Green Bay Packers Win Super Bowl XLV: Is Aaron Rodgers Better Than Brett Favre?

Wow. What a game for the Green Bay Packers. They lost Donald Driver and Charles Woodson to injuries in the first half and still managed to beat Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu and the Pittsburgh Steelers for the franchise's fourth Super Bowl.

The Lombardi Trophy is going home to Titletown.

Most importantly, Aaron Rodgers stepped out from Brett Favre's shadow and took his game to heights Favre never reached.

Despite all his records (of which he has many), Favre was never able to win a Super Bowl MVP trophy. In Super Bowl XXXI, when the Packers beat the New England Patriots, Favre had a good game, but not a great game, throwing for 246 yards and two touchdowns.

However, Desmond Howard won the MVP for returning a kickoff for a touchdown.

Rodgers threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns on his way to the MVP award. He definitely earned his championship belt.

But is he better than Favre?

The two most recent Packer teams to win Super Bowls were pretty similar in terms of running game and defense.

Rushing Attack

In Super Bowl XXXI, Edgar Bennett was the starting running back for Green Bay and didn't fare too well, rushing for only 41 yards. Dorsey Levens added 61 yards to be the leading rusher for the Packers. Favre scored the only rushing touchdown for the Pack on a two-yard scramble.

In Super Bowl XLV, James Starks ran for 52 yards to be the team's leading rusher. Rodgers was the only other Packer to attempt a rush but finished with minus-two yards total, meaning the Packers only ran for 50 yards total.

Advantage: Favre

Defense

The defenses were outstanding in both years as well. The Reggie White-led Super Bowl XXXI Packers were all over New England QB Drew Bledsoe, sacking him five times and forcing four interceptions.

The Clay Matthews-led Super Bowl XLV Packers only sacked Roethlisberger once but forced him into two interceptions and also forced a Rashard Mendenhall fumble, possibly the play of the game.

So while both defenses certainly fall into the category of "elite," Favre's defense was slightly better in terms of results.

Slight Advantage: Favre

Special Teams

Desmond Howard had a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown in Super Bowl XXXI, icing the game for the Packers late in the third quarter.

For his efforts, he took home the Super Bowl MVP trophy.

In Super Bowl XLV, well, let's just say no one is going to confuse Tramon Williams and Pat Lee with Howard.

Williams muffed the first punt of the game and was called for an inexcusable unsportsmanlike conduct in the second half.

While Lee was serviceable as a kick returner, he didn't have the dynamic impact that Howard did.

Advantage: Favre

Conclusion

Let's not go crazy and say Rodgers is better than Favre, as Favre holds every major record a quarterback can possibly hold and Rodgers will probably never get to that point.

But when it comes to performing on the biggest stage, Rodgers has shown that he can take the team on his shoulders and carry it to a Super Bowl victory.

That's literally the only thing Favre can never say he accomplished.

Now, Packers fans have to hope Rodgers can go get the team another Lombardi Trophy. Then he'll also be able to say he won more Super Bowls than Favre could.

Next year will be a great time for a repeat, as the Packers will be getting back Ryan Grant, Nick Barnett and Jermichael Finley. Watch out for Rodgers and the Packers in Super Bowl XLVI.