Rodgers’ time short to win 2nd Super Bowl

GREEN BAY, WIS. — Aaron Rodgers won his first Super Bowl nearly a decade ago. The time to capture a second is running out.

“It’s on my mind every day,” Rodgers said. “That’s why we play the game. That’s why you put in the time in the offseason. That’s why you do the little things. It’s to put yourself in this position where we’re two games away from being able to compete for that.

“I’m 36; I know what this is all about. This is an important opportunity for us. I feel like I got a lot of really good years left, but you never know. A lot of things happen year to year. We’ve had some great teams that have been an injury away or a play away from being special, so I want to make the most of this opportunity.“

Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers will host the Seattle Seahawks in today’s NFC divisional playoff game. It will be the first postseason appearance for Rodgers in three years.

“I’m at the age now, I believe, that Brett (Favre) was when I was drafted, and obviously closer to the finish than the beginning,“he said. “The most important thing is winning, and I know how difficult a couple of those years were when we weren’t winning.”

Rodgers led an injury-laden Packers team to the NFC championship game in Green Bay’s previous postseason appearance following the 2016 season before getting blown out 44-21 by the Falcons. But this Packers squad — including Rodgers — is as healthy as Green Bay has been in recent years.

“I feel great,” Rodgers said. “I started all 16 (games) and wasn’t in the training room a whole lot. I had some issues early in the season with my knee. But, man, I felt great from about Week 8 on . ... It feels good to be where I’m at right now.“

The biggest issue for the Packers is playoff experience, or a lack thereof. There are only four players left from the 2010 Super Bowl team and seven from the 2014 team that lost to the Seahawks in the NFC championship game in Seattle. Matt LaFleur is also preparing for his first playoff test as a head coach.

“I think it just goes back to doing what you always do,” the 40-year-old LaFleur said. “It’s just like every other week. I think for guys that maybe haven’t experienced the playoffs, there’s definitely a heightened intensity around it. But as far as your process, as far as how you go about your daily business, I think it’s got to be the same as it is any other week.”