Tag: Allen Lazard

Packers don’t intend to move breakout WR Allen Lazard to TE

The Packers don’t have plans to move 2019 breakout receiver Allen Lazard to tight end, although he probably has the body type for the switch.

The Green Bay Packers currently don’t have plans to move breakout wide receiver Allen Lazard to tight end in 2020.

According to Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst confirmed he isn’t expecting for Lazard, who was second on the team in receiving yards in 2019, to transition to tight end, despite having a big enough frame and the blocking ability to try it.

Lazard actually cut weight and showed up at training camp lighter and faster in 2019. He had a strong summer, eventually forced his way onto the 53-man roster and played in all 18 games. With the Packers desperate for production from a No. 2 receiver, Lazard stepped up and caught 35 passes for 477 yards and three touchdowns, including important late touchdowns in each comeback win over the Detroit Lions.

Lazard stands 6-5 and is listed on the Packers’ roster at 227 pounds. He is probably capable of adding 15-20 more pounds to his frame, and given how impressive he was as a blocker during the 2019 season, there’s a case to be made for bulking him up and moving him to tight end. The change could accentuate all his best traits while covering up some of the speed and explosiveness deficiencies that held him back early in his NFL career. But he’s also coming off a breakout season as a receiver, Aaron Rodgers praised his development on the outside all year and the Packers likely want to exhaust every opportunity for him to make it on the perimeter before attempting to move him to tight end.

The Packers have needs at both receiver and tight end. Gutekunst is expecting to add help at receiver, which could ease the pressure on Lazard to produce as the secondary option behind No. 1 target Davante Adams. If the Packers add a speed threat and a go-to option in the slot, Lazard could have a more strictly defined role as a No. 3 or 4 receiver.

Shelf the idea of Lazard moving to tight end for now, but it could still be a possibility down the road if the Packers become comfortable at receiver and Lazard keeps proving himself in areas conducive to playing tight end.

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Allen Lazard solidifies role as Packers’ No. 2 WR

The snap counts and targets tell it clearly: Allen Lazard is the Packers’ No. 2 receiver behind Davante Adams.

The snap counts and targets over the final three games of the 2019 season make it clear: Allen Lazard is the Green Bay Packers’ No. 2 receiver entering the postseason.

Lazard, who played a career-high 67 snaps during Sunday’s win over the Detroit Lions, has been on the field for over 75 percent of the offense’s snaps during each of the last three games.

He essentially operated as a starter during wins over the Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions.

Snap counts by receiver in Weeks 15-17:

Davante Adams: 195
Allen Lazard: 171
Geronimo Allison: 119
Jake Kumerow: 56
Marquez Valdes-Scantling: 38

Over the three games, Lazard caught 11 passes on 20 targets for 128 yards and a touchdown.

The targets also confirm Lazard’s status as the No. 2 receiver. He’s doubled the number of targets seen by Geronimo Allison over the last three weeks.

Targets by receiver in Weeks 15-17:

Adams: 42
Lazard: 20
Allison: 10
Valdes-Scantling: 9
Kumerow: 4

Lazard caught four passes for 69 yards and the game-tying touchdown on Sunday in Detroit. He finished the 2019 season with 477 receiving yards, second only to Adams (997).

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers said Sunday he was “really proud” of Lazard, who caught a pass off his facemask on the Packers’ first scoring drive and then beat Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay for a touchdown on 3rd-and-10 to tie the game at 20 in the fourth quarter. Later, he moved the sticks on third down by winning with an in-breaking route from the slot.

Lazard saw at least two targets in each of the final 11 games. He produced at least 40 yards in seven of the 11 games.

Allen Lazard earns Packers’ special teams player of the week

The Packers WR produced 103 receiving yards, but he also stood out on special teams against the Giants.

In addition to sharing the offensive player of the week award with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers receiver Allen Lazard earned recognition as the team’s special teams player of the week.

Coach Matt LaFleur pointed out Lazard’s efforts on special teams a day after the Packers delivered a 31-13 win over the New York Giants.

