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Green
Bay Packers' James Jones, right, makes a diving catch in the
end zone in front of Houston Texans' Danieal Manning during
the first quarter of their NFL football game in Houston.
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GREEN BAY —
Packers wide receivers know from the minute they arrive in Green Bay
they're not going to have as many catches as they might somewhere
else, or match the dizzying numbers some of their rivals put up.
They also know
Aaron Rodgers will make sure their chance eventually comes. When it
does, they better make the most of it.
"Any
given Sunday, it could be your day," James Jones said.
"You've just got to make sure you stay ready mentally, knowing
Aaron's going to throw it to the open guys. When you get a chance,
make the most of your chances."
Jones and
Randall Cobb have been doing just that. With Greg Jennings slowed
much of the season by a groin injury — he's been inactive the past
two games and had only one catch the week before that — Jones and
Cobb have stepped up to help fill the void.
Jones caught
two touchdowns last week in Houston, joining Don Hutson as the only
Packers players to have two TD receptions in three straight games.
He leads the NFL with seven touchdowns, already matching his total
from all of last season.
Cobb, in his
second year, had his first 100-yard receiving game against the
Texans, and has had seven catches in two of the past three games.
"I think
all of us, as a group, we know what Greg brings to the table. With
him being out, we all know that we have to go in and do what we have
to do," Cobb said. "We have to take care of our job and,
when the opportunity is there, we have to make the plays for our
quarterback and for this team."
It's a
mentality the Packers demand, from the veterans on down.
The Packers
don't have a traditional No. 1 receiver, a guy such as Reggie Wayne
or Larry Fitzgerald who gets the majority of catches game in and
game out.
Yes, Jennings
and Jordy Nelson are both 1,000-yard receivers, and Donald Driver
was before them. But the strength of Green Bay's offense — besides
Rodgers, of course — is its versatility and depth.
Rodgers throws
to his receivers, tight ends and running backs. He may go to
Jennings and Nelson most often these days, but not to the exclusion
of the rest of his receivers.
Against
Houston, for example, when Rodgers tied a franchise record with six
touchdown passes, he threw to six different players. Three had three
catches or more.
"We're
just trying to take what's there," Jones said. "I feel
like we've got playmakers who can turn a 5-yard catch into a 50-yard
gain. Every play, there's the potential for a big play."
That would
also seem to create potential for trouble.
Jennings,
Jones, Cobb, Nelson — they were all second- or third-round draft
picks, and they didn't get this far without being competitive.
It would be
understandable if they grumbled or pouted a bit when they glanced at
the stats, knowing their numbers don't compare to some of the other
top receivers in the league. But they don't, because they all know
— and accept — how the system works.
"It's
passed down," Nelson said. "We know there's talent. We
know everyone wants the ball and everyone wants to get on the field.
We know there's going to be limited opportunities so when you get
the opportunity, you've got to do it. You've got to make the most of
it and make sure you're ready when your time comes.
"We just
hold each other accountable," Nelson added. "If you're out
there and not making the play, then we're going to be on each other.
'I'm sitting here and you're doing that?' So we're hard on each
other and, again, it's all about making the most of your
opportunities."
And when they
do, no one takes greater delight than Rodgers.
Jones took a
lot of grief the first few years of his career for his drops.
According to Pro Football Focus, Jones had a drop rate of 14.39
percent from 2009 to 2011, second-worst behind Roy Williams among
players with at least 125 catchable balls.
But when Jones
was a free agent in the spring of 2011, Rodgers was one of his
biggest supporters, urging the Packers to bring him back.
Jones wound up
signing a three-year deal.
"I'm just
going to say that I hope we can hold onto him for a while,"
Rodgers said, grinning, when asked if Jones is playing like a No. 1
receiver this year. "He's playing really well, making the most
of his opportunities, making me look good in the process. So you've
got to appreciate James, the way he's playing right now."
His praise for
Cobb is equally high.
Cobb spent
most of his rookie season on special teams — he was a Pro Bowl
alternate as a kick returner — though he got a little time on
offense.
A quarterback
himself in college, Cobb made it a priority to work with Rodgers
during the offseason, picking the MVP's brain about routes and
coverages, and his progress is drawing raves.
"It's not
going to be his last 100-yard game, I can tell you that much. He's a
big-time player," Rodgers said. "We love having him here.
He adds a lot to our offense. We're just going to continue giving
him more opportunities."