Soccis Notebook: Patriots Prepared For The Sounds And Sod At Lambeau Field

BOSTON (CBS) Welcome to Green Bay on a game-day morning. Our radio crew arrived in Wisconsin on Saturday and dined at Lombardis, where for us steak wasnt a sometimes thing; it was the only thing. But not until this morning did we get the true flavor of the area.

A local television newscast led its report with a story about roughly 400 people showing up to shovel snow out of the Lambeau Field stands and followed-up with todays forecast. Before the Packers-Patriots conclude their encounter, temperatures are expected to dip into the teens. The wind chill should be in single digits by early evening, before plummeting well below zero overnight.

Thankfully, by then well be on our way to SoCal. And so with San Diego to look forward to, here are a couple of thoughts related to todays game in Green Bay.

HIS BARK MAKES HIS BITE WORSE

As convincing as Aaron Rodgers appears on TV, being humiliated by Hans and Franz or humbled by practitioners of the discount double check, his most memorable performances in a lead role occur when Green Bays Lambeau Field is his stage.

Thats where Rodgers shines at his animated best in living color gold helmet, green jersey, gold pants executing well-rehearsed plays and improvising in the most critical, unscripted moments that confront every NFL quarterback.

He does it with show-stopping athleticism, an arm to strike short and deep and legs to escape any predicament. And when he really wants to steal a play, if not a scene, Rodgers uses his voice.

In fact, hes so adept at fooling defenders by varying the cadence of his snap counts, The New York Times devoted a story solely to the subject last Sunday. Five days later, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick indicated that Rodgers deception by inflection was more than fit to print in this weeks scouting report,

Great at it, Belichick said Friday morning. Hes great at it.

Though other quarterbacks, including the one he coaches in New England, are good at inducing defenders to jump offsides in short-yardage situations, none in Belichicks mind manipulate opponents like Rodgers.

Originally posted here:
Soccis Notebook: Patriots Prepared For The Sounds And Sod At Lambeau Field