Is one man enough to carry a team to the Super Bowl?

I’m not talking about Ben Roethlisberger. I’m talking about Aaron Rodgers.

The fate of the Packers will lie in the ability of their quarterback to lift them to the franchise’s first Super Bowl championship in 14 years.

Rodgers has had a history of proving people wrong since he came out of the University of California in 2005.

Rodgers was expected to be a top five pick, but Utah’s Alex Smith went No. 1 to the San Francisco 49ers — and they’ve been paying for that decision since.

No other quarterback was taken until Rodgers plummeted to No. 24. He was the 2005 player who sat in the green room while team after team passed on him, including several that could have used a quarterback.

He was to be groomed as Brett Favre’s successor, although Favre was less than forthcoming in helping the younger quarterback. It seemed Favre never wanted to leave Green Bay and Rodgers waited — again.

Favre finally left, but not without pouting and leaving Rodgers in a rough position.

But Rodgers has been a tremendous starter and got the Packers back to the playoffs last year before a 2010 season that saw him post a passer rating of 109.2 and throw for 3,922 yards and 18 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 65.7 completion percentage.

Now, Rodgers is one step away from equaling Favre’s Super Bowl championship total and having his name etched in NFL glory — although Favre did go back-to-back and won three successive MVP awards.

Still, the motivation to equal Favre’s Super Bowl win is enough to push past Favre and get out of his shadow for good.

Remember Franco Who? In Wisconsin, soon it will be Brett Who?

Like Roethlisberger, Rodgers has a knack for keeping plays alive with his feet. David Garrard of Jacksonville was able to do so in a first-round playoff game against the Steelers three years ago.

With Green Bay unable to mount a running game, the Steelers defense will give up the small stuff to Rodgers, which will add up through the game.

Rodgers, and his defense, will do just enough to bring the Vince Lombardi Trophy — named after the former Packers coach — back to Titletown USA.

Needless to say, Rodgers will be the MVP in a 27-24 Packers victory.

Sam Tallarico is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.