Davante Adams

The Green Bay Packers are back on track.

The Packers bounced back from their Week 1 blowout loss to the New Orleans Saints with a 35-17 victory over the Detroit Lions in Monday's NFC North showdown at Lambeau Field. Aaron Rodgers and Aaron Jones led the way for the victors, who improved to 1-1 on the season and extended their winning streak against the Lions to five.

A solid start from Jared Goff wasn't enough for Detroit, which dropped to 0-2 on the year.

Notable Player Stats

• Aaron Rodgers, QB, GB: 22-of-27 passing for 255 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs
• Aaron Jones, RB, GB: 17 carries for 67 yards, 1 TD; 6 catches for 48 yards, 3 TDs
• Davante Adams, WR, GB: 8 catches for 121 yards
• Jared Goff, QB, DET: 26-of-36 passing for 246 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT; 4 carries for 46 yards
• T.J. Hockenson, TE, DET: 8 catches for 66 yards, 1 TD
• Quintez Cephus, WR, DET: 4 catches for 63 yards, 1 TD

Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Jones Put on a Show in Win

An offseason of drama. A blowout loss to start the season. Rodgers failing to lead a single touchdown drive while throwing two interceptions. It's safe to say there were some concerns in Green Bay coming into a divisional showdown, even this early in the season.

Those concerns remained as the home team went behind on the opening possession and trailed going into the halftime locker room, but the offense at least showed signs of significant improvement.

Jones was heavily involved from the start with physical between-the-tackles runs and plays designed to get him to the outside, including when he took a pop pass and scored Green Bay's first touchdown.

The running back also caught Rodgers' second touchdown pass on another short throw, but the quarterback started looking downfield more after intermission. He froze the safety over the middle and found Davante Adams streaking down the sidelines on a deep ball just to set up an absolute rope through a tight window to Robert Tonyan to give Green Bay its first lead.

It was vintage Rodgers from there, as he converted on multiple 3rd-and-longs, caught Detroit with 12 players on the field and quickly found a rhythm on deep passes to Adams. He appeared far more comfortable in the pocket, and the offensive line gave him more time to pick apart the Lions secondary.

Jones wasn't about to let his quarterback have all the fun and caught his third touchdown before running one in for his fourth to essentially ice the win.

Throw in the defense playing much better in the second half, and Green Bay provided its fans with reason for optimism after an abysmal start to the season.

Lions, Jared Goff Waste Promising Start

From Detroit's perspective, the biggest storyline was which version of the team that played in Week 1 was a better representation of what to expect this season.

After all, the Lions went down 38-10 and 41-17 in the second half against the San Francisco 49ers only to come storming back and lose by just eight. That momentum, at least offensively, carried over to the start of Monday's game as the visitors jumped out to a 17-14 halftime lead with Goff in full control.

Goff consistently evaded pressure, improvised when needed and torched Green Bay's secondary with outside throws. He hit Quintez Cephus with a deep ball and again for a touchdown on the opening drive and continued his excellent play with a perfectly placed pass in the back corner of the end zone to T.J. Hockenson.

It was more of the same for a struggling Packers defense that was missing Za'Darius Smith, but Goff seemed to be growing more comfortable in a new offense.

And then the second half happened.

Detroit was rolling on its first possession after halftime until Goff didn't see a wide-open checkdown on 4th-and-1 and threw an incompletion to the outside. He then fumbled the snap in the pouring rain to start the next possession, and the second massive mistake was more than Rodgers and the Packers offense needed to all but end it.

While there were once again positive developments to build on for the Lions, they struggled to put together a complete game for the second consecutive week. That is a recipe for a loss against an all-time great quarterback on the other side.

What's Next?

The Lions host the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3, while the Packers travel to face the San Francisco 49ers.

If any team knows how to overcome a bad start to the season, it is the one with Aaron Rodgers under center. 

After all, the Green Bay Packers quarterback famously said, "Five letters here just for everybody out there in Packer-land: R-E-L-A-X," after the team's 1-2 start during the 2014 campaign. All that happened the rest of the way was an MVP for Rodgers, a 12-4 final record and an appearance in the NFC Championship Game.

That was Davante Adams' rookie season, and the wide receiver revealed that mindset has not gone away in Green Bay.

"The relax thing, that started my first year here," Adams told Bleacher Report. "That's kind of the mindset we live by, especially now with 17 games. It's a long season, so it's not something that anybody is going to let shake them. At this point, it's all about responding and coming back this next week."

The Packers will need to respond if they are going to challenge for another playoff spot, because the 38-3 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 1 was a stunning result.

Everything seemed to be building toward a straightforward win for Green Bay. The game wasn't even played in the Caesars Superdome where Saints fans make life so difficult on opponents and was instead moved to Jacksonville because of Hurricane Ida. That meant there were tons of Packers fans in attendance, and the Saints didn't have an injured Michael Thomas or a retired Drew Brees.

New Orleans missed the memo that it wasn't supposed to put up a fight, and Jameis Winston threw five touchdown passes while Rodgers threw two interceptions and failed to lead a single touchdown drive.

