Super Bowl Weekend: Davante Adams Was Snubbed
Packers' first team all pro receiver should have been among finalists for offensive POY.
By KenLass
Emptying out the notebook after Super Bowl weekend:
First, the NFL Honors program Saturday night. I had no real problem with any of the award winners, with the possible exception of Kevin Stefanski as Coach of the Year. His Cleveland Browns were loaded with high first round draft picks and top tier free agent acquisitions. Their overall talent level compares with just about anybody. It’s about time they were any good. I thought Buffalo’s Sean McDermott or Miami’s Brian Flores, or certainly Matt LaFleur did more with less.
At least LaFleur got acknowledged. I am assuming that the non-winning players that were featured in the videos were considered the other finalists. I do have a problem with Packers receiver Davante Adams not being a finalist for Offensive POY. I can understand Derrick Henry winning. Rushing for over 2,000 yards in a season is phenomenal. But the other finalists were Travis Kelce and Aaron Rodgers.
No disrespect to Kelce, who is awesome, but his numbers were 105 catches for 1,416 yards and 11 touchdowns. By comparison, Adams had 115 catches for 1,374 yards and 18 scores. More receptions, many more touchdowns, and just 42 fewer yards. If Kelce is in that final group, you have to include Adams, right? No doubt Rodgers’ presence in the category hurt Davante, as the league might have been reluctant to have two players from the same team as finalists for the same award.
Favorite moment of the program: Ex-Packer Charles Woodson bursting into tears upon learning of his selection for the Hall of Fame. I seem to remember Woodson saying he intended to enter the Hall as a Raider, which is a bit of a shame, but he did play eleven seasons with the Raiders, as opposed to seven in Green Bay.
Aaron Rodgers demonstrated that, not only is he the Most Valuable Player, he’s also pretty good at keeping a secret. His revelation during his acceptance speech that he had gotten engaged caught everyone by surprise. As closely scrutinized as his life is, how did nobody uncover that?
Now to the game.
You obviously have to be very, very good to win a Super Bowl. But you also have to be lucky. When Tampa Bay played the Packers in the NFC title game, Green Bay’s all pro left tackle David Bakhtiari was out. Billy Turner and Rick Wagner were simply not good enough to keep the Bucs pass rush from dominating the game. In the Super Bowl, the Chiefs had to play without both of their starting tackles. Patrick Mahomes had no chance against the relentless pressure from Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaq Barrett. The Bucs also had four critical first half officiating calls all go their way.
That’s not to take anything away from Tampa Bay. Their front seven is just too good. They get constant heat from the down linemen, their inside backers run down everything wide, and the pass rush allows the safeties to play back in a different zip code and get away with it. Kansas City was forced to try to beat them by playing the short game, and they couldn’t do it. The Chiefs are a big play team but Mahomes simply wasn’t given the time required for his receivers to get open deep.
On offense the Bucs do a great job of scheming plays that allow the immobile Tom Brady to get rid of the ball quickly. Brady had a modest game, throwing for just 201 yards. He was only 4 for 12 on third down. But a combined 150 yards rushing from Leonard Fournette (89) and Ronald Jones (61), allowed him to complete short, play action passes all night. The Bucs’ defense gave the offense the luxury of staying within the short game. Brady’s TD passes went for 8, 17, and 1 yard. But he had no interceptions and completed 21 of 29 throws for a passer rating of 125.8. He was named MVP because I guess you can't give eleven trophies to the Bucs defense.
As impressive as the Bucs looked, the Packers came so close to beating them two weeks ago. If Green Bay can minimize the impending damage from free agency losses, get Bakhtiari back, and add some brute force to their defensive front, we can get past this team.
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Ken Lass is a former Green Bay television sports anchor and 43 year media veteran, a lifelong Packers fan, and a shareholder.
