What happened before, if it happens again.

[Packerlifer]

Should Aaron Rodgers be unable to start tomorrow due to his shoulder injury back-up Matt Flynn will be the first rookie to start at qb for the Packers since 1987.
I don't know how many recall that game but it was Week Two of the season and the Packers were playing the Denver Broncos at Lambeau. Denver had just been to the Super Bowl the previous season and was starting out on a repeat run to it again that season.
They were led by the great John Elway, in his prime and came into the Green Bay game off an opening day 40-17 wipe-out of Seattle, running up over 500 yds of offense in the process.
The Packers were punchless in losing their opener to the Raiders 20-0 and were figured to have no chance against the invading powerhouse.
If memory serves, coach Forrest Gregg decided to bench starter Randy Wright for ineffective play and go with the rookie Don Majkowski.
Majkowski was a 10th round pick out of Virginia that year but no one knew anything about him. At least Matt Flynn has some distinction for leading LSU to the national championship last season.
The Packers jumped off to an early 14-0 lead, with Majkowski throwing a td pass. The Broncos came back but never led in the game and it ended in a 17-17 tie.
Majkowski managed the game well enough. He was 10 of 21 for 121 yds, a td, no ints.
The Broncos racked up 478 yds of offense but the Packers defense got 6 turnovers, including 3 ints. off Elway to repeatedly turn them back.
It was probably the most surprising result of the NFL's second week that season. But it was overshadowed by the six week NFLPA strike that began a couple of days later. The owners decided to continue play with replacement players until a settlement was finally reached to bring the regulars back to action.
So there was no immediate follow-up to "Majik's" initial showing. The Packers won only 5 games that year - 2 by the replacement team- as they went back & forth between Wright & Majowski that season and the next. But by the end of '88 Majik established himself as the starter and went on to a great season in '89 that had Packers fans thinking we at last had the qb we had been seeking since Bart Starr.
But Majkowski's career was cut short by injuries in '90 on and by '92 another qb was running the Packers offense. But that's another story.

 

[Packerlifer]

In like Flynn.

With just a couple of hours to go before the final decision has to be made, it looks most likely that Matt Flynn will start today's game vs. Atlanta.
I think there are some similarities between Flynn and Don Majkowski that would be worth mentioning. Aside from both of them being late draft picks they are similar kinds of quarterback.
Flynn is about the same size as Majik was at 6-2, though heavier at around 220 lbs while Majik was a tad under 200.
Majkowski wasn't known for a big arm, though his ability to go deep couldn't be underestimated. Flynn will probably be more of the shorter to intermediate range passer at his best.
Both are mobile qb's who can scramble to avoid the rush and break downfield to make first downs running the ball.
Majik was able to get his teammates to believe in his leadership on the field and I think Flynn has shown already a similar kind of rapport with his team.
At least facing the Atlanta defense is a better initial start for Flynn than going up against Tampa, Dallas or the Giants. If the rest of the team steps it up Flynn can manage the game rather than try to carry the team on his shoulders so it can still be a Packers win today.

 

[PackOne]

I hope you're right.