No one can ever have a second thought about the fact that Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are two of the best quarterbacks to play the sport. And certainly, the upcoming Week 3 face-off might prove to be the last match-up fans could ever see. Speaking of which, the Packers QB spoke about whether he actually feels nostalgic playing his old rival.
Aaron Rodgers is coming off a great win against the Chicago Bears in Week 2. He analyzed the game with the reporters and commented on various questions, pointing at the upcoming clash.
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One of the most anticipated questions was his reaction to playing against Brady, a rivalry that kept on growing for the past 15 seasons, and whether he felt nostalgic about his counterpart’s final campaign. “No, not really. I have a lot of respect for the history of the game and my part in it, and the game will keep going long after Tommy and I don’t play.” Rodgers said to the reporters.
When asked about his intentions to play like Brady at 45, Rodgers affirmed that he has several pursuits other than football, and thus he won’t wait that long.
The mere presence of Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady has the power to slay the biggest of the biggest defenses. But the question is how much they fared when they met each other on the field.
The duo came face to face for the first time in 2006. While Brady was the starting quarterback of the New England Patriots, Rodgers covered for his predecessor Brett Favre and came after the first half of the game. Not to mention, the Patriots came out victorious with a thumping 35-0 victory. Eight years down the line, they again met at the Lambeau Field. Rodgers was well-prepared and mature enough to slay Brady 26-21 with two touchdowns.
But later on, the Packers couldn’t get off the field with a smile each time they met Tom Brady. In 2018, Rodgers lost 31-17 against the Patriots. And in 2020, a 38-10 loss against the Buccaneers. Their first postseason appearance happened last year, and again Brady was the one who came out victorious.
Defeating Aaron Rodgers is not an easy job, admits Tom Brady
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Although Brady’s records against Aaron Rodgers give him a clear advantage, the Buccaneers QB knows his opponent very well. Especially this season when his receiver corps is fragile and the O-line completely shattered.
“It’s a tough game. It’s a big challenge,” Brady said about the Packers’ defense on the recent episode of Let’s Go! Podcast. “I got a lot of studying on the plane last night. It’s a new defensive coordinator since the last time we played them, and they have some really talented players on defense, really physical up front, and some great edge rushers,” he added.
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It will be interesting to see if Rodgers manages to take advantage of the situation with a formidable defense on his side. Similarly, Brady won’t sit quietly, as there have been reports of the management recruiting free agents from the market to fill the voids on the Bucs’ roster. Who will triumph?
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