SportsNation Blog Archives
Aaron Rodgers
Will sitting out cost Aaron Rodgers?
Aaron Rodgers watched as Packers No. 2 QB Matt Flynn threw for 480 yards and six TDs against the Lions in Week 17. Does resting for the playoffs hurt his case for MVP?
Was it wise to rest Rodgers?
The eternal debate of rest vs. rust rages on. The Packers already had a bye week coming, so was making Rodgers inactive the right move?
Whom do you want moving forward?
We'll get to your MVP vote in a minute, but that's a measure of past performance. If you're looking to the future, as in the playoffs, whom do you want?
Is Matt Flynn worthy of MVP money?
Flynn hits free agency at the right time. Kevin Kolb and Ryan Fitzpatrick got around $60 million with roughly $20 million guaranteed in recent deals. Is Flynn worth something similar?
Record awareness?
Drew Brees beat Dan Marino's record of 5,084 passing yards in a single season, but be honest: How many people knew the exact amount of that record?
Best stat?
Brees' quality as a quarterback is undeniable, but it's interesting to contrast his high completion percentage with his relatively high interception rate.
Best of the elite?
Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers also have a shot to break Marino's record, although Brady (187 yards to go) will have a much easier time of it than will Rodgers (441 yards to go).
Gosh, if only every game this season was as good as last night's matchup between the Saints and Packers, we might never leave the house. The NFL's season opener didn't disappoint, with long kick returns, great plays, and even a last-second play-calling controversy! So, so awesome. It wasn't even particularly sloppy, which was a huge worry because of the shortened training camp schedule. Hopefully this weekend's matchups will live up to it.
- "Why would NO try running right up the gut on the 1 inch line. And on quite a few runs, I noticed that Mark Ingram doesn't have good vision. If he just bounced it outside it could have been a different outcome..." -- SN commenter slogrind808
- "This game was a blessing for both teams, moreso the Pack cause they won, but you give film to both these teams of two of the best offenses in the league, they're both going to improve considerably. " -- SN commenter bezeg
Was it the right call?
A run up the gut on the last play of the game near the goal line isn't entirely unreasonable, but the Packers seemed to sniff the play out early on.
Are returners taking more risks?
There was a large expectation that moving the kickoff up to the 35-yard line would reduce the number of runbacks, but for guys like Devin Hester, last night may have been a sign of hope.
Could Cobb be great?
Randall Cobb had a pretty good first game last night -- he caught a touchdown pass and returned a kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown. Not bad, huh?
Madden ratings are often the most contentious topics in sports video games. Should Devin Hester have a 99 in speed? Which defensive lineman gets top marks for toughness? Is my team's QB more accurate than your team's? All week long, SportsNation is ranking the players with the top marks at each position. Today, we're taking a look at the best QBs in "Madden NFL 12." Tom Brady is the only quarterback with a 99 overall rating, but do you agree that he should get the top spot? Cast your vote now!
- "This list is almost money. Brees & Rivers should be switched, but that's it. I haven't seen anything past this top 5, but it's hard to argue its accuracy from an objectionable standpoint. " -- SN commenter all_fitch
- "Manning should be a 99 like Brady" -- SN commenter ridgeraider24
- "To be honest, there are too many overall 90+ quarterbacks. I think it should be these guys in that order, but everyone below them (maybe with the borderline exception of Vick) should not be a 90. " -- SN commenter tb1283
2. Who is the odd man out at quarterback for the NFC in the Pro Bowl?
At first glance, Aaron Rodgers looks like the quintessential Pro Bowl snub. He's third in the league in quarterback rating for a team that controls its own playoff fate in Week 17. He's a proven name at the position who has thrown 27 touchdowns this season. But as good as Rodgers is, who do you leave off the roster to take him? PollCenter
- "Rodgers has a strong case to start the Pro Bowl for the NFC, not sure how Ryan or Brees got the nod over him. And I'm a Bears fans." -- SN commenter rblumenfeld76
- Week 16 Pick 'Em: How will each contender fare in key Week 16 games?
- Power Rankings: Playoff positioning aside, what does your top 10 look like?
