Kornheiser Blows, Rodgers Glows!!!

Last year I really never watched a whole Monday Night Football game, because I taught a class on Monday nights until late.  This means that last night's game was really my first Game Length Kornheiser Experience.

Guess what? Now I see why people really don't like him much! I get that the national audience is more interested in the Favre story, and the lovable qualities of Green Bay, etc., but couldn't Tony have at least said something vaguely original about the subjects? Apparently not. He is a bearded hot air balloon, with sandbags filled with horsecrap. The other two weren't much better. Only in the late third quarter did they start to remember that some of us might want to know a few things about the players actually on the field, actually playing football. I found myself almost wishing for Dennis Miller.

Anyway, my takeaway from last night is that if Aaron Rodgers won't be super-amazing, he will likely be good, and, above all, composed. And you know what? For some strange reason, I'm attracted to the idea of a composed quarterback.

My brother and I were talking about the slick look of panic you can see in some quarterbacks' eyes when they feel out of control.  Brian Brohm had it quite a bit last night, Favre had it quite often even last year, but throughout last night's game, Rodgers seemed clear-eyed and focused and calm. Same face we've seen as he's answered 899 questions about Favre and all that. Same face I saw on him in the Dallas game. There was a lot of talk on the night Favre was God in Oakland after his Dad died, about the comfort of playing a game in times of stress, because on a football field there are perameters, controls, cut and dried quantifiables. I got the feeling Aaron was feeling that comfortable feeling last night. His quiet display of satisfaction after throwing that TD to Jones had a Phil Jackson zen vibe to it. It was a mature reaction.

Best Fan Sign of the Night:  "Please Be Good, Aaron." That cuts right to it, doesn't it?

Other stuff:

Loved that Brandon Jackson run, where he ducked under a tackle and bulled ahead like a little tank engine. Loved the legwork. It's nice to know we might be okay at RB if Grant, who has been injury-prone, was to go down. (Maybe I'll be an idiot and hoard BJ in my fantasy league as a just-in-case. Whatever it takes to go 5-5 again this year.)

How 'bout that first team D? Hodge, Hawk, Tramon and Blackmon? Holla.

I found it interesting how the coaches have been trying to get Rodgers to not throw every ball so hard. Sounded like advice that might have been given early on to Favre, who, in my memory right now, is tossing that immaculate touch pass to Wesley Walls in the Oakland game.

Can't wait to see Rodgers play a whole game. Also, can't stand the idea of him being hurt, because if he is it's a sad battle of the Rookies.

Comments

[Branden]

Yeah, I was certainly impressed with how composed he appeared. While I'm certainly not comparing him to Brady, he looked Brady-esque with respect to scanning the field while shuffling his feet in a controlled manner. I too, am kind of excited about having a cool, game manager as our QB. Hopefully, he'll get a better feel for pressure as time goes on.

[Mark]

That'll be the tough thing, you're right...reacting to the blitz. Apparently Brandon Jackson wasn't helping much either by missing some blocking assignments.
Thanks for the post....