Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is 40 years old and has spent half of his life playing in the NFL. This season marks the beginning of Rodgers’ era with the New York Jets, take two. In honor of his longevity, we wanted to look back at the 40 best games of Rodgers’ career.
To determine Rodgers’ most valuable games, we needed a stat that balances efficiency and volume. We also needed a control for when Rodgers beat up on bad defenses compared to when he shined against the top defenses, and we wanted to acknowledge that NFL passing numbers are higher now than they were when Rodgers became the starter for the Green Bay Packers in 2008. That’s where my DYAR (defense-adjusted value above replacement) metric comes in.
DYAR is based on DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average) — which rates the success on every play compared to a league-average baseline, then adjusts for situation and opponent — and compares QBs to replacement-level options. We also factored in Rodgers’ rushing numbers.
Where does Rodgers’ epic 2010 divisional round game against the Falcons land? What about his six-touchdown domination of the Bears in 2014? Let’s start the countdown from No. 40 to No. 1 with a narrow victory over the 49ers — who also happen to be Rodgers’ Week 1 “Monday Night Football” opponent (8:20 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC/ESPN+).
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Rodgers’ 40 best games
Rodgers’ five worst games
40. 2009 Week 11: GB 30, SF 24
(159 DYAR)
Stats: 32-of-45, 344 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
The Packers easily controlled this game, taking a 23-3 lead at halftime and a 30-10 advantage after a Ryan Grant 1-yard rushing touchdown with 11:05 left. The 49ers made it close with two late scores, in part because Rodgers took a sack from Manny Lawson on third-and-2 with 9:11 left that gave the 49ers two drives in quick succession. But on the final Green Bay drive, Rodgers converted a third-and-2 with a pass to Jermichael Finley, then converted a quarterback sneak on third-and-1 to ice the game. Rodgers’ connection with Greg Jennings was strong, as he led all Packers receivers with 126 yards and a touchdown.
39. 2008 Week 11: GB 37, CHI 3
(160 DYAR)
Stats: 23-of-30, 227 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
This is the first of nine Chicago games on this list. The Bears were a top-10 pass defense in 2008, but that didn’t prevent Rodgers from throwing touchdown passes to Jennings and tight end Donald Lee. Rodgers didn’t have to throw the ball much in the second half, as Packers running backs combined for 199 yards rushing.
38. 2009 Week 15: PIT 37, GB 36
(160 DYAR)
Stats: 26-of-48, 383 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Rodgers had a great performance, but he was outplayed by Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who threw for 503 yards on 46 attempts. That was worth 299 DYAR, one of the top 20 games of the past 40 years and the second-best game of Big Ben’s career by DYAR. The Packers and Steelers were scoring all afternoon, exchanging the lead four times in the final quarter.
The shocker here was Pittsburgh trying a surprise onside kick after a field goal gave it a 30-28 lead with 3:58 left. The Packers got the ball with just 39 yards to get a touchdown, and Rodgers put them in position to win the game with a 24-yard touchdown pass to James Jones. The score was 36-30 after Rodgers hit running back Brandon Jackson for the 2-point conversion. But Roethlisberger led a game-winning 86-yard drive and found wideout Mike Wallace for a 19-yard touchdown on the final play of the game. The extra point was good and the Packers lost.
37. 2010 Week 2: GB 34, BUF 7
(161 DYAR)
Stats: 19-of-29, 255 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Rodgers and the Packers clobbered the Bills, who finished the season 4-12 and 26th in pass defense DVOA. This was another big game for Finley (103 yards), along with touchdown passes to receivers Donald Driver and James Jones. Rodgers also had his own rushing touchdown on a 9-yard bootleg in the third quarter. He took no sacks and threw no interceptions.
36. 2011 Week 3: GB 27, CHI 17
(164 DYAR)
Stats: 28-of-38, 297 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
This was a good game for Rodgers. It was an even better game for the Packers’ run defense, which held Chicago to 13 rushing yards on 12 carries. Rodgers found Finley in the end zone three times, while Jennings caught 9 of 10 targets for 119 yards. Rodgers did throw a pick to Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher while trying to increase Green Bay’s lead in the fourth quarter, but the Bears could not do anything with the opportunity.