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Comments (40)
NickPerry
February 08, 2021 at 06:19 am
No offense Ken, end of the year and a damn good argument defending our guy Davante Adams who IMO was snubbed, BUT a picture of Tom Brady???
I am SO SICK of anything Brady and now I have to see it on my favorite Packers site? Christ this guy is IMPOSSIBLE to get away from!
shmelbs
February 08, 2021 at 06:31 am
Wish I could give your comment infinity thumbs up.
RCPackerFan
February 08, 2021 at 07:09 am
Brady throws 3 Interceptions against GB. Should have been 4. And what was the narrative after the game? Brady is the Goat... Seconds after the game that is all I saw.
I am so damn sick and tired of Brady being the goat at everything. I said after the Packers game, its fine if you want to call him the goat, but at least do it when he has a good game.
blacke00
February 08, 2021 at 07:22 am
Ditto! Brady had a lousy 2nd half and he's automatically anointed. The Packers lost that game the Bucs didn't win it.
murf7777
February 08, 2021 at 07:34 am
Actually the Bucs defense won the game just like they did in the SB. As the ol say’in goes.....defense wins championships. Brady was an excellent game manager and thats it.
Razer
February 08, 2021 at 07:49 am
This is so true. The Bucs ran the ball to keep everybody honest and Brady was kept clean to do his job - which he does very well. But the defense is the difference maker, keeping Mahomes to no TDs. That defense was the difference in the NFC championship game.
jannesbjornson
February 08, 2021 at 12:09 pm
Still comes down to the trenches, protect your QB and pressure the opponent. Tampa's Defense was outstanding. Whitehead reminds me of Willie Wood when he lays the leather. Packers have to get faster and
tougher on the D.
TarynsEyes
February 08, 2021 at 11:35 am
Brady's GOAT status isn't based on a good game, it's based on a 'GOAT' career. Something that Rodgers will never achieve, no matter how more talented or tears come from deniers. Man-up and accept reality. Brady is the GOAT and Rodgers will never be.
egbertsouse
February 08, 2021 at 06:49 am
Yeah, forget about who won the Super Bowl. Our guy won the MVP! And, he’s engaged to some starlet. That’s what it’s about! In your face, Tampa!
TarynsEyes
February 08, 2021 at 10:38 am
It's a shame that many Packer fans will agree with this sentiment for real, and not the sarcasm I hope you wrote it with.
stockholder
February 08, 2021 at 07:23 am
Game of the century. Far from it. I feel sorry for Patriot fans. But if Rodgers left, we would see the same results. IMO- this game was over at 1/2. And since KC lost big. We have are egos back. No need for improvement. Just feel sorry for KC. Everyone will praise Brady. But TBs defense was built right. That front seven is just to good. So why did Gute ignore it? Seriously!!!!. So while this game is so fresh in our minds. What do we need to get a front 7 like TB?? A LOT!
rstain99
February 08, 2021 at 07:35 am
Defense wins championships, its proven year in and year out, KC had no answer. Is it me or did anyone else want to someone to take out Suh, every tackle was a shot to the head he is such a bad guy. Total cheap shot artist, Reid had his mind somewhere else no adjustments, sound familar? Not sure GB would have been able to shut down KC like that. I am tired of Brady too, maybe the Goat of winning SB but every team he has been on has had a defense, sorry Aaron that's difference will they ever surround you with a top 5 defense probably not.
4thand1
February 08, 2021 at 10:15 am
AR had a top 5 defense, the Pack won it all that year.
Razer
February 08, 2021 at 08:17 am
I am with you on the Bucs defense.
...What do we need to get a front 7 like TB??...
For starters, if you are going to have a 3-4 defense then get 3 stud interior D-linemen - not Kenny Clark and nobody. Consider that the left side of our D-line is Lancaster, Lowry and Preston Smith. Second, draft some real talent at linebacker. The Packers biggest investment at linebacker was AJ Hawk. Today we are pushing our chips in with a 4th rounder, UDFA and hobbled Kirksey.
