Lazard’s Value Goes Beyond Catching Passes

Even with just one catch, Allen Lazard had a pivotal role for the Green Bay Packers in their upset victory at the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Through three games last season, Allen Lazard had 13 catches for 254 yards and two touchdowns. Through three games this season, he has three catches for 58 yards and zero touchdowns.

That doesn’t mean the receiver’s value has been any less to the Green Bay Packers. In fact, he was incredibly valuable in the 30-28 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night. Lazard caught a 42-yard pass to help the Packers to an early lead, blocked Pro Bowl defensive end Nick Bosa on Aaron Jones’ touchdown late in the first half and signed up for duty on the kickoff team after the Niners broke a long return.

It was all in a night’s work for coach Matt LaFleur’s goon.

“Tough to find in this league, man,” receivers coach Jason Vrable said after Thursday’s practice. “First and foremost, you have to be unselfish. You have to be a team-first guy because other people think they’re above that. We were talking about it today and I was like, ‘Man, it was cool to see that.’ He just smiled. With Allen, it’s expected of him but, at the same time, it’s impressive, man. I love the guy. I knew there was something special about him from the beginning. He’s competitive, he’s tough. There’s very few teams that have that guy, so we’re blessed. He’s been everything we need for the last two years to help us in our record and to win. So, it’s been awesome.”

On the third play of the game, Lazard beat standout slot defender K’Waun Williams for a gain of 42. It wasn’t just a big play to start the game. It was a big play for Lazard, who wasn’t even targeted the week before against Detroit. When fleeting opportunities arrive in the Davante Adams-centric passing game, they can’t slip through the fingers.

“Playing the game of football, especially playing wide receiver, you’ve got to learn to have patience because there’s only so much that you can do,” Lazard said after practice. “At the end of the day, I just want to do whatever I can to help my team win. So, whatever it is, whether it’s blocking, taking the top off to open up a hole for another receiver to come in and get a catch, gain yards, whatever it may be, so be it. Like I said at the very beginning of the year, the only thing I really want to add to my resume right now is a Super Bowl ring, so I’m more than willing and able to do whatever it takes.”

Late in the first half, Lazard struck again in unexpected fashion. After his block on a short pass to tight end Robert Tonyan resulted in a 6-yard gain to the 3, he lined up as a wing about a step behind and a step to the left of left tackle Yosh Nijman. Bosa lined up over Lazard, with both players perhaps a step inside the left hashmarks. Bosa tried to get between Lazard and Nijman but Lazard put a shoulder into Bosa and shoved him all the way to the other hashmarks. Jones cut back and waltzed into the end zone.

“I’m a willing and able blocker,” he said. “Why (do) I have success? I guess I just care more, in a sense. I take a lot of pride in what I do. I just want to do whatever I can to help our team win. If it’s me blocking a former rookie defensive player of the year and probably future All-Pro defensive end Nick Bosa, then so be it.”

The 49ers’ Trenton Cannon returned the ensuing kickoff 68 yards to set up an end-of-the-half touchdown that cut the margin to 17-7. Knowing what was at stake, Lazard volunteered his services on the kickoff team to special teams coordinator Maurice Drayton. With special teams leader Ty Summers needed at linebacker, Lazard took his place for the final three kickoffs. On the first, Lazard beat his man, forcing Cannon to cut back. All told, Cannon was tackled inside the 20 twice and the third was a touchback.

“I’ve just always been the type of player, I guess,” Lazard said. “I just want to be on the field, you know? I want to contribute. I want to do whatever I can to help the team win. When that situation popped up, knowing where our special teams are right now and the inconsistency we’ve had on some of the units and play out of some individuals, I had a few more reps left in me that I knew I could give on special teams if that’s what it takes to help the team win. And Coach Mo, I got so much love and respect for him. Whenever they call on me, I know I’ll answer.”

MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers took notice, and he hopes everyone else took notice, too.

“It creates a standard for the other players watching, that this is what it’s supposed to look like and this is what owning your role looks like,” Rodgers said. “Allen didn’t have a lot of targets the first couple of weeks. I hit him on the first third down of the game, and he basically blocked his ass off the rest of the game. There’s a lot of lessons to be learned from the way he plays, him jumping on special teams, running down kickoffs. That’s what leadership looks like. It doesn’t matter if you have a ‘C’ on your chest or not. That’s what leadership really looks like. I’m proud of that guy.”