Rodgers, Packers Escape at Jacksonville

Aaron Rodgers has done some amazing things on the football field during his NFL career. On Sunday, Jacksonville Jaguars fans got to see it up close and personal, as Rodgers’ heroics led the visiting Green Bay Packers to a 27-23 win at EverBank Field.

The game was as well played as you could hope for in the opening week of the season and Jaguars fans have a lot to be excited about. Unfortunately, on this day Rodgers proved to be too much, constantly escaping pressure with his legs and of course, finding the open receiver with his arm.

The Packers (1-0) got on the board early in the first quarter, following a Jacksonville turnover that was just bad luck for the Jags’ and quarterback Blake Bortles. He threw a pass that wide receiver Marqise Lee had bounce off his hands, off a Green Bay defender and into the waiting arms of Joe Thomas, who picked it off. Rodgers finished that drive with a 6-yard touchdown run.

The Jaguars (0-1) got some bad news prior to the game when running back Chris Ivory was taken to the hospital due to what is being dubbed a “general medical issue. That meant that the bulk of the running duties would fall to T.J. Yeldon, who performed well last season as a rookie, but was expected to share carries on Sunday.

Yeldon had a couple decent runs in the first quarter, including a five-yard score to tie things up in the first quarter. The big play on that drive was a 37-yard completion to tight end Marcedes Lewis, who got the Jaguars within striking distance and Yeldon scored with 3:40 left.

The Jaguars defense that was revamped in the offseason, got off to a good start, holding Rodgers to two completions in the first quarter, but he got rolling in the second quarter. With the Jaguars up 10-7, Rodgers went to a reliable old friend in Jordy Nelson, who was playing in his first game in a year, following an ACL injury. That gave the Packers a 14-10 lead with 3:05 left in the half.

To his credit, Bortles stayed composed and found tight end Julius Thomas with a great touch pass over the top, good for 22 yards and the score, giving the Jaguars a 17-14 lead, with 1:09 left. Unfortunately, that left Rodgers just enough time to pull off his latest Houdini act.

He drove the Packers 50 yards in just five plays, capped by a pass that saw the Jaguars get all sorts of pressure and even grab Rodgers jersey. Just when it seemed they had him dead to rights, he launched it and found Davante Adams, who dove to make the touchdown catch and make it a 21-17 game.

Mason Crosby started the third quarter with a 25-yard field goal, giving the Packers a 24-17 lead. That capped a 13-play 68-yard drive that saw the Jaguars hold Green Bay out of the end zone. It took its toll on the Jags’ defense, which prompted Jacksonville coach Gus Bradley to go for it on fourth down a couple different times on the ensuing drive.

That drive went 54 yards in 10 plays and got the game back to within four, with Jacksonville kicker Jason Myers, hitting from 39 yards, to make it 24-20. The teams traded fourth quarter field goals, with Crosby true from 20 yards out, ending a 16-play, 73-yard drive that saw the Jaguars defense step up again and hold the Packers to three points.

Jacksonville, with the defense gassed again, put together a sustained drive of their own. They needed 14 plays to go 37 yards and just like they did last year, the offense stalled, despite getting another key fourth down conversion. That resulted in another Myers field goal, from 50 yards out, that was good by a bunch.

Due to having to burn timeouts early in the half, the Jaguars would have to run their final drive of the day without the ability to stop the clock. Bortles found Lewis for 11 yards to start the drive, to the Jacksonville 48-yard line. Following a six-yard completion to Yeldon, prior to the 2-minute warning, Luke Joeckel was called for holding.

On the next play, Bortles was looking for Thomas on 4^th-and-14, but he was picked by Ha Ha Clinton Dix. Fortunately, the Packers were called for defensive holding, resulting in an automatic first down at the Jaguars 49. After a short pass to Yeldon, Bortles found Allen Robinson on a 22-yard strike. Robinson bobbled the ball, but he quickly got it back, giving the Jaguars a first down at the 23-yard line.

After a nine-yard pass to Rashad Greene, Bortles next pass fell incomplete, setting up a 4^th-and-1. Bortles was in shotgun and he quickly threw a screen pass, intended for Allen Hurns that fell incomplete and ended the game.

For more info: Green Bay @ Jacksonville box score

Bortles had a decent day in the loss, throwing for 320 yards on 24-of-39 passing. Hurns and Robinson had 75 and 72 yards respectively, with Thomas chipping in five catches for 65 yards and the touchdown. 

The problem for the Jaguars was the 48 yards rushing as a team, which forced the one-dimensional attack. Yeldon had just 39 yards rushing and chipped in 30 receiving.

Rodgers finished 20-of-34 for 199 yards and two touchdowns.

Jacksonville is heading to San Diego next Sunday, to take on the Chargers. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. EDT.

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