If you could have one quarterback to start for your team next season, who would you choose? Back in August, the only acceptable answers to that question were Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger or Drew Brees. Yet if Aaron Rodgers wins Sunday, he will force his way into the conversation.
With only three years as a starter and one Pro Bowl on his resume, we are unable to place Rodgers in history like we can with his Super Bowl counterpart. But if we ignore past achievements and focus on which quarterback is the best in the league today, Rodgers's case is a strong one. Since he took the reins of the Packers from Brett Favre in 2008, he's top 5 in completions, attempts, yards, touchdowns and passer rating (among passers with at least 30 starts). The only other players who can make that claim are Manning, Brees and Philip Rivers. Additionally, Rodgers's stellar 7.99 yards per pass attempt is the second best in the league and a strong sign of efficiency. And as if that wasn't enough, he averages 293 yards and four touchdowns rushing each season. Simply put, there are few quarterbacks in the league who can match Rodgers's passing ability; and those that do, aren't close to the running threat that he is. Even without a win on Sunday, it's clear that Ted Thompson's decision to trade the final years of Favre's career for the whole of Rodgers's was a great move.
And yet, Rodgers finds himself in the same position that Brees was at this time last year. He's had upper-tier statistics since he became a starter, yet lacks postseason success. But after he's carried his team on an impressive playoff run, he just needs one more win to get a championship and legitimately place him aside Manning, Brady, and Roethlisberger as the best quarterbacks in the game today. Brees saw the opportunity and grabbed it by the throat. Will Rodgers do the same?
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