After Offense Stalls, Rodgers Calls Milestone ‘Bittersweet’

The Packers scored 21 points on their first three possessions, including Aaron Rodgers' historic 40th touchdown pass of the season.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Aaron Rodgers-led Green Bay Packers offense started Saturday night’s game against the Carolina Panthers like they’ve started so many other games this season.

On the opening possession, Rodgers threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Robert Tonyan. In an MVP-worthy season that included his 400th career touchdown pass a couple weeks ago, it was the latest in a series of milestones for Rodgers. For the third time in his career, Rodgers had thrown 40 touchdown passes.

Having reached that threshold in 2011 and 2016, as well, Rodgers became the first player in NFL history with three seasons of 40-plus touchdowns.

The second possession ended with Rodgers scoring on a 6-yard run. The third possession ended with Aaron Jones’ high-stepping touchdown.

At that point, it was 21-3 and the rout appeared to be on. Rodgers was typically efficient. Davante Adams was moving the chains. Aaron Jones was getting in the open field.

And then, the magic vanished and the highest-scoring offense in the NFL went nowhere fast. Green Bay punted on five consecutive possessions and failed to score on either half of a potential double-up to end the second quarter and start the third quarter. It gained only 49 yards in the second half and failed to run out the final 2-plus minutes but held on for a 24-16 victory.

The touchdown record was great, and so is the team’s 11-3 record, but the “stinker” of a performance after the hot start, to use Rodgers’ term, took the luster off the accomplishments.

“It’s a little bittersweet,” Rodgers said of the record-setting touchdown. “Tonight, as fun as the first couple quarters were, it’s not going to be the easiest night of sleep thinking about the second half.”

On a perfectly pleasant December evening, Rodgers was limited to a season-low 143 yards and was sacked a season-high five times. His eight-game streaks with 105-plus passer ratings and two-plus touchdowns came to abrupt ends.

Adams’ eight-game touchdown reception streak ended one game shy of the second-longest single-season streak in NFL history. He caught seven passes but for only 42 yards. He caught 2-of-4 passes for only 4 yards after halftime.

“They had a plan to take him out of the game,” Rodgers said. “We’ve got to keep finding ways, even if they’re going to try do that, because teams should do that because he’s so dynamic. Just keep finding ways to get him involved.”

Coach Matt LaFleur was kicking himself for not doing more to get his premier passing-game weapon open.

“We’ve got to find ways to get him the rock,” he said. “He’s such a valuable part of this football team, and when he’s doing well, usually we’re doing well on offense.”

That Carolina uses some of the defensive principles that coach Matt Rhule brought with him from Baylor probably means there will be no carryover between what happened on Saturday and what’s coming up. Nonetheless, the final two games of the regular season – next Sunday night at home against the Tennessee Titans (9-4) and at the Chicago Bears (6-7) – will be major tests. If the Packers pass those tests, they’ll be sitting pretty as the No. 1 seed.

“It is frustrating, but we’re 11-3, we won the game. That’s a good problem to have,” Rodgers said. “We just know that type of football in the second half, not going to get it done in the playoffs. That’s where we’re going. That’s the trajectory that we’re on. We’re going to at least host a playoff game. We win these next two, we’re going to be the 1 seed. So, we need to play better these next two weeks.”