Rodgers refuses to dwell on playoff bust

Aaron Rodgers seems to be at the point in his career where MVP numbers have become expected.

The Packers’ eighthyear quarterback will come into MetLife Stadium this Sunday night to take on the Giants in a battle between the two most recent Super Bowl champions, and he brings with him an aura of greatness that seems to eclipse his numbers.

“He’s what makes us go as an offense,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said on a conference call yesterday. “That’s really how our offensive sys tem is built — it’s built around the quarterback.”

Last season ended for Rodgers and the Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs at Lambeau Field as the Giants went on to win their second Super Bowl in five seasons. Rodgers, who went on to win the regular season MVP, was held in check that game, going 26for46 with two touchdowns, an interception and a lost fumble.

“Not much as far as last year [and] bringing it with me,” said Rodgers, who put up four touchdowns in a 3835 regularseason win against the Giants last year. “I think you learn it’s all about playing the right way at the right time and we didn’t play our best football that day and they did.

“They were the better team and they won and that’s why they moved on.”

This season is a different story, which is exactly the way Rodgers wants it. The 28yearold has thrown 27 touchdowns and leads the league with his 107.3 quarterback rating. He has thrown just six interceptions, the third fewest in the league for anyone with more than 300 pass attempts behind Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger.

Compare that to Eli Manning’s 12 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, and the word elite — at this juncture in this season, at least — begins to define itself.

“He carries a lot of responsibility,” McCarthy said. “I’m very pleased with his performance to date.”

So it might not be a revelation that Rodgers is good, but that doesn’t make the Giants’ task in stopping him any easier.

“You go along in your career and you gain a lot of experience, see a lot of different looks,” Rodgers said. “You still make some mistakes along the way. But I feel like I’m improving this season, just trying to find ways to get better.”