Unfortunately for this organization, a very good defense will probably come long after Rodgers is done.
TarynsEyes
February 08, 2021 at 11:42 am
"What do we need to get a front 7 like TB??"
A different game play philosophy, and about 4-5 players that have next level ability than in the 7-man front now, and can play in that philosophy.
baldski
February 09, 2021 at 01:14 am
The Lombardi trophy should go to TB's General Manager. He has put that team together and they are $29 million under the cap. Quite a feat. They have plenty of room to only get better.
Lphill
February 08, 2021 at 08:00 am
Defense wins championship's I hope Murphy and Gutey got that message finally.
stockholder
February 08, 2021 at 10:52 am
I doubt it. Management went after Rodgers. If you hear talk of a new contract demands. ( It's obvious why) But lets move on. They needed a vet like Leonard Williams. Solution now; is the draft. It can be done. A 1 and 3 gets him in the top 15 - 20. "BPA on Def." (even if it's edge. ) Pick #2 Again Must be DT/DE. The depth is there but won't last long. Thats if he wants a Dl like TB.
Lare
February 08, 2021 at 08:16 am
I wonder if the Buccaneers will draft a QB in the first round this year?
Bearmeat
February 08, 2021 at 09:00 am
Please get that ugly ass picture off my favorite website. Also, I will go to my grave saying that we were the best team in the NFL this year. Just like in 14 and 11 and 07 and 97 and maybe 03.
We should have been playing in that game. We would have trucked KC.
TarynsEyes
February 08, 2021 at 10:10 am
There wasn't and isn't a chance that the Packers defense would come close to Tampa Bay's in the SB or at any time in the regular season, and shut down KC like they did. KC would have beaten GB in the SB.
Perhaps Brady wasn't the MVP of the SB by his performance and statistics, but he certainly knows how to get a team to play to win, so no matter how often or convinced one may believe another is the GOAT, especially Rodgers fans, Brady sent a message to you.
https://youtu.be/_HJlGWXzlLA
4thand1
February 08, 2021 at 10:20 am
You can't in any way say KC would have beaten the Packers. No the Packers wouldn't have shut down KC like Tampa did , But GB would have scored 30 or more to win. We'll never know, but I say the Packers would have won 35-31.
TarynsEyes
February 08, 2021 at 10:35 am
"You can't in any way say KC would have beaten the Packers."
Sure I can, and did exactly that.
Razer
February 08, 2021 at 10:27 am
...[or] shut down KC like they did. KC would have beaten GB in the SB...
Totally agree that our defense would not have done what Tampa Bay did yesterday. The depleted KC O-line would have given our defense a better chance and the game would have been competitive but you are right, containing Mahomes is above our weight-class.
The best team, with the best defense and the best quarterback won this year's Super Bowl.
Savage57
February 10, 2021 at 07:20 am
Why do you do this? Always. There's never any variety. Whine, whine, whine.
GB v. KC is about a 50/50 proposition. Not your, "I need to troll, so I'll mewl about how the Packers would lose without even playing KC to show everyone just how big of one I am."
Football is a team game played on the field. Not in your head or on your monitor.
Razer
February 08, 2021 at 10:17 am
Packer fans need to be a little less insecure about 'snubs' or 'recognition'. We had a great regular season when scoring is a little easier. Rodgers and Adams generated lots of stats and garnered tons of praise. Maybe Ken lured us in here with the Davante thing so we could moan about what might of been or maybe we need reassurance that our guys are just as good as Henry, Kelce or Brady. I could care less about the media medals. I do care that we didn't have enough talent or power football grit to be the best.
Philarod
February 08, 2021 at 10:36 am
Errant Thoughts:
Davante had great stats, but I don't really see him as a Top 3 WR, let alone a top 3 choice for OPOY: Rodgers, Henry, Mahomes, possibly Kelce, and several more.
