Aaron Rodgers and Randall Cobb might be on the verge of rekindling a special connection – or maybe they already have. The Green Bay Packers quarterback and receiver connected on five plays in their Week 4 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, as Cobb scored two touchdowns and finished with a season-high 69 receiving yards.
Cobb hasn’t necessarily struggled since returning to Green Bay, however, Sunday was the first time he made a notable impact. Coming into the Steelers game, Cobb was averaging a handful of snaps per game and had only four total receptions for 56 yards.
During the offseason, Rodgers made a strong push to get Cobb back with the Packers. Green Bay’s offense lacked a true slot receiver ever since Cobb became a free agent following the 2018 season. When Rodgers announced his return, he asked to have his old friend back to provide some offensive relief.
“There’s a knack to playing in the slot,” Rodgers said following the 27-17 win over Pittsburgh. “To have another guy in there who can get open like that and have the feel that he does just gives us a lot of flexibility in the offense, for sure.”
No one is happier to have one of his closest friends and most trusted receivers back in the mix than Rodgers. The two have impeccable chemistry that was showcased in their most recent win.
On the heels of a momentous fumble recovery by the defense in the second quarter, Rodgers looked to Cobb for a 23-yard touchdown on 3rd and 10. Cobb found some room maneuvering across the middle and then ran in the touchdown from the 10-yard line.
It was a reminder that for years Cobb had served as a safety net for Rodgers. The two spent eight seasons together and connected on some of the franchise’s most memorable plays of the last decade.
Now, even at a combined 68 years of age, it appears the Cobb-Rodgers connection still has some juice left.
“It’s kind of like riding a bike,” Cobb said, per the team’s official website. “You’ve been around each other for so long, and you understand. He understands how I move, so whenever I’m getting ready to break on my route, he knows. It’s muscle memory.”
Each of Cobb’s five receptions against the Steelers resulted in either a first down or touchdown. He was also on the receiving end of Rodgers’ 420th career touchdown pass, which tied him with former Miami Dolphins QB Dan Marino for sixth all-time.
Don’t expect Rodgers to stop looking Cobb’s way any time soon. He totaled 33 snaps on Sunday, which was the most he’s played since Week 9 of the 2020 season as a member of the Houston Texans. Cobb will be expected to play more snaps to fill in for Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who was recently placed on short-term injured reserve.
That was something Rodgers alluded to during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.”
“Randall, I saw had an average of 16 snaps a game the first three weeks, which is just not enough for a guy who can really contribute,” he said. “He looks really healthy; he’s been practicing really well. I was hoping that he was going to get more opportunities (and) because of Marquez’s injury this gave him an opportunity to play more snaps.”
Valdes-Scantling’s injury coupled with the constant attention drawn from Davante Adams will only benefit Cobb. Expect his snap count and the number of targets he receives to stay elevated for the time being.
That should bode well for Rodgers and this Packers offense that can never have too many veterans they can lean on.
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