The Green Bay Packers are preparing to face the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game at Levi’s Stadium. Understandably, many in the media are picking the 49ers to win and head to Miami for Super Bowl LIV. Strictly based on the Week 12 meeting where San Francisco held Green Bay to eight points and won by 29 points, the odds seem to be in the favor of the 49ers. However, the Packers offense is getting hot at the right time thanks to their top wide receiver, Davante Adams.
Last Sunday in the Divisional Round against the Seattle Seahawks, Adams had eight receptions, 160 yards, and two touchdowns, averaging 20 yards per reception. He is certainly getting hot at the right time! Adams’ elite route-running is the key to a Green Bay Packers victory.
Davante Adams Is the Key to a Green Bay Packers Victory in the NFC Championship
Rodgers and Adams
Aaron Rodgers and Adams have built tons of chemistry to the point that they’ve compared this connection to the one Rodgers once had with Jordy Nelson. Adams said he can anticipate what his quarterback is going to do. At his Wednesday press conference, Adams explained the time together has been the key to reaching this level. After working so closely together for years of reps, they’ve grown to read each other’s body language.
Check out Adams’ stats from the last four weeks via this tweet by Jake Morley, staff writer for the Packers Report and data analyst for Cheesehead TV.com.
Davante Adams over the last four weeks
Rec: 35
Yds: 488 (13.9 Avg)
TDs: 4Project that over the course of a 16 game season
Rec: 140
Yds: 1952
TDs: 16The man is playing out of his mind right now.
— Jacob Morley (@JacobMorley) January 16, 2020
These stats reveal what Rodgers and many fans already knew: Adams is hard to cover for anyone. In October of 2018, Rodgers said this of Adams, his route-running, and why guys struggle to stop the wide receiver:
“He catches the ball really well. Obviously, he’s a tough release matchup, because he’s able to mix up his releases. … He’s a tough cover because he can run and threaten you down the field. He’s obviously a start-and-stop guy. He is just so tough to guard at the line of scrimmage. You can’t press him, because he can beat you outside and get on top, or he can stick you outside and beat you inside and run away from you.”
Adams’ abilities to stop and go while outrunning his defenders were on display at Lambeau Field last week. The key to the Packers winning the NFC Championship Game is their star receiver. If he runs routes like this one, Green Bay might be headed for the Super Bowl.
🔥 This route 🔥@tae15adams | #GoPackGo https://t.co/LWNq2fFW4S
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) January 16, 2020
Preparation for the Game
Now people are starting to see what he means. However, as the starting quarterback mentioned in his Wednesday press conference, the focus is on winning the Super Bowl and keeping the week’s preparation as normal as possible. People have slept on the Packers all season, never truly believing they were what their record said they were. Despite everyone’s doubts, here they are planning for the NFC Championship Game.
Adams says he believes the Packers head coach, Matt LaFleur, has a better game plan for this second meeting with 49ers. Hopefully, that plan includes lots of Adams since LaFleur said, “Davante is as good a route-runner as I’ve ever seen. [With Adams and Rodgers] it’s just two great football players making great plays.”
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