35. 2020 Week 12: GB 41, CHI 25
(164 DYAR)
Stats: 21-of-29, 211 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Another dominating victory over the Bears in which Rodgers threw no interceptions and took no sacks. The Packers took a 27-10 lead into halftime, then scored two more touchdowns in the third quarter. Rodgers spread the ball around with four touchdown passes to four different receivers: Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, Marcedes Lewis and Robert Tonyan.
34. 2021 Week 3: GB 30, SF 28
(167 DYAR)
Stats: 23-of-33, 261 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Rodgers delivered in the clutch in this Sunday night showdown at Levi’s Stadium. The Packers led for much of the game, but quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo led the 49ers on a 75-yard touchdown drive that gave them a 28-27 lead with only 37 seconds left. With limited time, Rodgers hit Adams on 25- and 17-yard throws to get into long field goal position, and kicker Mason Crosby was good from 51 yards out to deliver a victory for Green Bay. Rodgers targeted Adams 18 times for 12 catches, 132 yards and a touchdown.
33. 2010 Week 11: GB 31, MIN 3
(168 DYAR)
Stats: 22-of-31, 301 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Rodgers significantly outplayed Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre in their final meeting. The Vikings led early 3-0, but the Packers scored every other point. Jennings had touchdown catches of 46, 22 and 11 yards from Rodgers, who was able to end his night early in the blowout win.
32. 2008 Week 13: CAR 35, GB 31
(169 DYAR)
Stats: 29-of-45, 298 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
This was a tough loss for Rodgers in his first year as a starter against a Panthers team that would eventually finish 12-4 and seventh in pass defense DVOA. Green Bay took a 28-21 lead on a Rodgers touchdown pass to Jennings early in the fourth quarter, which Carolina answered to tie the game. Rodgers then led a Packers drive that took more than nine minutes off the clock and advanced to the Panthers’ 1-yard line. But the Packers couldn’t punch it in and chose to kick a 19-yard field goal to go ahead 31-28 instead of trying for a touchdown on fourth down.
Carolina scored on the ensuing drive to take a 35-31 lead. Rodgers then threw a pick to Panthers linebacker Jon Beason with 1:19 left, effectively ending the game.
31. 2020 Week 9: GB 34, SF 17
(170 DYAR)
Stats: 25-of-31, 305 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
This Thursday night game was all Packers, as Rodgers threw for 173 yards and a touchdown to Adams. He also threw a touchdown pass to Lewis and two to Marquez Valdes-Scantling to help the Packers build a 34-3 lead.
30. 2009 Wild Card: ARI 51, GB 45 (OT)
(173 DYAR)
Stats: 28-of-42, 423 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT
Rodgers had a habit of facing his opponents’ best games. In this ridiculous playoff shootout, Kurt Warner threw for 379 yards and five touchdown passes with no picks. Warner’s 380 DYAR is the second-highest quarterback game of the past 40 years.
Rodgers did plenty of damage, too, with 159 receiving yards going to Finley and Jennings getting 130. However, Rodgers’ DYAR is hurt by the pick he threw to cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie early in the game plus the five sacks he took. The worst one, of course, came in overtime, when defensive back Michael Adams stripped Rodgers on a safety blitz, which linebacker Karlos Dansby scooped up and returned for the game-ending touchdown.
29. 2009 Week 13: GB 27, BAL 14
(175 DYAR)
Stats: 26-of-40, 263 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
This matchup was a typically good Rodgers game against a typically good Baltimore pass defense, which ranked 10th in DVOA that season. The Packers had a 17-0 lead at halftime, but the Ravens scored two touchdowns in the third quarter. The Packers came back with 10 more points in the fourth, including a 19-yard touchdown pass to Finley from Rodgers. Along with the usual passing numbers, Rodgers also had a 5-yard gain on a quarterback sneak and a 23-yard scramble on second-and-17.
28. 2012 Week 16: GB 55, TEN 7
(175 DYAR)
Stats: 27-of-38, 342 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Here is the biggest win of Rodgers’ career, at least by points margin. At one point, the Packers scored touchdowns on five straight drives. Receivers James Jones, Randall Cobb and Jennings all caught touchdown passes. Rodgers also had a rushing touchdown on a quarterback draw in the first quarter. This one gets a bit of a DYAR penalty because the Titans’ defense was only 22nd in the league that season.
