Aaron Rodgers: Game-Manager

by Brandon on Oct 22, 2008 12:28 AM CDT in Green Bay Packers Analysis

While QB Peyton Manning was throwing two pick-sixes, QB Aaron Rodgers completed 21 of 27 for 186 yards, 1 TD and no turnovers. It was a solid game, but I was surprised to see Football Outsiders week 7 Quick Reads ranked it as the 2nd best performance by a QB last weekend:

186 yards seems like a pedestrian day, but Rodgers didn't turn the ball over and wasn't sacked once despite being buzzed by defenders all day. This is what a game-manager actually looks like.

Although Bill Barnwell did get a ribbing for confusing S Nick Collins with Houston's S Nick Ferguson when discussing Manning's first pick-six.

It wasn't a monster week for QBs, no QB threw for over 2 TDs on Sunday and QB Matt Cassel's 3 TD performance on Monday came after the above article was posted by Football Outsiders. Maybe Rodgers slipped to 3rd. I don't remember if Rodgers has even been listed higher in any previous week's Quick Reads, but I think it is his highest ranking. The old, faithful QB ranking, as flawed as it is, says that was his 4th best game of the season. But QB ranking doesn't take into account sacks or fumbles. It was a solid game, but it seems odd that it might have been his best game of the season.

Poll

Was the win vs. Indianapolis Aaron Rodgers' best game as a starter?

Yes

18 votes

No

23 votes

41 votes | Poll has closed

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If Aaron Rodgers was a game manager, than his performance would have been idealistic. Few, if any mistakes, and distributed the ball efficiently.

But Rodgers isn’t a game manager, and we don’t want him to be. He’s a play-maker, who has the athletic ability and intelligence that allow him to take chances (not as much as a certain backstabbing gunslinger) and make big time plays. His performance against Detroit is case in point.

This isn’t to take away from Rodgers’ performance against the Colts. The running game was operating at a high level, and the defense was not only keeping the Colts off the board, but they were providing some points of there own. Rodgers did what was required, and nothing more.

In all honesty, most games won’t be like this. Being able to shut Manning down and return two to the house is an achievement that comes around once in a blue moon. And, if our previous games are any indicator, we’ll be lucky to get anywhere near that kind of production out of Grant (he still wasn’t that good).

Yes, Rogers played the role of game-manager last Sunday, and he played it to perfection.

But no, this is not a label fit for him, and it is a not a moniker we should limit him to.

by Green and Bold on Oct 22, 2008 4:12 AM CDT reply actions