Aaron Rodgers threw the ball about 70 yards to the end zone, and Richard Rodgers made an impressive catch with a bunch of players right behind him – but the Detroit Lions can look back at any number of things they could have done differently to prevent the touchdown with no time remaining that gave Green Bay a 27-23 victory Thursday night. The play itself is normally viewed as a fluke, with the name Hail Mary it sounds as though divine intervention is necessary for a walk off win.
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It gave the Packers a much needed win, improving their record to 8-4 and moving them within a half-game of the Vikings atop the N-F-C North division with four games left to play.
When asked who would have played offensive line had the Packers lost another lineman, McCarthy said with a smirk, “I can’t tell you”. Prior to the snap, Davante Adams motions to the left side to create tripps to the right. That was made clear to our players and with the expectations and the commitment that we’ve made to each other, and we’ve got to do a better job. He ran around there so long, moved up, gave himself a chance to get into the end zone. Stafford connected with Eric Ebron in the end zone for a three-yard score and a 10-0 lead with 1:53 to play in the first quarter.
The penalty allowed the Jaguars to convert a third-and-15, and two plays later, they scored the go-ahead touchdown. Aaron Rodgers’ 61-yard throw coming after a penalty with 0:00 on the clock arced high into the air before coming down into the hands of leaping tight end Richard Rodgers in the end zone.
“I’m sure there’s some people out there who would think it’s just a Hail Mary, but the Doug Flutie play was just a Hail Mary play, too”.
The Packers don’t play again until December 13, when they host the Dallas Cowboys.
Ezekiel Ansah sacked Rodgers for a loss of nine yards to force Tim Masthay to punt the ball away to the Detroit offense in the fourth quarter.
It was a highlight play that will be shown for years to come. Because there is no one around him, he has the opportunity to step forward and put all his strength into the throw.
On Friday, though, another name swirled into the mix: Montee Ball, the former Wisconsin star. The controversial infraction came after Taylor grazed the lower part of Aaron Rodgers’ facemask as he tackled the quarterback deep in Green Bay territory at the end of a sequence of lateral passes on what would have been the final play of the game with Detroit ahead 23-21. Mason Crosby’s 41-yard try hit the left upright and was no good. Except for the die hard Green Bay fans, of course. “Because 6’4” Richard Rodgers leaped up in front of the scrum and hauled the pass in. However, it’s been revealed this season that Lacy also has several layers of reasons for struggling.
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It’s not unusual for the Packers to work out numerous players each week and most of the time nothing comes of it. They do it to keep their board of available street free agents up to date and to consider players for their practice squad.
