🧀 Has Aaron Rodgers Met His Match?

The Green Bay Packers are off to a hot start ... despite some hotheadedness. [View in browser]( [FOX SPORTS INSIDER WITH MARTIN ROGERS] In today’s FOX Sports Insider: Aaron Rodgers and Matt LaFleur get on the same page (by yelling) ... Zion Williamson doesn’t know his own strength ... and WWE’s King of the Ring tournament reaches its epic conclusion. Near the end of the first half at Lambeau Field on Sunday, Aaron Rodgers’ ire started to rise. And in that precise moment, a few other things began to happen. As Rodgers started barking at Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur on the sideline, Cheeseheads everywhere watched nervously with gritted teeth. Around the league, everyone else grabbed their popcorn, intrigued as to whether this was a momentary blast of hot air or the start of something spicier. NFL teams learned a while ago that the best way of slowing Rodgers down isn’t by design, scheme, or tactic — the quickest route to success is when arguably the top quarterback in the league is not on the same page as his coach. When Rodgers sounded off on first-year head coach LaFleur in the middle of the Packers’ Week 2 rivalry game against the Minnesota Vikings, it brought to mind Mike McCarthy, the Super Bowl-winning coach who fell out of favor with Rodgers and departed with the QB’s irate voice still ringing in his ears. For a brief moment, it seemed like the Packers’ season would be, “New coach, same old Rodgers, same old tension.” Until it wasn’t. [STORY IMAGE 1] By the early part of the second half, Rodgers and LaFleur seemed very much back on the same page, sitting next to each other on the bench for a while talking plays. By the time the team had squeezed out a 21-16 victory to begin their season 2-0, Rodgers was adamant there was no issue between the pair. “It was about the look on defense,” Rodgers said of the sideline shouting. “I was actually kind of surprised that he was coming over to talk about that, but we got it all sorted out over there on the sideline. It actually wasn't a big deal. We're a little animated at times. I can't say we were yelling how much we love each other, but ... It was talking about the look there and getting on the same page.” The explanations football players give for such disagreements should always be taken with a pinch of salt, but this one appears to be genuine. Rodgers is a competitor and plays the game passionately, and that’s not something that can just be switched off in the middle of a game. But the way that he took pains to explain that the matter was not the start of a divide between himself and LaFleur was significant. That wasn’t the case with McCarthy, as Rodgers wore his disdain and their fractured relationship as clearly as if it were emblazoned on his postgame hoodie last season. Through it all, the Packers staggered to a dismal 6-9-1 in 2018, tallied just one road win and got nowhere near the postseason. LaFleur knows the Packers’ success this time around – and probably his own job security – hinges on how he manages Rodgers. This kind of scenario, showing they can be productive while having frank exchanges, might actually make the coach’s position stronger. “It's just two competitive guys, and I'm sure it's not going to be the last one we have,” LaFleur told reporters. “But you know, just competitors, heat of the moment, and it is what it is. I would much rather have that than anything else because you want guys that are extreme competitors, and that's what he is.” [STORY IMAGE 2] It is, undoubtedly, a work in progress. Rodgers and LaFleur are working through some things that they hope will make for a return to the big game, including a play-calling wristband Rodgers is still getting accustomed to. So be it. Rodgers still has an incredible arm and remarkable vision. If the Packers have worked through some early teething troubles in these first two games and still come away with wins, it could be a sign of big things to come – as long as he and LaFleur stay on track. LaFleur is 39, and in his first NFL head coaching gig. Earning Rodgers’ trust has been a vital step. Retaining that trust will determine whether his potential has a ceiling. Up next are two more home games against the struggling Denver Broncos and the banged-up Philadelphia Eagles, followed by a visit to the in-form Dallas Cowboys. If the Packers reach that point unscathed, optimism will understandably be soaring. And if Rodgers finds the relationship with LaFleur to his liking, Green Bay has enough talent on both sides of the ball to compete with anyone. At this early stage in the season, Rodgers appears to be on a mission to show he isn’t a difficult QB to