There was plenty of drama surrounding Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers this off-season. Was he going to retire? Would he be traded elsewhere? The reigning MVP ended up coming back, putting all speculation to rest. However, he didn't put the doubts away in his first game of the season.
Rodgers went 15-for-28 for 133 yards and two picks in a 38-3 thumping at the hands of the displaced New Orleans Saints. Green Bay's offense was flat as a whole, gaining 229 total yards and turning the ball over three times (two of those were Rodgers's picks). For a team with lofty Super Bowl expectations this season, something seems amiss.
First, they let Jameis Winston run all over them in Week One. The former No. 1 pick went 14-for-20 for 158 yards and five touchdowns. For a normally inaccurate passer, Winston looked like he was untouchable the entire game. A fine-tuned balance of Alvin Kamara and the Saints' new quarterback torched Green Bay.
There's also another elephant in the room: Rodgers himself. Does the quarterback have his heart in the game, or is he holding out for that Jeopardy! slot that'll eventually be filled? Jermichael Finley hit on this point after the game, saying that "Rodgers doesn't have that hunger anymore."
That's evident by Rodgers saying, "[The Packers] drafted my replacement, so let him play." Love did decent in his time during the game, going 5-for-7 for 68 yards. The disconnect between the MVP and Green Bay is apparent, even after he came back for one more season. The thing is it's not Love's fault; he's just a quarterback in all this.
Should Packer fans be concerned about the horrible performance last Sunday? Yes. For one, it showed their star quarterback doesn't have his heart in the game. There's also a loaded NFC conference headed by a tough NFC West (who Green Bay will face this season) and competition against a challenging AFC North. If Cheeseheads are to breathe easy, it's up to the reigning MVP to step up. Otherwise, the Rodgers-Green Bay saga will end on a sour note.
