GREEN BAY, Wis. -- You've probably seen this before: Defense jumps, Aaron Rodgers throws a bomb.
It happened again Sunday in the first quarter against the Denver Broncos.
Rodgers' cadence got Von Miller to jump offside. Second-year receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling knew enough to abandon whatever route he was supposed to run and go deep. Rodgers hit him in stride for a 40-yard touchdown on the game's opening series.
What a start! @AaronRodgers12 hits @MVS__11 for the 40-yard TD!#DENvsGB | #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/Eb9kZ7Sp5C
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) September 22, 2019
It was Rodgers' 13th career touchdown pass on a free play (either defensive offside or 12 men on the field) in his career. No other quarterback has more than five since 2008 (when Rodgers became a starter), according to ESPN Stats & Information. He did not have a touchdown pass on a free play last season.
Two of Valdes-Scantling's three career touchdowns have been 40-plus yards (the other was a 40-yarder in Week 8 last year), according to ESPN Stats & Information.