QB Aaron Rodgers might not make it to the Pro Bowl, but he's been recognized as one of the top three quarterbacks in the NFL. Along with QB Tom Brady and QB Philip Rivers, he's been nominated for FedEx Air NFL Player of the Year. I wouldn't trade him for any other quarterback in the NFL, but this award has to go to Brady. 36 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions is sick. Though a couple of his passes were almost picked off when the Patriots faced the Packers.
A lot of people watched the Packers at Eagles wild card game, and not all of them were not fans of either team. It was the most watched wild card game of all time. My fearless prediction: the ratings will drop next week.
Mike McCarthy said WR Donald Driver bruised his knee against the Eagles, but he's expected to practice this week and he'll "be ready to go in Atlanta." DE Cullen Jenkins did "OK" and he'll play next Saturday too. He explained again that WR James Jones has a "very painful thumb injury" that hasn't been on the medical reports "for competitive reasons." I guess you don't have to list him if he's 100% certain to play and not held out from practice. He also called the one play early in the game where LT Chad Clifton and RT Bryan Bulaga switched positions a "tendency breaker." It didn't hurt them on the play (as far as I recall) but I hate those little gimmicks. Keep your players at their best position.
The writers at Football Outsiders commented on Mike McCarthy's odd decision to let the clock run down at the end of the first half, but then go for it anyway with a deep pass after a running play and a short pass play. I've never thought McCarthy was bad at clock management, but he's had a couple of bad games lately. After they let the clock run down at the end of the Patriots game, he said it was "a very standard operation." I had chalked that up to an unfamiliar situation for QB Matt Flynn, and coach was covering up for his player, but now it's starting to become a trend.