“He not only did it on offense, but on special teams as well,” LaFleur said Monday. “We had two offensive players of the week in Aaron Rodgers and Allen Lazard, and Allen also was our special teams player of the week. I think that’s a great message to everybody in that locker room. You can play, whether it’s offense or defense, at a high level, but also go out here and play special teams at a high level.”

Lazard was a difference-maker on offense. He caught all three of his targets, produced his first 100-yard receiving game in the NFL and sparked the Packers’ fast start on offense, catching 43-yard pass on the first drive and a 37-yard score on the second. He was also a standout as a blocker in the run game, using his big frame and physical style to get people blocked in the box and on the perimeter.

But for every big play he delivered on offense, Lazard produced another while chasing down returners on kick coverage.

He tallied a pair of solid tackles covering kickoffs. On the first, he beat a block head-on and knifed in to cut down the returner short of the 25-yard line. Later, he battled through a pair of blockers and blew up the returner – with help from linebacker Oren Burks – after a 17-yard return. On a third return, he got off another block and funneled the returner into two waiting tacklers.

The Packers limited the Giants to 19.3 yards per kick return over six returns, with a long return of only 23 yards.

With two more tackles on Sunday, Lazard is now third on the team in special teams tackles with six, despite playing the ninth-most snaps.

“He’s earned everything he’s gotten,” LaFleur said. “Just shows up every day. Knows what to do. You know you’re going to get max effort from him. You can see it in the run game, he’s physical, he blocks. Every play, he’s going to leave it all out there.”

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Packers WR Allen Lazard sparks fast start, sets new career-high during win over Giants

Lazard helped the Packers jump out to a 14-7 lead and finished with over 100 receiving yards.

Green Bay Packers receiver Allen Lazard caught only three passes during Sunday’s win over the New York Giants, but he made all three of them count.

Big plays on the Packers’ first two drives sparked a fast start for the offense, and a third catch on third-and-long secured a first career 100-yard game for the second-year receiver.

Lazard finished with three catches, a career-high 103 yards and his second touchdown of the 2019 season.

“I’m really happy for Allen,” coach Matt LaFleur said Sunday. “Here’s a guy that from the day we got here has been about the right stuff. He gives it his all each and every day, he plays physical, that’s his game, and then he contributes on special teams. He’s earned his opportunities. For him to come out with a 100-yard performance and a touchdown and making some key, critical plays in this game, it was really cool to see.”

The Packers went up 14-7 in the first quarter thanks to a pair of catches from Lazard.

He laid out to finish a 43-yard completion on the Packers’ first drive, setting up a touchdown. A drive later, he got behind the defense for a 37-yard score.

It was exactly the kind of start the Packers needed after a 37-8 drubbing to the 49ers in San Francisco.

On the Packers’ first possession of the second half, Lazard got open in the middle of the field and converted a 3rd-and-13 play with a 23-yard catch after Aaron Rodgers bought time in the pocket.

Lazard’s previous career-high in receiving yards was 65 yards. His last touchdown was in October against the Detroit Lions.

Rodgers complimented Lazard’s ability to make his first catch on a ball that floated further to the left than he was expecting.

“He made a couple of really big plays today. His first catch got us going,” Rodgers said. “I’ve always said about Allen, he just has a calm demeanor. He expects to make those plays. And you love that as a quarterback because he gives you confidence back. It’s almost like, hey, the ball should be coming my way.”

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Giants officially eliminated from playoffs in loss to Packers

The New York Giants fell to the Packers in Week 13, which officially eliminated them from the playoffs and extended their losing streak.

The New York Giants predictably fell to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, extending their losing streak to eight games — the second-longest such streak in team history — and watching as any lingering NFC playoff hopes went out the window.

The game was a mess from the onset with freezing rain coating the field just prior to kickoff and then snow taking over for the duration.

While the Giants started off cold, going three-and-out on their first offensive series, quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Packers were anything but.

