Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the NFL’s leader in passer rating through the first nine weeks, is charting another MVP path as the Packers hit the midway point of 2020.
Rodgers has thrown 24 touchdown passes in eight games, putting him on pace for 48, or what would be a new career-high. He is first among quarterbacks in overall grade at Pro Football Focus and QBR at ESPN and second in DVOA at Football Outsiders. The Packers are third in the NFL in scoring entering Week 10 and, with a 6-2 record, firmly positioned as one of the top contenders in the NFC.
So how does Rodgers’ start to this season compare to past MVP seasons in 2011 and 2014?
Pretty favorably, actually.
Through the first eight games of each season:
| 2020 | 2014 | 2011 | |
| Cmp/att | 189/280 | 169/250 | 192/265 |
| Cmp% | 67.5 | 67.6 | 72.5 |
| Passing yards | 2,253 | 2,092 | 2,619 |
| Yards/att | 8.0 | 8.4 | 9.9 |
| TD/INT | 24/2 | 19/3 | 24/3 |
| TD% | 8.6 | 7.6 | 9.1 |
| INT% | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.1 |
| Passer rating | 117.5 | 113.6 | 129.1 |
| AY/A | 9.44 | 9.35 | 11.18 |
| GB record | 6-2 | 5-3 | 8-0 |
| GB PPG | 31.6 | 27.8 | 34.4 |
In many ways, the 2020 version of Rodgers is a little bit better than 2014 and not quite as good as 2011, at least through eight games.
Most years, MVPs win the crown over the final half of the season. So while Rodgers is right in the running at the halfway point, he’ll need a strong finish over the final eight games, especially with Patrick Mahomes and Russell Wilson playing so well.
Just for reference, here’s how Rodgers performed over the second half of both the 2011 and 2014 seasons:
| 2014 | 2011 | |
| Games | 8 | 7* |
| Cmp/att | 172/270 | 151/237 |
| Cmp% | 63.7 | 63.7 |
| Passing yards | 2,289 | 2,024 |
| Yards/att | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| TD/INT | 19/2 | 21/3 |
| TD% | 7.0 | 8.9 |
| INT% | 0.7 | 1.3 |
| Passer rating | 110.9 | 115.0 |
| AY/A | 9.6 | 9.7 |
| GB record | 7-1 | 6-1 |
| GB PPG | 33.0 | 34.2 |
*Rodgers sat out the season finale against the Detroit Lions.
Rodgers is on pace for 4,506 passing yards, 48 touchdown passes and four interceptions in 2020. He had 4,643 passing yards, 45 touchdown passes and six interceptions in 2011 and 4,381 passing yards, 38 touchdown passes and five interceptions in 2014.