27. 2016 Week 16: GB 38, MIN 25
(181 DYAR)
Stats: 28-of-38, 347 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
The Packers dominated this game far more than the final score lets on, taking a 38-13 lead with 9:02 left in the fourth quarter before Minnesota’s Sam Bradford threw a pair of late touchdowns. Rodgers had a great game despite taking four sacks for 39 yards. Jordy Nelson had 154 receiving yards with two touchdowns. Rodgers also threw touchdown passes to Adams and tight end Richard Rodgers. The Vikings had the No. 3 pass defense DVOA in 2016 and 38 points was the most they gave up all season.
26. 2014 Week 4: GB 38, CHI 17
(184 DYAR)
Stats: 22-of-28, 302 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
The Packers had seven drives in this game, and Aaron Rodgers put them in position to score on each one: five touchdowns, a field goal and a blocked field goal. Cobb had 113 yards and two touchdowns, and Nelson had 108 yards with two scores. Rodgers had only one incomplete pass all day on second or third down. There’s a bit of a DYAR penalty in this game because the Bears’ pass defense was particularly bad (31st) in 2014. Without the opponent adjustments, this would rank among Rodgers’ top dozen games.
25. 2021 Week 14: GB 45, CHI 30
(185 DYAR)
Stats: 29-of-37, 341 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
This is not the “we still own you” game but rather the second Green Bay-Chicago matchup of that season. The Bears kept it close for a while, even taking a 27-21 lead into halftime, but the Packers scored the next 24 points. Adams caught 10 passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns. Rodgers also had touchdown passes to running back Aaron Jones and Lazard.
24. 2020 Week 3: GB 37, NO 30
(185 DYAR)
Stats: 29-of-36, 288 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Rodgers and the Packers held off Drew Brees and the Saints in a Sunday night matchup. More importantly, Rodgers held off a Saints defense that was ranked No. 2 in DVOA against the pass in 2020. The lead went back and forth all night. The Saints led 17-13 at halftime, then it was 20-17 after an Aaron Jones 1-yard plunge and 27-24 after an 18-yard touchdown pass to Marcedes Lewis. The Saints tied it up on an Alvin Kamara touchdown, but the Packers responded with a field goal and a 1-yard pass from Rodgers to Robert Tonyan in the fourth quarter.
23. 2016 Wild Card: GB 38, NYG 13
(187 DYAR)
Stats: 25-of-40, 362 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Rodgers led the Packers to an easy playoff victory even though he was sacked five times. The Giants also did a great job of shutting down Nelson, who had just one catch for 13 yards. But that opened things up for everyone else. It was a huge day for Cobb, who caught five passes for 116 yards and three touchdowns. Adams also had eight catches for 125 yards and a touchdown. It was 14-13 midway through the third quarter before the Packers pulled away by scoring the final 24 points.
22. 2011 Week 7: GB 33, MIN 27
(188 DYAR)
Stats: 24-of-30, 335 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
This one was a lot closer than it needed to be, as the Vikings finished the year 3-13 and 28th in pass defense DVOA. However, the Packers had a 33-17 lead after three quarters before the Vikings scored 10 points in the fourth. They had a chance to go ahead late but were stopped by Green Bay. Jennings had a 79-yard touchdown in the third quarter, and the other Rodgers touchdown passes went to John Kuhn and Finley.
21. 2020 Divisional: GB 32, LAR 18
(190 DYAR)
Stats: 23-of-36, 296 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
The Packers had the lead from the second quarter onward in this playoff game at Lambeau Field. Rodgers had a 1-yard touchdown pass to Adams and then a QB sneak for a touchdown to give the Packers a 16-3 lead. Later on, after a field goal and a rushing touchdown from Aaron Jones, Rodgers found Lazard splitting Troy Hill and Jordan Fuller for a 58-yard play-action touchdown with 6:52 left to seal the win.
20. 2009 Week 17: GB 33, ARI 7
(190 DYAR)
Stats: 21-of-26, 235 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
The Cardinals had clinched the NFC West, so Rodgers spent all day torching the Arizona backups. The win set up a rematch the following week (game No. 30 on this list). This game might rank surprisingly high given the context, but Rodgers took no sacks and threw no interceptions while averaging nearly 9 yards per pass attempt. He threw his only passing touchdown to Finley. On the ground, he converted both a fourth-and-1 and a first-and-goal with quarterback sneaks.
