TODAY’S SPORTSTAT — Packers’ offense could be lethal

By JERRY TAPP

With Aaron Rodgers getting the clearance to play, fans giddy with anticipation for what could happen over the next three weeks (and beyond) , how about an ARod stat to get everyone excited for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers…

Not only are the Packers’ faithful glad to have Aaron back at QB, but there is also optimism Rodgers may have another weapon at his disposal that didn’t seem possible prior to his injury: A solid running game. A pair of rookie running backs, Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams, has given the Packers a new level of excitement with their play in Rodgers’ absence. Just think, Rodgers with a solid running attack … things could get interesting.

Let’s add a few numbers to this speculation. A QB with a 100.0 Passer Rating and a running game that totals 100 or more yards in a game are just two stats that seem to indicate success in those two aspects of the offense.

Since 2008, when Rodgers became the Packers starting QB:

• The Packers are 67-12 (.848 winning percentage) in regular season games when Rodgers has a Passer Rating of 100 or above.
• The Packers are 67-20-1 (.767) in games where the offense has 100 or more yards rushing in a contest.
• There have been 49 games since ’08 when the Packers Passer Rating has been above 100.0 and the team rushed for 100 or more yards in the same contest. The Pack is 46-3 (.939) in those games.
• If we look at 110 or more yards rushing in a game and a Passer Rating of 110 or higher in the same game, Green Bay is 31-0 since 2008 and the team is 71-1 when they reach these two stat milestones in a game since 1970.
• Green Bay is 52-5 in regular season games when Rodgers has a Passer Rating of 110 or higher in that game.

You can imagine how explosive the Green Bay offense could be if Rodgers is playing at his usual high level and the running game, with Jones and Williams, eat up a chunk of yards.

For the record, a team having a Passer Rating of 100 or above and gaining 100 or more yards rushing in the same game is a pretty lethal weapon. NFL teams that reach these two stat numbers in a contest are 687-92-3 (.880 winning percentage) since 2010. In fact, every NFL team except one, the Browns, has won 70% or higher of their games since 2010 when they gain 100 or more yards on the ground and have a QB Passer Rating above 100 in the same game.

Keep an eye on these two stats this Sunday. It could be a telling factor in whether or not the Packers will charge towards (and into) the playoffs this season.