work with – just don’t expect him to do it quietly. [STORY IMAGE 3] Here’s what others have said ... Ron Demovsky, ESPN: “The calmness in Matt LaFleur's voice and the smile on Aaron Rodgers’ face were all that was left of the first animated sideline interaction between the Green Bay Packers’ new head coach and the veteran quarterback in Sunday's 21-16 win over the Minnesota Vikings. Neither Rodgers nor LaFleur was surprised or seemed annoyed by the line of questioning – a sign they had already moved on from the exchange.” Pete Dougherty, Packer News: “When the Packers hired LaFleur last spring, it wasn’t hard to find someone in NFL coaching or scouting circles who at least questioned whether he’d be too deferential to the two-time MVP quarterback. In his first few months on the job, LaFleur definitely has given off a low-key vibe and appears to be someone who’s not hard to get along with. But the fact that he jumped his quarterback in only their second game together suggests he’s willing to confront Rodgers when he thinks he must. After all, every player in the NFL, even Tom Brady, needs coaching.” Bill Huber, Packers Maven: “For the first time in the quarterback-coach ‘partnership,’ as LaFleur has called his relationship with Rodgers since the day he was introduced as the team’s coach on Jan. 9, there were some on-the-field sparks. The resolution, not the tempers, might be the bigger story. Unlike almost exactly 50 weeks ago, when Rodgers fumed at the podium following a frustrating victory over Buffalo and grumbled about then-coach Mike McCarthy’s game plan, Rodgers was upbeat following a frustrating victory over the Vikings.” [IN OTHER WORDS] - Marc Gasol becomes only the second player to win a World Cup and NBA title in the same year after Spain beat Argentina in the FIBA Championship, [Marc Stein details at the]( [New York Times](. - The Patrick Mahomes sequel, [notes Riley McAtee at]( [The Ringer]( is looking even better than the original. - Tyson Fury required 47 stitches to close the cut over his right eye, and that may delay a potential heavyweight rematch with Deontay Wilder, [writes Norm Frauenheim at the]( [Los Angeles Times](. [THE INTERNET IS UNDEFEATED] [THE INTERNET IS UNDEFEATED]( Zion Willamson has established a track record for breaking things that usually withstand human interaction. He's already [rocked]( a backboard and blown out a shoe on the hardwood. Now, he's flexing his muscle by snapping the club head off of an iron at a golf outing with the Pelicans. Worst of all, he makes it look darn near effortless ⁠— and with a pretty solid swing, to boot. Inanimate objects, beware. Nowhere is safe when Zion is around. [VIEWER'S GUIDE] Cleveland Browns at New York Jets (ESPN, 8:15 p.m. ET) Week 2 on Monday Night Football arrives with a very interesting matchup. The Browns entered the season with high hopes, but got trounced in their opener. Can they bounce back against a Sam Darnold-less Jets squad? WWE Raw (USA Network, 8 p.m. ET) Sunday night’s Clash of Champions pay-per-view featured title changes and surprises. The Raw roster deals with the fallout, plus the finals of the King of the Ring tournament will crown a new WWE King, as Baron Corbin faces Chad Gable. [BET OF THE DAY] [BET OF THE DAY] Odell Beckham Jr. 100+ receiving yards: +200 With New York QB Sam Darnold sidelined by mono, it’s no surprise fans are lining up to back Cleveland. According to our insights, 75% of the money line wagers are on Cleveland (-275), and 77% of spread tickets have come in on Baker’s squad at -6.5. As for OBJ and his prop, fans are expecting offense, with 60% of over/under stakes on the over of 46. On the other side of the coin, a big game from New York RB Le’Veon Bell (100+ rushing yards and a TD, to be specific) is going off at +333. [WHAT THEY SAID] “I am building a fire, and every day I train, I add more fuel. At just the right moment, I light the match.” — Mia Hamm [FOLLOW FOX SPORTS] [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( Download the FOX Sports app for live scores and streaming [App Store]( [Google Play]( Available on: [tvOS] [Roku] [fireTV] [androidtv] [XBOX] [Google chromecast] [tvOS] [Roku] [fireTV] [androidtv] [XBOX] [Google chromecast] Forwarded this message? [Sign up](. Trademark & Copyright Notice: ™ and © 2019 FOX Media LLC and FOX Sports Interactive Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Please do not reply to this message. If you do not wish to receive emails like this in the future, please [unsubscribe](. FOX Sports respects your privacy. Click [here]( to view our Privacy Policy. FOX.com Business & Legal Affairs - Manager Digital Media P.O. Box 900 Beverly Hills, CA 90213-0900