QB Rodgers shines in second start
Packers win to move to 2-0 on the season.
Rick Gosselin
Issue date: 9/15/08 Section: Sports
DETROIT - Aaron Rodgers considered it a moment of truth for the Green Bay Packers. In reality, it was the moment of truth for Rodgers.
The Packers had blown a 21-0 second-quarter lead Sunday and found themselves on the wrong end of a 25-24 score with seven minutes left on the road against the Detroit Lions.
The Packers were buried in a second-and-13 situation at their 17 with all the momentum heading in Detroit's direction.
"Now we're going to find out what we're made of," Rodgers told his teammates in the huddle.
But the 10 other Packers already knew what they were made of. They had been in this situation before with Brett Favre as their quarterback. Favre engineered four fourth-quarter comeback victories in 2007 alone.
Even though this was his fourth season, this was just the second NFL start for Rodgers and first on the road. The sellout crowd was deafening. The Packers knew what to expect from Favre in this situation, but they had no idea what to expect from their new quarterback.
Rodgers took the snap in the shotgun and, detecting man coverage with a safety on Greg Jennings, fired a bullet to Jennings on a slant. He sped 60 yards to the Detroit 23, setting up a Mason Crosby field goal that gave the Packers a two-point lead. Green Bay later returned two interceptions for touchdowns to turn the game into a rout, 48-25.
Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy never had any doubts.
"The play-calling reflected that," McCarthy said. "We all had confidence in Aaron and wanted to keep pushing the envelope. We wanted him to stay aggressive."
Rodgers turned in his best game as a pro, completing 24 of 38 passes for 328 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He has been sacked just once in two starts and has not thrown interception yet for the 2-0 Packers.
Rodgers won his first NFL start. So did Favre. Rodgers won his first road start. Favre didn't win on the road until his third try. This week, Rodgers has a chance to beat the Cowboys. Favre couldn't beat the Cowboys until his eighth career start against them.
So another, bigger moment of truth awaits Rodgers when the Cowboys come calling.
The Packers had blown a 21-0 second-quarter lead Sunday and found themselves on the wrong end of a 25-24 score with seven minutes left on the road against the Detroit Lions.
The Packers were buried in a second-and-13 situation at their 17 with all the momentum heading in Detroit's direction.
"Now we're going to find out what we're made of," Rodgers told his teammates in the huddle.
But the 10 other Packers already knew what they were made of. They had been in this situation before with Brett Favre as their quarterback. Favre engineered four fourth-quarter comeback victories in 2007 alone.
Even though this was his fourth season, this was just the second NFL start for Rodgers and first on the road. The sellout crowd was deafening. The Packers knew what to expect from Favre in this situation, but they had no idea what to expect from their new quarterback.
Rodgers took the snap in the shotgun and, detecting man coverage with a safety on Greg Jennings, fired a bullet to Jennings on a slant. He sped 60 yards to the Detroit 23, setting up a Mason Crosby field goal that gave the Packers a two-point lead. Green Bay later returned two interceptions for touchdowns to turn the game into a rout, 48-25.
Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy never had any doubts.
"The play-calling reflected that," McCarthy said. "We all had confidence in Aaron and wanted to keep pushing the envelope. We wanted him to stay aggressive."
Rodgers turned in his best game as a pro, completing 24 of 38 passes for 328 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He has been sacked just once in two starts and has not thrown interception yet for the 2-0 Packers.
Rodgers won his first NFL start. So did Favre. Rodgers won his first road start. Favre didn't win on the road until his third try. This week, Rodgers has a chance to beat the Cowboys. Favre couldn't beat the Cowboys until his eighth career start against them.
So another, bigger moment of truth awaits Rodgers when the Cowboys come calling.
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