Friday, September 19, 2008
NFL Q&A: Is Rodgers Better Than Favre?
Is Aaron Rodgers even better than Brett Favre?
In case you hadn't noticed, the kid is pretty good.
His 117.8 quarterback rating, 253 yards per game, 2 touchdowns per game, and no interceptions only tell half the story. The way he carries himself on the field and how his teammates seem so eager to follow him tells the rest of the story.
In case you hadn't noticed, he's better at this point in his career than the guy he replaced. That's not to say he's better than Brett Favre ever was, but he's certainly better than Brett Favre is today.
Inarguably better. Much, much better.
The Packers, a team some believed would struggle without Favre, are going to be even better without him. Aaron Rodgers just brings more to the table than the 2008 version of Brett Favre.
There are a lot of people in Green Bay who owe Packer management an apology. They were right — all of the fan-owners were wrong.
Aaron Rodgers is the right guy to lead this Packers team.
No matter how much pressure he faces in the playoffs, can it possibly compare to what he went through in Week 1? The fans were ready to boo him. They wanted to jump all over him. They wanted Brett Favre back.
But Rodgers played his was into their good graces. They wanted to boo him, but they were too busy cheering him.
Think the Dallas Cowboys or the New York Giants in January are going to put more pressure on him than he felt that day?
Neither do I.
Why is Chad Pennington starting for the Dolphins?
I could understand starting Pennington over John Beck and Chad Henne if the Dolphins had even a remote chance at making the playoffs this season.
But this team is not making the playoffs. They'll be lucky to win five games. So why not play the rookies?
I, personally, have seen enough of John Beck. I'd like to see Chad Henne get some reps.
This is a team that should be building for the future, not worrying about adding a win or two to this season.
How does Matt Millen still have a job?
Have you seen the Lions' defense? They might be the worst defensive unit in NFL history.
Millen took over as CEO and GM of the Lions in 2000. It's now 2008. The Lions are arguably worse off today than they were when he took over — and that's saying something!
In between drafting wide receivers, he's done absolutely nothing to fill the holes in this team. His defense has actually managed to get worse every season. His offense has taken some dramatic steps back this season.
When John Kitna is your best move as a GM, you probably shouldn't be a GM.
Is Vince Young a bust?
With the latest news about Vince Young being an emotional, and potentially suicidal wreck after the Tennessee fans booed him in the season-opener, is it time to admit that Vince Young as a bust as a professional quarterback?
He's a terrible passer. He's a pretty good running back, but like most running backs masquerading as quarterbacks, he has trouble staying healthy because of all the hits he takes.
Yes, the Titans made the playoffs last year. But you can make a pretty good argument that they did it in spite of him, not because of him.
As a quarterback in the NFL, you're supposed to start making strides in your third season. Young looks just as bad in the pocket as he did the day he was drafted.
Maybe he'll prove me wrong, but I'm ready to declare the Vince Young experience a failure.
Sean Crowe is a senior writer for Bleacher Report and writes a column for Sports Central every other Thursday. You can read more articles by Sean Crowe on his blog.