walleye
16 years ago
Aaron Rodgers has waited patiently for his chance to be the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, and that opportunity will finally arrive Monday night when the division rival Minnesota Vikings visit Lambeau Field for the season opener.

"It's exciting, it really is," Rodgers said. "I've been running out of the tunnel for three years, and now I get to be the guy coming out. It's going to be electric Monday night, a great experience, a great challenge for us on offense.

"It's definitely a little surreal. It feels like it has gone by quick, but I know the years individually went by a little slow. It's nice to be able to be the guy now. I have the opportunity to be one of the leaders of this football team and hopefully get things started on the right foot this Monday."

After serving as the backup to Brett Favre for the past three seasons, Rodgers will inherit a starting role that brings plenty of added responsibility and pressure.

"Life's different," Head Coach Mike McCarthy said. "Anytime you move from the 2 chair to the 1 chair, I think you're kidding yourself if you say it's not. It's you now.

"I thought he did a very good job in the No. 2 chair of supporting the starter, as far as in the game-planning, the conversations in the room. Obviously when it was with Brett, he was in the lead chair, and now that he's in the first chair, I think he does a very good job of talking with the other guys, making sure."

McCarthy emphasized the increased preparation that will be required of Rodgers, which he has already seen from him this week.

"Everything is heightened," McCarthy said. "He's on top of his checks, his run checks. He came in early on Monday just to make sure he had it before everybody else. And he needs to continue to do that. You need to continue to put in extra work.

"That's part of being the starter, and every starter I've been around has done the same. It would be nothing to walk down here later in the week and see him in there watching film by himself. He needs to do those types of things."

What Rodgers will see on film is a Minnesota defense headlined by one of if not the top tackle tandem in the league in Pat and Kevin Williams, who helped lead the Vikings to the No. 1 ranking against the run in the NFL each of the past two seasons.

The Vikings also added to their front four in an April trade with Kansas City that brought defensive end Jared Allen, who led the NFL with 15.5 sacks in only 14 games in '07.

"Their front seven is one of the best in the league, so it's going to be a good test for us," Rodgers said. "We're going to have to be diligent with the run, and stay on big Pat and Kevin, and then when we get opportunities to throw the ball, I'm going to have to be effective."

In the Packers' 34-0 win over the Vikings at Lambeau Field last November, running back Ryan Grant ran for 119 yards on 25 carries, including a 30-yard touchdown on Green Bay's first possession. Grant was the only back to run for 100-plus yards all season on the Minnesota defense.

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Rodgers has not had the full arsenal of Green Bay's offensive weapons at his disposal during the preseason, with Grant sidelined the first three games with a hamstring injury, wide receiver Greg Jennings the first two with a knee injury and wide receiver James Jones for the final preseason game with a knee injury. The offensive line has also been forced to do some shuffling due to injuries to center Scott Wells and rookie guard Josh Sitton.

Even though the offense didn't have the luxury of a game with all starters in uniform, Rodgers said he is not overly concerned with the team's ability to find their rhythm come Monday night.

"It's not so much a game-to-game rhythm; it's an in-game thing," Rodgers said. "If we can get off to a good start, get things going early, and get into the flow of the game with a good rhythm and a good tempo on offense, we'll be fine."

Grant is expected to play against the Vikings, with Jones' status uncertain at this point.

"We've still got four talented guys," Rodgers said. "Mentally I think Jordy (Nelson) has done a great job. We haven't put him in too many different spots. Ruvell (Martin) is a guy who can really play all of the positions and he is extremely bright. Donald (Driver) and Greg can play just about every position as well."

Despite the changing lineups throughout the preseason, Rodgers looked impressive in his four starts, finishing 37-of-54 for 436 yards and three touchdowns with only one interception. He and the entire offense struggled in a return to Rodgers' home state of California when the Packers visited the 49ers, as the No. 1 offense generated only 46 yards of offense and four first downs in the first half in a 34-6 loss.

In a contest that Rodgers admitted took on added meaning, he said the San Francisco game provided some lessons as he looks forward to a more significant game on Monday night.

"It just reaffirmed to me the fact that this offense is structured in a way that I don't have to do too much," Rodgers said. "I just need to get the ball out of my hands quickly, and that's kind of what I got back to in Denver was just trusting the progressions, trusting the offense, and making quick, smart decisions.

"It's my job just to spread the ball out, get the ball to our playmakers, and it's their job to make plays when they are out there."

As Rodgers prepares for his first pro start in the regular season, on a national stage no less, he knows that all eyes will be on him, but isn't concerned about how that external attention will affect the team.

"I've played in a game before," Rodgers said. "Although this one means something, I played against Dallas last year. It's just going to be on a different level. I haven't played on a Monday night, but I have played on a Thursday night in Dallas on national TV.

