Packers: No, it is not time to give up on Aaron Rodgers

The Green Bay Packers were handed a huge loss on Sunday afternoon in a 38-3 beatdown against the New Orleans Saints.

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers struggled on both ends, letting Alvin Kamara run all over the field and allowing New Orleans’ new quarterback Jameis Winston to throw for five touchdowns.

The Packers were sent home trying to figure out what went wrong in the blowout. Simultaneously, the Green Bay faithful began to draw their own conclusions.

Aaron Rodgers was met with plenty of criticism following Packers loss

Rodgers struggled in Sunday’s matchup, to say the least, logging only 133 yards through the air. Shockingly, Rodgers also threw two interceptions, an unfamiliar sight for Packers fans.

Despite the offensive line giving serviceable protection, Rodgers had a difficult time finding his receivers due to the Saints’ stifling play in the secondary. Certainly, some of the blame should be placed on Rodgers following an abysmal first outing. That said, it is not time to give up on the QB1.

Following the loss, Packers fans began to drum up plenty of theories and ideas on social media surrounding Rodgers. Some called for his job, others said his poor play was intentional, and some even said he should be traded.

These could be dismissed as fans being upset following the worst loss in Rodgers’ career, but some fans were very stern in their beliefs. However, the overwhelming amount of fans calling for second-year quarterback Jordan Love to be brought in over Rodgers was staggering.

While blame can certainly be placed on Rodgers, it is important to keep in perspective that only one week has passed in the landmark 17-game NFL season. There is some cause for concern due to the lack of offensive firepower, but it is hard to say that this is something that the Packers will continue to struggle with. The surplus of talent on the offensive end makes it a difficult conclusion to draw that Green Bay will continue to put up low-scoring numbers.

Off-season drama did not help reaction to Packers loss

The drama of the off-season certainly contributes to the reactions from the fans. On the night of the 2021 NFL Draft, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Aaron Rodgers was disgruntled with the Packers organization and had given some consideration to not return.

What ensued was radio silence on Rodgers’ behalf and plenty of speculation from outside sources. The holdout led to so many questions and plenty of distaste towards Rodgers. With that in mind, it is very possible that the feelings would be expected to carry over into the season-opener.

That said, Rodgers is the quarterback for the Green Bay Packers and that will not be changing anytime soon. Yes, the drama of the off-season was taxing on the Green Bay faithful. Yes, Rodgers looked completely out of sorts in his first game back.

However, this is not something to be expected to continue from the reigning MVP. As the season progresses, Rodgers should be in the good graces of Packers fans once again. Calling out Rodgers for his poor performance is certainly warranted, the calls for his job are not.

Although Aaron Rodgers and the Packers had so much difficulty in their season-opener, the overreactions were a little over the top. Rodgers will continue to lead this Packers team in their 2021-22 season.

There are certainly some question marks on both the offensive and defensive ends. However, these question marks don’t equate to Rodgers losing his job after one poor showing. All the Packers and the fans can do now is put the blowout behind them and shift attention to week two against the Lions. If the Packers struggle against Detroit, there may be more cause for concern.

What is next for Aaron Rodgers and the Packers?

Beyond that, the Packers will certainly be tested. Following week two, Green Bay will face the likes of the San Francisco 49ers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Even further beyond, the Packers face a brutal stretch matching up against the Arizona Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, and Los Angeles Rams.

If the Packers are looking to get back into shape, they must do it quickly as their schedule is not the most favorable. That said, the crushing loss to the New Orleans Saints could be exactly what Aaron Rodgers and company need to come out swinging in the tough stretch that awaits them later in the season.

All in all, Rodgers can certainly take plenty of blame for his poor performance in week one. Following the loss, Rodgers spoke with the media and said something that should be kept in mind going forward.

“It’s just one game. We played bad, I played bad,” Rodgers said. “One game, we got 16 to go.”

Remember this Packer fans. It is still early. Enjoy the ride.