Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has broken his silence.

In a major way.Appearing on radio with Jason Wilde and Mark Tauscher of ESPN Milwaukee Zach Brown Jersey , Rodgers decried last week’s exhaustive article from Tyler Dunne of BleacherReport.com as a “smear attack.”Here’s the full money quote, from Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com: “This was a smear attack by a writer looking to advanced his career talking with mostly irrelevant, bitter players who all have an agenda whether they’re advancing their own careers or just trying to stir old stuff up.”Rodgers specifically addressed two specific aspects of Dunne’s report, including one that as of Friday afternoon was destined to be handled by Rodgers.“The two main things I think I really want to talk about and just clear up, which are really central themes to the article, the first is the [Packers CEO] Mark Murphy conversation because part of the article seems to want to say the Packers are worried about me as the leader of the football team moving forward,” Rodgers said. “And before I get into what actually happened in the conversation with Mark, I want to say two things: One, if they knew that, why would they offer me a contract last year? And two, which goes into my second central thesis point that I’m going to take down, is if I really disliked Mike [McCarthy] so much, why would I re-sign knowing that if I play and we do what we do around here — we made the playoffs eight straight years and then I got hurt and we missed the playoffs — it’s going to be me and Mike my entire career. So if I really disliked him that much, do you think I’d re-sign. Is the money that important to me? I’ll tell you it’s not. Quality of life is important.”Via Tom Pelissero of NFL Media, Rodgers said that the report that Murphy told Rodgers “don’t be the problem” is “ridiculous” and “100 percent false.”As to Rodgers’ reported rift with former Packers coach Mike McCarthy, the quarterback admitted that they “had issues,” but he said that those issues always got resolved and he denied a grudge dating back to the 2005 draft, when McCarthy and the 49ers passed on Rodgers. Rodgers also made a plea for positive treatment of McCarthy in the community.“I think we need to honor Mike and respect him the right way Shareef Miller Jersey ,” Rodgers said, via Demovsky. “We had a hell of a run. We had 13 years, four NFC championships, one Super Bowl, eight straight playoffs, 19 straight wins. . . . So, instead of trashing this guy on the way out, let’s remember the amazing times that we had together. Packer fans, remember this, especially those of you who live in Green Bay: Mike lives here. Mike has young kids here. So Mike has to be here. Think about how difficult it is for him. My favor that I would ask of you, strongly, is if you see Mike, shake his hand. Tell him thanks for the memories. Tell him thanks for the coaching job that he did. Tell him how much you appreciate him being a part of what we built here. Things change from ‘06 to ‘18. We came off of a bad season in ‘05 and we built something special and had sustained success, so instead of trashing this guy on the way out — last year was tough, no doubt about it — but let’s honor him and his legacy as the second-winningest coach in Packers history. If you see him, please, just show him the respect that he deserves. Not only does he have to live in Green Bay, he wants to. He loves it here. He’s going to be here. So Devin Bush Jersey , if you see him, do him that favor and show him the respect that he deserves.”Rodgers expressed regret for publicly complaining about the team’s offense after a lackluster win over the Bills.“I wish I hadn’t said anything after the Bills game last year,” Rodger said, via Demovsky. “I wish I had just gotten with him in person. I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful to him but I know how it came off. That’s what I told him when I met with him face to face.”Rodgers opted to address these issues not via the shotgun feeding frenzy of a press conference or locker-room scrum, but in a radio interview that was conducive to a more reasoned and deliberate conversation, with Rodgers able to address all items that he wanted to cover. While that doesn’t mean the issues won’t be rehashed if/when Rodgers meets with reporters during the first week of the team’s offense program, much of the ground already has been covered. BALTIMORE (AP) — The last time Tampa Bay faced Baltimore, Joe Flacco threw five touchdown passes within the first 17 minutes to get the Ravens rolling in a 48-17 rout.Flacco will be watching from the sideline Sunday in the rematch of that 2014 blowout. The 2012 Super Bowl MVP lost his starting job this week to rookie Lamar Jackson, who presents an entirely different set of problems for a porous Tampa Bay defense that is allowing nearly 400 yards per game.With Jackson operating an effective run-pass option, Baltimore (7-6) has racked up 914 yards rushing over the past four games, including 336 by its slashing, nimble quarterback.Article continues below ...