19. 2011 Week 5: GB 25, ATL 14
(194 DYAR)
Stats: 26-of-39, 396 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Green Bay fell behind 14-0 before scoring the final 25 points of the game, starting with two field goals in the final six minutes of the first half. James Jones had a huge game with 140 receiving yards, including a 70-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers. Greg Jennings had 82 yards and Rodgers’ other touchdown pass. Atlanta had the No. 8 pass defense DVOA of the 2011 season and did manage to sack Rodgers four times.
18. 2014 Week 17: GB 30, DET 20
(198 DYAR)
Stats: 17-of-22, 226 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
The Packers faced the Lions for the division title in the final week of the season and took a 14-0 lead in the second quarter when Rodgers threw a touchdown pass to Randall Cobb. But Rodgers came up limping with a calf injury and headed to the locker room. He returned in the third quarter with the game tied and picked up where he left off, throwing another touchdown pass to Cobb. Rodgers didn’t put up huge numbers in this game, but DYAR likes the performance partly because the Lions were the No. 7 pass defense that season.
17. 2010 Week 9: GB 45, DAL 7
(198 DYAR)
Stats: 27-of-34, 289 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
The Packers blew out the struggling Cowboys on “Sunday Night Football.” Rodgers had touchdown passes to running back Brandon Jackson, James Jones and Jennings. Rodgers even carried the ball four times for 42 yards, including a 27-yard scramble on third-and-6. The Packers also had two defensive touchdowns in this blowout.
16. 2011 Week 4: GB 49, DEN 23
(199 DYAR)
Stats: 29-of-38, 408 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT
Rodgers’ first score in this game came on a 50-yard touchdown pass to Nelson. He also threw touchdown passes to Donald Driver, James Jones and Jennings, and Rodgers had two rushing touchdowns of 11 and 8 yards. His only interception came when the Packers had a 42-17 lead in the fourth quarter. Rodgers does take a hit in DYAR because he took two sacks from Von Miller and because the Denver defense ranked 27th in 2011.
15. 2020 Week 17: GB 35, CHI 16
(201 DYAR)
Stats: 19-of-24, 240 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
The Packers didn’t run away with this one until the fourth quarter. Rodgers threw a 72-yard touchdown pass to Valdes-Scantling and also had touchdown passes to tight ends Robert Tonyan and Dominique Dafney, but the Bears drew close at 21-16 in the third quarter. The Packers closed things out with two touchdowns in the final period on an Aaron Jones run and a fourth Rodgers touchdown pass, this time to Adams.
14. 2020 Week 4: GB 30, ATL 16
(201 DYAR)
Stats: 27-of-33, 327 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
No Davante Adams, no problem. Rodgers easily won a Monday night duel against Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan thanks to a huge night from Tonyan, who had six catches on six targets for 98 yards and three touchdowns. Aaron Jones had the other touchdown catch, and backup running back Jamaal Williams caught eight passes for 95 yards. Injuries to Adams and Lazard meant Rodgers was throwing to Malik Taylor, Darrius Shepherd and Valdes-Scantling, and those wide receivers combined for just 86 yards.
13. 2011 Week 13: GB 38, NYG 35
(202 DYAR)
Stats: 28-of-46, 369 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT
Rodgers and the Packers came out on top in a back-and-forth battle with quarterback Eli Manning and the Giants. Rodgers threw two touchdown passes to Driver and added touchdown passes to Jennings and Finley. Although the Packers had the lead for most of the game, the Giants tied it up on a short touchdown pass to Hakeem Nicks with 58 seconds left and a 2-point conversion run by Danny Ware. But Rodgers went 68 yards on four passes — 24 yards to Finley, 27 to Nelson, a loss of 1 to running back Brandon Saine and 18 yards to Jennings. That set up Mason Crosby’s game-winning 30-yard field goal.
12. 2021 Week 11: MIN 34, GB 31
(204 DYAR)
Stats: 23-of-33, 385 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Rodgers got outdueled by quarterback Kirk Cousins despite huge days for his top two receivers. Adams had 115 yards and two touchdowns while Valdes-Scantling had 123 yards and a 75-yard touchdown. Minnesota took a 31-24 lead on one of Justin Jefferson’s two touchdowns, and then Rodgers found Valdes-Scantling to tie things up on the next play from scrimmage. But the Packers’ defense couldn’t stop the Vikings from working down the rest of the clock, and Minnesota won with a 29-yard field goal from Greg Joseph as time expired.
