The Student & The Master?

So much is made these days of Brett Favre being Aaron Rodgers‘ “dojo master”.  Every time the two face off it’s brought up how Rodgers was drafted as the heir apparent and was set to take over the reigns of the team and Brett Favre called off his retirement to return shelving Rodgers for a year and then in 2008, Favre pulled it again and Rodgers was on the sideline.  Then Favre pulled it again and the Packers traded the long time favorite to NY where his popularity waned over the years and became a league wide seasonal joke.  So with today’s return of Favre, I suppose the question should be, is Aaron Rodgers really the product of Master Brett?

Aaron Rodgers spent his first three seasons backing up and watching Brett Favre.  I seemed to recall Favre taking the stance late in his Green Bay career that he wasn’t there (in Green Bay) to coach and that Rodgers would need to watch and learn.  Following the trade of Brett in 2008, Rodgers quickly jumped in the starting role and won over the Green Bay fans almost immediately.  

Over the first 20 games of the two starting in the league together, Rodgers holds a much better statistical advantage

In the three years since Favre has left Green Bay, the Packers have not been in the Super Bowl while Favre has taken the Vikings to the Championship game.  In the two games that Favre and Rodgers have met as Packers and Vikings, Favre has yet to lose.

Rodgers and Favre are not the same quarterbacks, and while Favre may have had a hand in showing Rodgers how he broke down field and prepped for the games, Rodgers on the field is a far cry from the quarterback Favre is.

Favre is a wild man on the field and it won over the fans of Green Bay.  A come from behind, never give up QB that often finds himself walking off the field after a play shaking his head as much as he does running wildly upfield celebrating a touchdown.  Consider that while Favre owns most of the NFL passing records, touchdowns, attempts, yardage, etc.. he also owns the records for most fumbles and I believe if he does not own it outright is pretty close to owning the most interceptions as well.

Where Favre is reckless, Rodgers is more methodical and planning.  He doesn’t scramble like Favre does in terms of having “happy feet”.  He moves around the pocket and when he needs to run he will.  But his upfield vision is much better and where Favre will toss a deep ball when in trouble, Rodgers will use his check down receivers to move the chains.

Both QB’s are having struggles this year.  For Favre, it’s the entire offense that is being affected by his risky play and his aging arm, with Rodgers, is more of a concerted team effort that is keeping the Packers from breaking free of a .500 record and showing up as legitimate contenders for the NFC crown.   Tonights game is important because the NFC teams are struggling across the divisions so even at 3-3 or 3-4 it’s very possible to climb back into the hunt for the playoffs.  But losing today could put the Packers 2 games back of division leading Chicago and that is not a good place to be in.

So regardless of whether Favre is the master and Rodgers is the protege’ both QB’s play very different styles of football and tonight, in their 3rd meeting, maybe Rodgers puts an end to the speculation and comparisons and simply comes out as Aaron Rodgers, the starting QB for the Green Bay Packers.