Detroit Lions: Ranking the Starting Quarterbacks of the NFC North

If this were a beer-chugging contest, Rodgers would be the worst quarterback in the NFC North.  Unfortunately, this isn’t a beer-drinking contest, and Aaron does rank as the divisions’ top quarterback.

Aaron Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks in all of football. He’s a phenomenal athlete; he can move and slide in the pocket to elude the rush.  He can take off and run for a first down if the opportunity arises.  He’s a precision thrower, who does not turn the ball over.  In fact, he only threw 2 interceptions all of last season.

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He always said protecting the ball was something he focused on during his time sitting behind the great Brett Favre.  Farve was extraordinary, but one of his faults was throwing interceptions.  He had that gunslinger mentality.  Quarterbacks like that think they can make every throw.  Every receiver is open in their eyes even if they are triple covered.  According to Rodgers, the coaching staff in Green Bay always preached protecting the ball, but Favre didn’t exactly have that in his DNA.

Rodgers thought the only chance he’d have is proving he could put up similar numbers to Favre and protect the ball and the opportunity to unseat the Hall of Famer may arise.  After sitting behind Favre, learning for three seasons, Rodgers got his chance.  He’s won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers.  The only starting QB in the division to win a SB.

Rodgers has a whopping 103.1 career quarterback rating.  His career record is 101-57-1.  He’s tossed for 43,147 yards throughout his career, 339 touchdowns, and 80 interceptions.

He and Mike McCarthy had been tied at the hip until the beginning of this season.  McCarthy an outstanding, offensive-minded coach ended up butting heads with Rodgers leading to the organization to make a change.

The team brought in Matt LaFleur who was born in Mount Pleasent, Michigan to be the franchises’ new head coach.  LaFleur continues the tend throughout the league of young offensive-minded head coaches.  He started two years ago as the Rams OC under Sean McVay.  Last season he ran the offense in Tennessee, nothing to write home about but it landed him the gig in Green Bay.

Although the offense didn’t look too impressive week one against the Chicago Bears, they did enough to get the victory. In week one Rodgers completed 60% of his passes for a mere 203 yards and one touchdown.

Rodgers is a quarterback that elevates the players around him. He’s a two-time NFL MVP and a seven-time pro-bowler.  Expect him to make a star out of either Marquez Valdes-Scantling or Geronimo Allison who play opposite of Davante Adams.  Adams, a premier NFL number one receiver who often commands double coverage leaves the other young receivers in single coverage.  Rodgers will be able to dissect the defense and find the miss-match, delivering a perfect ball.

Even with a slow start in week one, expect Rodgers to finish the season with around 4600 yards and 35 touchdowns throwing somewhere around 4 or 5 total interceptions.