FOXBORO — The Patriots were fixated on Green Bay’s other receivers back in 2014.
Back then, starting cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner were most concerned with Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. Leading up to that first Tom Brady-Aaron Rodgers matchup, there wasn't a lot of talk or focus on then-rookie Davante Adams.
At least not until after the game.
Adams finished that Week 12 contest with six catches for 121 yards. It was his first 100- [...]
FOXBORO — The Patriots were fixated on Green Bay’s other receivers back in 2014.
Back then, starting cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner were most concerned with Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. Leading up to that first Tom Brady-Aaron Rodgers matchup, there wasn't a lot of talk or focus on then-rookie Davante Adams.
At least not until after the game.
Adams finished that Week 12 contest with six catches for 121 yards. It was his first 100-yard receiving game. He's had a few more since then. Today, the 25-year-old heads into Sunday night's Patriots-Packers game as Green Bay's marquee target. The Patriots are certainly focused on him this time around.
“Many problems. This guy is fast, explosive great hands, short intermediate, deep,” said de facto defensive coordinator Brian Flores. “He’s definitely one of the best players at his position in the league. Go back to ’14 when we played them in Green Bay, it was like his coming-out party and he has really progressed and become one of the top players in this league since then. It’s definitely a challenge and he is somebody we’re going to have to keep a strong eye on.”
Adams is currently eighth in the NFL (690 receiving yards), 10th in receptions (52) and fifth in receiving yards per game (98.6). It's been a slow climb for Adams, who didn't hit the 500-yard receiving mark in each of his first two seasons. Over the last three years, however, this 6-foot-1 receiver has been among the NFL's best.
Adams finished with 997 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2016. Last year, he finished 885 yard and 10 touchdowns, earning his first Pro Bowl bid.
“They have a lot of weapons. He's a big one,” Bill Belichick said. “Again, a vertical receiver, does a great job down the field, catch-and-run player, strong runner, hard to tackle. It’s hard to play off him, it's hard to play up on him. He does a very good job of beating man coverage with his quickness and route technique. He's got a great quarterback throwing to him… He's a major impact player for them.”
This season, he has 52 receptions, 690 yards and six touchdowns through the midway point. Over the last three games, he's looked unstoppable finishing with 140, 132 and 133 yards. Adams has the numbers, but also the confidence of a star receiver.
"I don't feel like anyone can guard me right now," he said this week.
If there’s anyone who can try, it’s Stephon Gilmore. The Patriots cornerback has been outstanding this season. This year, quarterbacks are completing 35 percent (16 of 46) of the passes thrown at Gilmore for 183 yards. Gilmore hasn’t given up a touchdown since Week 3. His 11 pass deflections are second in the NFL behind Ronald Darby’s 12.
After shadowing Kelvin Benjamin, Allen Robinson and Sammy Watkins over the last three weeks, Gilmore could see Adams on Sunday.
“He’s a great route runner. Good speed. Good routes. Can catch. He can do it all,” Gilmore said. “He’s a great receiver. They’ve got a lot of great receivers with a great quarterback. He makes them better. Anybody who’s lined up at receiver for them, they can play. We’ve got to watch all of them.”
Adams snuck up on the Patriots in 2014. Prior to that game, his season-high was 77 receiving yards. After the Packers' win, he led all players in receiving yards. Of course, that game, the Patriots were covering him with their No. 3 cornerback Kyle Arrington.
The Patriots will pay much closer attention on Sunday.
“Davante Adams is a great receiver. We got to see it first-hand his rookie year when we went down to Green Bay and had to play against him,” Devin McCourty said. “He was really tough then. You just add the years since 2014 and his continued progress, improving. He’s a handful. I think you’ve seen him against the top corners on every team and they don’t care. They’ll go to him, they’ll go to him in key moments, they go to him down the field, intermediate. So, he’s a guy that everyone on defense has to be aware of, not just the guy covering him.”