Aaron Rodgers on Packers' Win Over Patriots: This Way of Winning Isn't 'Sustainable'

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The Green Bay Packers probably would have lost Sunday if they were playing a better team that wasn't down to its third-string quarterback, and Aaron Rodgers knows things will have to change if they are going to live up to championship hopes.

"This way of winning, I don't think, is sustainable because it puts too much pressure on our defense," Rodgers told reporters after Sunday's 27-24 overtime victory over the New England Patriots. "And obviously I've got to play better and will play better."

The offense made a number of mistakes for Green Bay, with the most glaring coming when Rodgers threw a pick-six to Jack Jones right before the end of the first half.

That gave New England a 10-7 lead heading into intermission, and the Packers found themselves trailing by seven in the fourth quarter after Damien Harris' touchdown run. To Rodgers' credit, he found Romeo Doubs for a critical touchdown to even the score, but the rookie wide receiver also made a key mistake.

Doubs dropped what could have been the game-winning touchdown with just more than two minutes remaining, and head coach Matt LaFleur cost his team a timeout by challenging the play.

"I'm not too proud of that moment," LaFleur said. "That was an emotional decision, and I think it's a great learning lesson that you can never make those emotional decisions in the heat of battle. You know better. You've got to survive the ground."

Green Bay's offense also went three-and-out on the first possession of overtime, and New England took over at its own 49-yard line needing just a field goal to win. It ultimately ended up punting, but it's not a stretch to suggest it could have taken advantage of the situation had Mac Jones and Brian Hoyer not been sidelined by injuries.

Bailey Zappe did what he could at 10-of-15 passing for 99 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions, but it wasn't enough to prevent the Packers from taking the next possession and moving into field-goal range for the win.

"You can't be 2-2 losing to a third-string quarterback and not playing great in all three phases, so we had to have this one," Rodgers said. "That doesn't take anything away from the joy of winning, but this was one we had to have."

Rodgers and the Packers are 3-1 with a number of winnable contests against the New York Giants, New York Jets and Washington Commanders on the immediate docket, so they can likely still get away with some mistakes as they settle into a new season.

But it's Lombardi Trophy or bust once again for the four-time MVP, and Sunday's effort probably wouldn't be enough to snap a streak of 11 postseasons without a Super Bowl appearance for the future Hall of Famer.