The Packers have been dealing with a lot of injuries and changes on offense, but they still have their most valuable weapon in place: quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
A five-time Pro Bowler, two-time NFL MVP, two-time First-Team All-Pro and Super Bowl champion, Rodgers is one of the most decorated athletes in football. On Wednesday, Falcons defensive coordinator Richard Smith explained why the 32-year-old veteran is so dangerous.
"He's got really good pocket presence … he's an athlete and can beat you with his feet or his arm," Smith said. "He has tremendous arm strength. He can get himself out of trouble. He's made a lot of plays on third down conversions, going deep with the ball. He's a playmaker.
"What you notice on film when you watch him, (it's) not only his athletic ability and how he runs the offense, but all the receivers play extremely hard for him. It kind of reminds me back in the days in Denver with Peyton Manning when the guys don't want to let him down."
In six games this season, Rodgers has completed 62.4 percent of his passes and has tallied 1,496 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and four interceptions en route to a 4-2 record. Those numbers aren't as gaudy as the ones he normally produces, and Green Bay is moving a lot of parts around, but the Falcons know that offense is capable of being great.
And it begins with the man under center.
"Overall, it's a really good offensive football team, and like I said last week and the week before, we've got another challenge in front of us," Smith said. "Our players will be well-prepared for whatever we receive in terms of any type of personnel package or what they do with those personnel packages."
