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To Broncos, Rodgers looks a lot like Favre

Pat Rooney, Special to the Rocky

Published August 22, 2008 at 10:52 p.m.

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Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has suffered through his fair share of headaches throughout the preseason. And not all of them have been caused by the magnifying glass he is under while trying to replace a certain future Hall of Famer with whom Rodgers will forever be compared.

Broncos fans who witnessed Brett Favre's surgical dissection of the Broncos defense last season might have believed Favre had sneaked back into the Packers' huddle wearing Rodgers' No. 12 during Green Bay's 27-24 win in a preseason game Friday night at Invesco Field.

Rodgers has been taking his lumps while trying to replace Favre, from his own fans and from opposing defenses. Through the first two preseason games, Green Bay had allowed nine sacks, including six against Rogers.

On Friday, though, Rodgers generally was able to pitch a tent in the pocket, and the result was a performance worthy of any Hall of Famer that also cast further questions about the Broncos' ability to pressure quarterbacks and defend against the pass.

"Everything doesn't go as planned all the time. If it did, it would be a perfect world," defensive end Tim Crowder said. "It's the preseason, and that's what it's for - to get better and get ready for the season. We all have confidence in each other that we'll get it done. A team like Green Bay with the three- step drops, they're getting rid of the ball quick. It's hard to get pressure when it's three steps and out."

With nary a hand in his face, Rodgers was even more efficient than Favre's 21-for-27 effort last year at Invesco, completing 16-of-19 passes during the first half for 178 yards and a touchdown.

Rodgers had completed 58.1 percent of his passes during Green Bay's first two preseason games but had been subjected to regular pressure and more than a few big hits.

With defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban out of the lineup and the Broncos opting to not use blitzing schemes, Rodgers was able to get comfortable quickly, completing 4-of-5 passes for 69 yards on the Packers' opening drive.

Other than a sack by Elvis Dumervil, who later left the game because of a dislocated finger, the Broncos' defensive front was unable to get to Rodgers, who also was aided by two Denver pass-interference penalties before leaving the game with 18 completions in 22 attempts for 193 yards.

Opposing quarterbacks have completed a glaring 68.2 percent of their passes (60-for-88) during the Broncos' three preseason games.

"We played a lot of eight-man fronts with a lot of man coverages," safety Marlon McCree said. "They're going to complete a lot of passes. We know that. When you put eight, nine guys in the box, they're going to complete some passes."

Comments

  • August 23, 2008

    8:01 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    SLoganSt writes:

    This is pretty scary...I guess we'll just have to win by out scoring them this year, and hope the other team's offense gets tired before ours does. ;)