Aaron Rodgers is already better than Farve ever was

[Natetradomus 0]

Favre only retired this year. It's not like this big change to pass happy offenses happened this year. Plus Rodgers doesn't have the benefit of playing hopped up on pain meds, so he can't eke out those exra starts.

 

You're assuming athletes today aren't popping tylenol ten times a day before game. Favre was way past his prime before the NFL became a passing league. Even his last impressive year year before with MIN - those stats didn't impress me because of his age, it's just what the NFL has become. Athletes take pain injection shots at halftime all the time now. It's a totally different era. Training has evolved as well. The 80s and 90s - you take one regular dose of advil and they frown on that. The flip side of the coin is that you have wussy athletes who are just in it for the money and will just sit on the bench and not play.

[Canadianfan 76]

Rodgers has been the starter in GB for 3+ years, after getting to sit and learn for 3 years to start his career. In addition, he "inherited" a team that was dominant before he became the starting QB (13-3, lost in the NFC Championship the year before he got the job). His teams Defense has been top-5 in two of his 3 years as starter (the one year when it wasn't, he had his worst year as a starter-2008).

 

Favre didn't have the luxury of getting to sit for 3 years and become comfortable in the offense. He was thrown into the starters role in the middle of his 2nd season (his first in GB). He "inherited" a 4-win team, and nearly led them to a division title in his first season in GB. His teams' defenses in his first 3 full years as starter were in the top-10 twice, and 14th the 3rd year.

 

So, let's compare.

 

Rodgers' 1st 3 full years as starter:

1003 completions, 1552 attempts, 65% completion, 86 passing TDs, 31 INTs, 13 rush TDs, average QB rating of 99.4, W-L record of 27-20.

 

Favre's 1st 3 full years as starter:

1040 completions, 1674 attempts, 62% completion, 90 passing TDs, 51 INTs, 6 rush TDs, average QB rating of 87.5, W-L record of 29-19.

 

So, at this point in their careers, one could argue that Rodgers is better than Favre was. However, you have to consider the fact that Favre became a starter much earlier in his career than Rodgers did, and he had to "learn on the job," while Rodgers was able to hold the clipboard, and learn how to read/react to NFL defenses without having to throw picks, incompletions, etc in game situations while learning.

 

Also, you must consider that Favre's 3rd year as starter was the first of 3 consecutive MVP years for Favre. If Rodgers continues to play at his level for this year (and the next 2), he could join Favre. However, Rodgers isn't better than Favre ever was. At best, you could say he is on his way to being as good or better than Favre, but he isn't there yet.

 

 

smarten up and watch the film

[Herbivore 915]

Favre was pretty good when he won the 3 MVP's in a row.