Belichick Sounds Off on Packers’ Aaron Rodgers Following OT Defeat

Rodgers, Belichick

Getty Aaron Rodgers and Bill Belichick at Lambeau Field on October 2, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

Green Bay Packers‘ quarterback Aaron Rodgers and New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick don’t share a storied history as competitors, but each is well aware of the challenge the other represents on the rare occasions in which they do square off.

The Patriots mustered a valiant effort at Lambeau Field on Sunday, October 2, starting the game with backup QB Brian Hoyer and finishing it with third-string rookie Bailey Zappe, after starter Mac Jones was ruled out due to a high ankle sprain.

A full team effort, New England took a lead into halftime, staved off a fourth-quarter Packers’ drive, and held the ball in overtime with a chance to score and claim an improbable road victory. But in the end, Rodgers was just too much. Belichick said so himself during the postgame press conference.

“In the end, Rodgers was just too good,” Belichick said. “He made some throws that only Rodgers can make. We had pretty good coverage on some of those and he was just too smart, too good, too accurate.”

“In the end, he got us.”


Rodgers, Belichick Shared Words Leading Up to Sunday’s Game

Aaron Rodgers, Packers

GettyQB Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers during a game against the New England Patriots at Lambeau Field on October 2, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Belichick’s words on Rodgers following Sunday’s game weren’t the first he shared on the quarterback. The legendary coach also offered some thoughts on the legendary quarterback in the days leading up to the matchup.

“Really no weaknesses with the player at all,” Belichick said of Rodgers on the Monday, September 26, edition of The Greg Hill Show.

Rodgers returned that respect on the Pat McAfee Show the following day.

“Well, he’s the best coach of all time,” Rodgers said of Belichick. “He’s a legend, a living legend. He’s been ahead of the game for a long, long time. He makes incredible in-game adjustments, halftime adjustments, third-quarter adjustments, fourth-quarter adjustments — whatever it takes.”

Both lived up Sunday to the praise offered by the other, as Belichick kept his team in a game it had no business competing in, and Rodgers closed the door on the Patriots in overtime despite some avoidable mistakes by the Packers.


Two Packers Receivers Set Themselves Apart in Win Over Patriots

Lazard Injury Update Week 2

GettyWide receiver Allen Lazard of the Green Bay Packers reacts after defeating the Los Angeles Rams 36-28 at Lambeau Field on November 28, 2021 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

The Packers’ offense continued to struggle in frustrating ways against New England, namely by way of an uncharacteristic pick-six off Rodgers’ arm and a dropped touchdown pass in the fourth quarter that probably would have sealed the game for Green Bay.

All told, Rodgers was 21 for 35 passing on the day for 251 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Rookie receiver Romeo Doubs, who dropped the late touchdown pass, still came up with five catches for 47 yards and a score against New England.

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur spoke to Doubs’ drop during a media session on Monday.

“Bottom line is, if you’re going to the ground, you’ve got to survive the ground,” LaFleur said, per Ryan Wood of USA Today. “Otherwise, it’s going to be an incomplete pass.”

Wideout Allen Lazard was a bright spot in the Packers’ offense, pulling down six catches for 116 yards Sunday. He and Doubs — the latter of whom has started the previous two games — have begun to separate themselves from the rest of the receiver room as Rodgers’ top targets, while Green Bay continues to work toward a more consistent passing attack.

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