Can Brett Hundley actually lead Green Bay to a winning season?
By Joe Burgett
Aaron Rodgers sadly went down with an injury, and now all eyes are on Brett Hundley. Can he actually lead the Packers to a winning season?
In a game against the Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers went down hard from a hit by Anthony Barr and it is debatable whether or not the hit was dirty. Either way, Rodgers did not get up with ease from the hit and ended up breaking his right collarbone. This is, of course, not a good thing for Rodgers or the Packers, and as a result, we’re now wondering what will happen in Green Bay. This is where Brett Hundley comes in.
This is where Brett Hundley comes in.
Rodgers will miss a lot of time, and as of now, there is no word on if Rodgers will require surgery. Whether or not he does is crucial. However, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy says the team is now in the hands of the 24-year-old Brett Hundley, who has backed up Rodgers for a while now, and this is not a bad thing.
When you’re backing up one of the greatest quarterbacks in the league, you learn a lot. Some back-ups go on to take the reigns from someone else and become amazing themselves. Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger are two examples. Oh yeah, and Aaron Rodgers knows a little bit about this as well. There is no telling if Hundley, a former Heisman Trophy candidate with a long list of records at UCLA, will be the next quarterback to emerge from behind the shadow of a legend.
Hundley may not be Rodgers, but we cannot assume he won’t lead this team to the playoffs. He can because Hundley isn’t on a team of scrubs
Hundley won’t perform to the level of Rodgers, who is at the elite level these days, and it isn’t fair to expect him to be a Rodgers clone either. Right now, he’s perfect for this offense.
While the Packers rely on Rodgers’ amazing passing precision to get things done, their wide-outs are some of the best in the league. A crop that includes Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams and Jeff Janis. This is not even it for the Packers. Tight end Martellus Bennett signed this past offseason. When it comes to targets, veteran ones, the Packers have some of the best in the league and Hundley has a lot of help to throw to all over the field.
The Packers discovered a two-headed monster in the backfield, running backs Aaron Jones and Ty Montgomery, behind a good offensive line. With a solid running game, Hundley is set up for success.
No one will expect Hundley to be Aaron Rodgers, but we can expect him to put up respectable numbers. To top all of this off, Hundley can run the ball very well if things break down in the pocket. He also knows how to pass accurately and efficiently. Rodgers will be an extra coach and set of eyes on the sideline each game. Rodgers’ guidance could be essential.
Given Rodgers own history as a back-up, it’s safe to assume he won’t give Hundley the Brett Favre cold shoulder he received.
So, can the Packers make the playoffs on the back of Brett Hundley?
It would be wrong to assume the team will be on Hundley’s back, it will truly be a team effort to get the Packers into the postseason. With a 4-2 record, Hundley has a good headstart and the Packers have some relatively easy games coming up to allow Hundley to get his feet wet without diving into the deep end of the NFL’s elite teams.
The next three weeks the Packers play the New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears on the road, all winnable games. The Packers could conceivably boast seven wins after that stretch.
While the Carolina Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers loom large on the remaining schedule, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cleveland Browns are also on deck. Those two games alone could get the Packers to nine wins. In addition, two-thirds of their divisional games are left on the schedule.
The playoffs are likely.
All of this hinges on a few things. Obviously, it’s all on Hundley playing smart and avoiding turnovers while also driving the ball into the end zone. Also, the Packers’ defense has to hold up, stop drives and create turnovers to alleviate the pressure on Hundley.
Hundley will be blamed and praised for the wins regardless and he’ll be up to the challenge.