TB's front 7 is terrific -- Devin White appeared again to be the best player on the field. Again. And if their d-backs held as much as they did against GB, then that's a tough D to beat...especially with an injured Mahomes and a depleted O-line.
What hurts is that this was hyped as the battle of the GOAT (QB) versus the best QB of today.
Honestly, I think Rodgers is both! (Can't compare his overall achievements with Brady's, but he simply is better - by a little margin.)
This hurt. Just like in 2014/15: Take away any number of dumb plays and calls, and we'd have had an amazing Rodgers-Mahomes match-up. Just like the Rodgers-Brady would-have-been matchup with Aaron getting two weeks to heal.
If GB-KC, given that neither team plays D anything like a peaking TB, it would have been fun.
TarynsEyes
February 08, 2021 at 11:03 am
The difference in ability between Rodgers and Brady is clear, but Brady can get his team across the finish line and Rodgers can't, and that is what makes one the GOAT and the other(s) a runner-up(s) with sniveling fans crying and denying, as truth hurts.
Philarod
February 08, 2021 at 11:42 am
I get it, but I'm hardly sniveling and crying.
It does show that football is the ultimate team sport. A QB has a larger impact than any other player (of course) but just can't do it alone. I don't agree that it's simply a matter of leadership, although Brady is a stunningly great leader.
We'll never what would happen if they QB'd each others' teams, but Rodgers (with at best, a similar offensive supporting cast over the years) has put up more PPG with a much higher passer rating and fewer INTs (which is a component, but still). Could it have anything to do with defense, coaching and I hate to say it, some pretty sh**ty luck?
Okay, I'm done with my sniveling.
TarynsEyes
February 08, 2021 at 12:44 pm
" I don't agree that it's simply a matter of leadership, although Brady is a stunningly great leader."
Leadership is certainly a huge part, if not the largest part of success. Those who play with Brady apparently will run through walls for him and his leadership. Can anyone, or you claim the same for Rodgers, honestly? I know I can't and won't? The Brady difference is beyond the imagination that Rodgers can perceive or achieve, and has been witnessed too often, to deny.
Brady not only 'WINS with his TEAM' he also 'Loses with his TEAM'.
Rodgers wins with Rodgers, the team loses alone.
Philarod
February 08, 2021 at 01:53 pm
Cool - since you've played with both and been in those locker rooms.
With all that leadership and better coaching, I guess Brady has outplayed Rodgers in the postseason (though he's actually been outplayed in key stats offensively) and caused his defense and special teams to play better, too.
I also think (from appearances, as I'm not there) that Aaron has gotten better at spreading praise and accepting blame over the years.
Both of them are phenomenal -- in my mind, the two greatest of the last 55 years.
TarynsEyes
February 08, 2021 at 03:37 pm
"Cool - since you've played with both and been in those locker rooms."
This should be pasted to every retort you make to any poster here, because none of them are in the locker rooms of any team and yet are able to make their opinions without the remark offered by you. You will and do accept every opinion that speaks the 100% rah-rah of others.
You then agree with me as shown by this part.
"I also think (from appearances, as I'm not there) that Aaron has gotten better at spreading praise and accepting blame over the years."
Take special note of, "appearances, as I'm not there" and then call me out when I use appearance, in an implied manner and not in direct grammatical.
Both are phenomenal, but one is a constantly proven winner, and the other is a constantly proven whiner, and a loser in big game moments. Though neither achieved such on their own, both embrace their cohorts differently.
Since'61
February 08, 2021 at 10:59 am
Should a picture of Davante if he is the subject of article.
Secondly, this is a pretty sad commentary if we are lamenting the fact that Adams didn’t win a meaningless award while another team is celebrating their SB victory.
