Cheesehead
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
- 2,854
- 0
"I mean, this is everything I've been preparing for," Lazard said. "This is football. … Injuries are bound to happen, so it was only going to be, not necessarily a matter of time, but I'm really just waiting for my opportunity to be able to step up today and I think I did that pretty well."
Without Adams, the Saints wanted to make sure Marquez Valdes-Scantling wouldn't beat them deep and deployed their safeties according. That left Lazard with quite a few one-on-one matchups.
Twice on Sunday Lazard reset his career long for a reception, first with a 48-yarder in the second quarter that set up his own 5-yard touchdown, which gave Green Bay its first lead, 13-7, with 10 minutes, 36 seconds left in the first half.
He then reset it again at the start of the second half. With the offense facing a third-and-10, Lazard lined up in the slot and came across on a deep post, gaining a step on cornerback P.J. Williams as he broke across the middle.
Rodgers put the ball on the money and Lazard hauled it in for a 72-yard catch down to the New Orleans' 3-yard line. Having seen how Jones' 75-yard touchdown after halftime helped lift Green Bay to last week's 42-21 win over Detroit, Lazard wanted to make a similar impact coming out of halftime against the Saints.
In a tongue-and-cheek manner, Lazard was even gracious enough to allow Jones to score the touchdown following his catch, a 1-yard TD run on fourth-and-goal that put the Packers back ahead 20-17.
"I told Aaron Jones during halftime, I was like, 'Look. I'm going to need another 75-yard touchdown … to start the second half again,'" Lazard said. "So really I kind of slowed down just so he could score and, you know, get that fulfillment and get the ball rolling with him."