Because of Rodgers’ Mastery, Packers Eye Lucky 13

Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers has done what he's done throughout his career: making big plays while avoiding killer mistakes.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Two factors will always define who wins and who loses in the NFL.

Turnovers and quarterbacks.

With Aaron Rodgers, it’s little wonder why the Green Bay Packers have a chance to become the only team in NFL history with three consecutive seasons of 13-plus wins. No quarterback in NFL history has ever been so good at creating big plays that help his team win while avoiding big plays that help his team lose.

Rodgers enters Sunday night’s game against the Minnesota Vikings with 445 touchdown passes vs. 93 interceptions. That’s a career mark of 4.78 touchdowns for every interception. He’s the only quarterback in NFL history with a career touchdown-to-interception ratio of 4-to-1. Rodgers could throw 19 interceptions without a touchdown against Minnesota and still be ahead of Patrick Mahomes’ second-ranked mark of 3.97 touchdowns per interception. Rodgers could throw 41 consecutive interceptions and be ahead of Russell Wilson’s third-ranked mark of 3.31 touchdowns for every interception.

Rodgers enters Sunday night with 33 touchdowns vs. four interceptions. It’s ridiculous, really, which is why he’s the betting favorite to win a fourth consecutive MVP.

– Rodgers’ interception percentage this season is 0.84, putting him on track to lead the league for a fourth consecutive season.

– There have been only seven seasons in NFL history in which a quarterback with 500-plus attempts finished with an interception rate of less than 1.0 percent. Rodgers has authored four of those and is on his way to a fifth.

– Rodgers’ touchdown-to-interception ratio of 8.25-to-1 this season ranks eighth in NFL history. If that stands up, Rodgers would own five of the top 10 seasons of all-time. His 2018 season (12.50) ranks fourth, his 2019 season (6.50) ranks 12th and his 2020 season (9.60) ranks sixth, meaning Rodgers is on pace to have four of the best seasons in NFL history in succession.

Rodgers had arguably the best quarterbacking season in NFL history last year, when he became only the second quarterback since Sammy Baugh in 1940 to lead the league in passer rating, touchdown percentage, interception percentage and completion percentage. This season, he leads the league in the first three of those categories.

While Rodgers’ passer rating of 110.8 is down about 10 points from last year’s 121.5, in many ways he’s been as good as ever.

“I think if there’s one thing that’s different this year than any year that I’ve been here, it would probably just be the adversity that we’ve had to overcome,” quarterbacks coach Luke Getsy said on Thursday.

Rodgers missed one game with COVID and has barely practiced since returning due to a broken toe. Last year’s offensive line featured three All-Pros/Pro Bowlers. This year, he’s playing behind a line in which four of the five preferred starters are out with major knee injuries.

“I would just say what’s so impressive is all the adversity that we’ve had to deal with and, to still be able to go out there and be effective – I think everyone would say that we’ve been able to find a way to continue to get better every single week – and so that part of it has been really impressive,” Getsy continued.

Starting with his four-touchdown, zero-interception performance at Minnesota in Week 13, Rodgers has thrown at least two touchdowns without an interception in five consecutive games. If he does it again, it would be tied for the second-longest streak in NFL history. Tom Brady did it in nine consecutive games in 2010 and Don Meredith did it in six straight spanning the 1965 and 1966 seasons.

Rodgers enters Sunday night’s game with 187 consecutive attempts without an interception. And he’s thrown two-plus touchdowns with zero interceptions in 11 games this season, tied for the most in NFL history with himself (MVP seasons of 2014 and 2020) and Brady (2010).

With Rodgers’ brilliance, the Packers have a chance to win every week. Teams that win the turnover battle this season are 146-35. The Packers are 11-0 when they win the turnover battle this season and 0-2 when they lose.

All of that will have to be weighed by general manager Brian Gutekunst this offseason as he weighs a momentous decision at quarterback. With Rodgers, the Packers avoid the uphill battle that so many other teams face every week.

“I know when I take the field that there’s a standard those guys hold me to, and there’s an expectation of performance, and to be able to go out there and perform week after week, the way that I want to perform, has been extremely meaningful to me,” Rodgers said when asked about the prospect of winning a fourth MVP. “I’m thankful for this opportunity to still be starting here in Green Bay and to lead this team and to play at a high level, and to continue to grow, through the adversity, through the ups and downs, the frustrations and the successes and the triumphs. I’ve really enjoyed this season, and I would definitely love to finish out the year strong and win my fourth.”