There are two things we know about the Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers is a credible run threat in any red zone situation (we discovered this once again last week when Rodgers claimed ownership of the Bears), and Davante Adams is a pretty good receiver. Adams is even better in the open field… when nobody’s covering him… because the defense is too worried about Rodgers running the ball.
This strange confluence of events happened to the Washington Football Team with 7:11 left in the first quarter on Sunday, when Rodgers hit Adams for a 17-yard touchdown pass. On the play, tight end Robert Tonyan went up the chute as the Packers’ inside slot receiver out of trips right, and defensive end Chase Young moved with Tonyan. Young then adjusted to take Rodgers and try to prevent the first down on fourth-and-3.
Meanwhile, cornerback Danny Johnson had Adams in the outside slot, and Johnson read Adams to Allen Lazard, the outside receiver. Then, Johnson also made Rodgers his focus. Which left Adams wide open in the middle of the field. Linebacker Jamin Davis also broke off to try and stop Rodgers, and that… well, that still left Davante Freakin’ Adams wide open in the middle of the field.
With three Washington defenders bearing down on him, Rodgers did the smart thing: He made a cross-body throw to Adams, who rumbled in for the touchdown.
Do we understand the need to make sure Aaron Rodgers doesn’t just saunter into the end zone, or convert an easy fourth down? Of course we do. But by plan or by happenstance, if your defensive structure does not include SOMEBODY on Davante Adams, you should re-think your defensive structure.
