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GREEN BAY, Wisconsin. – Looking back, it’s hard to say what was most impressive about Aaron Rodgers’ touchdown pass to Davante Adams in Game 1 of 2016 at Jacksonville.
Was it the pass, with defensive back Jalen Ramsey trying to knock Rodgers down from behind and another rusher breaking free at the last moment?
Could Rodgers, exactly 50 months or 1,522 days later, remember the call for protection?
Or was his incredible throw not at the top of his personal favorites list?
“I don’t know if it’s a top five game,” Rodgers said Wednesday. “I feel like I threw Hail Marys and then the play Corey (Linsley) had in Chicago, I feel like I was one of my best.
With Green Bay behind 17-14 just before halftime in 90 degree wilt Jacksonville heat, Rodgers led the Packers to the field. Third and tenth of 29 Jaguars with 20 seconds left, Jacksonville sent Rodgers a five-man race. Running back James Starks took the blitz linebacker but no one had Ramsey.
“We were running a protection program which based on the program was a really good blitz because we weren’t able to sort the protection from the pressure side,” Rodgers recalled. “So we were in protection 16, which is mic declared protection (linebacker), so the back has will (linebacker) and nickel. They brought both willpower and nickel on this coin so we were hot. In fact, I assumed based on the movement of the mic on this piece that we might just fall into the shield. This is why I did not intervene until late.
Rodgers did indeed intervene in the pocket and almost escaped Ramsey. Almost. Ramsey had the athleticism to adjust to get his hands on Rodgers’ jersey, then the strength to hang on. Much like defensive lineman Jared Odrick pulled away from guard TJ Lang to get in Rodgers face, Rodgers sort of had the strength to throw the ball 35 yards at Adams.
“The concept was such that I knew I was having a face to face with Davante,” Rodgers said. “I didn’t really realize how well he had my shirt on until I saw the movie later after the game.”
Davon House’s coverage was tight – too tight, as it turned out, as it was flagged for pass interference – but the throw was flawless and indefensible.
“I remember that room,” House said Wednesday night. “As you can see it doesn’t matter how good the coverage when it comes to 12 to QB. When he’s like in this throw, there’s not much you can do. We had a called blitz, and I guess with a little bit of pressure we can get to him and he couldn’t get the ball out or it will take a quick pass. Somehow he was able to step back with Ramsey all over him and throw a perfect ball.
The touchdown was important, with Green Bay ultimately retaining a 27-23 win when Damarious Randall made a huge save on the fourth and 1 on 14. For Adams, who was on the receiving end of the above. touched in Chicago in 2014, it was the play that launched his season and, perhaps, his career. Hounded by an ankle injury in 2015, Adams averaged just 9.7 yards per catch with a touchdown. In 2016, it was the first of his 12 touchdowns.
“I just remember it was right before half-time and we had to score and then Aaron pulled off a few more of his majestic tricks,” Adams said. “It was a bit similar to the game he played against Chicago, which would have been my first touchdown in my career. It kind of reminded me of that for him in the backfield pulling some of his magic, making people miss, getting thrown by Ramsey with one hand, twisting him, then throwing him and doing getting off the ball for me, and sort of having to make a contested take on Davon House in the end zone. It was a big touchdown for me, because it was my first score at the end of the season that I wish I could come back.
On Sunday, Rodgers and Adams will lead the Packers in a game against Jacksonville. In the second half of that 2016 season, Rodgers jumped into the MVP conversation with his run-the-table dominance. In 2020, he is back in the MVP mix.
“It was definitely a great memory there, and an incredible catch,” Rodgers said. “If you look back, House was kind of on Davante’s back, and catching him straight over the goal line was pretty special. But yes, it was a fun piece.
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