Nonstopdrivel
15 years ago

Rodgers powers Packers past Browns 31-3
 

By TOM WITHERS (AP) 4 hours ago

CLEVELAND On Green Bay's first offensive series, quarterback Aaron Rodgers got his helmet ripped off and punched in the face.

The Cleveland Browns hardly touched him again.

The Packers were the bullies.

"One of the linemen came over and said, 'Who was it? We got your back,'" Rodgers said. "That means a lot to me and that means a lot to our team."

Rodgers threw three touchdown passes, Ryan Grant rushed for 148 yards and the Packers warmed up for Brett Favre's first visit back to Lambeau Field next week with a 31-3 laugher Sunday over the Browns, who got over the flu but can't shake other problems.

It would have been understandable if the Packers (4-2) had overlooked an inferior opponent with their eyes on Favre's hyped return to Wisconsin with the Minnesota Vikings. But Rodgers and his teammates took care of business against the pathetic Browns (1-6), who have scored just four offensive touchdowns and 72 points all season.

Rodgers, who steps a little further out of Favre's immense shadow with each win, spent the afternoon focused on the Browns not Brett. So when did he allow himself to consider the rematch with the Vikings and No. 4, who beat the Packers 30-23 on Oct. 5 in Minneapolis?

"Just now," Rodgers said with a smile.

He finished 15 of 20 for 246 yards and the three TDs a 71-yarder to Donald Driver and 41-yarder to tight end/linebacker Spencer Havner in the first half, and a 5-yarder to James Jones to cap a 99-yard drive in the fourth quarter after the Packers defense stopped Cleveland at the 1.

Despite being without injured starting left tackle Chad Clifton, Green Bay's offensive line did not give up a sack after allowing a league-high 25 coming in and blow open huge holes for Grant. Rodgers' white No. 12 jersey had no grass stains. He had plenty of time to throw and picked apart Cleveland's secondary.

In the first quarter, Browns linebacker David Bowens had tried to rough up Rodgers by yanking off his helmet during a tackle.

Rodgers didn't name Bowens, but said "96" when asked about the incident, which he called "kind of a dirty play."

Bowens said he was just playing hard.

"I was just trying to grab anything I had," he said. "It wasn't malicious, I was just trying to get a stop. I apologized to him for it. He can call it what he wants to call it, but the refs didn't call it. I'd treat him different if he was passing the ball, that's different. But if he's running the ball, he's a running back. It's called football."

Right now, the Browns aren't playing football.

They were outclassed again, dominated by the Packers, who outgained them 460-139 and seemed to know their every move.

Leading 7-3, Rodgers hooked up with Driver on a simple play the Packers practiced all week. Watching tape of Cleveland's loss at Pittsburgh, they noticed the Browns blitzed their safety in certain packages. So when Rodgers saw Abram Elam coming, he threw to the open spot and hit Driver in stride. The Packers' wide receiver shook off two tackling attempts by Wright and high-stepped into the end zone.

Rodgers said Packers linebacker Desmond Bishop did a better job in practice showing the defensive look that the Browns did in the game.

"We went long count and I was sitting there thinking, 'I hope that guy comes because if he comes it'll be a big play,'" Rodgers said. "I threw it quick and he looked quick and the rest was Driver being Driver."

Unlike Rodgers, Browns quarterback Derek Anderson was under duress for four quarters. He completed 12 of 29 passes for 99 yards just 44 after the first quarter. The Browns had 1st-and-goal at the 1 the fourth, but failed to score on two running plays and two incompletions.

By game's end, Browns Stadium was mostly empty and the only noise was coming from Green Bay fans chanting "Let's go Pack."

"We aren't good right now," Anderson said. "That's it. Period. We haven't executed. We haven't done the right things to win ballgames. We haven't run the ball effectively, thrown it where we needed to. We haven't protected up front like we need to and caught it when we need to."

Ending a tumultuous week with a lopsided loss was not what Browns coach Eric Mangini had in mind.

