SANTA CLARA, Calif. — These playoff defeats when he is oh so close sting a bit more for Aaron Rodgers now, at this later stage in his career.
“It’s a little raw right now. It definitely hurts I’d say a little more than early in your career just because you realize just how difficult it is to get to this spot,” Green Bay’s veteran quarterback said after another season fell short of the Super Bowl. “… Then you realize I don’t have the same number of years ahead of me as I do behind me, so it’s slightly more disappointing.”
A sack and fumble one series, a muffed snap he couldn’t handle the next, then an interception that grounded Green Bay for good.
By halftime.
Rodgers’ latest failure in the NFC championship game kept him out of the Super Bowl once again, the Packers’ season ending just short with an another forgettable playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers, 37-20 on Sunday.
Rodgers hasn’t advanced past the conference title game since his lone Super Bowl trip — and triumph — after the 2010 season. His disappointment showed on the sideline, where Rodgers stood stone-faced, hands on his hips.
Sure, Rodgers completed his first eight passes but the Packers (14-4) never found an offensive rhythm and had no answers for Jimmy Garoppolo or dynamic running back Raheem Mostert on the other side of the ball.
Rodgers made another futile return to the Bay Area where he starred for the University of California at Berkeley, with far less chatter these days about the 49ers passing on him in favour of Alex Smith as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft. The 36-year-old Rodgers, born in the Northern California town of Chico, finally led a scoring drive to begin the second half when he connected with Aaron Jones on a 9-yard touchdown pass. Jones ran for a 1-yard score early in the fourth.
“It was too big a hole to climb out of,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said.
Rodgers wound up 31 of 39 for 326 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions with a 97.2 passer rating while dropping his third straight conference title game over a six-year stretch. He also lost in the NFC championship after the 2014 and ’16 seasons. His highlight Sunday came with a 65-yard completion to Davante Adams with his team trailing 34-13 that set up Jace Sternberger’s 8-yard TD reception.
That gave Rodgers 40 career playoff touchdown passes, breaking Brett Favre’s franchise record of 39. Rodgers’ night ended with an interception by Richard Sherman at the 5.
The rambunctious and raucous Cheeseheads couldn’t even help his cause in a surprisingly red-clad sellout crowd given Green Bay fans typically travel well. Last week in Wisconsin, they watched him play one of his best games of the season to beat the Seahawks.
Rodgers appreciates this season because the Packers proved those people wrong who never thought they would win their NFC North division let alone get this far.
And something else he loved about these close-knit, player-led Packers: “This one will always be special because it became fun again.”
Rodgers went 8 of 8 to start for 66 yards, but the Packers were forced to punt their first two possessions. Rodgers fumbled when sacked by K’Waun Williams for a 15-yard loss their next time and Green Bay punted again — totalling just 18 yards of offence in its first three offensive series. The Packers trailed 27-0 by halftime gaining only 93 yards.
Rodgers was sacked on his second third-down conversion attempt of the game for a loss of 13 yards. Nick Bosa came at the quarterback again from the right edge.
In the post-season, Rodgers has a rough history on San Francisco’s home field.
Most notably: He was the reigning NFL MVP when Colin Kaepernick thoroughly outshined him in the NFC divisional round in January 2013. Postseason first-timer Kaepernick ran for a quarterback playoff record 181 yards and two touchdowns in leading the Niners back to the conference championship with a 45-31 victory over Green Bay.
Rodgers never got in sync that night at Candlestick Park and finished 26 of 39 for 257 yards with two touchdowns. He also lost 23-20 to San Francisco in the wild-card round the next season at Lambeau Field.
Rodgers remains optimistic about the Packers getting back to a Super Bowl. He believes in Green Bay’s leadership, from the top down.
“The window’s open,” he said, “and I think we’re going to be on the right side of one of these real soon.”
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
