Green Bay Packers: Week 13 Silver Linings

Aaron Rodgers warms up prior to last Sunday’s game against the Patriots. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Aaron Rodgers – ’31 looks good on this dude …’

Rodgers celebrated his 31st birthday yesterday, officially starting the clock on his career’s expiration date.

Or did it?

Rodgers is in peak form.

In fact, he has been in peak form since his MVP campaign in 2011 – and he just keeps improving, keeps getting better.

I don’t forsee him slowing down any time soon. On Sunday, he was unmatched. He outperformed Tom Brady on offense and challenged the Patriots on defense. He earned the respect of Bill Belichick (one of the greatest football minds in the game) and a plethora of future Hall-of-Fame players like Brady and Darrelle Revis.

Rodgers carved up a Patriots defense that was making QBs look silly all year long. Going 24-of-38 for 369 yards and 2 TDs, Rodgers also extended some records Sunday. He has now gone exactly two years without an interception at home. He’s thrown 31 TDs and zero INTs in that time period – those are other worldly numbers. Not to mention that his 3 interceptions on the year have been off the hands of his receivers; Rodgers is stingy with the ball.

On Sunday, the Pats kept Rodgers in the pocket as much as possible, as per their game plan. However, on the few times he was able to scramble – he made things happen.

He picked up first downs with his legs and converted amazing throws to Davante Adams down the left sideline, James Starks on the right sideline and to Richard Rodgers across the field for a 32-yard touchdown.

Rodgers was able to elude the pass rush when it reached him and was deadly accurate pushing the ball up the field. There was nothing the Patriots defense could do to rattle Rodgers once he settled in midway through the first quarter.

He has now tied Peyton Manning (at 6) for most consecutive home games with two TDs and no interceptions, with a chance to take the lead this Monday night against the Atlanta Falcons.