After originally being paired together in 1999, McCarren and Larrivee enter their 18th season of broadcasts together. “I’m sure if you looked it up, they’re out there”, McCarthy said. The Packers walk onto the field as a team that has arrived, a team that expects to play for a title this year.
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The Green Bay Packers got their first test of the season when they faced the Jacksonville Jaguars.
With quarterback Aaron Rodgers and receivers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, the Packers have one of the league’s most potent passing attacks.
For those who aren’t inclined to do math, that means Rodgers was responsible for all three Packers touchdowns on a day where the team rushed for only 95 yards-79 if you subtract Rodgers’ 16 yards on four scrambles. This 7-7 score is how the half ended.
Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers warms up during the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field on September 11, 2016 in Jacksonville. However, No. 1 CB Sam Shields left the game with an undisclosed injury late in the fourth quarter and did not return. The Packers excelled at getting to the quarterback previous year, finishing with the 3rd best sack rate, behind just the Denver Broncos and the Houston Texans. They barely survived an 86 degree afternoon in Miami in 2014, winning 27-24 on an Andrew Quarless touchdown catch with:03 remaining after Aaron Rodgers fooled the Miami defense with a fake spike completion to Davante Adams to set up the game victor.
The drive was highlighted by two handsome throws from Bortles. Rodgers makes the difference for the Packers, but Lacy can be a major factor in this one. “He came back just like he always does”. Everything started with a big defensive pass interference on Johnathan Cyprien.
Of course, the Packers don’t have to complete passes of 50 or more yards to stretch the field. Then Rodgers dropped back, stepped up in the face of a blitz, and threw the ball to the end zone with a Jaguar draped on his back.
The Packers led 21-17 at halftime after Rodgers hit Davante Adams on a 29-yard TD pass with 13 seconds left. Without much pass rush, Rodgers was able to isolate receivers on Cyprien who’s clearly the weak link in coverage among the revamped Jaguars secondary.
Showing good poise, the Jaguars converted a couple of fourth downs in the fourth quarter but had to spend all of their timeouts to do so. Jacksonville runs a lot of two tight end sets with Mercedes Lewis and former Bronco Julius Thomas.
After getting a quick first down the Jaguars found themselves in a third and two.
“We just got (long-snapper) Brett Goode back, one of my closest friends for years, but Tim’s gone and John Kuhn’s gone and A.J.’s gone and Ruvell’s gone and James Jones is gone”. Bortles is checking down to his second and third receiver, partially because he has time and partially because he’s more confident. Tretter has been a versatile backup for the Packers the past three seasons, so there is little concern about how he’ll mesh with Rodgers and the rest of the line.
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If Aaron Rodgers and Nelson can return to form – a big if – opposing defenses will think twice before crowding the line of scrimmage.