11. 2016 Week 12: GB 27, PHI 13
(219 DYAR)
Stats: 30-of-39, 313 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
The Packers led this one from the second quarter on, although they didn’t put it out of reach until the fourth quarter. A struggling running game (the RB room averaged 2.6 yards per carry) meant that Rodgers had to throw the ball a lot against the league’s No. 6 pass defense by DVOA. Adams had five catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns, while Nelson had eight catches for 91 yards. Rodgers also ran six times for 26 yards and three first downs.
10. 2012 Week 15: GB 21, CHI 13
(222 DYAR)
Stats: 23-of-36, 291 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
The 2012 season brought us three of Rodgers’ top 10 games by DYAR. The Bears were the No. 1 pass defense of the 2012 season, so this one gets a huge opponent adjustment; without that, it would rank 37th. Cobb led the Packers with 115 receiving yards, but it was James Jones who snagged all three of Rodgers’ touchdown passes. The Packers took a 21-7 lead midway through the third quarter and held the Bears to just two field goals the rest of the way. Rodgers’ performance here was better than the final score indicates because he got the Packers into field goal range twice, but Crosby missed from 43 and 42 yards out.
9. 2014 Week 10: GB 55, CHI 14
(223 DYAR)
Stats: 18-of-27, 315 yards, 6 TD, 0 INT
Our next game came two years later against a very different Bears team, with a Sunday night blowout that tied the Green Bay record for points scored in a single game. This Chicago squad finished 31st in pass defense DVOA instead of first, so the opponent adjustments go in the other direction, dropping this game from fourth to ninth. Rodgers led the Packers to touchdowns on their first five drives in a row, and after Cobb fumbled on the sixth drive, Rodgers led the Packers to another touchdown on the seventh drive for a 42-0 halftime lead. Nelson had 152 yards on six catches with two touchdowns of 73 and 40 yards. The other touchdown receptions belonged to Brandon Bostick, Andrew Quarless, Eddie Lacy and Cobb. It is one of two Rodgers games with six touchdown passes, with the other coming in at No. 3 on this list.
8. 2012 Week 7: GB 30, STL 20
(223 DYAR)
Stats: 30-of-37, 342 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
The Rams had a surprisingly good pass defense in 2012 (seventh in the NFL) and kept this one close through the first half with three sacks of Rodgers. However, the Packers pulled away after halftime. Once again, Nelson was the leading receiver, with eight catches for 122 yards and a touchdown. Cobb caught all eight of his targets for 89 yards and scored the other two touchdowns. The Packers went 9-for-15 converting third downs.
7. 2011 Week 16: GB 35, CHI 21
(244 DYAR)
Stats: 21-of-29, 283 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT
Rodgers put on a Christmas night show against a strong Bears pass defense, leading the Packers to a 35-10 lead early in the fourth quarter before the Bears scored twice late in the game. This is the third Bears game in Rodgers’ top 10, along with six other Chicago games in the top 40. Jordy Nelson led the Bears with 115 receiving yards and two touchdowns. James Jones had 50 receiving yards and another two touchdowns, with the other touchdown pass going to Jermichael Finley.
6. 2019 Week 7: GB 42, OAK 24
(255 DYAR)
Stats: 25-of-31, 429 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT
Rodgers completed passes to eight different targets and finished with the first perfect passer rating of his career, even with Adams inactive due to turf toe. Valdes-Scantling led the Packers with 133 receiving yards and had a 74-yard touchdown on third-and-5. The other touchdown passes went to Aaron Jones, Jamaal Williams, Jake Kumerow and Jimmy Graham, and Rodgers also scored on the ground with a 3-yard bootleg. Without opponent adjustments, this comes out as Rodgers’ best game ever, but the Raiders were the No. 29 pass defense of 2019, so the opponent adjustments drop it five spots.
5. 2013 Week 2: GB 38, WAS 20
(264 DYAR)
Stats: 34-of-42, 480 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Rodgers tied the Packers’ record for passing yards in a game, set originally by backup Matt Flynn in Week 17 of the 2011 season against Detroit. This game scores high in DYAR even though Rodgers took four sacks, including two in a row from Ryan Kerrigan in the red zone on the first drive of the game. James Jones had a huge game, catching 11 passes out of 12 targets for 178 yards. Nelson had two touchdown grabs, with the other scores going to Cobb and Finley. Without opponent adjustments, this would be the No. 2 game of Rodgers’ career, but Washington ranked 22nd in pass defense DVOA in 2013.
