SPORTS

Rodgers, Adams starting to connect again

Tom Silverstein

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

GREEN BAY - One game does not a comeback make, but Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams' 13-catch, 132-yard, two-touchdown performance against Chicago is a good start.

Adams, coming off a disappointing second season, started out the year the scourge of many fans because of dropped passes and an inability to get open. It has been a slow process to win them over and a so-so exhibition season didn't do much to help.

In the regular season, Adams had his ups and downs, catching touchdowns in three of the first four games, but also dropping passes against Jacksonville and Minnesota. He caught just three passes for 26 yards against the Vikings in Week 2 and put up five catches for 85 yards and a touchdown in Week 4 against the New York Giants.

Against Dallas, he was one of the few guys to do anything when he got the ball in his hands, catching two passes for 34 yards.

Then came the Chicago game.

"Obviously, you love to have these, but you have to stack them," Adams said Wednesday. "Aaron (Rodgers) is going to be out there and, obviously he’s going to be looking for me and I have to just continue doing what I’m doing. I feel like I can continue to stack success."

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Adams ranks third on the Packers in targets with 43, trailing Randall Cobb (55) and Jordy Nelson (51). Cobb leads in percentage of targeted passes caught (70.9), but Adams isn't far behind (65.1), and is well ahead of Nelson (52.9).

Over the last three games, Adams has caught 74 percent of the passes Rodgers has thrown to him and his 12.5 yards per catch average leads the team. He is tied with Nelson with five touchdown catches.

Adams is considered a possession receiver whose big body matches up favorably against smaller corners and quick feet help him get separation in short areas of the field. Thus, the spread game the Packers played against the Bears was made for Adams and the backup corner who tried to cover him was no match.

This week against Atlanta, the Packers may continue with that short passing game, in which case the Falcons may have to adjust their coverage to the hot hand. The big thing is to complete passes right away and Adams could be the target to start the game.

"I don’t know how much it can be carried over, but we got into a rhythm there after the fumble-touchdown and got some things going those last three drives, but momentum can only be started once a game has begun and continues," Rodgers said. "The confidence, you can carry over and I feel good about the things we did with Ty (Montgomery), Randall and Davante having big games. But you’ve got to create your own momentum once the game starts."

Last year, Adams injured his ankle in Week 2 against Seattle and tried to play through it. He wasn't close to the same guy who had big games against New England and Dallas his rookie season.

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Just when it looked like he was getting back to his old self late in the year, he was knocked out again. Through three quarters against Washington in the opening round of the playoffs he had four catches for 48 yards and a touchdown. But he suffered a knee injury that knocked him out of the game and the divisional playoff game against Arizona the next week.

Asked if he had noticed on film a difference in his play, Adams said he already knows how much better he's functioning than when he says he was performing "on one good wheel."

"The difference is I was hurt and so I wasn’t able to play full speed," Adams said. "So, there’s no need, unless we’re watching film on an opponent, I’m not going to go back to old film and look at negative things. I mean, that’s what you guys (reporters) are here for.

"I know based on the production, the numbers and just on how I feel playing. That’s all I really need to gauge off of."

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