Green Bay kicked things off with a seven-play, 72-yard drive that culminated with an eight-yard pass from Rodgers to wide receiver Davante Adams, but that was just the tip of the proverbial (or literal based on the weather) iceberg.

The Packers would score on three of their four offensive series in the first half. After the initial Adams touchdown, they drove 66 yards on five plays on their second possession, punching the ball into the endzone with a 37-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to wide receiver Allen Lazard.

Their third series would result in a 47-yard field goal courtesy of Mason Crosby, but they would come up blank on their fourth possession late in the second half, being forced to punt for the first time all day.

On the other side of the ball, the Giants found some footing on their second offensive series, driving 71 yards on 11 plays and capping things off with an 18-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Daniel Jones to wide receiver Sterling Shepard.

Big Blue would also add a later field goal off the leg of Aldrick Rosas, which was a positive he and the team desperately needed, but that was sandwiched in between a Jones interception — his first in 111 pass attempts.

At halftime, the Giants trailed the Packers 17-10.

The second half did not start off as electric as the first half with the Giants and Packers exchanging punts to open things up. It wasn’t until midway through the third quarter that more points were put on the board, once again courtesy of Aldrick Rosas, who trimmed Green Bay’s lead to 17-13 with a 45-yard field goal to cap off a 10-play, 52-yard drive.

But the Packers were quick to answer right back, driving 75 yards on 14 plays culminating with Rodgers’ third touchdown pass of the game, once again to Adams. The drive featured a slew of penalties and a fourth-down conversion for Green Bay.

The Giants had a chance to cut back into that Green Bay lead, but Jones tossed his second interception of the game and the Packers took complete advantage, essentially putting the game on ice with a one-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to tight end Mercedes Lewis, pushing the score to 31-13 with just over 7:00 remaining.

Two plays later, Jones would make another error in judgement, throwing a ball into coverage and having it picked off for the third time on the day.

Good night, ladies and gentlemen.

The two teams went back-and-forth a bit after that, but there would not be another score or moment of substance.

With the loss, the Giants fall to 2-10 on the season and and head into a Monday night game against the Eagles in Philadelphia in Week 14.

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Packers WR Allen Lazard catches long TD in the snow in New York

❄️ Dashing through the snow…! ❄️ @AllenLazard is WIDE OPEN for the touchdown! #GBvsNYG | #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/skPCSpQEci – Green Bay Packers (@packers) December 1, 2019 Green Bay Packers receiver Allen Lazard is having a big opening quarter in …

Green Bay Packers receiver Allen Lazard is having a big opening quarter in the snow against the New York Giants.

One drive after setting up the Packers’ first score with a diving, 43-yard catch, Lazard got open deep and caught a 37-yard touchdown to give the Packers a 14-7 lead late in the first quarter.

The Giants turned Lazard loose in the middle of the field, giving Rodgers an easy throw for the score.

The second-year receiver now has two catches for 80 yards and a touchdown.

Aaron Rodgers is carving up one of the NFL’s worst secondaries. He has completed 6 of 7 passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns.

Lazard’s 80 receiving yards are already a career-high. The touchdown catch was the second of his career.

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Packers WR Allen Lazard makes diving catch, sets up opening-drive TD vs. Giants

Packers WR Allen Lazard made an awesome catch on the second play of the offense’s scoring drive against the Giants.

Allen Lazard’s diving catch helped set up the Green Bay Packers’ opening-drive touchdown against the New York Giants on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

Lazard laid out to finish the 43-yard completion from quarterback Aaron Rodgers on the second play of the drive. Five plays later, Rodgers found Davante Adams from eight yards out to finish the scoring march.

Rodgers completed all five of his passes for 66 yards on the drive, which took just under four minutes and gave the Packers a 7-0 lead.

Adams caught three passes for 16 yards, including a 10-yard catch on 3rd-and-8 to extend the drive.

Jones caught a pass on the first play for seven yards and rushed once for four yards. A game-breaking weapon in the passing game in October, Jones caught only one pass during the month of November.