4. 2015 Week 3: GB 38, KC 28
(265 DYAR)
Stats: 24-of-35, 333 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT
The Packers took a 38-14 lead in this “Monday Night Football” matchup against the No. 4 pass defense of 2015, although the Chiefs made it closer in the fourth quarter. Cobb had three short touchdowns — one 3-yard and two 4-yard scores — while James Jones caught seven passes for 139 yards and a touchdown. The fifth touchdown went to Ty Montgomery II. Rodgers did fumble on an Allen Bailey strip-sack in the second quarter, but it was nullified by an illegal contact penalty.
3. 2012 Week 6: GB 42, HOU 24
(268 DYAR)
Stats: 24-of-37, 338 yards, 6 TD, 0 INT
The Packers walloped the Texans on “Sunday Night Football,” with Rodgers getting the first six-touchdown game of his career against the No. 5 pass defense of 2012. Nelson caught nine passes on 12 targets for 121 yards and three touchdowns. Cobb also had 102 receiving yards, while James Jones caught two touchdown passes. The other touchdown went to a wide-open Tom Crabtree on a third-and-1 play-action bootleg.
2. 2010 Divisional: GB 48, ATL 21
(269 DYAR)
Stats: 31-of-36, 366 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
The Falcons took a 14-7 lead with an Eric Weems kickoff return touchdown early in the second quarter, but then it was all Packers in the Georgia Dome. Four different Green Bay wide receivers had at least 75 receiving yards, with touchdowns for Nelson and James Jones. Fullback John Kuhn scored the other touchdown reception, and Rodgers also scored on the ground with a 7-yard bootleg in the third quarter. The Packers were 8-for-12 on third-down conversions.
1. 2010 Week 16: GB 45, NYG 17
(270 DYAR)
Stats: 25-of-37, 404 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Here’s the best game of Rodgers’ career by DYAR. It’s not well remembered, because it’s just one of many clinical performances in which Rodgers dissected an opposing defense. In this case, the Giants were the No. 3 pass defense of the year by DVOA, and Rodgers was the only quarterback to throw for more than 350 yards against them that season. (Without an opponent adjustment, this would be Rodgers’ fifth-best game.)
Green Bay took a 14-0 lead early, with Nelson torching Antrel Rolle for an 80-yard touchdown on play-action, and James Jones catching a short touchdown pass on third-and-goal to end a 56-yard drive. The Giants tied it up with two touchdowns of their own in the second quarter, but it was mostly Packers the rest of the way. Jennings led Green Bay with seven catches for 142 yards. The other touchdown passes went to James Jones, Donald Lee and Kuhn. Rodgers also converted second-and-6 and second-and-10 plays with scrambles.
Aaron Rodgers’ five worst games
5. 2015 Week 12: CHI 17, GB 13
(minus-98 DYAR)
Stats: 22-of-43, 202 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Hey, Aaron Rodgers owns the Bears, right? Not on this Thursday night game, when Rodgers got outdueled by quarterback Jay Cutler. He struggled against a Bears pass defense that ranked just 25th in DVOA that season. Rodgers threw an interception on the 50 with 3:23 left, but thanks to Packers timeouts, Green Bay got the ball back with 2:45 left. Rodgers led a drive downfield from the Packers’ 20-yard line to the Bears’ 8-yard line but followed with four incomplete passes in a row to end the game.
4. 2022 Week 1: MIN 23, GB 7
(minus-99 DYAR)
Stats: 22-of-34, 195 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
The Vikings marched downfield on their first drive, scored a touchdown and never looked back. Rodgers couldn’t even get to 200 yards against a Minnesota pass defense that would finish the year 27th in DVOA, and he took four sacks with no scramble yardage. Green Bay’s only touchdown drive came in the third quarter.
3. 2022 Week 9: DET 15, GB 9
(minus-129 DYAR)
Stats: 23-of-43, 291 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT
The Lions, who had a below-average pass defense in 2022, picked off Rodgers three times in the end zone, including on the first two Packers drives. Rodgers did have a good game on the ground, with three carries for 41 yards, including a scramble that converted a third-and-17. Rodgers had the ball at the end of the game down six points but threw four incomplete passes in a row to stall the drive on the Detroit 17.
