Aaron Rodgers is the best quarterback in the NFL. He wasn’t great to start the game against the Bears and their newly elite defense, but Rodgers played one of the greatest second halves of football that I’ve ever seen — on one leg.
The game started with a quick punt from the Packers, and then Matt Nagy and the Bears revamped offense looked unstoppable as they had a 10 play, six minute scoring drive capped off by a Mitch Trubisky rushing touchdown. The Packers punted again, the Bears scored again, then the Packers punted again. The next time the Packers got the ball, they had another quick three and out, but Aaron Rodgers was carted off with a knee injury. Packers fans saw their season flash before their eyes as Deshone Kizer came onto the field. Kizer went onto fumble — forced and recovered by new Bears acquisition Khalil Mack. Then Kizer threw a pick six — once again, by Khalil Mack. Suddenly, it was 17-0 at the half.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60172541/usa_today_10440947.0.jpg)
Randall Cobb took a short pass to the endzone to end the game (photo via Acme)
Then Rodgers came out of the locker room, and no one was sure if he was going to play. The Bears had another long drive, ending in a Cody Parkey field goal to make it 20-0 with under 25 minutes to go. Rodgers came on, and he couldn’t move, but he marched the team down the field to a field goal. The Packers defense came through by forcing a quick punt, and then Rodgers led a touchdown drive ending in a perfect 39 yard touchdown pass to Geronimo Allison. The Packers defense came through again, this time with a huge third and one stop. Rodgers marched down the field again, and Davante Adams scored his first touchdown of the season to make the score 20-17. Matt Nagy and the Bears wouldn’t go down without a fight, and they managed to have a long, 7 minute drive that ended in a field goal, leaving Aaron Rodgers with 2 and a half minutes to score a touchdown. Two incompletions left Rodgers and the Packers in a hole at 3rd and 10 on their own 25, but then Randall Cobb caught a 10 yard pass and took it to the endzone, winning the game for the Packers.
Brady admitted after the game that Rodgers is “so much more talented than [him]” and that if he had the same offensive scheme as Brady, he’d “throw for 7,000 yards every year.” Brady is widely considered the greatest of all time, but at the moment, Rodgers is the best quarterback in the NFL — even if he has one leg.
Rye Sports Center 