MVP talk doesn't rattle Packers QB Rodgers

Football Betting Lines

09/08/2010 -

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - During training camp, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers noted that the team has a different kind of swagger this year. He called it ``real confidence.''

Now that Rodgers enters Sunday's regular season opener in Philadelphia as a fashionable pick to become the league's MVP and lead his team on a long playoff run this year, Rodgers said his own approach hasn't changed.

``I've always had real confidence,'' Rodgers said, holding eye contact for emphasis.

It seems like everybody else has confidence in Rodgers, too.

After spending most of the first three years of his NFL career on the bench, Rodgers faced plenty of skepticism - even from his own fans - when the Packers traded icon-turned-malcontent Brett Favre and handed Rodgers the keys to the offense.

Rodgers played well in 2008 despite sustaining a significant shoulder injury early in the season. Rodgers then led the Packers back to the playoffs last year despite taking a league-high 50 sacks.

In two seasons as a No. 1 quarterback, Rodgers has started all 32 regular-season games, throwing 58 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. In the preseason this year, he completed 77.4 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and no interceptions.

With Rodgers running what is shaping up as one of the NFL's best offenses, pundits are hailing him as a potential MVP. If he leads the Packers on a long playoff run, he could barge his way into conversations about the league's elite quarterbacks.

And given what he already has shown the ability to handle, wide receiver Greg Jennings said there's no reason to doubt he'll be able to deal with high expectations.

``He handles it all great,'' Jennings said. ``No. 1, in this league, you've got to be able to handle adversity, and he's shown he can handle adverse situations. No. 2, you've got to be able to handle success, and he's shown that he can handle success. We're not worried about Aaron handling any situation.''

Rodgers' ascent has become a blueprint for new Eagles starter Kevin Kolb, who will try to outduel Rodgers on Sunday after turning to him for occasional advice in the offseason.

``He has no idea how much of a fan of him I am because of what I got to see him go through and the way he handles the adversity,'' Kolb said. ``He always took it back to football and didn't get caught up in it.''

Kolb is trying to replace Donovan McNabb, and perhaps only Rodgers can understand what that's like.

``I've talked to him and definitely shared thoughts with him, I'm impressed with the way he's handled himself,'' Rodgers said. ``He's definitely endeared himself to his team and his fan base and the coaching staff and organization by the way he's handled the whole situation, which is never the easiest situation following the guys we followed.''

Rodgers, meanwhile, will gladly take the MVP talk after spending two years fielding questions about replacing Favre or taking sacks.

``I think it's a lot easier,'' Rodgers said. ``It definitely is. But it's honestly never entered my thought process. You know, the awards and the predictions and stuff, really, I think that's preseason fodder. Just stuff to chew on while the games may not be as meaningful. But once we get into the everyday grind of the season, guys are just focused on that week.''

Still, that didn't stop a few Packers players from wearing cowboy hats to a recent season kickoff luncheon - an allusion to the Super Bowl in Dallas, and an idea that apparently can be traced back to the quarterback.

``He kind of was the leader on that thing, no question,'' veteran tackle Mark Tauscher said.

The expectations are out there, so why not have fun with them?

``This is a fun job, but it's also a grind,'' Tauscher said. ``You have to be able to have some fun and have laughs and I think Aaron does a great job of trying to keep guys loose when it's the appropriate time.''

Packers coach Mike McCarthy made a point of embracing Super Bowl expectations at the beginning of training camp. But with a tough road opener looming, he doesn't want to hear a word about how his quarterback is considered an MVP candidate.

``I would say Aaron Rodgers is handling his business in a very professional manner, just like he has in the past,'' McCarthy said. ``All of those types of awards, Super Bowl talk, frankly that is preseason talk. That is over in our mind. The only thing we are interested in is Philadelphia.''Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

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The San Francisco 49ers (5-11 SU, 5-10-1 ATS in 2007; 1-1 SU & ATS in pre-season) found some offensive life last week, and they will try to build some momentum on Thursday night as they travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bears (7-9 SU & ATS in 2007; 0-2 SU, 0-1-1 ATS in pre-season) in an NFL matchup that is set to get underway at 8 PM ET at Soldier Field (natural turf) in Chicago.

Thursday, August 21

NFL betting odds: CHICAGO -3 (-120), Total 37

NOTABLE STAT: San Francisco was last in points, last in total offense in 2007
KEY NFL BETTING TREND: SF has lost its last seven SU on pre-season road

In the BetUS NFL pre-season football betting odds, the Bears are listed as a three-point favorite (laying -120), with the total posted at 37 points.

Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):

* SF has lost 11 of its last 14 games SU
* SF has covered three of its last 11 games
* SF has lost six of its last seven road games SU
* SF has covered one of its last seven road games
* CHI has covered five of its last eight games
* CHI has played five of its last seven games OVER the total
* CHI has covered four of its last 13 home games
* SF has lost its last seven pre-season road games SU
* CHI has covered two of its last seven home pre-season games

Well, I guess we should congratulate the Bears on making their quarterback choice for the season's opening game, as they have designated Kyle Orton the starter against Indianapolis. The Bears obviously have lost patience with Rex Grossman, and what they do with him at this point is anybody's guess. But suffice it to say that there isn't a quarterback competition anymore, at least in training camp.

Meanwhile, the quarterback competition may also be settled in San Francisco, where the Niners bounced back from a lackluster 18-6 loss to the Raiders, in which they turned the ball over four times, to execute a 34-6 rout of the Packers last Saturday. However, coach Mike Nolan has stopped short of saying that, insisting that the job is still open. But J.T. O'Sullivan, the longshot of the trio of Niner signal-callers who opened camp, will start his third straight pre-season game here. Against Green Bay, O'Sullivan was only 8-for-17, and was intercepted, but he also threw for 9.1 yards an attempt, which included a 59-yard TD pass to Josh Morgan. The others struggled.

Some offensive cohesion is badly needed, in light of the Niners' dismal 2007 campaign, in which they were dead last in the NFL in scoring, with just 13.7 points a game. And O'Sullivan is the guy who is most familiar with offensive coordinator Mike Martz's exacting system, because he learned it last year in Detroit. O'Sullivan will go at least the entire first half and may even last longer. He'll be relieved by Alex Smith, with Shawn Hill doing the mop-up work. Three receivers who were out last week - Bryant Johnson, Ashley Lelie and Arnaz Battle - will miss this game too.

That may hurt a little here, especially since the Bears will be using a lot of their defensive starters. And it's the defense that has been keeping the Bears in games thus far. In fact, the defense and special teams were responsible for the first 19 points Chicago scored against Seattle last time out, as the offense really struggled with Grossman at the controls. But maybe the first-team offense has a chance to settle a little bit as it works more with Orton at the helm.

Certainly we have concerns about the Bears' offensive line, but we like the scenario for them here, especially if O'Sullivan doesn't make some bis plays. The Niners may have nowhere else to turn right now, and they have lost seven straight road games in the pre-season. Let's take Chicago, the three-point favorite in the NFL football betting odds.

CHICAGO -3 (-120) **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

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