"It's a very disappointing performance across the board," Mangini said. "I don't think we played very well. I don't think we coached very well. I thought we were making progress in a lot of areas. I don't think we showed that today at all."

NOTES: Packers TE Jermichael Finley injured his left knee after a catch in the first quarter and did not return. WR Brett Swain also sustained a knee injury. The team said both would undergo further tests Monday. ... Cribbs (7,214) moved into 18th place in career return yards, passing Bruce Harper (7,191).

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.


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porky88
15 years ago
I guess the arguement that Rodgers would be one of the best QBs if not the best QB in the league if he had time has some merit.

He's now 2nd in the league in QB rating with 11TDs and 2INTs.

The only thing that is missing is a statement like win which he has a chance to earn along with the rest of the Packers next week.
Zero2Cool
15 years ago
I thought beating the Bears with less than 2 minutes to go in the game was a nice statement. Hey, that's just me though.
UserPostedImage
Rockmolder
15 years ago

I thought beating the Bears with less than 2 minutes to go in the game was a nice statement. Hey, that's just me though.

"Zero2Cool" wrote:



Of course, but that was just a clip out of one complete game. The offense sputtered a little the rest of the time.

Then again, 'The greatest game ever player' followed that scenario.

Still, a win against the Vikings would be great and iconic for Rodgers. If they get him some time against Jared Allen and the Starcaps Wall, I'm pretty sure that he'll succeed.
LambeauEast
15 years ago
Damn, when they said they had his back, they actually HAD IT. Nice!
UserPostedImage
porky88
15 years ago

I thought beating the Bears with less than 2 minutes to go in the game was a nice statement. Hey, that's just me though.

"Zero2Cool" wrote:



That throw to Jennings was a monkey off your back type of play. It wasn't a statement win though. No more than beating Minnesota in week one of last year.
Zero2Cool
15 years ago

I thought beating the Bears with less than 2 minutes to go in the game was a nice statement. Hey, that's just me though.

"porky88" wrote:



That throw to Jennings was a monkey off your back type of play. It wasn't a statement win though. No more than beating Minnesota in week one of last year.

"Zero2Cool" wrote:



It was a statement win. I said so and the voices in my head agree with me. Correction four of the five voices are in agreement with me.
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packerfanoutwest (5h) : Doubs is out due to concussion
beast (7h) : What does the weather look like?
Martha Careful (11h) : You can wear long-johns mittens and a hat. We want Hill and their other skill guys FROZEN
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Zero2Cool (25-Nov) : doubt he wants to face the speedsters
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Mucky Tundra (25-Nov) : Bears. Santos. Blocked FG
Zero2Cool (24-Nov) : Bears. Vikings. OT
Mucky Tundra (24-Nov) : Thems the breaks I guess
Mucky Tundra (24-Nov) : Two players out and Williams had an injury designation this week but Oladapo is a healthy scratch
Zero2Cool (24-Nov) : Packers inactives vs 49ers: • CB Jaire Alexander • S Kitan Oladapo • LB Edgerrin Cooper • OL Jacob Monk
TheKanataThrilla (24-Nov) : Aaron Jones with a costly red zone fumble
Zero2Cool (24-Nov) : When we trade Malik for a 1st rounder, we'll need a new QB2.
packerfanoutwest (23-Nov) : Report: Aaron Rodgers wants to play in 2025, but not for the Jets
beast (23-Nov) : That's what I told the Police officer about my speed when he pulled me over
packerfanoutwest (23-Nov) : NFL told Bears that Packers’ blocked field goal was legal
packerfanoutwest (22-Nov) : 49ers are underdogs at Packers, ending streak of 36 straight games as favorites
Zero2Cool (22-Nov) : 49ers might be down their QB, DL, TE and LT?
packerfanoutwest (22-Nov) : Jaire Alexander says he has a torn PCL
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : Even with the context it's ... what?
Mucky Tundra (20-Nov) : Matt LaFleur without context: “I don’t wanna pat you on the butt and you poop in my hand.”
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.
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : He can shove his knowledge up his ass. He knows nothing.
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.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Jets sign Anders Carlson to their 53.
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
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