While Adams was one of the lone bright spots with a game-high five catches for 56 yards, he knows things will have to improve right from the opening kickoff in future games.

"We came out really flat in that game," he said. "We came out like they were just going to lay down. We didn't handle our stuff on offense. ... We only had a few opportunities with the ball in our hands in the first half, but when you score it looks a little bit different. But when we don't and the defense is having a tough time getting off the field, it makes it really tough on the team to be able to rally and bounce back from that. We've just got to start better than we did this past week. I give them credit for playing a great game, but we're a much better team than that. I don't think anybody is rattled by the way that game went. Just more so confused and disappointed, but definitely looking forward to bouncing back this week."

Bouncing back will mean playing better on the road when the team travels this season, and Adams is ready to do just that as a spokesperson for Courtyard by Marriott, the official hotel of the NFL.

Adams stars in the new ad campaign as Courtyard by Marriott conducts the Courtyard Super Bowl Sleepover Contest. The winner and a guest will win a trip that allows them to wake up inside SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on the morning of Super Bowl Sunday. Fans can enter the contest by submitting their favorite stories that highlight their love for football and travel with the hashtag #CourtyardSuperBowlContest.

"This whole experience with Courtyard by Marriott is really just a huge way to get fans back into the rhythm of getting back on the road, finding out what fuels them to travel," Adams said. "I think that there's nothing greater to get people back on the road and back in stadiums than football games. It's a great experience."

So where is Adams' favorite NFL city to travel to outside of Green Bay during football season?

"It's a tossup for different reasons," he said. "I like Dallas a lot because I like playing in that stadium, it's a really fun stadium to play in. Jerry's World is always live, always popping in there. We usually have good games against the Cowboys as well. I also like to travel to New Orleans, so it's a little bit sad that we had to head down to Jacksonville. Going down to New Orleans, that's where I end up with the best meals. I'm huge into food, I love food. That's a big part for me. Being able to get to the South and get some of that cajun food, that's always good."

Always good is the perfect way to describe Adams' game on the field as well.

The Fresno State product is coming off four straight Pro Bowl seasons and was a member of the 2020 First Team All-Pro with 115 catches for 1,374 yards and a league-leading 18 touchdowns. He was an unstoppable pass-catching machine last year and put himself firmly in the discussions as the best wide receiver in the league.

He also checked in at No. 6 on NFL Network's list of the top 100 players for 2021, which placed him ahead of every other wide receiver in the league. Yet he is more focused on achieving those individual accolades just to help his team win.

"The goal is always All-Pro status, that means that I'm holding up my end of the bargain and doing what I need to do to put this team in position to win games," he said. "I don't really have any specific numbers as far as what I want to do, how many touchdowns, how many yards. I just want the film to look good, and hopefully that translates to me having a lot of yards and touchdowns, which ultimately leads to us having a shot at the Super Bowl."

A shot at the Super Bowl starts with the Packers defending their back-to-back NFC North crowns.

The entire NFC North is 0-1, so Green Bay is not starting from behind despite its lackluster showing against the Saints. It has the opportunity to make an early statement with divisional play starting in Week 2 against the Detroit Lions, and marquee games against the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers also stand out.

But Adams is taking things one week at a time.

"To be honest with you, I don't even know who we play up until that week," he said. "I don't really think about the personnel too much, I don't have a desired matchup, I just like going out and playing football. I treat everybody the same when I get out there. It doesn't matter if it's Deion Sanders or if it's an undrafted rookie, I'm going to try to go out there and give them work all day."

Every opponent is officially on notice.

Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams is hoping to move forward after a disappointing 38-3 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 1. 

"We came out really flat and I think that it'll be a really good wake-up call for us," Adams said Wednesday on NFL Now, per Kevin Patra of NFL.com.

The Packers were considered a top Super Bowl contender entering the 2021 season after reaching the NFC Championship Game in each of the past two years, but they got off to a rough start. 

Adams was held to only five catches for 56 yards in the loss after averaging 98.1 yards per game last season.

The All-Pro wideout called it a "weird game" where the offense had limited opportunities early.

New Orleans dominated possession in the first half behind two different 15-play touchdown drives. It left Green Bay with just three possessions and 18 total plays in the first half while facing a 17-3 deficit.

While the defense did struggle to make stops as Jameis Winston threw five touchdown passes, the Packers offense didn't do any better. Reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers threw two interceptions and finished with a 36.8 quarterback rating before being pulled for Jordan Love in the fourth quarter.

It was an embarrassing showing for a unit that led the NFL in points scored last season.

The talent is still there for a successful season, but the Packers will need better focus heading into Monday's game against the Detroit Lions.  

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams is entering the final year of his contract but does not expect an extension prior to Sunday's season opener against the New Orleans Saints.

"No," he told reporters when asked if believes there will be a contract extension before Week 1. "No chance. No."

The contract statuses of both Adams and quarterback Aaron Rodgers have been a major talking point in Green Bay this offseason. In fact, they both posted pictures of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen on their Instagram Stories in July that seemed to suggest it could be their last dance together:

The Last Dance documentary chronicled the dynastic run of the 1990s Chicago Bulls with a particular focus on Jordan's final season in 1997-98 and some of the tension that went on behind the scenes as it was clear the team would break up after the campaign.

