As two of the best players at their position in their
generation
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quarterback Aaron Rodgers have formed a relationship built on deep respect.They
have nothing but praise for each other's games and will exchange texts after one
of them does something special. With all that they have accomplished that can
happen often."Just checking if he has a great game or I see something on tape
where he's in his bag and doing something crazy like some of the Hail Mary's
that he's thrown," Sherman said. "I text him like, 'Man, that's crazy. I don't
know what you were thinking right there.' He's a good dude."Sherman hopes
Rodgers doesn't pull off any of those crazy plays he's known for on Monday night
when the 49ers (1-4) visit the Packers (2-2-1) in the seventh meeting between
the two megastars, including one in the postseason.The two split the previous
six meetings when Sherman was in Seattle, although the Seahawks won the most
important in the NFC title game in January 2015. But any success Rodgers had
didn't come because he found some weakness in Sherman's game. Instead, he
approached it like most quarterbacks do, throwing as few passes to his right as
possible, knowing Sherman will shut down that side of the field.Rodgers has
completed only nine passes for 90 yards against Sherman in those six games,
according to SportRadar, targeting him just 13 times and throwing one
interception. Almost half of that production came in the first meeting in 2012
when Rodgers went 4-for-5 for 44 yards. He has avoided him almost completely
since then as Sherman has allowed just five catches for 46 yards in the past
five games."When he's on the field, you have to be smart throwing the ball his
way," Rodgers said. "That's just the type of player he is. I mean, he's a
super-intelligent guy, he's got incredible football instincts and he can still
impact the game in a number of different ways."Sherman is still striking fear in
quarterbacks at age 30 despite coming off major surgery on a ruptured Achilles
tendon and nursing a calf injury that sidelined him for one game this
season.Sherman has been targeted just 10 times on 145 pass plays this season,
the second-lowest rate in the NFL. Opposing quarterbacks have completed just two
of those passes for 28 yards as Sherman has been a rare bright spot for a
struggling San Francisco team."People aren't targeting him. That always tells
you a lot there about
Richard
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where he is in his career, he diagnosis routes extremely well. I've always felt
he was so strong at the breaking points of routes and really does a great job of
playing toward his length. He's an excellent player, always has been. I think he
looks good."Rodgers has also been slowed by an injury at age 34, as he hurt his
knee in the first half of the opener against Chicago before returning to lead a
memorable comeback.He has shown more mobility each week and is coming off a
442-yard, three TD performance in a loss at Detroit last week. Rodgers has 10
touchdown passes and just one interception all season and has the highest passer
rating (103.5) of any quarterback with at least 1,000 attempts."He's still the
best or is tied for the best on the planet," 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. "He
always has been. He's the man. I know he's not 100 percent, everyone knows that,
but he seems to be a little bit better each week. He's still the best. Good
player."One aspect that makes Rodgers even tougher to defend than other top
quarterbacks such as Tom Brady or Peyton Manning during his heyday is the
ability to scramble. Rodgers is an elite athlete and can extend plays with his
feet and then expose defenses downfield with his laser-like arm when the
cornerbacks can't stick with the receivers for that extra time.Sherman knows
that's one of the hardest things to prepare for against Rodgers and the
Packers."You're going to have to run, you're going to have to cover for a long
period of time," he said. "You'll have to be ready for the backyard football.
He's a great passer, he can throw the ball anywhere. He can be on his back foot
and throw the ball 75 yards." Historically, Tom Brady has been hesitant to
express satisfaction when it comes to the Patriots' offense.His approach has
remained unchanged this season about a group that only recently has started to
find consistency after a 1-2 start. The passing attack particularly has suffered
during that time because of his lack of cohesion with a new group of
receivers.Brady didn't eclipse 300 yards passing in any of New England's first
three games, averaging 208 yards through the air with six total
touchdowns.Things have changed during the Patriots' current six-game win streak,
in which Brady has averaged 308 yards per game and thrown 11 TDs.It's progress,
Brady
said
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be as the Patriots prepare for Sunday's matchup at Tennessee."I don't think
we're there. Certainly not. I think we need some more time together," he said
Friday. "We need to be kind of battle-tested in these games."While Brady credits
the entire offense's dedication in the film room and its attention to detail in
game plans, the acquisition of receiver Josh Gordon in Week 3 and return of
Julian Edelman after missing last season with a torn right ACL have been big
factors.Gordon has shown a different facet of his athleticism each week. He
posted his best game in a Patriots uniform in last week's win over the Packers,
finishing with five catches for 130 yards and a touchdown. The score came on a
55-yard catch-and-run that gave New England some needed distance on the
scoreboard in the fourth quarter. It was his second 55-yard catch this season.In
six games with New England, Gordon has 22 catches for 396 yards and two
TDs.Likewise, Edelman has started to look like the go-to target Brady has
depended on in recent years. He followed his first 100-yard receiving game of
the season at Buffalo in Week 8 with six catches for 71 yards against Green
Bay."I think his mental and physical toughness are just unmatched in a lot of
ways," Brady said of Edelman. "I have so much confidence in him. He really does
all the dirty work for us, you know? He's so scrappy and goes in there and
blocks hard, catches balls over the middle. We put him in a lot of different
positions and he always seems to come through for us."In the aftermath of his
trade Gordon said he had no doubt he was going to take advantage of the
opportunity with the Patriots following a tumultuous tenure with the Browns that
included his receiving treatment for drug and alcohol dependence, and several
suspensions.He has flourished in New England's strict environment, which he
called comfortable and "a real home." He's also benefited from building a quick
rapport with Brady."It's great that he has a certain amount of trust in me to
put it in my direction," Gordon said. "And, I just want to come down and make a
play on it."Brady said Gordon, who debuted in the Week 4 win over Miami, has
exceeded expectations."I think he's done really everything the coaches have
asked him to do. Here early, stays
late
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takes as many reps as he can, and it's been fun to see," he said.It's all helped
mask a drop-off in production this season by tight end Rob Gronkowski, who has
missed two of the last three games with ankle and back injuries. He has 29
catches for 448 yards, but has only one TD on the season.Gronk is officially
listed as questionable for Sunday after being limited in practice all week. He
declined to say if he thought he was physically ready to play, adding the
decision of whether he traveled to Nashville or suited up was not his own."It's
up to the coaches," he said.Whatever personnel Brady has available to him, he is
adamant that there's still another level for this offense to reach before
season's end."Things that we do well we're going to keep building on, and things
that we're not doing well, you try them maybe a different year or different
players," he said. "We're still trying to figure those things out."