Favre says Rodgers’ lulls ‘better than mine’
GREEN BAY - Around the time Aaron Rodgers was intercepted in the third quarter of the Green Bay Packers' 30-16 loss Sunday to the Dallas Cowboys, Brett Favre was playing the best defense inside Lambeau Field.
Rodgers, the two-time MVP quarterback, had another poor game. His central role in the Packers’ loss blended with perhaps the worst slump of his career.
It just so happened to coincide with Favre, the former three-time MVP quarterback, returning to Lambeau Field to accept his Pro Football Hall of Fame ring during a halftime ceremony. Favre’s name was unveiled on the stadium’s east façade next to teammate Reggie White.
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Favre gushed over Dallas Cowboys rookie quarterback Dak Prescott. His poise. His control. It didn’t hurt that Prescott, who played college football at Mississippi State, also happens to wear No. 4.
Near the end of a 12-minute media session, Favre was asked what he thought about how his successor was playing. Initially, he referenced how the Packers’ pocket was holding up for Rodgers.
“Without watching the film,” Favre said, “it seemed like he had decent time. But rushing three, you should have that.”
Then Favre slipped into full-fledged support.
“I’ll take Aaron Rodgers any day,” Favre said, “and that hasn’t changed. I’ve said that before, and I’ll say it again. When he’s sort of off from the experts’ standpoint, it’s still better than mine. His lulls are — I think they’re pretty daggone good. I don’t see any reason why that would change. So I look at it from, ‘If I were starting a team, who would I take?’ And I’d take Aaron Rodgers.”
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Rodgers completed 31 of 42 passes for 294 yards, one touchdown and one interception, good for a 90.8 rating. He averaged a meager 7 yards per pass, continuing a subpar theme from this season. But Rodgers’ overall play was worse than his numbers. He fumbled twice, losing one when the Packers were poised to score inside the Cowboys’ 5-yard line.
He was booed multiple times inside his home stadium.
Most strikingly, Rodgers was outplayed against a rookie quarterback inside his home stadium. Prescott completed 18 of 27 of his passes for 247 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. His 117.4 rating underscored the difference between him and Rodgers.
Favre explained how “the game is so much different” than when he played, helping rookie quarterbacks transition quicker to professional football. It didn’t diminish how impressed Favre was with the Cowboys rookie, who played college football in his home state.
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“I have to admit,” Favre said, “Dallas or not Dallas, I think we all can agree the kid’s playing outstanding — and I told him. I said, ‘I’ve been extremely impressed.’ … I thought coming in that it would be too big for him, for this game. Playing at home is a little different, and I give him a tremendous amount of credit.
“The kid’s playing incredible.”
