macbob
  • macbob
  • Veteran Member Topic Starter
13 years ago
I was astonished that this was written by a Chicago writer, with quotes like:

"assuming there's football in 2011, let's look forward to Indianapolis hosting a Super Bowl XLVI showdown between Rodgers and Brady"

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/ct-spt-0208-haugh-chicago--20110207,0,1522185.column 

Packers QB's performance before and during Super Bowl eye-opening

Other than Pittsburgh, no other football city endured a longer Monday than Chicago.

Some Bears fans probably would rather go through last week's blizzard again than get buried by all the love heaped upon the Packers and Aaron Rodgers after their Super Bowl XLV win over the Steelers. Knowing two of the Packers' six straight victories on the way to the title came against their NFC North rivals is enough for some Grabowski households to rid their refrigerators of cheddar.

Take solace, Chicagoans, in the only thing you can. It could be worse.

They could have built a roof over Lambeau Field.

Imagine Rodgers playing every home game under ideal conditions. On second thought, don't. I can't be responsible for any Bears fan's insomnia.

As Rodgers showed against the Falcons in the Georgia Dome in the playoffs with a nearly flawless showing, he does more damage on indoor carpet than a new puppy. He was at it again on the artificial surface of Cowboys Stadium, picking his spots, beating the blitz, heating up at room temperature against the NFL's No. 1 defense.

But Rodgers did more than simply escape tired comparisons to Brett Favre and deepen his bond with kindred quarterback spirit Steve Young who helped Favre's successor navigate life following a legend. Rodgers established himself as an elite quarterback who deserves mention after the names Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. There's Brady, Manning, Rodgers, Drew Brees and Philip Rivers?

Some cities get all the quarterbacks.

Consider Rodgers completed 24 of 39 passes for 304 yards and three TDs without an interception in the Super Bowl and had at least four passes dropped.

The scariest part?

"The challenge now goes to repeating, scrutinizing this season, finding ways to get better," Rodgers said Monday at a news conference. "As a kid, I always wanted to obviously win a Super Bowl. Now that I've got one, it's like, 'Now what?' Let's go get another one."

I don't know of an NFC North team good enough yet to get in the Packers' way once they add their 15 injured players into the mix. I can think of only one or two teams possibly capable in the entire NFC. The Patriots in the AFC with a bunch of draft picks come the closest, so, assuming there's football in 2011, let's look forward to Indianapolis hosting a Super Bowl XLVI showdown between Rodgers and Brady.

Until then, many teams now chasing the Packers can learn from Rodgers starting with the Bears.

If I am in the Bears' front office, I hire somebody to make a videotape documenting the way Rodgers conducted himself during Super Bowl week. Examine how Rodgers handled interviews, dealt with people, suffered fools. Then find out where Jay Cutler is and FedEx him a copy to study a professional franchise quarterback acting like one. Every day, Rodgers made the Packers organization a little prouder.

Have an image consultant go over every last detail of Rodgers' Super Bowl week with Cutler. Make Rodgers the standard by which Cutler should measure himself in every way because that is his new reality.

That's not picking on Cutler. But something's missing, and only he can find it during the most critical offseason of his career. As one NFC coach reminded me last week, talentwise, there is nothing Rodgers can do that Cutler can't. He can be that good. Sure, Rodgers benefits from a deeper receiving corps and a better offensive line. But Rodgers ascended quickly to this level because of intangibles such as maturity, poise and patience.

If you don't think those off-the-field traits are related to on-the-field predictors for an NFL quarterback, you're not paying attention to what makes the top 10 at the position worthy of that status.

An obvious quality Rodgers has that Cutler lacks is something people rarely mention: humility. It humbled Rodgers to drop to 24th overall in the 2005 NFL draft. Holding a clipboard his first three seasons didn't exactly give him reason to be cocky. He likely cursed his plight back then, but waiting made Rodgers better in terms of attitude and ability when his time finally came after the Favre trade in 2008.

Rodgers' gradual progress gives every NFL team something to consider as the possibility of a rookie salary cap looms in the next collective bargaining agreement. How many more first-round quarterbacks might benefit from a backup role as Rodgers did before being thrust into the forefront? For every Mark Sanchez there is a Brady Quinn.

The current system that guarantees small fortunes to quarterbacks selected high such as Sam Bradford or Matthew Stafford prematurely forces them onto the field where they often develop bad habits that threaten their confidence. Outrageous financial commitments make the development clock tick louder.

