Lions Prepare For Dangerous Tandem Of Aaron Rodgers, Jordy Nelson
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
ALLEN PARK (CBS DETROIT) - Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers targeted wide receiver Jordy Nelson 30 times over the first two games of the season, and Nelson responded with 18 receptions for 292 yards and a touchdown. As the Detroit Lions prepare to try to disrupt the connection between Rodgers and Nelson when the teams meet Sunday, the Lions get just a little taste of what other defensive coordinators experience trying to figure out how to limit Calvin Johnson.
Nelson, never selected to the Pro Bowl or named All-Pro, has made himself impossible to ignore so far this season.
"He's an outstanding player," Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said Thursday. "You have to know where he is. Last year, when we were in Baltimore, they had those three guys [ Nelson, Randall Cobb, Eddie Lacy) and we had to know where he was, and he hit us for a big play, so we know about him, and we know why he gets targeted. He catches the ball, he has run-after-catch ability, and he can take a small one and make it a big one."
As much as Rodgers has zeroed in on Nelson and as frequently as Nelson has delivered, Austin said the Lions defense will not focus on him to the point of ignoring Green Bay's other weapons, including wide receiver Randall Cobb and running back Eddie Lacy.
"You don't want [Nelson] to have a game-wrecking play," Austin said. "You know you're not going to stop him, and if you shift all of your coverage to one guy, what's going to happen is, they have enough good players that the other guys will hurt you. So we'll do our things and at times we may do something to try to slow him down, but we won't shift everything to him because we know Aaron is smart enough to take it to another place. 'Hey, if they're doing all of this, they've got to be weak somewhere else,' and I'm sure he'll probably figure that out."
Both Rodgers and Nelson have spent their entire careers in Green Bay - Rodgers since 2005 and Nelson since 2008. Rodgers explained in a teleconference with Detroit media Wednesday how the connection between him and Nelson has grown throughout the years.
"You have to put the extra time in," Rodgers said. "You have to take your work home with you and put in extra time. Some of that is conversation time and some of that is watching film on your own. I know Jordy does a lot of studying his opponent and their strengths and weaknesses. He also does a strong self-study as well. He wants to make sure he's not telegraphing routes. He's very hard on himself and expects great things."
Green Bay has often been a thorn in the side of Detroit, and while Nelson has contributed to that situation in recent years, Rodgers has always been leading the way. Behind only Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in general public perception, Rodgers is considered a truly great quarterback.
"He can make all the passes, his arm, and the fact that he reads defenses really, really well," Lions defensive tackle C.J. Mosley said. "He knows where he's going [with] the ball, and he's going to make the exact perfect throw for that situation. Great quarterback, great poise, great leader as well. He's not [shaken] or stirred by anything that happens to him, so he's a great guy to compete with."
Austin knows the defense will have to do its best to be unpredictable and keep Green Bay on its toes.
"I don't think you can line up and say, 'Hey, this is what we're going to do,' and be able to do it successfully all day," Austin said. "What you have to do is be able to mix coverages, mix looks and give them different things. If you just line up in the same thing and think you have him, he's going to have you."
Aside from one game in which he went down with injury, Rodgers has always gotten the better of the Lions. With Rodgers at the helm, Green Bay is 9-0 against Detroit. While the quarterback does not have an explanation for why his team so often has success against Detroit, he did credit the Lions for a defense that makes life less than pleasant for him at times.
"I've played pretty good in a lot of those games," Rodgers said. "I don't think there is a specific rhyme or reason. Our defense has also come up with a fair number of turnovers over the years. But, [Detroit is] a talented group that's gotten better every year with a dynamic quarterback and offensive skill set. The defense is a formidable opponent. You have some big-time players, guys who are just about reaching that level, guys who I have played against for a number of years in DeAndre [Levy] and Stephen [Tulloch] who continue to get better. DeAndre has really made himself into a guy who is consistently considered for the Pro Bowl. Stephen, in my opinion, is very underrated with the way that he plays, his leadership, downhill style, aggression and knack for being around the ball. A lot of people talk about Ndamukong [Suh], Nick [Fairley] and Ezekiel [Ansah] for a good reason, they're really talented players, but the guys behind them, especially Stephen and DeAndre are guys that help make that defense go."
Tulloch and Rodgers, having faced each other often, usually talk smack throughout the game, and a smiling Tulloch gave a little insight into the conversations between the two players.
"Me and him do a lot of talking at the line of scrimmage, so when you watch the game, I'm sure you guys probably read our lips, but we go back at it throughout the course of the game. He's going at me, I'm going at him," Tulloch said. "It's all in fun ... I'm talking about the discount double-check, his commercials, how weak he looks in his commercials. It's fun, man. I love playing against him ... It's pretty cool."