“He is fun to watch, that’s for sure, and they’ve been tearing it up with their run game,” Buccaneers coach Dick Koetter said. “Their run game makes you play assignment football, and you can’t argue with the results, 3-1. They’ve been playing good football with him in there.”Jackson took over as the starter after Flacco hurt his right hip on Nov. 4. Flacco is healthy now, but with the Ravens flourishing under Jackson http://www.steelersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-diontae-johnson-jersey , coach John Harbaugh decided to maintain the status quo as Baltimore seeks to end a three-year playoff drought.“My brain and my heart and my experience says this is the way to go ,” Harbaugh said.The Bucs (5-8) have also shuffled quarterbacks this season, with mixed results. Though Tampa Bay leads the NFL with 331.4 yards passing per game and ranks second in total offense, Jameis Winston and Ryan Fitzpatrick each have thrown 12 interceptions.Fitzpatrick began the season as the starter, filling in while Winston served a three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Since leading the Bucs to upsets of the Saints and Eagles in the first two weeks, the 36-year-old journeyman has been benched twice over the course of losing five consecutive starts.Winston, meanwhile, is 3-3 as a starter this season, 2-1 since regaining his job three weeks ago. He was benched after throwing 10 interceptions during a four-game stretch, but has done a much better job of protecting the ball lately.Winston, the No. 1 overall pick from the 2015 draft, has one turnover in the past three games, —a meaningless interception with 1 second remaining in last week’s 28-14 loss to the Saints.Some other things to know about Bucs vs. Ravens:IMPROVED DEFENSEDefensively, the Bucs rank near the bottom of the NFL in yards (387.9) and points (29.5) allowed per game.They have, however, improved significantly in a number of areas since firing defensive coordinator Mike Smith and promoting linebackers coach Mark Duffner as his replacement.Over the last two months, Tampa Bay is allowing five fewer points per game and has 25 sacks, tied for second in the NFL with Kansas City over that stretch. After going seven consecutive games without forcing a turnover on defense Justin Layne Jersey , the Bucs had eight takeaways the past three weeks, including seven interceptions. The team had one in the first 10 games.This is a homecoming of sorts for Duffner, who was head coach at the University of Maryland from 1992-96.JUGGERNAUT AND HULKBaltimore’s front line is anchored by Michael Pierce and Brandon Williams, who alternate at nose tackle with the purpose of clogging the middle for the league’s fourth-ranked rushing defense.The 340-pound Pierce is nicknamed “Juggernaut,” a comic book character who crushes everything in his path. Pierce has that nickname tattooed inside his right calf. Williams, who weighs in at 336, is known by his teammates as “The Hulk.”Sunday, Pierce and Williams will bang helmets with former teammate Ryan Jensen, who left as a free agent after last season.“I’m sure he’ll be hyped up to be back here,” Pierce said.SHIFTING GEARSIf Flacco gets into the game, the Tampa Bay defense must adjust accordingly.“They were like 60-40 pass under Flacco. They’re more like 60-40 run now under Jackson. You’ve got to prepare for both,” Koetter said. “Our plan will be based primarily on their personnel and then their tendencies out of those personnel.”Defending against Jackson, however, presents the biggest challenge.“You didn’t just reach down in your desk drawer and pull out the same game plan that you used last week,” Koetter said. “You have to work at it.”CLEATS FOR A CAUSERavens tight end Maxx Williams will be wearing personalized cleats to promote diabetes awareness and the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation.The multi-colored cleats feature the type 1 diabetes (T1D) ribbon and the name of his brother-in-law, Sean Lejonvarn, who lives with T1D.