Guys like Bradford and Stafford show glimpses of greatness, but how much more polish and consistency might they show if they spent their first two years learning from a veteran?

As the Steelers found out the hard way, the education of Rodgers is now complete.

"I thought Aaron Rodgers played like Aaron Rodgers," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said.

But a star wasn't born in the Super Bowl. Rodgers was carefully molded and shaped until it was clear he was ready to shine.

ChicagoTribune wrote:

Greg C.
13 years ago
The funny thing is, Rodgers and Cutler are friends. You would think Cutler would learn a thing or two from him. If he doesn't learn it now, I guess he never will.
blank
gbpfan
13 years ago
I have to disagree with the guy,Cutler will never be that good he really didn't do anything for broncos don't see him doing it for da bears think of Grossman who the poor redskins have to deal with.
wpr
  • wpr
  • Preferred Member
13 years ago
It is so funny how Bears fans have QB etal envy.
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beast (20-Nov) : We brought in a former Packers OL coach to help evaluate OL as a scout
beast (20-Nov) : Jets have been pretty good at picking DL
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : He landed good players thanks to high draft slot. He isn't good.
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beast (20-Nov) : More knowledge, just like bring in the Jets head coach
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : What? Why? Huh?
beast (19-Nov) : I wonder if the Packers might to try to bring Douglas in through Milt Hendrickson/Ravens connections
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : The Jets fired Joe Douglas, per sources
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : Jets are a mess......
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Pretty sure Jets fired their scouting staff and just pluck former Packers.
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Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : When you cycle the weeks, the total over remains for season. But you get your W/L for that selected week. Confusing.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the total and percentage are the same as the previous weeks
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the total and percentage are the same as the previous weeks
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the totals are accurate..nrvrtmind
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : I don't follow what you are saying. The totals are not the same as last week.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : ok so then wht are the totals the same as last week?
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : NFL Pick'em is auto updated when NFL Scores tab is clicked
Martha Careful (19-Nov) : The offense was OK. Let's not forget the Bear defense is very very good.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : Who updates the leaderboard on NFLPickem?
beast (19-Nov) : Has the Packers offense been worse since the former Jets coach joined the Packers?
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Offense gets his ass in gear, this could be good.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Backup QB helped with three wins. Special Teams contributed to three wins.
bboystyle (18-Nov) : Lions played outside thats why. They scored 16 and 17 in the only 2 outside games this year
Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : The rest of the NFL is catching up to Packers ... kicking is an issue throughout league
packerfanoutwest (18-Nov) : Packers DL Kenny Clark: We knew 'we were going to block' Bears' game-winning field goal attempt
Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : Lions seem to be throttling everyone, but only (only) got 24 lol maybe the rain is why
Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : Packers vs Lions game doesn't seem so bad.
beast (18-Nov) : Dennis Green "They are what we thought they were, and we let them off the hook!"
Martha Careful (17-Nov) : comment of the day Z2Cool "Bears better than we want to admit. Packers worse than we think. It's facts."
Mucky Tundra (17-Nov) : my worst case scenario: Bears fix their oline and get a coach like Johnson from the Lions and his scheme
Zero2Cool (17-Nov) : Bears get OL fixed amd we might have a problem
buckeyepackfan (17-Nov) : Pretty sure they already have scouting reports on guys who aren't even starting for their college team. The future is now for me.
buckeyepackfan (17-Nov) : I tend to let Gute and Co. Worry about the future.
beast (17-Nov) : That's great news and Packers need to keep upgrading their OL, DL and DBs this off-season, so missing one guy doesn't kill them
beast (17-Nov) : That's great news and Packers need to keep upgrading their OL, DL and DBs this off-season, so missing one guy doesn't kill them
buckeyepackfan (17-Nov) : Jaire and Evans Williams are both ACTIVE! Good news.
Martha Careful (17-Nov) : The badgers really need to change the whole offensive scheme. No draws no screens plus the quarterback is marginal
Cheesey (17-Nov) : If the Badgers had a decent QB, they would have won. The guy can't hit a wide open receiver
Martha Careful (17-Nov) : chop block
Martha Careful (17-Nov) : there was a very questionable job Block call that upon viewing replay was very borderline
beast (17-Nov) : How so? (I didn't watch)
Zero2Cool (17-Nov) : Badgers got hosed vs Oregon
packerfanoutwest (16-Nov) : damn,he hasn't played since week 2
Mucky Tundra (15-Nov) : poor guy can't catch a break
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