At the halfway point of their season, the Green Bay Packers are 6-2 and have a bona fide chance to earn the top spot in the NFC. While the Packers are a team focused on championships over individual awards, that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of players deserving of them. Halfway through the season, there are four Packers players playing at First-Team All-Pro level.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, despite having one of the worst games of his career in Tampa, is firmly in the MVP conversation. With 24 touchdowns and 2,253 yards to only two interceptions, Rodgers is on pace for one of the best seasons of his career.
Unlike his 2011 MVP season, where he had 45 TDs with an all-star cast, 2020 Rodgers has done this with a banged-up group of a nationally maligned group. Even at 6-2, the Packers still face non-stop criticism over their lack of weapons acquired this offseason. LaFleur’s scheme elevated Rodgers and his supporting cast in a way that the previous offense didn’t.
Impressively, Rodgers has only been sacked nine times this year. The offensive line has overcome many setbacks, including losing Lane Taylor for the year and the line missing David Bakhtiari for a few weeks. Despite constant shuffle, this line has protected Rodgers, who rewards their service by playing on time and getting the ball out quickly.
Of course, Rodgers has a wondrous ace up his sleeve in Davante Adams. Despite missing two and a half games, Adams has cemented his place as the top receiver in the NFL, and he certainly seems to think so as well.
From his astral connection to the mind of Aaron Rodgers, to his picturesque route running ability, to the way he dominates man coverage, Adams puts on a clinic every week. Adams has 8 TD receptions (tied for 2nd in the league) and ranks first in receptions and receiving yards per game.
The Packers run game has been a force to be reckoned with as well, and a big part of that is Corey Linsley. Linsley is having his best season as a pro and is easily the best center in the NFL in 2020, supported by his ranking as PFF’s top center (by over a whopping 10 points over the number two center) with 91.1. His run-blocking grade of 89.5 passes the eye test as well. The work he (as well as the Packers guards) have done up front created wide-open lanes for Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams to run through.
Offensive linemen don’t get much love; traditionally, the better they are the less you hear about them because it means they’re doing their jobs. But the center position requires a strong connection with their quarterback, and the ball is literally in their hands every play. And in 2020, Linsley is the best in the business.
The offense doesn’t get all the fun, either. In his third season, Jaire Alexander has developed into one of the best lockdown cornerbacks in the league, and might just be the best. Alexander’s name doesn’t get called a lot simply because quarterbacks are afraid to throw his way. His stats don’t pop on paper, but the effect he has on the game is undeniable.
Alexander effectively eliminated team’s top receivers such as Calvin Ridley, Justin Jefferson, and Will Fuller from the game. He may be low on interceptions compared to some of his peers, but that’s simply because quarterbacks are terrified to pass his way. After struggling with drafting defensive backs for years, the Packers finally hit on a true star.
PackersWire posted the list of top-rated Packers players via PFF, and not only do these four players rank among the tops of their positions, but they pass the eye test as well. Every week these four players have the impact on the game you’d expect of First-Team All-Pro players.
Matt Hendershott is a Packers fan and Miller High Life enthusiast from Northwest Ohio. He has a Master of Arts in Media and Communication from Bowling Green State University. You can follow him on Twitter @MattHendershott.
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