Aaron Rodgers Invoked Images of Favre and Starr on Sunday

It was just one game, one day, one start, one win.  But it may have been something more:  a glimpse into past Packer glory not once but twice.

Early in the second quarter of the biggest game of Aaron Rodger's career thus far and probably one of the 10 biggest games he will ever play, the Packers were trailing 3-0.  The first quarter had just ended after the Packers had committed numerous penalties on offense.  Rodgers had fumbled (and recovered it himself).  The defense was starting to bend to the play of Adrian Peterson.  Things were not looking too good.

Then Mr. Rodgers took the field, went into the huddle, and according to Greg Jennings, said, "I'm putting it up no matter what.  I don't care what the situation is, what the coverage is, I'm putting it up."  Then he broke the huddle, took the snap, and threw a beautiful deep ball down the field to Jennings.  Next thing you know, the Packers are at the goal-line threatening to score.

Coach Mike McCarthy tried to send Ryan Grant in for the score but the Vikings turned him back to force a third and goal at the one yard line.  Then we were given our first glimpse into the past as Rodgers dropped back, took some pressure from the defense by using some moves that someone named Favre used to do, and threw a tight spiral to a spot that only his receiver Korey Hall could get it.  Touchdown.

Later in the game, the Vikings were fighting to take the lead and held the momentum.  The score was 17-12 in the fourth quarter.  Grant ran to the right for 57 yards (and made an incredible move to fake out two Viking defenders and pick up the last seven yards I might add!) to set up the offense at the two yard line.  A penalty moved them to the one, where Rodgers tried a sneak up the middle and got nothing.

Next play it was the same call.  Rodgers up the middle.  This time it worked, and it sure looked a lot like another certain touchdown on a QB sneak that occurred about 40 years ago.  Only that other QB sneak was done by a man named Starr.

Watching the game, I was reminded of the two greatest quarterbacks in Packers history.  Could it be a sign of things to come that in the first game of the next quarterback of the Packers, there were two plays that bore an uncanny resemblance of the others?  I think so. 

Here's a comparison of the stats that Favre and Starr put up in their first seasons as the starter (projected to 16 games), and the stats that Rodgers is projected to have based on his performance thus far.  I'll try to update this every week as I look back on how he does in each game:

	Attempts	Completions	Percentage	Yards	TDs	INT	Rush	Yards	TDs
Bart Starr	179	93	52.0	1296	8	9	21	111	0
Brett Favre	502	322	64.1	3442	19	14	50	211	1
Aaron Rodgers	352	288	81.8	2848	16	0	128	560	16