Davante Adams

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams appeared to weigh in on the Aaron Rodgers saga Monday, posting a cryptic tweet that Packers fans will surely analyze ad nauseum. 

Is Adams saying the front office and organization should have appreciated Rodgers more, which could have prevented the reigning MVP from reportedly wanting a change in scenery? Is he suggesting that Rodgers may not be coming back? Is he simply saying to enjoy the good times while they last? Is it possible that Adams—*gasp*—also feels underappreciated?

Or, and bear with me here: Is he tweeting about something else entirely and we're all wasting our time trying to figure it out? Could he just be messing with everyone?

No, no, surely not. Couldn't be. Surely a professional athlete wouldn't tweet out something so cryptic at a time like this, just for fun. So keep investigating, Packers fans—you'll get to the bottom of this!

The Green Bay Packers have reportedly done "a lot of research" on Minnesota wide receiver Rashod Bateman ahead of the 2021 NFL draft, which starts Thursday night.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano reported Wednesday the Packers "spent time" with Bateman during the predraft process, which suggests he could be a target with the No. 29 overall pick in the first round.

Bateman was one of college football's top wideouts over the past three years, recording 147 catches for 2,395 yards with 19 touchdowns across 31 appearances. He averaged more than seven receptions per game during the coronavirus-shortened 2020 campaign.

The 21-year-old Georgia native has flown under the radar because of the strong receiver class led by LSU's Ja'Marr Chase and Alabama teammates DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle, but he could make an immediate impact.

Bateman possesses a 6'0", 190-pound frame with NFL-level route-running ability, reliable hands and the ability to make plays at every level of the field. He hasn't shown he's a consistent game-breaker like Chase, Smith and Waddle, but he has the tools to become a No. 1 wideout.

"I've proven that and I've put it on tape," Bateman said of his versatility in March. "Very detailed route-runner. I can catch the ball very well and I am fast, even though some people doubt that."

Being able to play on the outside or in the slot creates extra paths to playing right away at the next level.

The Packers are an obvious fit in the latter stages of the first round. They have their top target in Davante Adams, but they've struggled to find other dependable weapons for quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Bateman would compete with Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Allen Lazard, Devin Funchess and Equanimeous St. Brown, and he'd have a realistic chance of becoming a Week 1 starter.

However, another interested front office might aim to leapfrog the Packers in the draft order if Bateman is available in the final stages of Round 1.

Receivers Elijah Moore of Ole Miss and Kadarius Toney of Florida are also likely to come off the board in the second half of the opening round and could make sense for Green Bay.

The football fates have given fans one heck of a matchup for the 2021 NFC Championship Game. The Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were two of the league's hottest teams entering the postseason, they each feature a future Hall of Famer at quarterback and each is loaded with high-end skill-position players.

This Sunday, fans will be treated to the first-ever postseason duel between Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady, along with enough offensive firepower to make an epic shootout a reality.

If the Packers come out on top, they'll appear in their first Super Bowl since the 2010 season. If the Buccaneers win, they'll be in the big game for the first time since the 2002 season—the first year of Jon Gruden's Tampa tenure.

A Green Bay win would put Rodgers into the Super Bowl for the third time in his career, while Brady is playing for a whopping 10th appearance in the NFL title game. Plenty of history is on the line in this one.

Here's everything you need to know for Sunday's NFC Championship Game.

NFC Championship Game Info

Date: Sunday, January 24

Time: 3:05 p.m. ET

TV and Live Stream: Fox, Fox Sports Go

Line*: Green Bay -3.5

Over/Under*: 50.5

Prediction: Green Bay 30, Tampa Bay 26

*from DraftKings Sportsbook

The offensive firepower in this game is remarkable, from wide receivers like Davante Adams and Chris Godwin to running backs like Aaron Jones and Leonard Fournette, as well as tight ends like Rob Gronkowski and Robert Tonyan. It's not surprising that the contest features an over/under above 50.

Given the weapons and the quarterbacks involved, there's a good chance that this one will hit the over, too. However, don't be surprised if a key defensive stop or a turnover decides the game.

While there's legitimate shootout potential here—and Brady vs. Rodgers is the headlining matchup—there are some defensive stars as well.

The Packers feature a group of talented pass-rushers—including Za'Darius Smith and Rashan Gary—and a Defensive Player of the Year candidate in cornerback Jaire Alexander.

Alexander has allowed an opposing passer rating of just 67.4 this season.

The Buccaneers, meanwhile, boast a dominant front seven and the league's top-ranked run defense. Tampa can create pressure with its front four and can make Green Bay relatively one-dimensional offensively.

This was the formula the Buccaneers used to beat the Packers in the regular season, sacking Rodgers four times in the process. That game was in Tampa, however, and not in the cold confines of Lambeau Field

Of course, the Buccaneers don't view the weather as a big disadvantage.

"It's more mental and staying warm on the sideline. We've got all that technology now with the heaters and everything else. It's different, but it's not that big of a deal for us," Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians told reporters.

While the weather may play a small role in this game—and defense will play a big one—this contest will likely be won by the quarterback who makes the most clutch plays and the fewest mistakes. That's a factor that could literally go either way.

Brady has finally settled in with the Buccaneers offense, while Rodgers has been playing at an MVP level for most of the season. It's difficult to pick between the two legendary signal-callers, but when improvisation is required, there are few quarterbacks better than Rodgers.

Expect Rodgers to make just enough late-game magic to pull out the win.

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Green Bay Packers star Davante Adams said he passed along a warning to Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey during their pregame fracas Saturday.

"I'm not some of the dudes that you've covered," Adams said he told Ramsey. "So I just want you to come with me and follow me everywhere. Let's give the people what they came here for."

The wideout said his comments weren't meant in a disrespectful way, but the two had to be separated regardless. As the Packers went on to win, 32-18, Adams proved Ramsey couldn't follow him everywhere.

The top target on Aaron Rodgers' offense hauled in nine receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown while being mostly covered by Ramsey. The scoring play saw Adams in motion at the goal line, leading Ramsey to get screened by his own teammate at the line of scrimmage and allow Adams to break free for a quick pass from Rodgers.

Ramsey has never been afraid of a little trash talk, so it makes sense he'd take Adam's message personally. He just wasn't able to do much about it on the field. The cornerback finished with just four tackles and no pass deflections.