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Did Loss to Giants Suggest Aaron Rodgers Is  Slipping or Adjusting?

Former Cal quarterbacks Rodgers, Jared Goff have disappointing days. Cameron Jordan, Marvin Jones Jr have good games.
Jake Curtis|
Did Loss to Giants Suggest Aaron Rodgers Is  Slipping or Adjusting?
Did Loss to Giants Suggest Aaron Rodgers Is  Slipping or Adjusting?

Trailing by seven points with 1:11 left in the fourth quarter, the Packers and former Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers faced a third-and-2 at the Giants' 6-yard line. And it was really closer to third-and-1.

This figured to be an automatic touchdown with Rodgers in control. The main issue was taking enough time off the clock to minimize New York's chances after the Packers scored the inevitable touchdown.

But Rodgers threw incomplete passes on third and fourth downs, and the Packers lost 27-22 Sunday morning in London.

Rodgers finished 25-for-39 for 222 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions and a 96.3 passer rating.  But he an the Packers were unable to hang on to a 17-3 lead it held in the second quarter.

It drops the Packers' record to 3-2, and the question remains: Is Rodgers, at age 38, slipping, or does it simply take time to gain confidence and rhythm with all the new elements of Green Bay's passing game.  He said the offense was a work in progress, so maybe things will come together over the next few weeks, and Rodgers will work his way back into the MVP conversation.

However, there is evidence that the NFL is being taken over by the younger generation of quarterbacks.

Entering Sunday, eight of the top nine players in passer rating -- which is the best indicator of passing effectiveness -- were all 27 years old or younger.  And that includes former Cal quarterback Jared Goff of the Lions, who is 27 years old and ranked seventh in passer rating before this weekend.

The proven veteran over 30 are all ranked lower. Tom Brady entered the weekend 10th, Rodgers 12th, Kirk Cousins 18th, Russell Wilson 20th, Matthew Stafford 23rd, Matt Ryan 25th.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, Rodgers' 43.1 QBR (ESPN's total quarterback rating, not the passer rating) this season entering this weekend's game was his worst in the first four games of a season since he became a starter in 2008. 

Time will tell, but presumably all of those over-30 veterans will improve as the season goes along based on their experience and expertise, but we'll see.

Rodgers was not the only former Cal quarterback who had a disappointing day. Ex-Golden Bear Jared Goff has given the Detroit lions some hope with strong performances in their first three games, but he could not get the Lions any points in a 29-0 loss to New England on Sunday.

Goff was 19-for-35 for 229 yards, no touchdowns, one interception, one fumble and a 62.7 passer rating.

His interception came on a first-down play from the Patriots' 18-yard line in the first quarter.

Later in the first half, the Lions faced a fourth down at the Patriots' 34-yard line when Goff was sacked and fumbled. The fumble was recovered by New England's Kyle Dugger and returned 59 yards for a touchdown that made the score 13-0.

Here's how other ex-Cal players did in the NFL Sunday:

---Jaguars wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr., who had his streak of 120 consecutive games (including playoffs) with at least one reception stopped last week, responded with a big game in Jacksonville's 13-6 loss to Houston.

Jones had seven receptions for 104 yards, his most receiving yards in a game since the 2020 season.

---Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan had a big game in New Orleans' 39-32 win over Seattle. Jordan had 1.5 sacks and two tackles for losses, and also recorded two quarterback hurries.

---Falcons starting safety Jaylinn Hawkins had a career-high 10 tackles, including one on special teams, but Atlanta lost to Tampa Bay 21-15.

---Camryn Bynum was a starting safety for the Vikings in their 29-22 victory over the Bears, and he recorded one tackle.

---Jets safety Ashtyn Davis played in New York's 40-17 triumph over Miami but did not have any statistics.

---Steelers nose tackle Tyson Alualu played but did not start and did not not record any statistics in a 38-3 loss to the Bills.

---Browns linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk played but did not start in Cleveland's 30-28 loss to the Chargers and did not register any statistics.

---Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen sat out his fourth straight game with a hamstring injury.

---Bears safety Elijah Hicks made one tackle on special teams in the 29-22 loss to the Vikings.

---Bears fullback Jake Tonges was not active for Sunday's game.

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Cover photo of Aaron Rodgers by Mark Hoffman, USA TODAY Sports

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Jake Curtis
JAKE CURTIS

Jake Curtis worked in the San Francisco Chronicle sports department for 27 years, covering virtually every sport, including numerous Final Fours, several college football national championship games, an NBA Finals, world championship boxing matches and a World Cup. He was a Cal beat writer for many of those years, and won awards for his feature stories.

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