CHICO, Calif. — As flood advisories were issued here last Sunday, patrons at the End Zone Bar & Grill — who braved slick, debris-strewn roads to watch an N.F.L. playoff game together — had something more distressing on their minds. The bar’s big-screen TVs showed the Green Bay Packers’ offense, commanded by Aaron Rodgers, Chico’s native son and favorite quarterback, clogging like a storm drain.
The fans tried to cajole the quarterback as the Packers punted on their first five possessions against the Giants. It was never “Come on, No. 12” or “Let’s go, Rodgers.” It was always Aaron, as in “Aaron, this is not your first rodeo.