Average Aaron Rodgers

Enough of the narrative that Aaron Rodgers' name should be spoken in the same breath with the likes of Tom Brady, Joe Montana or Peyton Manning. The NFL just put out lists of their top 10 players at each position and justifiably so Rodgers was left off that top 10 list, and I don't believe it was particularly close. 

 

The Rodgers defenders for years have argued with me about his "skill set". You've heard them. The cheeseheads who tell you that "no one else could make that throw". That's all fine and good. I am not questioning his ability, athleticism or even his Hall of Fame credentials. But that alone doesn't make a great quarterback and we now have to start looking at this (next season) to be 37 year old quarterback and question his career. 

 

I have been questioning it for a decade now and it was never more evident than this season. Rodgers was very average, and truth be told he's been average the past 3 seasons. His road record is flat out terrible and worse when you compare it to the players that he wants to be aligned with. Rodgers has barely over a .500 road record (50-49) in his career. Now let's look at the GOAT ... 102-48. We always hear about how San Francisco didn't pick ARodg at #1 overall and went with Alex Smith. Oh, you mean the Alex Smith that has the exact same road winning %? What about Rodgers against playoff teams? 40-40. Brady ... 89-43. 

 

So it is fair to say that Rodgers has built his career on beating up on garbage teams in Lambeu. Maybe that's the reason former offensive teammates can't wait to rip him publicly as a bad leader or his ex coach says he's difficult to work with. Perhaps that's why he historically leads the league in risk averse passes and throwing the ball away. He is near the bottom of the rankings every season in categories like throwing out of bounds with minimal duress and checkdowns rather than throwing to an one on one situation. Very different from the man who was behind center for the Packers for all those years in Favre who just refused to not take chances. 

 

So with all this said I beg the question ... why can't people see the light, and what I've seen for years, that while immensely talented Aaron Rodgers should go down in history as a cautionary tale rather than an all time great? Cam Newton let the ball roll around in the Super Bowl and was ripped so badly he never recovered. Rodgers did the same this postseason ... crickets. Peyton Manning was criticized his whole career for only winning one Super Bowl until he had to play through a neck surgery to get that 2nd one to quiet them.Drew Brees is hearing the same issues now. But some how Rodgers gets a pass. 

 

My final word here is this. Aaron Rodgers is now 1-4 in the NFC Championship. His one win was against a 3rd string QB, who should not have been in the league. Rodgers won that game by one touchdown by throwing zero TD's himself and two interceptions in that game. You can't tell me backing into a win in that game gets him off the hook. This is no secret anymore. Aaron Rodgers is not the GOAT, he isn't atop 3,5,10 even 15 all time quarterback ... and dare I say it at this point in his career Rodgers is downright average.