Rodgers: ‘I just want to win now’

Aaron Rodgers has had better days on the field but a first-place record of 4-1 had him beaming following a victory over Dallas.

Aaron Rodgers’ star tends to shine brightly at the home of the team with the star on its helmets.

Rodgers’ first significant playing time came in Week 13 of the 2007 season, when he replaced an injured Brett Favre and threw for 201 yards in a loss at Dallas.

The Packers’ victory in Super Bowl XLV came in Dallas – well, Arlington, Texas, to be exact – and Rodgers won MVP honors with 304 passing yards and three touchdowns.

In the 2016 playoffs, Rodgers was sensational with 355 passing yards and two touchdowns. His scrambling completion to tight end Jared Cook that set up the winning field goal is the stuff of legend.

Rodgers’ performance in Sunday’s 34-24 victory over the Cowboys was anything but legendary. By Rodgers’ standards, in fact, it was fairly mediocre. Rodgers completed 22-of-34 passes for 238 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. His passer rating was a ho-hum 85.2. He didn’t complete a single pass of more than 25 yards. Once again, at Rodgers’ direction, the third-down offense was horrendous.

“Days like today, it’s not the greatest statistical game for myself but I feel like I played my best game of the season,” Rodgers said. “The way that I was moving and seeing things. I’ve accomplished a lot statistically in this league. I just want to win now.”

Those weren’t just empty, made-for-TV words from the two-time MVP quarterback. Rodgers was full of smiles at the podium following the game. Not even a bizarre question that started with “distributing your Packer city lightning” and segued into a query about Curly Lambeau-era star Lavvie Dilweg could wipe the smile off his face.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s a good question, though,” Rodgers said with a laugh.

Rodgers was Rodgers-esque at times. On the drive that put the Packers in front 14-0 in the first quarter, he extended plays for completions of 23 yards to tight end Jimmy Graham and 23 more yards to tight end Robert Tonyan. Otherwise, he just sort of made things work. With star receiver Davante Adams sidelined with a toe injury, Rodgers completed only four passes to his receivers. Center Corey Linsley, the ringleader of the offensive line, missed the final three quarters with a concussion. An injury to Tonyan deprived Rodgers of another weapon.

And yet, the Packers scored 31 points on their first nine possessions to take a commanding 28-point lead that was good enough.

For years, Green Bay’s success was tied almost solely to Rodgers. That’s no longer the case. Not that Rodgers isn’t able to carry the load – he threw for more than 400 yards in last week’s loss against Philadelphia – but he’s got a big-play defense and a big-play running back in Aaron Jones to help get the job done.

“I knew it was going to be tough without Davante but I felt good about the way I was moving in the pocket and extending plays and taking care of the ball,” Rodgers said. “I had a couple good throws to get going, didn’t really make any stupid mistakes. And, obviously, Jonesy running the ball helped out a lot.”

When the Packers fired Mike McCarthy and hired Matt LaFleur, there not only were an endless barrage of questions about how Rodgers would handle being with a young, unproven coach, there were questions about how Rodgers would deal with a scheme centered on the running game and not his virtuoso talents.

Those hot takes are pretty cold now. If you don’t believe it, go back and watch his nearly 11-minute media session after a game in which the Packers won for the first time since December 2016 in a contest that Rodgers started and finished but didn’t throw a touchdown pass.

That the Packers can win with dominating defense (at Chicago) and a dominating rushing attack (at Dallas) is good news. The more ways you can win, the better a team’s chances of winning in January. With his one Super Bowl victory becoming more and more a distant memory, getting to the playoffs and winning in the playoffs is what matters most to Rodgers.

Said Rodgers: “To be 4-1 and be first in the division feels pretty good right now.”