Chicago Bears: Why Is Aaron Rodgers So Tough To Defeat?
Published by Brett Lyons on September 24, 2011
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
This Sunday at Soldier Field marks just another chapter in the long storied rivalry of the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. The league’s oldest rivalry will be renewed once more as the dramatic saga that has become Jay Cutler vs. Aaron Rodgers rolls on for another round.
Rodgers has owned the Bears as of late. Not necessarily statistically, but certainly in the win column.
In the seven starts Rodgers has had against Chicago –including the playoffs – Rodgers has never statistically “dominated” the Bears. He has however won five of the seven games and a few by a comfortable margin.
On average, Rodgers completes 67 percent of his passes for 234.3 yards and a touchdown with a quarterback rating of 87.4 per contest against the Bears. Those numbers alone are not enough to necessarily own one opponent but yet Rodgers has found a way.
So this begs the question then — why is Rodgers a Bears killer?
“For a guy who hasn’t started that many years for the Packers, he has a crazy amount of poise in the pocket,” said Chicago linebacker Lance Briggs in an interview with the team’s website.
“He’s got some quick legs. The guy gets out of the pocket and he can outrun a lot of guys. So he’s dangerous in a lot of ways. He’s accurate on the run, he’s accurate in the pocket, and so the best way to stop that is to get him down before he can throw the ball.”
Rodgers has never destroyed the Bears by rushing the football either, but again he does just well enough to keep the defense on the tips of their toes and displays a second threat at any given time.
“Efficiency-wise he’s got to be one of if not the best quarterback in the league right now,” Briggs continued to say.
“He’s playing that way. He’s playing lights out football. He’s getting the ball to everyone that needs to get it and he’s doing it without any interceptions and without many incompletions.”
This Sunday’s game against the Chicago will be the eighth of his career. Which Aaron Rodgers will show up at Soldier Field – the pocket passer with pin-point accuracy or the mobile QB who will hand off the ball and burn the corners on broken down plays?
“He’s got everything,” said middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, again to the Chicago Bears website. “He knows what coverage you are in. He knows when to run the ball, when to throw the ball. He knows where to go with it. He doesn’t make a lot of mistakes, especially this year so far he hasn’t turned the ball over yet, hasn’t thrown a pick.
“He’s just smart. He’s got everything you want in a quarterback. He doesn’t get pressured a whole lot either. They protect him really well and when you blitz him they make you pay for it.”
Protection is a big part of what makes Rodgers so effective. The Packers invest a lot of money and talent in their offensive live, and that security is evident in Rodgers’ play.
So the Packers protect Rodgers and he has elusive mobility. That can’t be all he does though, right?
“He’s got an unbelievable release. The ball really comes out quick,” defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said. “He’s very accurate. He’s a tremendous competitor. Then you add his mobility. He’s very mobile. When he breaks that pocket, he’s tough. He’ll run, but he is extremely accurate outside the pocket.
“The other thing that helps him is the run attempts. They go and they run. You have to prepare in every personnel group to stop the run. They do a very good job and the o-line is very physical. So I think the balance really helps him.”
However you look at it, Rodgers has had the Bears number for three years now.
Will this weekend be the turning point for Chicago in this series or will Green Bay continue to flex their championship guns?
The Bears host the Packers Sunday at 4:15 / 3:15pm on FOX.
Brett Lyons is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand or from official interview materials.
Follow Brett Lyons on Twitter @BrettLyons670.
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