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Why They Won: Green Bay Outlasts Jacksonville’s Heat

By Kenn Korb

Sep 11, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Green Bay Packers strong safety Morgan Burnett (42) is congratulated by inside linebacker Clay Matthews (52) after he made a sack on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) (not pictured) during the second half at EverBank Field. Green Bay Packers defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-23. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 11, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Green Bay Packers strong safety Morgan Burnett (42) is congratulated by inside linebacker Clay Matthews (52) after he made a sack on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) (not pictured) during the second half at EverBank Field. Green Bay Packers defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-23. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 11, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) throws a touchdown pass to wide receiver Davante Adams (not pictured) against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second quarter at Everbank Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA TODAY NETWORK
Sep 11, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) throws a touchdown pass to wide receiver Davante Adams (not pictured) against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second quarter at Everbank Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA TODAY NETWORK /

Driving before half

In the first half, the Packers were in the middle of their struggles to get anything going.

There wasn’t any rhythm between Aaron Rodgers and his receivers, while the running game couldn’t get off the ground. Toward the end of the second quarter, however, they started to find themselves.

They began with a nice drive to take the lead 14-10 with 3:05 remaining, but it was their second drive of the quarter that really showed us the exciting potential of this offense if they bring everything together in 2016.

After the defense allowed Jacksonville to take the lead back 17-14 with just 1:09 in the quarter, Rodgers got his guys going immediately.

The first play gave us what we’ve missed since Jermichael Finley’s days in green & gold, a long toss right up the seam; it was incomplete, but Jared Cook drew a pass interference call, giving Green Bay 30 yards right off the bat.

Then Rodgers found James Starks for a solid 6-yard pickup, followed by a 10-yarder to Randall Cobb.

After a spike and an incompletion to Cook, we saw the kind of amazingness this offense missed outside of Hail Marys for most of 2015.

On 3rd and 10 with 25 ticks on the clock, Rodgers drops back to pass. The line does a mostly strong job at first, with Rodgers seeing a pretty clean pocket.

But then, Jalen Ramsey of Jacksonville comes in on a blitz from being aligned in coverage slightly inside of Cobb; he’s completely free, and barreling toward Rodgers with nothing in his way. Rodgers sees him in time and makes a move to his left, preventing Ramsey from blowing him up immediately, but he isn’t out of the woods yet.

Rodgers’ movement lets him step up to keep searching for a target, but Ramsey is right on his back. Rodgers has found a target, but Ramsey has a hand on his jersey, pulling him back while he goes to release the ball.

Somehow, despite having a guy pulling on him, the pass is placed perfectly for Davante Adams, who made just enough movement to get back inside on former Packer Davon House and make an the kind of impressive catch many wouldn’t think he had a prayer at coming down with after the struggles he’s experienced in the past year.

That drive put the Packers 21-17 going into the half, with the added bonus of receiving the ball again right after halftime.

You couldn’t script a more impressive and exciting drive, and Green Bay needed every bit of those theatrics with the way this game eventually came down to the wire.

Next: Jordy gets involved

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