Asked to name the similarities he sees between Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, Patriots coach Bill Belichick on Wednesday provided one of his classic blowoffs, telling reporters: "They both wear No. 12."
Belichick, of course, knows there's more to it than that. So does Brady.
"He's phenomenal," the Patriots quarterback said of Rodgers, whose Packershost New England this Sunday. "He's just a great player. I always love watching him play, 'cause he does things a lot of guys in the league can't do -- that nobody can do, really, except him. For a quarterback, I really know how hard it is to do that, especially on a consistent basis, and he's been as consistent as anybody that's ever played the position. I got a lot of respect for him."
Brady correctly pegged the traits that make Rodgers one of a kind: His mistake-free consistency, his insane precision and the requisite arm talent to place the ball anywhere on the field.
We saw this on Sunday against the Vikings, when Rodgers unfurled one of the most insane throws we've ever witnessed, launching the ball completely across his body into the opposite corner of the end zone. It's a throw that no quarterback -- not even Brady -- can make.
Brady has produced a career that young arms can look upon and only dream about. In his own right, though, Rodgers has an opportunity to redefine how we measure the position.
Belichick was wise enough to avoid the question. After all, the debate over the game's greatest passer is an endless, winding meditation that will dominate barrooms, buses and breakrooms until the end of days.
There's no right answer, except yours.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast previews Thanksgiving Thursday's three games and recaps Monday night's Week 12 doubleheader. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
