Green Bay head coach Mike McCarthy has a huge question to answer before tonight’s game. Should he decide to give the vicious Pittsburgh defense shots at his vulnerable and invaluable quarterback Aaron Rodgers? The multi-talented Rodgers is the key to the Packers offensive attack and he has been the hottest quarterback in this year’s playoffs.
McCarthy must deal with the threat of having his talented quarterback knocked from the game as he puts together the Green Bay Packers game plan. He has to decide how the talented signal caller is going to play the game tonight.
Rodgers suffered two concussions during the season. He was hit and knocked out briefly by the Washington Redskins. It was late in the game and the Packers weren’t sure how bad he was hurt.
Later on in the season, he was hit and knocked out while scrambling against the Detroit Lions,. The hit forced him out of that game and the Packers offense went south. They scored only seven points in that game.
Rodgers also missed the next week’s game against the New England Patriots, which the Packers lost. Bottomline, Green Bay can’t afford to have Rodgers knocked out of tonight’s Super Bowl. Their offense could light up the sky tonight with scores, but they’re done if Rodgers goes down.
Bears Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers hit Rodgers in the NFC Championship game and he wasn’t the same afterward. Rodgers says he didn’t suffer a concussion during that hit, but there’s no question that he wasn’t anywhere near the same quarterback, who was lighting up the Bears before that.
You can be sure that Pittsburgh saw the change in their film study. James Harrison, LeMarr Woodley, James Farrior, Troy Polamalu and the rest of the Steelers defense can’t wait to get a shot at Rodgers. They would probably be willing to pay a fine or two if that meant winning a Super Bowl title.
McCarthy has to emphasize to Rodgers the importance of him not taking any chances with his health. A good hit on the former Cal Bear would be worth taking a 15-yard penalty for the Steelers defense.
I don’t think the Packers can afford for Rodgers to be so carefree about his decisions to run with the football like he was against the Falcons and the Bears. He scored a couple of touchdowns against Atlanta and went in for another rushing score against Chicago. If he decides to run tonight, he had better slide when a Steelers defender gets any where near him. Even sliding might not protect him from a season-ending pop from one of the Steelers.
Again, the Packers can’t afford for him to take too many chances with his health. If he decides to take a run for the end zone like he did in the last two playoffs games, he might not make it to paydirt and he might not finish the football game. Once Rodgers is finished tonight, Green Bay is finished tonight.
If I were Packers head coach Mike McCarthy I would encourage Rodgers to play his game and use his legs, but I would emphasize the importance of him not taking chances with his health, if he wants to give the Pack any chance of winning another Lombardi Trophy.
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Packers better get back-up QB Tom Flynn warmed up and taking some reps
this wekk for he will see some action.
It’s a pretty good chance the Steelers knock Rodgers out of the game..