Packers: Now is the time to get behind Aaron Rodgers, not lose faith

Six games into the NFL regular season, the Green Bay Packers are at three wins and three losses — not exactly in that order, but that’s the tally so far.

To say that fans are getting a wee bit worried (as are sportscasters it would seem), would be an understatement. But right now, perhaps the time isn’t to lose hope in the Packers QB, but it is the time to get behind Aaron Rodgers and not lose faith.

The Aaron Rodgers situation is getting seemingly out of hand. I’ll agree that no, he isn’t one to shy away from making controversial statements, but these days, many public personas have gotten in trouble for that; especially in this sensitive society we’re all living in.

I’ll take you back to a time when not everyone had the opportunity to put forth an opinion on social media, and the public figures and athletes at the top of their game were a lot less ‘attacked,’ to use a simpler term.

Now, am I saying those days were better and everyone’s opinions on social media aren’t right about certain topics? Absolutely not. But some—okay most—of the stuff put forth online is often pretty bad and nonsensical, and yes, even unfounded.

But perhaps you already knew that, dear readers. The current consensus is essentially Aaron Rodgers is off his game, but I think a little of the old fashioned support system athletes got back in the day is in order here, and we need to get behind our QB.

Yes, they have been having trouble stopping runs, making plays that matter, yes, all true.

Skip Bayless called him a “master media manipulator” and shrewd…and perhaps Aaron Rodgers is all of those things. He knows how to use the media to his advantage, but tell me one person in today’s aforementioned celebrity who isn’t. Heck, even influencers on social media that aren’t putting forth any sort of art form or skill, know how to manipulate the viewing public and the media.

So, what are we talking about here? On the same episode of Undisputed on PS1, Shannon Sharpe went nuts on Rodgers…stating essentially that Rodgers is making nothing but excuses, and down to the line he isn’t playing well.

The same thing is actually happening right now in the CFL, with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and their QB, Cody Fajardo. I’m covering that as well for another publication I write for, and down to the wire, we’re discussing the same thing.

Head coach Craig Dickenson, of the Riders, decided this week that all of a sudden Cody Fajardo, their starting QB, would be taken out of their last two regular season games, and all of this in an attempt to make the playoffs of the CFL.

Is this what everyone who’s down on Rodgers wants? Whatever happened to giving a person a chance to turn it around?

It was this following quote right here that got the NFL legend Sharpe, and Bayless, up in arms. These comments were made after the Packers’ loss to the Jets:

"“If you think we have the right players, then we need to simplify things. If you don’t, then that’s a whole other conversation,” said Aaron Rodgers."

Nothing but deflection, Bayless said essentially, in his own tirade against Rodgers on a recent episode of Undisputed on FS1.

So let’s look at the facts. The Packers lost two out of the three pre-season games they played. Since the season officially got under way, they’ve lost three of their six games so far, two key losses coming back-to-back in the last two games: Their 27 to 22 loss against the Giants and their 27 to 10 loss against the Jets.

The issues, according to many, and seemingly even QB Aaron Rodgers, isn’t himself, but rather the scheme that Packers head coach Matt LaFleur is pushing for the offense.

Some in the media believe it is LaFleur the saving grace for the team and not at all Rodgers, but I would respectfully disagree with that. In other sports, say soccer, it has never worked well for a head coach to come in and suddenly or even gradually change things around…even if they were going through these plays all during pre-season training camp.

Essentially, it isn’t jiving with the NFL veteran, and perhaps never really did, and his comments about the youth in the team, the comments that so enraged Shannon Sharpe, also encompasses the head coach and his ideas for the offense quite obviously.

"“We had a dud of a game…we obviously have got to play better…but there’s definitely no panic,” said Rodgers."

These were just some of the statements Aaron Rodgers made while speaking with Pat McAfee on his show this week. The term ‘cool as a cucumber’ certainly comes to mind and really, maybe he is a manipulator, a shaman of sorts or a hypnotist, because by the end of his appearance on McAfee’s show, I believed.

I truly did, and it was then I was so inspired to believe in my QB and move forward with that belief in him and his ability to steer the ship.

Not so much of a stretch for a four–time NFL MVP, a former Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl MVP, right? Nah, I don’t think so. Perhaps LaFleur needs to put a little trust in his QB and if the plays aren’t jiving for Rodgers, LaFleur needs to improve upon his plan, perhaps allow Rodgers to try a few of his own ideas out.

They worked well enough in the past, it would most definitely seem.

Of course, as you may know, dear readers, Rodgers was having issues with his thumb, but he did in fact return to practice. A good sign you might say.

Have a little faith, I say. That’s the theme of this piece: Faith. And we could all use a good dose of it as the Packers head into their next game with none other than the Washington Commanders this coming Sunday.

Come on, lucky Week 7.