- Chat: NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert, 2 ET
It took until the final game of Week 15, but at least something went as expected in the NFC wild-card race. Two days after the Cowboys knocked the Saints from the ranks of the unbeaten in New Orleans and a day after the Packers lost to the Steelers on a last-second touchdown pass, the Giants embarrassed the Redskins on "Monday Night Football."
Aside from possibly making new Redskins president Bruce Allen reconsider his career choice, Monday's result kept the Giants one game behind the Cowboys and Packers in pursuit of the NFC's two wild-card bids. The NFC East title isn't done and dusted for the Eagles just yet, but among the three current wild-card contenders, which group of fans should feel best about the guy they have leading the way?
Look at how each quarterback has fared so far in December.
Eli Manning: 57-for-89 passing, 900 yards, 8 TD, 1 INT, 122.9 QB rating
Aaron Rodgers: 68-for-112 passing, 826 yards, 6 TD, 2 INT, 93.8 QB rating
Tony Romo: 82-for-119 passing, 953 yards, 6 TD, 0 INT, 109.7 QB rating
And then consider the changing fortunes of SportsNation's quarterback rankings.
Jason R. (Orlando)
So is the "Dallas can't win in December" thing dead forever thanks to beating the Saints?
Scouts Inc.'s Gary Horton
Yes, until this weekend. I don't buy the December fade thing. It just happened. This is a good football team. The problem I see is they don't put back to back games together. How many times this season have we loved them and then the next week they lay an egg? It may be different with their backs to the wall, but they are capable of winning their next two or losing them. Full transcript
Tom (NYC)
Are the Giants' struggles on defense this year entirely a schematic (read: Bill Sheridan) problem? That's the conventional wisdom out there. But it seems to me they've also had personnel issues (for example, Kenny Phillips' injury) and Umenyiora not playing up to form among others.. what are your feelings on the matter?
Football Outsiders' Bill Barnwell
Where to begin? Scheme. Misuse of personnel. Attitude and respect issues across the board. Injuries to key players, and a lack of depth when those players went down, especially with Phillips (remember how well the rookies played in 07 during the Super Bowl run?) and the execrable C.C. Brown. The idea was to build up a ton of depth up front and make the pass rush unbeatable. Instead, the rushers have still been disappointing, Canty's been hurt, Rocky Bernard's been a total non-factor, and the secondary minus Ross and Phillips has been exposed. Full transcript
- Your Rankings: Do the Packers make the top 10 in your Power Rankings?
- Chats: NFC East blogger Matt Mosley, 12 ET
- SN Map: 60 percent of SN still believes Joe Flacco is a franchise quarterback
If you're the type who sees the glass as half full, you might note that Joe Flacco at least completed half his passes to someone last night. If you're a Ravens fan, well, we imagine the glass was completely empty before Flacco's 15 completions and three interceptions.
With four weeks to play in the NFL regular season, Flacco and the Ravens are keeping pace with the rival Steelers in the AFC playoff race. And that's precisely the problem. At least SportsNation voters seem to have a handle on the Ravens, correctly predicting each of the team's last four games. The same can't be said for the Steelers.
Meanwhile, over in the NFC, the Packers are 8-4 and seemingly in good shape to seize a wild-card berth. But just how good is Aaron Rodgers? SportsNation says better than Donovan McNabb, Eli Manning or Tony Romo (if not as good as Kurt Warner), but Football Outsiders' Bill Barnwell had a different take in the Monday Night Football chat.
Zack (Beckley, Wv)
Favre, Brees, and Manning have really good stats. But has anyone looked at Aaron Rodgers Stats. They are just as good he has less int's then Manning and Brees. He also has a better QB rating
Football Outsiders' Bill Barnwell
That's a pretty disingenuous analysis. QB rating doesn't include sacks, which Rodgers has taken in boatloads (and separates him from Manning, Brees, and Favre). His completion percentage is several points worse, and he's played an extremely easy schedule. By DVOA, our statistical metric, he ranks as the 15th-best quarterback in the league. And that's a better stat than QB rating. Full transcript
Marty (Atlanta)
What was happened to the Steelers this season, 6-2 to now 6-6? We saw the same exact thing 3 years ago after they won a Super Bowl they had a miserable season following, can you really them one of the great teams of the decade when they have really been inconsistant season to season?