"The pressure I think that a lot of people outside this room put on this game and this team is not going to affect us. It's the pressure that we as individuals put on ourselves to perform."
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wpr (30-May) : It's all good.
beast (30-May) : Yeah, and I enjoyed your comments and just attempted to add to it. Sorry if I did it incorrectly.
wpr (30-May) : Beast I never said Henderson was the salt of the earth. Nor even that he was correct. Just quoting the guy.
Zero2Cool (29-May) : What did you do??
Zero2Cool (29-May) : Whoa
beast (29-May) : OMG the website is now all white, even some white on white text
beast (29-May) : Henderson, who admits to taking cocaine during the Super Bowl against the Steelers, might dislike Bradshaw as he lost two Superbowls to him
wpr (28-May) : Hollywood Henderson said Bradshaw “is so dumb, he couldn't spell 'cat' if you spotted him the C and an A.”
Mucky Tundra (28-May) : Cooper stock=BUY BUY BUY
Mucky Tundra (28-May) : Also notes he’s playing with more confidence.
Mucky Tundra (28-May) : @AndyHermanNFL MLF says there was a time last year where Cooper was at 220 pounds. Now he’s at 240 and still flying around.
Mucky Tundra (28-May) : And don't even get me started on Frank Caliendos "impersonations"
Mucky Tundra (28-May) : I got tired of them being circle jerks with them overlaughing at each others jokes.
Zero2Cool (28-May) : It used to be must watch TV for me. now it's "meh" maybe to hear injury update
Mucky Tundra (28-May) : I haven't watched the pregame shows in years and I don't feel like I've missed a thing
Zero2Cool (28-May) : Love says knee affected him all season, groin injury didn't help matters.
Zero2Cool (28-May) : I used to enjoy him on FOX Pregame. Now it's like a frat party of former Patriots.
Zero2Cool (28-May) : LaFleur on Watson: “Christian is doing outstanding. I would say he’s ahead of schedule.”
Martha Careful (28-May) : Bradshaw is a dumb ass cracker. I am so tired of his "aw shucks" diatribe. He should shrivel up and go away.
buckeyepackfan (28-May) : He wad all butt hurt because Aaron duped the media saying he was immunized.
buckeyepackfan (28-May) : Bradshaw needs to retire. He's been ripping on Rodgers ever since the covid crap. He was all hury
Zero2Cool (28-May) : Terry Bradshaw doesn't want Rodgers in Pittsburgh lol wow
Zero2Cool (27-May) : one day contract, which he also feels is pointless, but if Packers came to him, he would
packerfanoutwest (27-May) : Aaron Rodgers talks possibility of retiring with Packers, just another rumor
dfosterf (27-May) : Go watch 2001
Zero2Cool (26-May) : 1984
dfosterf (26-May) : That movie sent a chill through many. 1968.
dfosterf (26-May) : "Open the pod bay doors, HAL"
buckeyepackfan (25-May) : Haven't we all seen thus movie? It doesn't end well!! Lol
Zero2Cool (25-May) : lol Anthropic’s new AI model turns to blackmail when engineers try to take it offline
dfosterf (25-May) : Claude Opus 4
dfosterf (25-May) : AI system resorts to blackmail when its developers threaten to take it offline
beast (22-May) : Colts Owner Jim Irsay has passed away
Zero2Cool (21-May) : Well, emailing should work now. After not working for almost a year. Oops.
Zero2Cool (21-May) : Brotherly Shove did not get enough votes.
Zero2Cool (20-May) : lol our email hasn't worked in months. 7 pages of unverified users
Zero2Cool (20-May) : MySpace Screaming Lord Byron ... Brett Favre.
Zero2Cool (19-May) : Packers have signed first-round pick Matthew Golden, leaving second-round tackle Anthony Belton as their only unsigned draft pick
beast (19-May) : Supposedly he has to take his image, and name off of it... but otherwise could keep selling wine if he wanted to.
Zero2Cool (19-May) : he giving up his win business?
beast (19-May) : Speaking of Woodson, sounds like he'll be a minority owner (0.1%) of the Browns
Mucky Tundra (15-May) : Zero, regarding Woodson, that'd why I find the timing with Williams peculiar
dfosterf (15-May) : Ryan Hall y'all does a great job of tracking thesr
Zero2Cool (15-May) : Fear not!! I planned to do 33mi bike ride tomorrow morning, so ... yeah
Zero2Cool (15-May) : We got some dark clouds and nasty winds right bout now.
Zero2Cool (15-May) : Madison they had hail 4pm.
dfosterf (15-May) : Sure looks like these tornadoes are headed towards Green Bay
Zero2Cool (15-May) : Woodson of Charles fame was reluctant and then loved it. that didn't really come out until post career
Mucky Tundra (15-May) : IE "We bought into the Bears and they let us down, we have no choice to seek alternatives"
Mucky Tundra (15-May) : Or that Williams and his family are preparing an exit ramp if they don't like how things are going in a few years
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