Packers bench Aaron Rodgers for Jordan Love

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Aaron Rodgers insists he never intended to cause any distractions to the Packers' 2021 season by staying away from the team and playing coy about his future in Green Bay for most of this offseason.

But if anyone looked distracted, or at least unprepared, in Sunday's Week 1 games, it was Rodgers and the Packers -- so much so that coach Matt LaFleur sent Rodgers to the bench with just under 11 minutes left in the club's road opener against the Saints, replacing the reigning MVP with second-year backup Jordan Love.

Entering the year as one of the NFL's most accomplished QBs, however, Rodgers' performance was notably muted: 15 of 28 for 133 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions.

Rodgers’ Packers lost to the New Orleans Saints 38 to 3.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/packers-bench-aaron-rodgers-for-jordan-love-as-jameis-winston-torches-green-bay-in-week-1/

[True Dough]

1. Rodgers played poorly and the Saints' D was fierce

But Aaron is going to bounce back. I'm confident of that.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

2. Pulling out an aging, starting QB when you're down so far you have no chance of coming back

Makes sense from a coaching standpoint.

Probably a number of other starters were pulled as well is my guess.

Doing so badly in your first game after a holdout is not a good look, but the Packers defense was also completely outmatched, to be fair, offering all the resistance of a wet napkin from the opening whistle.

[TheRealNorth]

3. That's what I thought too.

There was no sense in risking an injury to Rodgers by having him play late into the game that was clearly lost. I remember 20 years ago QB's would be pulled if their team was up by 21 in the 4th quarter to avoid injuries as well.

Sports media is just trying to invent a controversy that really shouldn't be. Probably the same bozos that said Giannis was overrated because he hadn't won a Championship, and now say Giannis is overrated because he can't shoot 3's at a high percentage (never mind that Shaq was not a great shooter away from the basket).