I sure enjoy listening to Aaron Rodgers. He's achieved insane success in only three years as a starter for the Green Bay Packers, yet he's remained so grounded and humble. It's very refreshing these days. When he was recently chatting with Rich Eisen he was even showing his Butte College colors. He's still that kid form Chico, CA. Rodgers shines with everything good about football and the NFL. Why does it have to be with the Green Bay Packers?
The success of Aaron Rodgers and the Packers makes every Minnesota Vikings fan sick. There's the obvious in the recent addition to the Packers' trophy case. There's the less obvious in the Vikings quarterback issues since 2004. Rodgers would have looked splendid in purple right about now. The Vikings 2005 Draft was an absolute disaster. Not only did the Packers luck into Rodgers but the Vikings drafted Troy Williamson and Erasmus James in the first round. Rodgers was available at each selection. Not only are Williamson and James no longer in the league some may argue that they never should have been. Certainly not as first round picks. Daunte Culpepper had a fantastic season in 2004. One of the greatest statistical passing seasons ever. QB wasn't a need then, but Culpepper was gone by 2006 so it soon was. It's sad and wrong to look back like that but I do. It's a shame.
On his podcast, Rich Eisen kept trying to prod Rodgers into talking trash about the then upcoming Chicago Bears game. The best that Rodgers would do was say that he enjoyed competing against Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher. Juicy stuff. Rodgers doesn't play the trash talking game. He has too much respect for his opponents and the game. The only person that he would criticize was his own teammate, linebacker Clay Matthews. The two have a little northern California-southern California rivalry going. Matthews' long hair and Hollywood attitude creates a too easy target for Rodgers. That's about the extent of Rodgers' trash talking.
Rodgers has excellent physical skills, accuracy, timing, mobility. His smarts may be what separates him from the rest. Of course all that comes from his time at Cal. Beyond his poise, understanding of the system and defenses, Rodgers understands the "why" behind the plays. It's easy enough to memorize a playbook. It's something so much more when a quarterback understands why a play is called, why the pass routes are run, why there is a particular blocking scheme. Being able to understand the plays in this manner gives Rodgers the ability to play more freely, more naturally. This ability brings to mind Vikings rookie QB Christian Ponder. He sought this same understanding of the Florida State playbook. Most players, QBs too, simply learn the playbook. They don't entirely understand the playbook. Ponder also spent a great deal of time with the defensive players to better understand the nuts and bolts of that side of the ball. Ponder is a smart guy and a smart football player. This aspect of Ponder has me very excited about the Vikings' future. I can see some Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees in his cerebral approach to the game. He's got some nice quarterbacking skills too. Whether he can harness all these skills and perform on the field like Rodgers and Brees is the real question.
Aaron Rodgers is still improving on his game. That's scary. He has taken great advantage of his opportunity. Based on his performance at Cal, I had no doubts that he would succeed in the NFL. I hope that Christian Ponder can follow a similar path once he gets his chance. I certainly wouldn't mind a Super Bowl by his third year. I've waited nearly forty.
No comments:
Post a Comment