Does no Aaron Rodgers for at least eight weeks really mean the season is over for the Green Bay Packers? The 13-year pro is currently on the mend after surgery to repair a broken collarbone. At 4-2, there’s still time for Mike McCarthy’s team to hang around in the NFC North until the prolific quarterback is eligible (and healthy) to come off injured reserve. But for now, the starting quarterback for McCarthy’s team (and you can ask the head coach) is 24-year-old Brett Hundley.

Not a lot of experience

Obviously, there’s not a lot to go on here when it comes to playing time for the Green Bay Packers’ backup/turned starter.

However, Hundley’s numbers this summer were pretty respectable. In four games, he completed 48-of-76 passes for 482 yards and three touchdowns compared to only one interception. He also ran eight times for 32 yards and two scores. This was after 2016 preseason in which he appeared in only one game. As a rookie in ’15, he connected on 69.2 of his throws (45-of-65) for 630 yards and an impressive seven scoring strikes – with one pick.

Again, that’s summertime football. In last week’s 23-10 loss at Minnesota, the Vikings’ defense schooled the 2015 fifth-round pick. He barely hit on 50 percent of his passes (18-of-33), throwing for 157 yards and one score while being sacked four times and intercepted on three occasions.

Game plan vs. the Saints

Talk about high praise? One-time Green Bay Packers’ defensive end/outside linebacker Datone Jones was Hundley’s teammate not only in the pros but at UCLA as well. “Brett Hundley is a great quarterback,” said the one-time Bruins’ standout to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press earlier this week. “He’s a future Hall-of-Famer.

I have no bad things to say about Brett Hundley. He’s a great guy.” Now it appears that Jones might have gotten a little carried away with that statement but there’s nothing wrong with a little optimism.

As far as this tilt with the new orleans Saints, Hundley doesn’t have to be a Hall of Famer or even play like one. He simply has to execute an offensive system that he has spent three years with.

The Packers have tried to stress the ground game lately and doesn’t figure to be any different this week. You can also look for Hundley to make the most of the targets such as Jordy Nelson, Davante Adams, Randall Cobb and Martellus Bennett. With running backs, Aaron Jones and Ty Montgomery available, the Green Bay offense may not be the issue on Sunday against the Saints.
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