In a town with so much football tradition, writers on the Green Bay Packers beat are usually cautious to throw out hyperbole.
Yet the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and Green Bay Press-Gazette didn’t hesitate to call the performance by Aaron Rodgers on Saturday night against the Falcons one of the greatest by a quarterback in the team’s playoff history. If not the greatest.
Rodgers’ teammates certainly agreed.
Guard Daryn Colledge said that he couldn’t wait to watch the film so he could get a better look.
Greg Jennings: “Oh, my gosh, the guy is a phenomenal quarterback. He played lights out today. He played absolutely lights out. When he’s playing like that, boy he makes us a tough team to beat.”
Donald Driver: “When our big dog is playing well, all the other big dogs roll behind him. And that’s how we roll.”
ESPN.com’s Ross Tucker was one of many media members similarly in awe: “I know this sounds crazy, but Aaron Rodgers throws like Dan Mariono & moves like Steve Young. He really does. I’m still not over it.”
Rodgers only had five incompletions during his 366-yard, four touchdown performance. One was a drop. On another, his intended receiver fell. Rodgers constantly escaped Falcons defenders ready to sack him, then made plays outside of the pocket . He admitted it was “probably” his best performance as a pro.
“He’s a Pro Bowl quarterback and he’s not there,” Colledge told Gary D’Amato. “He deserves to be there. So maybe he goes to the Super Bowl instead of the Pro Bowl. I think he’d take that.”