NFL: Green Bay Packers 26 New England Patriots 21 recap and considerations

603 TD : that’s the number of TD of Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady combine, two of the best QB in the game right now. They meet for the 1st time on sunday for a big showdown in Green Bay, at Lambeau Field, in what could be a preview of the Super Bowl this year. Green Bay started with the ball and RB Eddie Lacy ran some good inside route, a spot where New England is normally good with the tank DT Wilfork. But Rodgers couldn’t finish the drive and the Packs settled for a Crosby field goal. Brady got the ball and find WR LaFell on a quick curl, but after this, the Pats running game was stopped shy of a first down, thanks to a good job by Green Bay front defense, highlighted by OLB Matthews and Barrington. Rodgers started his second drive with more passing game, and on a 2 and 18, the guy out of California was able to escape pressure to gain 17 yards, but on the play, the QB injured his left hand because Pats OLB Collins stepped with his foot on the hand of Rodgers. New England stopped Green Bay and Crosby kicked an other field goal, making this one a 6-0 game. Brady was once again stopped and thanks to a big punt by Allen, GB started on the 20. On a 3 and 2, QB Rodgers found WR rookie Davante Adams for a 45 gain on a superb double move to totally lose the 3rd CB of the Pats, Logan Ryan. With the 2 top WR of the Packs Nelson and Cobb covered by the CB acquisition Revis and Browner, Green Bay needed other guys to step up, like Adams, Quarless or Rodgers, the second TE. Rodgers, the QB found Rodgers the TE on the next play, after a superb pump fake to his right to create trouble in the secondary of New England. 13 to 0 was the score after the 1st.
Brady started to find his stroke on the next drive, and on a nice play action, he found his old reliable TE Gronkoswki on a long slot pass, with Gronk gained some extra yards by overturning the Packs secondary like skittles. After some nice passes to the other TE Hoomanawanui and T.Wright, Brian Bolden, yes Brian Bolden, the 4th RB on the depth chart gained 17 yards on 3 rushes and scored on well designed play. Rodgers responded well with Lacy out of the game due to a little concussion, and he found Adams and Cobb out of the backfield to get to the red zone. But New England held the 31 years old QB, thanks to a superb blitz up the middle by Hightower, and McCarthy’s squad settled for an other field goal. New England marched than the field and gain a lot of yards on a nice play by RB Vereen, where the 2 WR Edelman and LaFell went from left to right to get some space for the RB, who got to the 20 of Green Bay. On a 3 and 3, Brady found Gronkowski, who beat SS Morgan Burnett on a quick slant. On a huge 3 and goal, Brady went to his big WR, Brandon LaFell, who gain the edge of the top CB of Green Bay, Tramon Williams. But the biggest play of the game was made by Rodgers, when he found Jordy Nelson on a slant, slant where CB Revis was beat by maybe the best WR this season, who scored a 45 yards TD, outracing safety McCourty and tagging the front orange pylon before falling out of bounds. The score was 23 to 14 at the half.
No points were scored in the 3rd period, with a miss field goal by Mason Crosby. On the 1st play of the 4th, Pats new RB Blount gained a huge first down to move the change. Then, he gained an other first down with a stong inside run, run where he demolished SS Burnett. Then, Brady faked the pass to Edelman and went to LaFell on a deep route for a 15 yards TD, where backup CB Devon House was absolutely beat by the Pats WR. Green Bay got the ball back and Lacy was back in the game, making his presence felt with good hard run on the inside. But, on a 3 and 5, Rodgers threw a perfect pass to the rookie Adams on a quick slant, but the guy out Fresno State was not able to catch the ball, catch that would gave him a TD. Brady got the ball with his team down by 5 and at midfield, on a 4 and 3, the 3 time Super Bowl winner found Edelman on a little cross. Then, the QB found Gronk on a 3 and 7, who gained 98 yards on the day. But he could not pass the 100 yards and nevertheless, he had an opportunity, when Brady lobs one to him in the end zone. At the beginning, we thunk that the TE had possession of the ball, but thanks to a superb play by the Packs rookie FS Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, the ball was still moving and drop by the Pats player. Then, Brady was sacked by Mike Daniel and Mike Neal, making an harder field goal for Gostkowski, who missed the 47 yard attempt. Down by 5, Belichick used his timeout to stop the clock, but Rodgers found WR Cobb on a huge 3 and 4, to win it for Green Bay.
My MVP to this game is Rodgers, who was better than Brady in this game. New England will try to bounce back next sunday at San Diego against the Chargers, a team who fight for a playoff spot too. The Packers will host Atlanta, who just beat Arizona on Monday.

With the collaboration of Alan Guillou