"First Take" analyst Drew Bennett
It's very rare that a defending Super Bowl champion has trouble with identity at this point in the season. To have your coach come out and say you're going to unleash hell in December and then lose to the Raiders is not indicative of a team following their coach. Couple that with Hines Ward's shots at Ben Roethlisberger and you have an identity problem. Full transcript
- Your Rankings: How do you rank all 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL?
- Vote: What do you make of Sunday's NFL results?
- Chat: Gary Horton from Scouts Inc. talks NFL, 4 p.m. ET
On the eve of Brett Favre's return to Lambeau Field, SportsNation was a house divided. Will Aaron Rodgers ever escape his predecessor's shadow? Slightly more than a third of voters said he eventually will. A similar percentage said he never will. In only a single, solitary state did the largest block of voters contend Rodgers already has escaped Favre's shadow.
We're guessing Wisconsin might feel differently this morning.
For the second time this season, Rodgers put up solid numbers against the Vikings. And for the second time, it wasn't good enough to beat Favre. And as good as Rodgers has been this season -- the poor guy has the league's best quarterback rating -- SportsNation voters say the Packers would have a better record with their former quarterback.
“Congrats, Brett! You deserve both victories and another run at the Super Bowl. Ted Thompson should be tarred and feathered!
” -- Jager_61761
“Aaron 'I cant beat Brett Favre' Rodgers is not even in the same leage as Brett Favre right now. I think he could be one day and do like him, but if he keeps getting beat up like he has been he will not make it another 2 years. Before we start compairing him to Brett Favre he needs to get us a winning seaon, he needs to get us to the playoffs.....that would be a good start dont you think???
” -- Oshvegas15
- Your Rankings: Who are the leading candidates for NFL MVP?
- Chats: Chris Mortensen wrap | Matt Williamson, 12 ET | Mel Kiper, 1 ET
Should we offer a moment of silence for fantasy football owners coming to the realization that Saints safety Darren Sharper has scored more touchdowns this season than Steven Jackson, Brandon Jacobs or Anquan Boldin?
The Saints are just outside the top 10 in total defense at the moment, which is kind of remarkable when you think about how often their opponents have the whole field to work with after yet another Saints touchdown and yet another Saints kickoff. Sharper may not be the sole reason for the success, given that he shares the field with guys like Charles Grant and Jonathan Vilma, but as a newcomer with a league-best six interceptions and three touchdowns, he's becoming the face of it.
When push comes to shove, 67 percent of SportsNation prefers a great defense to a great offense. But are you ready to give a guy like Sharper MVP consideration?
- Your Rankings: In its fifth season, how does the QB class of 2005 look?
- Your Power Rankings: Where do you have the 49ers this week?
- Blogger Chats: NFC North's Kevin Seifert, 2 ET | AFC North's James Walker, 4 ET
It's always easier to solve a problem if you start with what you know. And we know Adrian McPherson and Stefan LeFors are not the best quarterbacks selected in the 2005 draft. They may be better options at the position than JaMarcus Russell, but that's an entirely different problem.
Alex Smith's return to the starting lineup, on the heels of a quality relief appearance against the Texans, brings the class of 2005 back into focus. From surprise MVP candidates (Kyle Orton), big-money acquisitions (Matt Cassel) and the guy who pushed Brett Favre out of Green Bay (Aaron Rodgers) to a couple of guys fighting for starting snaps (Derek Anderson and Jason Campbell), it's not quite the class of 1983 but it's an interesting bunch.
After Smith lost out to Shaun Hill in the preseason, only 19 percent of SportsNation thought he would ever be a full-time NFL starter.
Sam (San Francisco, CA)
Thoughts on Alex Smith being named the Niners starter?
Gary Horton
I was really happy yesterday to see Smith get another chance. I really like him. Not only as a player, but people around him think highly of him and how he's handled the situation. The 49ers are last in the NFL for throwing to their WRs. For the most part, this passing game has been to RBs and TEs. That makes it easy to defend. Smith has the bigger arm than Shaun Hill. They now have Crabtree on the perimeter and they have the ability to really stretch the defense with Smith's arm strength and that opens up the run game. He's had a lot of time to study defenses and work on his weaknesses and I would like to think that this is not only a real positive for Smith but that it really opens up the 49ers offense. Full transcript.
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