Dec 3, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) throws a hail mary during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Packers win 27-23. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Stephan A. Smith of ESPN’s First Take loves him some Aaron Rodgers, quarterback of the Green Bay Packers. Every time Rodgers’ name is brought up, Smith says, “He’s a bad man! and won’t allow counter-part Skip Bayless to say anything negative about him. When he does, Smith goes too far and gets way to emotional about it.
But Thursday night, Rodgers showed that he really is the bad man Smith says he is. It was an ugly beginning when Rodgers’ Packer fell behind 17-0 at halftime and 20-0 in the third quarter. You could see the frustration on Rodgers’ face when his receivers dropped passes and offensive line allowed him to be sacked.
It was the kind of game that made you feel bad for Rodgers because he was out there by himself, getting beat up. But in that third quarter, he seemed to accept that he was playing by himself and was ready to deal with it. He seemed to tell his teammates, “You guys can play with me if you want to but I’m not going to lose this game!”
So the team jumped on his back and he lifted them to a most improbable 27-23 win over the Lions. The most improbable part was at the end, when a facemask was called, adding time for one more play after the game when it seemed the Packers lost the game. Rodgers used that big arm of his one more time, throwing the ball 70 yards in the air.
And at the end of that throw was tight end Richard Rodgers, who caught it for a 61-yard, game-winning TD. That was a fitting way to end a game in which one team had to come back from 20 points down in the second half. For Smith, Packers fans, and quarterback fans alike, this adds to Rodgers’ legend.
He’s a bad man!