The biggest difference between Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers is wins!!

I know no one wants to hear about the Brett Favre versus Aaron Rodgers saga anymore, but can we just take a step back for a second? I mean, a real solid pause, long enough to truly grasp what's taking place.

Forget about the summer of Brett and all things unholy between him and the Packers' organization. Never mind about his first game with the Jets, Rodgers' first game as a starter, and the suddenly forgotten retirement of Favre's number on opening night.

And, if you can, take all the stats out of the equation. Who cares that Favre has tossed 20 touchdowns to Rodgers' 17, or that Rodgers has thrown six less interceptions. These numbers can be taken as circumstantial, and in a sense, are distorted. For instance, Favre is playing better than his 13 interceptions as of late, and Aaron Rodgers has accumulated a good deal of his yardage at the end of losses.

Which brings me to the one stat that you should take into consideration: wins.

Favre is 8-3 with a new team, a totally different offense, and on the biggest stage that the NFL has to offer. Oh, and he's 39 years old.

Rodgers is in an offense he's known for four years, has the utmost support and confidence from his team and coaches, and has youth and athleticism on his side. Advantage Rodgers, right? Not so much.

And, while many analysts and experts would lead you to believe otherwise, the Packers' 5-6 start is more Rodgers' fault than you'd think. If you take a good look at the three-game losing streak early in the year for Green Bay, they lost to Dallas in a somewhat close game because Rodgers wasn't effective in the second half, and the offense couldn't convert third downs. The same happened in the 4th quarters of the games against Atlanta and Tampa Bay, both games ending with interceptions, which were followed by the other team closing out the games.

With that said, look no further than the Monday night debacle in New Orleans for the reason why the Packers are failing; Aaron Rodgers simply isn't getting it done. His stats are there, but the production is not.

Sure, he can run, but that's actually half the problem. He's so juiced up in the pocket that he never settles down to find the open guy, at least not when it matters. In crunch time, Rodgers either throws a bad pass, gets sacked, or runs for four yards. His so-called advantage over Favre is turning out to be the main reason why Favre is still so much better than him.

And with all the facts, stats, and opinions in the world, you can't really get to the bottom of Green Bay's lackluster season unless you always had a close eye on Favre's career. It's still just one season, but it's becoming apparent that two things are true in Green Bay: Aaron Rodgers is good, but he's not good at winning football games.

People will wait and salivate for every instance they can pick on Brett for turning the ball over, as he likely will in the playoffs, but what they fail to acknowledge is that his mere presence is what makes his teams so formidable. The fact that he's on the field gives his team a chance, and the fact that he's just that damn good is usually why his team wins.

So, if you're still wondering why the Packers, 13-3 just a year ago, are where they are, and why the Jets are seemingly really good, stop digging for the answer. It's right in front of us. The magic was in Green Bay for the past 16 years, and now it's not. It's in New York.

Fantasy Outlook:

Thursday games

If you think this is going to be like past Thanksgivings, where the Lions fought their hearts out to no avail, well, you'll be right. In fact, their clash with the Titans will be so close, you'll be force-feeding more turkey just to get rid of the gut rot of another loss (Lions fans). Regardless, stay away from any Detroit players outside of Calvin Johnson, and look for Chris Johnson to get off the schneid. In fact, I'm calling over 150 yards and two scores.

Dallas is starting to get in a groove, and you can either choose to believe it, or you can sit back and watch Tony Romo and Terrell Owens make it look easy from your bench. However, if a fantasy run is in your cards, you should probably play them. Marion Barber is beginning to become a RB2. No player from Seattle is worthy of starting.

The night game could bring out the best of Donovan McNabb and this dreary Eagles offense, and I truly believe it will. That doesn't mean they'll win, but it should be a close game. Kevin Curtis and DeSean Jackson are a go, while Kurt Warner and the Cards' trio of talented receivers get the nod, as well. Leave Tim Hightower at home. (Kevin!)

Sunday and Monday

The Colts should get past Cleveland fairly easily, but not without seeing Derek Anderson have the comeback game of his life. Their run game will probably get stuffed early if Bob Sanders plays, so Anderson is my sleeper pick of the week. This probably means Braylon Edwards will have a dynamite game too, assuming he doesn't drop five balls.

It's probably safe to say that we've seen better offense when discussing the Ravens and Bengals. So, if you're plugging anyone from these teams into your line-up, you either just lost Brady Quinn for the year, or you're out of the playoffs. Good luck next year!

Chad Pennington should have another solid game against the Rams, and yes, it might be as big as his 300-yards and 4 touchdowns against the patriots. With Greg Camarillo out for the season, take a shot at Ted Ginn Jr. getting a few more passes his way. Oh, and don't even think about starting a Rams player.

Reggie Bush may be making his comeback against Tampa Bay, but that's good news for the Buccaneers, not you. Pierre Thomas is a slightly better play. If you haven't figured it out, Lance Moore is their new number 1, at least statistically, and he is a dependable WR2 right now. Warrick Dunn could have a shot at another big day against the Saints porous run defense.

If Brett Favre has been firmly planted to your bench, rip out the roots and let the guy thrive. He's going to feast on Denver all day with his awesome rush attack bruising their awful defense. They may not run away with the game, but they should get the win. Jay Cutler and the Denver offense will see why the Titans lost their first game of the season. Seek options outside of Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal, if possible. I like Peyton Hillis for a score, though.

The verdict this season on Willie Parker is if he's iffy, sit him. He started against Cincinnati, didn't run well, and got hurt. Mewelde Moore is the better play against the Patriots because he's healthy, and he also helps out more in the passing game. Randy Moss will meet his superior in Troy Polamalu, so don't expect another 3 scores.

Quarterbacks have been getting beaten by Oakland's secondary lately, but I like Tyler Thigpen's chances this week. The spread offense could open things up, allowing Larry Johnson to have a solid rushing day. Darren McFadden boosted his stock with two scores last week, but the touches just aren't there yet. If you're desperate, he's worth the risk.

Chicago and Minnesota face off in what will quite possibly declare the North division champion. Maybe. Matt Forte will get shut down by the Vike's stout front line, while Adrian Peterson will take the load off of Gus Frerotte and have a a solid day. The relieved pressure will produce mediocre results for the quarterback, but a big play or two for a score can be expected for Bernard Berrian, who is due a big game. The fact that he's facing his former team is just the icing on the cake.

I love the prospects of the Texans playing on Monday night, especially since they're facing a Jacksonville team with almost no life left in it. Kevin Walter and Andre Johnson are teaming up to be quite unstoppable, and Sage Rosenfels is finally figuring out how to operate this offense again. Big games for all three mentioned players are in line. Oh, and Steve Slaton will rock you, the Jags', and your mother-in-law in front of the nation. FYI: Ahman Green is out for the season.

I skipped over some games that were lacking match-ups, so if you have any questions or comments, just e-mail me at kevin.roberts@cuw.edu.