Aug 12, 2008 - 12:53 AM
0 shoutsGREEN BAY, Wisconsin (Ticker) - Fans of the Green Bay Packers can breathe a little easier.
The post-Brett Favre era got under way Monday night as the Packers dropped a 20-17 decision the Cincinnati Bengals in their preseason opener.
Of more importance to Green Bay fans was the performance of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who was handed the keys to the team's offense upon Favre's retirement in March.
And though one quarter of work is a tiny sample compared to the magnificent body of work in by Favre, who never missed a game in 16 seasons with Green Bay, the Rodgers era is off to a positive start.
Rodgers played the entire first quarter, completing 9-of-15 passes for 117 yards with one touchdown and one interception. In his four possessions, he led the Packers to two scores - including his final two drives - and called it a night with his team leading, 10-0.
I felt like it was important for me to make some good decisions out there and manage the game and play well and I felt like I threw the ball pretty well," Rodgers said. "I maybe have one or two decisions I'd like to take back, but it was a good start to the preseason."
Showing poise in the pocket, Rodgers displayed a deft touch and decent mobility under a strong pass rush by the Bengals.
"I thought Aaron did a number of solid things. I thought the productivity was there," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "I understand the attention around his performance, but I saw him just like he is every day. He played with excellent energy. I thought he did a really good job being consistent."
Simply having to follow a legend like Favre put enough of an onus on Rodgers, but when the three-time NFL MVP told the team he wanted to come out of retirement last month - and was rebuffed by team officials - it set off a chain of ugly events between the club and the future Hall of Famer.
With Favre being told he basically had no chance to compete for the starter's job, it precipitated last Wednesday's trade to the New York Jets - and ratcheted up the pressured even more on Rodgers, a first-round pick in 2005 who has appeared in just seven games in three seasons.
"I don't know if anyone in NFL history has to go through what Aaron Rodgers is going through," Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer said. "It is something I have never been through. I cannot imagine what it is like. You could tell tonight why the organization felt the way they did about him. He gets the ball outquickly. He is accurate and crisp. He has some playmakers around him. I hope he has a great career."
Rodgers passed his first test with aplomb against the Bengals. Drawing a loud ovation from the fans when he entered the game, Rodgers got off to an inauspicious beginning as the team committed a false-start penalty on the first snap.
After he completed a short pass to second-year James Jones, Rodgers was sacked on second down and watched Donald Driver drop a perfect pass on third-and-17.
On Green Bay's next possession, Rodgers was picked off on another perfect pass that hit Chris Francies right in the numbers and bounced into the arms of Bengals safety Dexter Jackson.
"Mentally I think we made a few mistakes early on, but we're confident that we can score," Rodgers said. "We made a few mistakes but I think we moved the ball pretty well."
Undaunted, Rodgers led the Packers 44 yards in seven plays on his next series, which culminated in Mason Crosby's 37-yard field goal with 4:23 left in the opening quarter.
After barely overthrowing a wide-open Jones down the left side, Rodgers shook it off and hooked up with Ruvell Martin on a 30-yard reception on the very next play to set up the field goal.
On what would be Rodgers' final series of the game, reserve running back Brandon Jackson broke off a 22-yard run to set the Packers up at Cincinnati's 41-yard line.
Rodgers then connected with Driver for 11 yards before firing a bullet over the middle to a cutting Jones, who momentarily juggled the ball, survived a jarring hit that knocked his helmet off and scampered into the end zone to complete a 30-yard scoring reception with 30 seconds left in the quarter.
"It's nice when you throw not a great pass and you've got a guy who can catch it, break two tackles, lose a helmet and then score a touchdown," Rodgers said.
Jones punctuated the touchdown with a Lambeau Leap and, for at least one night, the overpowering presence of Favre had faded into the background and all seemed normal in Green Bay.
"It was a great night. The signs I saw from the fans in the stands were very positive and encouraging," Rodgers said. I always feel like we had the best fans in the NFL and they'll support our team regardless of how they felt about myself or Brett or the management or whatever. It was a great reception when we took the field and when we scored the touchdown.
"The fans were into the whole game and it felt great to look up into the stands and see the support and the signs and stuff. It means a lot to me."
