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Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s fumbling in the second overtime game to set up the Indianapolis Colts’ winning basket came just moments after the Green Bay Packers wide receiver fired a 47-meter-deep ball from Aaron Rodgers that left leads to the equal basket match in the last seconds of the rule.
It’s Valdes-Scantling in a nutshell: an electrifying capture at the back of the court one play and an infuriating mistake the next.
“I know he’s in real pain right now,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said after Sunday’s 34-31 loss. “He’s done so many plays for us and not just in the passing game but in the running game, things you probably won’t even notice that we don’t get the distance we get if he doesn’t. not block his ass.
“So I can live with MVS. I have more confidence in him than probably ever. I think he keeps getting better every day. Every time we go there he plays big games.”
Although Valdes-Scantling had just three catches for 55 yards, LaFleur pointed to the pass interference penalty he shot late in the second quarter that set up a touchdown to give the Packers a lead. 28-14 at halftime. It was a 51-yard penalty on Colts Rock cornerback Ya-Sin.
“I can live with MVS, and we’re going to continue living with him and just hope he can keep getting better and better,” LaFleur said. “And I have every confidence in the world in him.”
Rodgers professed something similar.
“I have a lot of love for Marquez,” said Rodgers, who threw a swing pass to Valdes-Scantling in the left flat in the second overtime game, only to see the ball pushed back by Julian Blackmon and recovered by DeForest. Buckner. “I see the guy everyday, I see how much he cares about it. It happens, unfortunately. A lot of things are fundamental, carrying the ball, but I had my fair share of fumbles. just bad timing, obviously. … But that stuff happens. He made a big play at the end of the rule to kind of get us third and 10. Disappointed for him, disappointed for us. “
Valdes-Scantling, who was not available for post-match talks, said in a tweet that he received death threats after the game, but noted that his team were backing him.
It was Valdes-Scantling’s first career fumble in 42 games, but he was plagued by crashes and missed opportunities. He entered the game 152nd out of 153 receivers qualified in catch percentage (50%), according to ESPN Stats & Information. He was below 50% until he caught four of his six targets against the Jaguars last week, and he ranks second among qualified drop receivers (five).
The Packers were hoping he would be more consistent after his previous two games – four catches for 133 yards against the Jaguars and two touchdowns the previous game against the 49ers. Instead, it was another overtime game in which Rodgers barely had a chance to work some of the magic he did at the end of the settlement, although there were questions about the last practice for the basket and why he threw the ball twice instead of taking another shot. or two in the final zone.
“It’s something that we’re going to go back and look at and see how we can do it better,” LaFleur said of the two peaks. “You know the hindsight is 20/20, and we ended up hitting a basket in fourth base with little time to give them the chance to come down and score. Sure, I’m sure there is. sometimes. we could do better, but I was also proud of our efforts to go from the 6-yard line to a really good defense and go all the way to the end of the field. I thought Aaron, I thought he was was beaten. I thought he played his ass, made so many plays for us. It always hurts when you don’t come out with the result you want. “
There were also questions about the fourth and a decision – and play appeal – from the Colts’ 34-yard line in a 31-28 game with 3:11 left in regulation. Rodgers threw an incomplete pass intended for running back Jamaal Williams.
“The play was for Davante [Adams], and they doubled it, ”Rodgers said. We were really beaten in the back. This is what prevented me from extending the play. I just threw it a little too far for him, but again the part was for Davante. I liked Matt’s aggression. “
Rodgers fell to 2-8-1 in overtime games, including the playoffs. He attempted 17 overtime passes in those games and lost four times without touching the ball and three times on turnovers. Two of the three sales were made by Rodgers.
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