It’s not completely true that Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers have never gone head-to-head. In fact, the Patriots and Packers quarterbacks played against each other during New England’s most recent trip to Lambeau Field eight years ago, a 35-0 whitewashing by the Patriots that jettisoned Brett Favre from the game with an elbow injury so serious it kept him out all of seven days. Favre was only 5-of-15 in that game, throwing for 73 yards before he departed, opening the door for Rodgers, who made his fifth career appearance that afternoon, playing the entire second half against the Patriots. The first-round draft pick out of California came into the day with modest career numbers in his limited playing time - 11 completions, no touchdowns, one interception, and a quarterback rating of only 45.7. Against New England, they weren’t much better, a 4-for-12, 32-yard day that didn’t exactly have Packers fans clamoring for the 23-year-old to take over for the popular Favre. Yet. I think I put him in a tough situation, trying to get out there and throw the ball every time, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said. He made some plays with his feet, and I think you could see his athletic ability. It was a great test for his preparation. Without seeing the film, I thought that he was OK.” Brady, meanwhile, was an efficient 20-of-31, throwing for 244 yards and four touchdowns, one each to tight ends Ben Watson and Daniel Graham, running back Laurence Maroney, and wide receiver Reche Caldwell. The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the 2006 Patriots, who improved to 7-3, while the Packers fell to 4-6. New England would find heartbreak in the AFC Championship game that season, while the Packers would be non-factors prior to their resurgence in 2007, when it seemed Green Bay and New England might be on a collision course to meet again in the Super Bowl, a decade after the Packers’ win in New Orleans. Many predict the same in 2014, but for now it’s only Sunday for Rodgers, against a team the Packers haven’t beaten since 2002 at home where they are 5-0 this season. Then again, the Patriots havent lost at Lambeau Field since 1979. “We don’t get up and down more for any other matchup,” Rodgers said This is an uncommon opponent, this AFC team. This time of year, you want to win all your games, especially the ones at home when you’re in a position to control your own fate here. We can keep on a roll and hopefully get a home playoff game. That’s what we’re thinking about.” boston/sports/columnists/wilbur/2014/11/eight_years_later_aaron_rodsgers_gets_his_second_c.html
Posted on: Sun, 30 Nov 2014 19:28:14 +0000
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