old self.
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers rode Aaron Rodgers’ feet and arm to a win Monday night.
Throughout the Packers’ 27-13 victory at Philadelphia that ended a four-game losing streak, Rodgers kept long drives alive by converting third downs in almost every way possible.
He broke the pocket and scrambled. He did it once on a designed run. He made quick-rhythm throws. And sat in the pocket and waited for a receiver to break open.
One of his most telling stats from this game, along with his 116.7 passer rating, was Rodgers’ average per pass attempt: 8.0 yards.
He’s below seven yards in that stat this season and last, and it’s a sign that Monday night he was making big plays even though the Packers used primarily a quick-rhythm, short passing game. The 8.0 yards also is in line with his career average of 7.9 yards and an indication that he was back playing like the quarterback who put up a 64-23 record and won two NFL MVPs from 2009-14, not the one who was 8-12 in his previous 20 regular-season games.
When Rodgers gets the ball out of his hands fast, he’s as difficult to stop as anyone in the league. On Monday night, he delivered the ball in rhythm and on target (30-for-39 passing). Some of his throws, including an impressive 20-yard touchdown pass to Davante Adams at the back of the end zone in the second quarter, were in tight windows. This was Rodgers at his best.
That’s not good news for the Texans, who visit the Packers on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
At age 32 — he turns 33 today — Rodgers remains an excellent athlete and runner. He ranks No. 5 in rushing among NFL quarterbacks this season, behind Buffalo’s Tyrod Taylor, San Francisco’s Colin Kaepernick, Tennessee’s Marcus Mariota and Jacksonville’s Blake Bortles and ahead of Carolina’s Cam Newton.
Displaying the form that earned him two NFL MVP awards, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers helped his team end a four-game losing streak Monday night in Philadelphia. Up next: the Texans on Sunday. Associated Press photos
Rodgers got the Packers off to a good start Monday because of that running ability. On the Packers’ first drive, he methodically moved the offense downfield, mainly with quick throws. But he made two huge third-down conversions with his feet, running for 16 and 9 yards.
Packers coach Mike McCarthy also pulled out a couple of new formations that will get upcoming defensive coordinators even more to game plan for. On one, he lined up Rodgers in the pistol with Ty Montgomery, Randall Cobb and Jared Cook in the backfield and did something most unusual: He had Rodgers run a true triple option.
Rodgers put the ball in Montgomery’s stomach on a dive but then pulled it back out and ran for the corner himself. He had Cobb trailing for the potential pitch, but when defensive back Malcolm Jenkins played Cobb, Rodgers turned up field and picked up four yards for the first down. That was something new, and it showed Rodgers remains an excellent athlete.
Rodgers also threw more in rhythm this game than he has for probably a calendar year. Every quarterback has a play or two each game when he held the ball too long or saw something that wasn’t there or didn’t think a throw was worth the risk. And then when he watches the video, he wishes he’d have let it fly. In this game, though, Rodgers consistently got the ball out fast or hung in and made the throw even as the pocket was collapsing.
Many of them weren’t big plays, but collectively they show an offense with good rhythm and timing.
If the 5-6 Packers have any chance to come from two games back to win the NFC North in the final five weeks, they’ll need their quarterback to play at this high a level.