For decades now, the Favre and Rodgers-led Packers have sported a brand image of "the pass-first offense." For years, some of the biggest gameday moments have started with Favre-to-Driver, Favre-to-Jennings, Rodgers-to-Jennings, Rodgers-to-Nelson, Rodgers-to-Adams. And, while the hiring of backfield-minded Matt LaFleur brought greater emphasis on the ground game, it was often still the passing game that typically decided close games.
The first half of this season, however, saw a decidedly different attack on offense. For the first 10 weeks, Aaron Rodgers had recorded only one game with over 300 yards passing (Week 5 at Cincinnati, where an overtime affair helped him eclipse the mark) while the ground game led the charge. In these games, the Packers, rather predictably, usually won the time of possession battle, but failed to break the game open with aerial action.
There are plenty of reasons for this shift in offensive approach. The O-line entered the season without all-pro tackle David Bakhtiari and has been forced to rotate in several others at the passing game's most important layer of protection. Additionally, the emergence of A.J. Dillon - beside burgeoning star Aaron Jones - has made it easy to wear down defenses even when coordinators know the run is coming.
The abrupt transition to a run-centric offense was an unfamiliar change of pace, for sure - but there were few complaints from fans, given the 7-2 record attached to it. But, to play deep into the postseason, the Packers' once-robust passing game would need to be restored in some capacity.
In late November, it finally emerged.
With the return of deep threat Marquez Valdes-Scantling in Week 11, the passing game quickly returned to form as Rodgers nearly threw for 400 yards. Three monster performances later and Rodgers is squarely back in the MVP conversation - and, according to a handful of sports books, the favorite to win the award for a second straight season.
It's been more than just MVS's presence that has allowed the passing game to click. Hurting without a true tight end since Robert Tonyan's season-ending injury in Week 8, role players like Marcedes Lewis and Josiah Deguara have begun to find their footing in the offense. Deguara, in particular, has started gelling in the H-back role that LaFleur's offensive scheme so heavily relies on.
Whether the Packers get fully healthy on the O-line or not, it's imperative that the recent success of the passing offense carry over into the postseason. That starts with more balanced play calling by LaFleur and the better ball distribution that Rodgers has had of late, compared to early-season games where Rodgers had a tendency to force the ball to Davante Adams.
For the sake of Rodgers, Adams and Randall Cobb - all of whom could be playing their final seasons in Green Bay - we surely hope a postseason full of passing game fireworks awaits.
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