I didn’t see the game but from what I’ve read and my review of the box score and stats it looks like KC beat themselves with penalties and poor execution while the Bucs defense won the LOS and carried the game for the Bucs. Brady was basically there for the ride since he could win the game with only about 14-17 points. Imagine Rodgers with the Bucs defense. For now it’s wait ‘til next year. Thanks, Since ‘61
TarynsEyes
February 08, 2021 at 11:15 am
"Imagine Rodgers with"
This has been the mantra for near 30 years in GB, less the 3 where they're 2-1 in SB with the last being 10 years ago, while Brady has won 4 of the last 7.
When players are on the same team as Brady, the fans never have to say, "Imagine Brady with"?
Since'61
February 08, 2021 at 01:05 pm
Deleted double post.
splitpea1
February 08, 2021 at 11:30 am
What a magnificent performance from the Bucs defense holding the Chiefs to three field goals--even if KC had to reshuffle their O-line. Tampa Bay got plenty of pressure on Mahomes, the ILBs recorded 18 tackles between them, and the secondary was there to contest every deep pass.
Remember the last article about Gute sticking to the plan and drafting more QBs? "The plan is a flop!" (courtesy of the movie Brute Force). Time to start taking the ILB position seriously, and, the immediate need right now is to find CBs who can cover AND tackle. As for the two-to-three year window, two sounds a whole lot better than three; save the high-ceiling projects for the late rounds and take only solid prospects early. Do we want to win the Super Bowl or be eternal bridesmaids??????
Starrbrite
February 08, 2021 at 01:47 pm
Brady isn’t the GOAT, he’s the Golden Calf!
If I’m not mistaken, Tampa essentially bought and paid for a SB, i.e., most of their star players are FA’s.
...and 8 penalties to one in the 1st half.....
Spock
February 08, 2021 at 02:22 pm
Ken Lass, "I seem to remember Woodson saying he intended to enter the Hall as a Raider...". Common man you should know by now that NO ONE enters the Hall of fame as a specific team player but for their body of work. This comes up every year and the answer is always the same.
PF4L
February 08, 2021 at 03:41 pm
I was wondering if anyone else was going to acknowledge that fact.
.
Good call Spock
Fabio
February 09, 2021 at 04:10 am
Greetings to the whole Packers community. I write after a few days that it took me to recover from the defeat in NFC.
First thing: Congratulations to Tampa for the team that has "built" this season (maybe we should learn something ??).
Second: Brady is the goat. Point. It's not debatable because to be it you have to win .... and he has won most of all.
Third: Is Brady the absolute best? I think absolutely not. But that doesn't take away from its merits.
Fourth:
There are things that are not objectionable. When a team manages to defend its Qb by making it just tap twice in a match and at the same time being able to attack the opponent's Qb with only 4 men and create absolute panic it means that maybe it doesn't depend so much or only on Brady.
Having said this, I remain firm on some points:
- Green Bay has never had a defense like the ones the last SB won;
- The referees, if there was still a need, confirmed that they knew who had to win (I still think that with "decent" referees they called correctly and not always in favor of Tampa - including SB - Tampa did not make it through the first round !!!)
- with defenses like the Tampa one, running play is fundamental, and we have often failed with those types of defense
- Our attack has been fantastic all year, but it depends a lot on the run because we don't have much offensive talent.
- When Rodgers was protected (even half of how Brady is normally protected) he proved he can't be stopped but (I'm sorry), it didn't always happen (and we don't have Tampa defense
- maybe the first picks in the draft should be used better !!!!
Having said all of this, I embrace all the fans of the Green bay Packers, especially the residents of Wisconsin and Green Bay. The Packers community will always be different from all the others, perhaps less successful, but better. Few know what it means to play in the cold (of the Tundra) and in a small town where not many players are happy to come. We are small, we annoy and the NFL does not favor us for reasons of advertising and sales sponsors .... but we are unique and winning here will always be a bigger thing than doing it anywhere else.
Go Pack Go against everything and everyone
I hope I have not offended anyone. Greetings from Italy