How Do the Green Bay Packers Spell Relief? R-O-D-G-E-R-S

How would you have liked to have been in Aaron Rodgers' cleats coming into Monday night's game against division rival Minnesota?

Here's a guy whose name has been everywhere this summer, largely associated with the return of Brett Favre—OK, entirely associated with the return of Brett Favre. You've seen him in the papers, you've seen him on ESPN, and you've even seen him on network nightly news.

And admit it, not all the attention was positive. The people wanted Brett back, even if it cost Aaron, who's been waiting patiently, another season or two as the No. 2.

But the saga (drama) ended with Favre going to the Big Apple and Rodgers finally getting his chance to prove to the world that he is worthy to not only tie Brett's shoe strings, but of replacing the Pro Bowl quarterback in Green Bay. And prove the point he did.

I can't imagine the pressure he must have felt running through the tunnel at Lambeau. What if he screwed this up? Were the fans armed with bushels of apples...or worse?

Could he handle being in the spotlight? Screw the spotlight, could he handle being locked into everyone's radar?

I might have crumbled under such pressure, and I suppose that's one reason I'm not an NFL quarterback. (Another is that I only weigh a buck-35.) But Aaron Rodgers IS a professional quarterback, and he played with incredible poise under pressure, to the delight of ALL football fans the world over.

Tell me you didn't do a Tiger Wood's fist pump after Rodgers threw his first touchdown to Korey Hall in the back of the end zone. The throw was nearly impossible. I was excited for the guy to get out from under the shadow of his predecessor, even though it was only seconds later when the ESPN commentator decided to report, "That throw was almost Favre-like."

I wish he hadn't have said that. We all know what it's like to accomplish a great feat, only for it to be diminished by an onlooker. I hope this doesn't go on throughout the season. I hope that the commentators will leave Favre out of Rodgers' doings and let Rodgers make a name for himself.

Besides, a win is a win, no matter how it comes or by whom it comes. Rodgers showed us last night what he's capable of: 18-for-22, 178 yards, and one touchdown. A 115.5 passer rating. Not bad under the circumstances.

I hope Green Bay is happy. I hope they're appeased. And I hope that the only time I hear Brett Favre's name for the rest of the season is during a Jets game.