Rodgers' situation was somewhat settled when he and the Packers agreed to restructure his deal.

For now, Rodgers' contract is set to expire after the 2022 season, although the team agreed to review it after the upcoming campaign.

As for Adams, he has been with the Packers his entire career since they selected him in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft. He is Rodgers' unquestioned No. 1 target, and perhaps there is some hesitancy from his perspective to commit to the team long-term until he knows what will happen with the quarterback after this season.

Adams is on the shortlist of the best wide receivers in the league and tallied 115 catches for 1,374 yards and an NFL-best 18 touchdowns during the 2020 season.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was announced as the No. 1-ranked player in the NFL heading into the 2021 season as voted by his fellow players.

Mahomes was joined by Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers as the top three vote-getters revealed during an NFL Network special Saturday.

Here's a look at the top 10:

1. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

2. Aaron Donald, DT, Los Angeles Rams

3. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers

4. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans

5. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

6. Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers

7. Tom Brady, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

8. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Arizona Cardinals

9. T.J. Watt, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers

10. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills

For the full rankings featuring all 100 players, visit NFL.com.

Mahomes took the top spot for the first time after another stellar season. He ranked second in passing yards (4,740) and fourth in passing touchdowns (38) and led the Chiefs to their second straight Super Bowl appearance in 2020. He was named the Super Bowl LIV MVP for leading K.C. to a victory over the San Francisco 49ers at the end of the 2019 season and was the league's MVP in 2018.

Brady checked in at No. 7 after he earned the top spot in 2011, 2017 and 2018 with the New England Patriots. Changing teams to join the Bucs didn't slow him down, as he guided Tampa Bay to its second Super Bowl title in his first year with the franchise after throwing 40 touchdown passes during the regular season.

Here's the list of players who've occupied the No. 1 spot since the rankings began in 2011, including Donald, who ranked second this year after leading the pack in 2019:

2011: Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots

2012: Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers

2013: Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings

2014: Peyton Manning, QB, Denver Broncos

2015: J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans

2016: Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers

2017: Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots

2018: Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots

2019: Aaron Donald, DT, Los Angeles Rams

2020: Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens

No player made a bigger jump into this year's top 10 than Josh Allen, who checked in at No. 87 last year.

The Buffalo Bills quarterback has transformed from a mistake-prone rookie in 2018 to the MVP runner-up in 2020. He accounted for 45 touchdowns (37 passing and eight rushing) during the regular season to finish second in MVP voting behind Aaron Rodgers and led the Bills to their first AFC Championship Game appearance since 1993. Buffalo rewarded him with a six-year, $258 million extension earlier this month.

Davante Adams also made a sizable jump after landing at No. 57 in 2020. He led the NFL with 18 touchdown catches last year despite missing two games with a hamstring injury.

The 2021 NFL regular season kicks off Sept. 9 when Brady and the reigning champion Bucs host the Dallas Cowboys at Raymond James Stadium.

An anonymous NFL agent ripped the Green Bay Packers and their way of doing business in an article published Tuesday.

As part of a survey of NFL agents conducted by Ben Standig of The Athletic, the aforementioned agent voted for the Packers as the team that had the worst offseason.

The agent also said: "You could argue Green Bay, even with [quarterback Aaron] Rodgers back, considering how it played out. Now there's a Davante Adams problem. There's something going on there. It's always been an antiquated place."

Notably, the Packers had to do some convincing to get Rodgers back in the fold for 2021, and they have yet to sign Adams to a contract extension.

Rodgers had some well-documented issues with the Packers that nearly caused him to choose retirement rather than play in 2021. While Rodgers is with the team for now, his future beyond next season is in question.

One thing Rodgers brought up during his first press conference at training camp was his belief that the Packers don't always treat veteran players with respect and haven't always gone to the proper lengths to keep important players in the fold.

In an apparent effort to appease Rodgers, the Packers did acquire veteran wide receiver Randall Cobb from the Houston Texans via trade this offseason. Rodgers and Cobb were previously teammates in Green Bay from 2011-18.

Another sign there may be something to Rodgers' complaints is the fact that the Packers haven't locked up Adams to a long-term deal with just a couple of weeks left until the start of the regular season.

The 28-year-old Adams is coming off a career year, as he registered 115 receptions for 1,374 yards and an NFL-high 18 touchdowns in 14 games while playing a huge role in Rodgers winning his third career NFL MVP award.

Despite that, Adams is currently set to become a free agent at the conclusion of the 2021 season.

There likely isn't any imminent danger of Adams playing elsewhere in 2022 since the Packers can apply the franchise tag if need be, but players of Adams' caliber typically receive a contract extension well ahead of time.

While the Packers have stumbled through some follies recently, they have gone 13-3 and reached the NFC Championship Game in each of the past two seasons.

With Rodgers back in the fold, Green Bay is a strong contender to reach and perhaps win the Super Bowl during the upcoming season, but there is far less certainty regarding the team and its ability to contend in 2022 and beyond given the Rodgers and Adams situations.