Aaron Rodgers vs. Drew Brees: Which QB Has the Edge on Thursday Night?

Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees are the last two Super Bowl MVPs, and tonight they will square off against one another in the first game of the 2011 NFL regular season. 

So which quarterback has the edge? 

Both are extremely talented with strong and accurate arms. Both have a solid core of receivers to help them move the ball down the field, which is why this is the perfect matchup to start Week 1.

They've only played against each other once, which was back in 2008. Brees out-shined Rodgers in that game, the Green Bay Packers quarterback has grown up a lot since his first year as a starter.  

Looking at last year's numbers, Brees out threw Rodgers by almost 700 yards, but Rodgers' passer rating was 11 points higher, which is quite a lot. 

Rodgers threw 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, whereas Brees threw 33 touchdowns and 22 interceptions, a career worst.

Obviously, Rodgers was the better quarterback last year because he won the Super Bowl, and didn't fail to beat a 7-9 team in the playoffs. Sure, Brees had a great game against the Seahawks, but as the leader of his team, he wasn't able to outscore the lowly Seahawks, which he should have done with ease.

However, when you compare the years both quarterbacks won the Super Bowl MVP, Brees was much more outstanding. He threw for 400 more yards than Rodgers' MVP year, as well as six more touchdowns and a passer rating of 109, which was eight points higher. 

Brees also outshine Peyton Manning that year, which is a rarity considering the fact that everybody was picking Manning to win his second Super Bowl. 

The Packers' starting quarterback is certainly on the rise in the power rankings of NFL quarterbacks, but he still hasn't surpassed Brees.

The New Orleans Saints starting quarterback throws the ball much more than Rodgers, and he does a great job of not playing favorites. If you're open, Brees is going to find you.

As for tonight, I give the edge to Brees, who is highly motivated to reach another Super Bowl. Rodgers has the better receivers in Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones and Jordy Nelson, but Brees will be the better quarterback in the NFL season opener. 

Instead of working out individually, or with the team here or there, Brees and the Saints got together for an extended workout series during the NFL lockout this offseason, and that will pay great dividends this season. It was basically their own version of OTA's, which Brees helped organize. 

That is what a great quarterback does, and because of that Brees will be back to an elite level this year, which means less turnovers. 

Rodgers and the Packers didn't do much during the lockout, and tonight we'll see if it has any affect on the defending Super Bowl champs. I do think that because Brees spent the time doing the work this summer, he and the Saints will have a leg up on a lot of other teams.  

Brees is ready to bounce back from a disappointing 2010 season, and since he plays the first game of the season, he'll use it as a platform to show everyone why he is still better than Rodgers.