In this space, I detailed the difference between Aaron Rodgers and Derek Carr. I explained that the major difference remains between the ears. Physically, these two athletes cut a similar figure, blessed with athleticism and agility. Yet, football, for all of its abundant test of strength, quick twitch reflexes, remains partially a game of mentality. Seeing Aaron Rodgers calmly stroll through the Packers facility, in flip-flops, shorts, and TV-themed shirt provided yet another reminder. These two quarterbacks, for all of their physical similarities, are not the same. That fact can ultimately come back to hurt the Las Vegas Raiders.
Owns The Place
Cast Rodgers’ Super Bowl win and accolades aside for a second. Watch the player. In the offseason, Rodgers played a high-stakes game of chicken with management. As a result, he won the right to dictate his exit from Green Bay. Rodgers, unafraid to buck tradition and speak freely about his intentions, willingly absorbed the heat. Meanwhile, Derek Carr casts the image of a player that exhibits the desire for others to adore him. Rodgers wants victories. Carr seeks adulation. There are no rings for likability. Carr strolls up to the mic like he feels just happy to be there. On the other hand, Rodgers knows he’s there and will tell you, in no uncertain terms, that he is one of, if not, the best in the game. The ” aw, shucks” doesn’t fly with Rodgers. Entering year eight, Carr still marches to the exact same song.
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Killer Instinct
As of this writing, the Packers look to trade for Randall Cobb. A favorite of Rodgers, Cobb appears to be a peace offering to soothe tensions. Imagine if Carr fought for Crabtree or went to the mat for Amari Cooper in the same fashion. How would the post-2018 years look? Rodgers stepped up with his demands and management, literally knew their role, and shut their mouths. Additionally, spare me the “bigger than the team” trope. Rodgers operates from a place of defiance tinged with confidence. Meanwhile, Carr shows an affable, team-oriented vibe. In a weird way, Rodgers exhibits an old-school Raiders mentality. Envision Rich Gannon, screaming at Gruden and not backing down.
The Clock
Aaron Rodgers wants to end his career on his own terms and write his own end chapter. Carr, now thirty, must feel the heat from expectation and the thought that almost a decade elapsed. The football player, at a high level, appears to possess a certain amount of elite snaps. How will he spend the balance of his? No one should question Derek Carr’s physical traits. They stack up with some of the best/ As with the previous year, he channels some scintilla of Aaron Rodgers’ demeanor. The Raiders need aggression from their leader to compete in the NFL.
Agree on most except Gannon yelling at Chucky, Gannon even yelled at future HOF Tim Brown (Frankly I truly wished Tim would have punched Gannon in his face, but that’s not in his consummate professional character, I would’ve punched him in his face!!) Gannon’s stats were all based on west coast offense and short pass completions which added up to many nice looking stats, but stats necessarily add up to wins or obviously Lombardi trophies..not a fan of Mr. Hothead blaming everyone else!!! Gannon nor Carr deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Rogers…apples and oranges. This is a game of put up or shut up, we don’t have a seven game series of a Super Bowl so yes it takes talent to get to that point, certainly a killer instinct to win it all and a lot of it falls on the quarterback, but though Gannon and Carr have shown flashes of brilliance in there respective careers neither has possessed what Rogers has brought to Green Bay and the management knows what he’s worth and thus has shut up, so why hasn’t ours? Maybe because none of them has put up and they are looking for a scapegoat? Maybe they just have no clue and are hoping some of that poor decision making they have been much criticized about actually pans out for a winning season, though at this point more so than any other most recent year am I confident in the Raiders accomplishing that feat, let alone a Super Bowl victory which is currently the thinking of the odds makers too having the Raiders at some 80-1 and the Chief’s at 5-1 to win this season’s Lombardi trophy!!!