Whether that vibe translates into greater success remains to be seen. After going from 8-6 with two weeks left in the 2010 regular season to making the playoffs as a wild card and winning the Super Bowl, the Packers have put together back-to-back NFC North division titles, going 15-1 in 2011 and 11-5 last season. But after dispiriting losses in the NFC Divisional Playoff round each year, those seasons ultimately felt empty to Rodgers.
On Wednesday, after coach Mike McCarthy said his quarterback is in "a good place" as he preps for his sixth season as the team's starter, Rodgers spoke of being the team's longest-tenured player (a title he assumed after wide receiver Donald Driver's retirement), of how he's seeing the game.
According to offensive coordinator Tom Clements, Rodgers' quarterbacks coach from 2006 through 2011 and the person who knows him best in the building, that is fueling him.
"Now in (Year) 9, they've done a good job (of) putting their heads together and taking off some of the load on my arm, so my arm's been able to stay very fresh. My legs feel have felt really good. I came in in really good shape, probably the best shape I've been in since maybe five years ago. So that feels good, it takes some load off my legs. I love football so I want to make sure I'm putting my best foot forward for these guys and lead them in the right way.
To get there, Rodgers acknowledged Wednesday that it might mean his own personal numbers will drop. Although the passing game figures to remain the focus, if the Packers' hopes of a more robust running game are realized, Rodgers could be more efficient in a more balanced offense.
"It's been a lot lighter, and I've appreciated it. Last year there were times where we took 60 out of 70 snaps in a practice, and that's tough for anybody, whether you're in Year 1 or Year 8," Rodgers said.
Rodgers has also had a lighter workload in camp this summer, and it's not only because of the competition for the backup job. McCarthy, Clements and quarterbacks coach Ben McAdoo decided that in his ninth season, Rodgers needed to be monitored more closely in terms of throws and snaps.
"I'm playing fast, but my mind is slow, which is where you want to be," he said about how he's enjoying taking fewer snaps this camp as backups Graham Harrell,
Buffalo Bills Jersey Clearance, Vince Young and B.J. Coleman battle while he's on a pitch count.
Set to turn 30 in December, the Green Bay quarterback believes he is in tip-top shape,
Babe Ruth Jersey, his intellect and grasp of the offense have never been sharper, his role as the team's leader is unquestioned and, as the NFL's highest-paid player after his five-year, $110 million contract extension in April, his future is set.
Later, though, Rodgers spoke of the real reason he feels good — the "vibe" he's getting from his team. "I'm having a blast, I really am. I love this group of guys," Rodgers explained. "I think it's a young group. It feels young, there's an influx of energy. We've seen a lot of guys fighting for positions, but a lot of guys stepping up and letting more of their personality out. I think when you can get to that comfort zone where you're playing really fast and playing well but also able to be yourself, it's just fun for everybody else. It's contagious."
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Mind, body, soul, wallet — it definitely is good to be Aaron Rodgers.
DuJuan Harris, who ended last season as the starter, and rookie second-round pick Eddie Lacy are the leading candidates to start at running back, but veteran James Starks has had a good camp and rookie fourth-round pick Johnathan Franklin looks like a viable third-down option.
"You know,
Wholesale Jerseys China, one word we've talked about (this year) is sacrifice, sacrificing for the good of the team and putting the needs of the team in front of the needs of the self," Rodgers said. 'You look at the guys we've got in the backfield this year, it's probably the best running group we've had in my nine years as a whole. That could mean the (passing game) numbers might go down a little bit. But the most important thing, as we stress to the guys on offense, is about winning and playing well. If we can have a balanced attack this year,
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"I think he's been a little more focused. If things aren't right with a particular play — the running back, the line, a receiver —
