Packer Perspective: Aaron Rodgers enters MVP race after Packers beat Bears
Run the table? Aaron Rodgers is making a charge for league MVP.
The NFL loves a story. If Rodgers leads the Green Bay Packers to the unlikeliest NFC North title of his career, he may write his name into the MVP books for a third time.
No quarterback is playing better than Rodgers, who hasn’t thrown an interception in 168 passing attempts. In his past five games, he’s thrown for 1,371 yards, 10 touchdowns without a pick.
Statistics are all well and good, but MVP winners often have to defy the odds before receiving deserved media recognition.
You want adversity? Rodgers could do nothing but watch as his defense allowed 153 points during a four-game losing stretch that many believed ended any hopes of an eighth consecutive playoff appearance. Just about everyone was ready to put a fork in the 2016 Packers. Not Rodgers, who in the wake of a 42-24 shellacking at the hands of Washington, claimed his team could run the table.
His comments raised eyebrows, but nobody is laughing now. The two-time MVP has inspired an incredible four-game winning run, and making it six out of six would end in an NFC North title. And just like in 2014, Rodgers is doing it on essentially one leg.
MVP seasons are often remembered for standout moments. In 2014 it was Rodgers’ heroic return from the Lambeau Field tunnel to lead Green Bay to a division title while hopping on one foot. His audible to run a quarterback sneak from Detroit’s 1-yard line, and score, despite playing through pain, was the iconic moment.
This year there are plenty, from Rodgers hobbling between plays on a frozen Lambeau turf while dissecting a dominant Seattle defense, to mounting drives of 98 and 89 yards to seal victory over Houston.
Perhaps none will be more memorable than his 60-yard connection with Jordy Nelson at Soldier Field on Sunday, before limping his way downfield to spike the football and allow Mason Crosby to score a crucial walk-off field goal.
Rodgers threw for 4,381 yards, 38 touchdowns and just five picks en route to a second MVP award in 2014. This year he’s on pace for 4,321 yards, 37 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Given the adversity Green Bay has faced, this campaign might be more impressive than his award-winning 2014 season.
Ha Ha the playmaker
Anytime the Packers defense comes away with the football, No. 21 seems to have something to do with it. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix caught his fourth and fifth interception of the season in Sunday’s win at Chicago, tying him for second in the league behind only former Packer Casey Hayward, who has seven picks.
Rarely are Clinton-Dix’s interceptions flashy. The ball always seems to fall into his hands, but this isn’t simply the case of lucking into takeaways. His excellent positioning on the field means he’s always in the right place to make a big play.
In just his third season, Clinton-Dix has 11 career interceptions (playoffs included). That’s not luck.
Money Mason the unsung hero
Aaron Rodgers receives all the praise for his 60-yard bomb to Jordy Nelson, but Mason Crosby deserves a ton of credit too. A 32-yard attempt is nothing to make a kicker cringe, but under intense pressure Crosby made it look routine, even after John Fox’s attempt to ice him by taking a timeout before his first attempt.
Crosby has converted 24 of 28 field goal attempts this season, the exact same total as last year. He’s uncharacteristically missed twice from 30-39 yard range, but his ability to make kicks at crunch time is what makes him so special.
Amid all the chaos of the 2014 NFC title game, Crosby remained ice cool. Down by three with just 19 seconds remaining, Crosby nailed a field goal through the sticks from 48 yards in windy, rainy conditions. The Packers season stayed alive. He did the same at Arizona in the divisional round last season, tying up the game with a 33-yard extra point following Rodgers’ Hail Mary conversion to Jeff Janis.
Crosby came through again on Sunday when the Packers needed him most.
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