Rodgers Joins Elite Company with Win over Bengals

With a win over the Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will join a list of past and present NFL quarterbacks that is currently only six deep.  The Bengals are the only opposing team that the Packers haven't beaten with Rodgers as a starting quarterback.

The other quarterbacks to beat 31 NFL teams are Tom Brady, Kerry Collins, Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger.  Brett Favre and Peyton Manning are the only two in league history to have led their team to a win against all 32 NFL teams.  Favre accomplished the feat first, beating the Packers as a member of the Minnesota Vikings and Manning joined him as he led the Denver Broncos to a win over the Indianapolis Colts.

It should be noted and for the historians that Joe Montana and Fran Tarkenton managed to beat all 28 teams that were in the NFL when they played.  The Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans joined the league after both players left the game.

I don't personally buy into the idea of "quarterback wins" as a stat or way to legitimize a guy's career, but a Packers win in this scenario still puts Rodgers in small company and is no small feat.  The Favre-led Packers didn't beat their 31st different opponent until 2007 (his 16th and final season with the Packers) with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs.  Rodgers is entering his 13th season with the Packers and his 10th as a starter.  

It's no surprise that the last few opponents that teams need to beat to get their quarterback on this list are often in another conference.  Rodgers has only faced the Bengals three times in his career and only played in the last two meetings.  If the Packers can't find a way to knock off Cincinnati this season, it's likely Rodgers will get another crack in 2021 under the current schedule format.

The chance to reach this milestone adds some spice to a game that doesn't currently offer much in the way of storylines.  

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Jason is a freelance writer on staff since 2012 and also co-hosts Cheesehead TV Live, Pulse of the Pack and Pack A Day podcasts.  You can follow him on Twitter here

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Comments (12)

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NickPerry's picture

July 07, 2017 at 06:47 am

I read another interesting piece this morning about Rodgers. Rodgers has 297 career TD passes and 72 career interceptions. As soon as he throws his 3rd TD of the season (Hopefully in week one) he'll become the first NFL QB to throw for 300 TD passes and have less than 100 interceptions.

Of the 10 QB's to reach 300 TD passes the average interception total for the other QB's was 171. Not trying to diminish the feat Jason has written for us this morning, beating all 31 other NFL teams is a huge accomplishment, especially when you consider there's only 6 others. But throwing 300 TD passes and throwing 100 fewer interceptions than the other 10 averaged is pretty damn impressive too. Rodgers is so damn good he just blows away others statistically. This was just another example.

One last thought the article mentioned. Rodgers should have a chance to reach 400 TD passes and still be under 100 interceptions. Now THAT would really be something. Damn this guy is GREAT!!

Sorry to get away from the topic...

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RCPackerFan's picture

July 07, 2017 at 07:14 am

I heard the same thing. Its really crazy when you really think about it.

They were talking about this on a local radio show yesterday that I listen to. They basically said that they weren't surprised, but at the same time said how impressive it really is.

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gr7070's picture

July 07, 2017 at 10:34 am

It's definitely impressive.

But it's also a factor of modern football. And not just the fact that passing is easier now, but that the philosophy of passing has changed to shorter more efficient passes; thus less interceptions.

Rodgers 4:1 TD:INT ratio absolutely amazes me. Especially so when two other all-time greats were number 2 and 3 (Brady, Manning) at about 3:1 and 2:1. So he was double! the number three guy ever, a truly all-day time great. Amazing.

Now that others qualify the list includes Russell Wilson (who is very good) and Colin K. and a couple other guys further down (Jeff Garcia?). Guys who otherwise wouldn't be amongst those three except for modern football being a huge factor.

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hodge555's picture

July 07, 2017 at 01:22 pm

Nick, you are clairvoyant! :-)
CHTV have just now published an article on the 300TB vs Ints stat, http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/rodgers-summer-celebration-tour-rumbles-onw...

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jeremyjjbrown's picture

July 07, 2017 at 07:25 am

Wow, well I hope he never equals Favre and Manning on that one.

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croatpackfan's picture

July 07, 2017 at 07:46 am

But I think it would be awesome if Aaron will chose coaching after retirement (as player) and, leading Packers as HC, repeat all his success as player... What do you say about that idea?

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Iain's picture

July 07, 2017 at 12:22 pm

I don't see that happening

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Since'61's picture

July 07, 2017 at 03:44 pm

Agreed! Great players rarely make for great coaches. Bart Starr and Forrest Gregg are 2 cases in point, both great Packer players. Besides, I think Rodgers has other plans for his life after football. Thanks, Since '61

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Handsback's picture

July 07, 2017 at 07:52 am

If you take the arm of Namath, brains of Starr, movement of Tarkenton and moxie of Unitas you have Aaron Rodgers. He's not perfect, but he has and uses more tools than I have ever seen by any one QB. The fact he has won one SB is a testimony to how hard it is to win one as it is a team sport.

All that said, agree with Nick....300 TD less than 100 ints is a far greater achievement than beating all the other teams in the NFL.

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gr7070's picture

July 07, 2017 at 08:09 am

This:

"I don't personally buy into the idea of "quarterback wins" as a stat or way to legitimize a guy's career,"

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BPEARSON21's picture

July 07, 2017 at 09:09 am

Aaron Rodgers is an absolute beast. It has truly been a pleasure watching that man play quarterback.

He deserves so much better than what our management has given him. So much better.

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Since'61's picture

July 07, 2017 at 10:14 am

Since we are playing the Bengals at home this season Rodgers should be able to pick up the win against them, providing of course that our defense shows up for the game. As for Rodgers incredible TD/Interception ratio and his other outstanding achievements, as I have posted before, he has taken the QB position to another level. His ability to throw as accurately as he does while on the move puts him at another level when compared with the great QBs of any other era. Yes, the rules favor the passing game in the current era of the NFL but Aaron Rodgers would have been a great QB in any ear. My criteria for all time great players are:
1. Were they a dominant player while they were playing in the league? Yes for Rodgers. 2 MVPs so far, double digits wins every season except his 1st as a starter and 2013 when he was injured. SB winner and MVP
2. Are they HOF players? Rodgers will be when he's done.
3. Will football writers/analysts/fans/etc. still be discussing their exploits 50+ years from now? Yes for Rodgers. Just like they still discuss Johnny Unitas, Bart Starr, Sonny Jorgensen, Joe Montana,Dan Marino, John Elway, Brett Favre and a few others.
Beyond all of that Rodgers has taken the position to another level with his mobility and his deadly accuracy. When Rodgers leaves the game new QBs will be compared with him based on their ability to throw on the run and on their TD/Int ratios. Those are the points of differentiation for Rodgers. It's both staggering and disappointing to think of what might have been had Aaron Rodgers played on a team with a great defense, or even an average defense. Well, we still have a few years left. Thanks, Since '61

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