This was a gritty one.
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Today, they were able to do just enough on offense in order to make a late stop against an up-and-coming Jaguars offense. Aaron Rodgers returns for his 9th season as the starting quarterback in Green Bay. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers celebrates his touchdown run against the Jacksonville Jaguars with wide receiver Jordy Nelson (87) during the first half of an NFL football game in Jacksonville, Fla., Sunday, S.
“I don’t think we played very well offensively”, Rodgers said. “The last play was an example of the finish and pursuit of our defense”.
ABOUT THE JAGUARS (2015: 5-11, third in AFC South): Second-year QB Blake Bortles improved from 11 scoring passes to 35 last season and has a pair of emerging stars in wideouts Allen Robinson (80 receptions, 1,400 yards, 14 TDs) and Allen Hurns (64, 1,031, 10).
“They were gassed, for sure”, Rodgers said.
Sitton, who signed with the NFC North-rival Chicago Bears on Sunday, was a second-team All-Pro last season and a durable starter who missed only two games over the previous seven seasons.
The Jags will be hosting the Green Bay Packers Sunday at EverBank Field. The Jaguars were just 4-for-15. The Packers appears to have won the game earlier on the drive on an interception that was nullified by a defensive penalty.
Running back T.J. Yeldon had a rushing touchdown for the Jaguars but finished the game with 39 yards on 21 carries. The only other time came in 1996, when the Packers thumped Tampa Bay 34-3.
“So we’ve been training in an environment that’s similar to what we’re getting ready to go into”, McCarthy said. “It came down to a gutty play”.
Matthews’ playmaking ability was stifled by the lack of opportunities inside, but outside he can again team with Julius Peppers or Nick Perry to apply consistent pressure on quarterbacks.
NELSON’S RETURN: The next step in Packers receiver Jordy Nelson’s return should be busting a big play.
The Jaguars’ defense has a lot of size overall, including most of the guys in their secondary. “Then he slung it down there and (Davon) House, aggressive, a good corner, he was on me tight a little bit”.
The fireworks sort of ended there, though. His favorite targets were Nelson and Randall Cobb, who caught six passes for 57 yards. Jacksonville allowed the fourth-most passing yards previous year and the Jags gave up 199 yards and two touchdowns to Rodgers on Sunday.
But then, in the waning seconds of the first half, Adams made the kind of play that reminds viewers why general manager Ted Thompson snagged him with a second-round pick.
“Our communication wasn’t intact”, McCarthy said. Plugging holes and controlling the run with the defensive line allows the linebackers more freedom to help control the passing game. The poor field position forced a quick three-and-out for the Packers and Jaguars wide receiver Rashad Greene returned a punt to his own 48-yard line to start the team’s third drive. “This is a team that shows a unique energy”.
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“We can run the ball, (get) tough yards”, Lacy said. But they played turnover-free football and Rodgers was sacked only once all afternoon.
