Rodgers’ Suggestion Gives Lazard Chance To Be Hero
In late August, Aaron Rodgers made his pitch for Allen Lazard to make the roster.
“There are a lot of guys with legitimate shots to make the team – some guys who you didn’t maybe think of before camp who have had incredible camps. And I’m talking about, specifically, Allen Lazard,” Rodgers said at the time. “He’s had a really nice camp, he’s made a bunch of plays. He’s always showing up on special teams. He does things the right way in practice. I think he’s put himself in position to legitimately be playing for all 32 teams. And we see that from time to time, the cliché that you’re always playing for the entire NFL, and that is true to a point if you’re good enough, and Allen is definitely good enough to be an NFL player. I think he’s had a fantastic training camp.”
Ultimately, Lazard didn’t make the 53-man roster and spent the first week of the season on the practice squad. Late on Monday night, Rodgers said he “put in a good word” for Lazard to get into the game. With the Packers trailing 22-13, the offense sputtering without injured Davante Adams and Geronimo Allison, and with Darrius Shepherd’s slip turning a potential touchdown into an interception and a 10-point swing on the scoreboard, Rodgers asked receivers coach Alvis Whitted if Lazard could get into the game.
This time, Rodgers’ suggestion didn’t fall on deaf ears. And it might have kept the Packers in first place in the NFC North. Rodgers’ 35-yard touchdown pass to Lazard pulled Green Bay within 22-20 with 9 minutes remaining, and Lazard caught three passes on the final drive that resulted in Mason Crosby’s game-winning field goal.
Lazard, an undrafted free agent in 2018 after a record-setting career at Iowa State, was plucked off Jacksonville’s practice squad late last season and caught one pass for 7 yards as a rookie. That was the only catch of his career before Monday night. In 21 snaps this season, Lazard hadn’t been targeted in the passing game.
That changed in the fourth quarter against the Lions. After Rodgers’ deep ball to Lazard fell incomplete against tight coverage, Rodgers went deep to Lazard again. This time, the ball was perfect, and Lazard made a tumbling catch for a touchdown.
“It was obviously an awesome moment, getting my first touchdown – especially here in Lambeau,” Lazard said. “Just kind of fulfilling the journey of being able to be here with this amazing organization. To catch a touchdown in a critical moment is something huge and something that, as a kid, you grow up dreaming about. It feels great to fulfill it.”
On the final drive, Rodgers threw five passes. Three of them were to Lazard, which he turned into three catches for 30 yards and a pair of first downs.
“It starts with his preparation and the way he practices,” Rodgers said after the game. “He’s put together an impressive streak. He was definitely a little disappointed to be released at the end of training camp, but he was back with us quickly and never let it affect his performance. I actually sit next to him in the team meetings and we’ve struck up a pretty good friendship. The thing that got me was, which you love as a quarterback, and that’s receivers coming back and telling you he wants the ball and what routes he wants to run. The big first down we had to him on the out route, that was him coming back to the huddle and telling me what play he wanted. For a young guy to do that, how can you not have confidence in that? So, Matt (LaFleur) was between one of two plays, I said go with the first one because I’m going to throw it to Allen and we’re going to move the sticks, and we did.”
With the Packers staring at their second consecutive home loss, circumstances forced the former practice-squad receiver to become Rodgers’ go-to receiver.
“Obviously, it means everything,” Lazard said. “Having his trust and belief in me instilled a huge amount of confidence in being able to go out there and play comfortably. For him to call my number is huge for me. To be able to go out there and make the play was awesome.”
The moment wasn’t too big for the 6-foot-5 Lazard. Why not?
“Because I’ve been making plays my entire life,” he said. “I’m made for stuff like this. I’m made for big moments. It’s something that I’ll never back down from.”
Considering the health of the receiver corps and a short week to get ready for Sunday’s home game against Oakland, Lazard could be a focal point of next week’s game plan rather than an afterthought.
“I think sometimes you have an injury or whatnot and that’s how some guys become who they are,” LaFleur said. “He was given his opportunity and to his credit, he was ready for that opportunity.”
