NFL News: Ranking QB performances from the championship games

3. Aaron Rodgers 

Jan 18, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback

(12) looks to throw the ball against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter in the NFC Championship Game at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Stats: 19-34, 178 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT

If Russell Wilson hadn’t played so horrifically (at least until the fourth quarter and overtime), many people would have been alarmed by Aaron Rodgers‘ performance against the Legion of Boom.

The baaaaaaaaaddest quarterback in the NFL just looked plain bad against the stingiest defense in the NFL. Seattle turned the ball over four times in the first half and Rodgers and the Packers’ offense could only generate 16 points out of it?

To put things in perspective, Rodgers had fewer passing yards than Russell Wilson and his passer rating was only 11.5 points higher than Wilson, who clearly played the worst game of his entire career.

And like Andrew Luck, the loss wasn’t entirely Rodgers’ fault: there was obviously the muffed onside kick from Brandon Bostick, the ineptitude of Mike McCarthy and Morgan Burnett deciding to slide instead of return Russell Wilson’s fourth interception with five minutes remaining in the game. On top of all that, Rodgers basically played on one leg due to his torn calf muscle.

But still, the likely league MVP has to show up and be able to put the NFC championship game away. Let’s face it, Seattle should not have won that game. Rodgers should have asserted himself, completed a couple of throws (he had all day in the pocket on nearly every play) and earned himself a trip to a second Super Bowl.

But here we are, talking about how Aaron Rodgers threw a glorious opportunity away.