QB Rodgers goes against Belichick, not Brady
Aaron Rodgers vs. Tom Brady.
Two of the best quarterbacks in NFL history will battle for just the second time when the New England Patriots host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night.
“You’re seeing two of the best – two of the best of all-time,” Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said. “I think you really appreciate not only what they do on the field from a quarterback position and their contributions to the game of football – they’re on top of that – but what they do as men outside the game of football. If you want to study how to play quarterback, you need to watch that game Sunday night because you’re going to see all the little things. You’re going to see fundamentals, you’re going to see the at-the-line responsibility. From pure quarterback play, I think this is definitely one you want to watch.”
Despite their infrequent meetings – they’ve played only once, a 26-21 victory by Green Bay in 2014 – they’ve become friends. Brady marvels at how Rodgers plays the game; Rodgers visited Brady a few years ago to learn some of the secrets to longevity.
“Tom is a guy I grew up watching,” Rodgers said. “When I was a young player, I watched a lot of his film and obviously had a great one to watch in (Brett) Favre, but Tom’s been at the top of his game for over a decade, playing at a high level, winning MVPs and obviously winning Super Bowls. He’s been a phenomenal player in this league, so he’s a fun one to watch when you’re a younger player and trying to figure out what he’s doing. Obviously, we play a little bit different style of game but the stuff that he does well is stuff that over my career I’ve tried to incorporate into my own game.”
While Rodgers vs. Brady is the marquee attraction and the story line that NBC is pushing, the real intrigue is Rodgers vs. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. Rodgers, after all, won’t play a single snap against Brady. Rodgers, however, will have to battle Belichick’s ever-evolving defensive schemes.
“The thing that stood out (in the 2014 game) is they had a plan to start the game to take away Jordy (Nelson) and Randall (Cobb), and we got Davante (Adams) going,” Rodgers said. “Then they adjusted the plan then we found Jordy for a big one and they adjusted again. That’s what Bill and his staff will do. They’re going to try to take away what you do best – your one and two options – and if you start getting something else going, they’re going to adjust quickly to it, so you’ve got to have a second and third game plan when you play the New England Patriots.”
SERIES HISTORY: 11th regular-season meeting. Series tied, 5-5. Green Bay won Super Bowl XXXI to cap the 1996 season. The Patriots are 4-2 at home. Green Bay won the last matchup, 26-21, at Lambeau Field in 2014.
