The Green Bay Packers went into Monday night’s primetime showdown against the Atlanta Falcons without top receivers Davante Adams and Allen Lazard.
The Packers exited the contest with an emphatic victory that proved Matt LaFleur’s offense is just fine without receivers leading the way.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 27 passes, including 20 passes to running backs or tight ends, as the Packers marched to a 30-16 win over the Falcons.
Rodgers found completions to seven different players.
Three of Rodgers’ four touchdown passes landed in the hands of tight end Robert Tonyan, who finished with six catches for a career-high 98 yards. Running backs Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams combined to catch 13 passes for 135 yards and a score, including eight catches and 95 yards from Williams.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling caught four passes for 45 yards, and Darrius Shepherd (19-yard catch on third down) and Malik Taylor (20-yard catch on fourth down) each produced a big play. But the receivers took a backseat to the Packers’ plans for the running backs and tight ends.
Overall, Jones and Williams produced 216 total yards on 36 touches. Often, both backs were on the field together, with one in the backfield and the other split out wide. Jones and Williams both had a catch over 20 yards.
Overall, Rodgers completed five passes gaining at least 20 yards.
The run game flashed – Jones ripped off a 23-yard run early – but it never really got off the ground. The Packers finished with 88 rushing yards on 26 carries. The passing game, even with Adams and Lazard, did most of the heavy lifting.
Rodgers passed for 17 of the Packers’ 22 first downs. He averaged 9.3 yards per pass and completed 81.8 percent of his passes. He tossed four more touchdowns, giving him 13 on the season, and didn’t have a turnover. After four games, the Packers have scored 152 points and still don’t have a giveaway.
Rodgers and LaFleur have proved capable of not only adapting but thriving. Adams blew up in Week 1, catching 14 passes in a win over the Vikings. A week later, Jones produced 236 total yards in a win over the Lions. With Adams out in New Orleans, Lazard had 146 receiving yards. On Monday night, Tonyan caught three touchdown passes and the running backs combined for over 200 total yards.
This is a dangerous offense that has gotten it done in multiple ways to start 2020.
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