2. 2020 Week 6: TB 38, GB 10
(minus-143 DYAR)
Stats: 16-of-35, 160 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT
This big Tom Brady vs. Aaron Rodgers showdown was all Brady — or, more accurately, it was a lot of Brady and the Tampa Bay running game. Brady threw for only 166 yards with two touchdowns and no picks, but that was still more yardage than Rodgers had. Rodgers also took four sacks for 42 yards and threw a pick-six to Jamel Dean for Tampa Bay’s first touchdown.
1. 2015 Week 16: ARI 38, GB 8
(minus-167 DYAR)
Stats: 15-of-28, 151 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
The big story from this game is that Rodgers took a career-high eight sacks, including three from Dwight Freeney and 2.5 from Calais Campbell. One of the Freeney sacks resulted in a strip-sack touchdown for Arizona, and Rodgers threw an interception to Justin Bethel in the end zone right before halftime.
Tyreek Hill ‘still trying’ to process pregame detainment by police
Tyreek Hill comments on his detainment by police before the Dolphins’ matchup against the Jaguars. (1:20)
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Multiple Dolphins players were detained by Miami-Dade Police Department officers before Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, including All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
Hill said he was pulled over for allegedly speeding while driving to Hard Rock Stadium, roughly three hours before the game kicked off. He was ultimately placed in handcuffs after a “verbal altercation” occurred, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Darlington. Hill was cited for reckless driving, sources told Darlington.
He was released after several minutes, but the incident was filmed by nearby fans and quickly went viral on social media. Hill said he didn’t know why the situation escalated the way it did.
“Right now, I’m still trying to put it all together … I still don’t know what happened,” he said after the game. “But I do want to use this platform to say, ‘What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill?’ Worst-case scenario, you know? … Everybody has bad apples in every situation, but I want to be able to use this platform to figure out a way to flip this and make it a positive on my end and Miami-Dade and do something positive for the community.
“It’s hard. I don’t want to bring race into it, but sometimes it gets kind of iffy when you do. What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill? Lord knows what those guys would have done. I just wanted to make sure I was doing what my uncle always told me to do whenever you’re in a situation like that — put your hands on the steering wheel and just listen.”
Hill said he has “no idea” why officers placed him in handcuffs; he said he was not disrespectful and did not use profanity toward the officers.
Dolphins offensive lineman Terron Armstead said Hill was “pretty upset, but ready to play” when he entered the locker room before the game. Hill recorded a game-high 130 receiving yards against the Jaguars, including an 80-yard touchdown — the longest of his career. After the play, Hill celebrated by placing his hands behind his back while teammate Jaylen Waddle “detained” him.
At one point during the incident, videos showed Hill lying on the ground, handcuffed, with four officers around him.
Dolphins teammates Calais Campbell and Jonnu Smith stopped to offer support for Hill and deescalate the situation, leading to Campbell’s detainment, as well.
“Disobeying a direct order,” Campbell said when asked why officers told him he was being detained. “He said I was too close to the scene and then I think he said something about me not moving my car in time, I don’t know … He told me I wasn’t being arrested but he cited me for being detained and then released.”
“It’s hard. I don’t want to bring race into it, but sometimes it gets kind of iffy when you do. What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill? Lord knows what those guys would have done.”
Tyreek Hill
Miami-Dade PD released a statement from Director Stephanie V. Daniels, who initiated an “immediate review of all details surrounding the incident.” Three hours later, Daniels announced that one of the officers involved was “placed on administrative duties while the investigation is conducted.”
Hill was informed of the decision during his news conference after the game and agreed with the action.
“That should tell you everything you need to know, then,” Hill said. “I’m just glad that my teammates were there to support me in my situation because I felt alone. When they showed up, it made me realize that we have a f—ing good team this year, for them to put their life on the line. It was amazing to see.”
Campbell also said it “makes sense” the officer was placed on administrative duties and that’s “the way it should go.”
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league has been in contact with the Dolphins but declined to comment further.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said he didn’t know all of the details when he spoke after the game, but he was happy with how his team came together to help out a teammate.
“Especially for some of the guys involved — Calais Campbell and Jonnu, they were all pretty rattled,” McDaniel said. “I think you try to prepare a team to handle the unknown. You definitely aren’t forecasting exact situations. A lot of things fall under the veil of adversity and the one common denominator is that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel in any sort of life adversity. You’re not necessarily prepared for that, but neither were our teammates that were in need. So, we just do our best.”
The Dolphins beat the Jaguars 20-17 after scoring 13 unanswered points in the second half.
