GREEN BAY, Wis. – For the second straight game, a remarkable streak has come to an end for the Green Bay Packers.
One week after quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw his first interception at Lambeau Field in nearly three years, Pro Bowl left guard Josh Sitton allowed his first sack in more than three years on Sunday against the San Diego Chargers.
Sitton had gone 37 straight games without giving up a sack until San Diego Chargers defensive tackle Corey Liuget beat Sitton to the outside and dumped Rodgers in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game.
Sitton last allowed a sack on Sept. 22, 2013 against the Cincinnati Bengals. According to ProFootballFocus.com, Sitton’s streak of 37 straight games without a sack allowed was the longest for any guard in the NFL since at least 2007, when PFF started charting such plays.
Rodgers nearly avoided the sack, when he tried to step up into the pocket, but Liuget was able to reach out and grab Rodgers as he tried to step up in the pocket. It was one of the three Chargers sacks of Rodgers.
Here’s a breakdown of the rest of the offensive performance in Sunday’s 27-20 win over the Chargers:
Total offensive plays: 53
Quarterbacks
Aaron Rodgers: 53
Notes: Despite throwing for a little more than half the yards (255) as Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (503), Rodgers’ passer rating (107.7) was better than Rivers’ mark (99.7). Both threw two touchdowns without an interception, but Rodgers’ yards per attempt (8.79) was higher than Rivers’ average (7.74). Rodgers continued to throw mostly short, attempting just two passes that traveled more than 30 yards in the air, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Per PFF, Rodgers was 14-of-15 for 188 and two touchdowns on throws of less than 10 yards and just 2-of-10 for 67 yards on longer throws.
Running backs
James Starks: 28
Eddie Lacy: 20
John Kuhn: 12
Notes: One of the biggest mysteries of the game was Lacy’s playing time. Starks started the game and rushed for 112 yards on just 10 carries thanks to runs of 25 yards (on his first touch) and 65 yards (a touchdown in the first quarter). Coach Mike McCarthy said Lacy has been “a little banged up” but he wasn’t listed on last week’s injury report for the first time since his Week 2 ankle injury. Lacy carried just four times (for 3 yards) and fumbled in the fourth quarter. He had only one touch, a 12-yard gain on a screen pass, after the fumble.
Receivers
Randall Cobb: 48
James Jones: 45
Jeff Janis: 40
Ty Montgomery: 17
Notes: For the second straight week, Rodgers said the receivers had trouble getting open “outside the numbers.” No receiver caught more than two passes with Janis leading the way with 79 yards, including a 46-yarder for Rodgers’ only completion on a deep ball. His playing time spiked after Montgomery dropped out early in the second quarter with a left ankle injury. Jones (two catches for 30 yards) caught his sixth touchdown of the season to match Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald for the league lead among receivers.
Tight ends
Notes: Richard Rodgers couldn’t come down in bounds with a deep ball on a surprising third-and-1 call with the game tied at 17-17 in the third quarter. Perillo, promoted from the practice squad last week, moved ahead of rookie Kennard Backman, who dressed but did not see action on offense or special teams. Perillo had one catch for 21 yards.
Offensive line
David Bakhtiari: 53
Bryan Bulaga: 53
Corey Linsley: 53
T.J. Lang: 53
Josh Sitton: 53
Notes: Coming off a sprained right knee, Lang had planned to play with a brace for the first time in his career but made a last-minute decision to ditch it and got through the game with only a wrap. He did not allow a pressure, according to PFF.