Today's subject is the Packers' quarterback.

Not who used to be quarterback of the Packers. Not who we think should be the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers.

Nope. Today we are going to talk exclusively about Aaron Rodgers, the four-year veteran who is now, and for the near future, the quarterback of the Packers.

There are three games left for his team this season. And make no mistake about it. This is his team. He didn't necessarily earn it, but the bosses gave it to him and so it's his team.

We can take some measure of this quarterback and I have a growing suspicion that he may end up falling into a worrisome class of athletes.

This is a class that includes such luminous names as Allen Iverson, Fran Tarkenton, the other A-Rod (Alex Rodgriguez), Jim Kelly and Barry Sanders. All are athletes who had statistics good enough to call them great. All are athletes who never won a title.

I wonder about that with Aaron Rodgers. Great numbers. A little short on the win side of the ledger.

Rodgers now is the quarterback of a team with a 5-8 record. He has great stats. After signing his huge contract Oct. 31, he proceeded to lose five of his next six games.

The hints were present when Rodgers was in college.

During his final year, he led California to a great season. The Golden Bears won everything except a game against USC. In that game, Rodgers set a record by completing 26 consecutive passes. Cal had first and goal with just less than 2 minutes left. With a chance to win the game, Rodgers threw three incomplete passes and Cal lost. Then the team went to the Holiday Bowl and was beaten by Texas Tech.

We will never forget that draft day when Rodgers, who some people had talked about being the first overall pick in the draft, slipped all the way to Green Bay at No. 26. Could all of those general managers have been wrong?

There are concrete things to worry about with Rodgers. He doesn't seem willing to stay in the pocket and work his way through his receivers. He'd rather take off and either run or throw on the run.

He's made some bad throws at moments that demanded a good throw. People say he's got happy feet, a little too jumpy for a top-flight quarterback.

It's not all bad. Certainly, Rodgers seems to be a lot tougher than people thought he might be. He also seems to have a great mental grasp of coach Mike McCarthy's offensive philosophy.

But there is one thing that may be missing, the thing that the great ones have that drives a team to a title.

I don't know if Rodgers has the ability to inspire.

Don't scoff. Football, more than almost any game, depends on a measure of inspiration for success. And look at those guys who haven't won a title.

Barry Sanders was almost a recluse. Iverson is a street thug. Tarkenton was a flake. The Yankees' A-Rod is wrapped up in his own celebrity. Kelly didn't have a sense of humor. All were great, but the didn't help lift their team to championship heights.

You can tell things about an athlete by watching carefully. And when I look closely at Rodgers, I see an ability to play but no ability to inspire beyond the expected. And if that's the case, this team better start looking for another quarterback right now.