Jordy Nelson isn't the MVP front-runner, and Randall Cobb isn't in the "best ever" conversation.
Neither is dating actress Olivia Munn or starring in State Farm commercials with Saturday Night Live alums. In a quarterback-driven NFL, that's just the way it is. When all is said and done, it always comes back to the quarterback.
But Cobb and Nelson are the driving force behind Aaron Rodgers' league-best 119.0 passer rating and why the Green Bay Packers may be the favorite to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLIX—even if the receivers aren't getting their due.
It's an impossible, chicken-or-the-egg conversation. Which comes first: the great quarterback or the tremendously talented weapons?
In a Top 100 Players of 2014 list on NFL.com, Nelson ranked 83rd overall and Cobb didn't even make the cut. Even on Monday night, in a 43-37 win over the Atlanta Falcons, Julio Jones robbed the duo of its thunder at Lambeau Field by catching 11 passes for 259 yards.
In the case of the Packers' dynamic duo, many perceive them as being dependent on Rodgers' great play, instead of the driving force behind it. That's not the case with many of the receivers who ranked above them on that Top 100 list.
Not that Cobb and Nelson mind.
"It doesn't bother me," Nelson told Bleacher Report. "I mean, there are a lot of great receivers in this league. Everyone's list is going to be different."
Cobb added: "I just want to be the best Randall Cobb I can be. If the best me is considered in that group, I'm blessed to be a part of it."
The Packers may boast the league's hottest offense on the field, but the unit's top components play defense off the field. They seemingly take pride in uttering the mundane and avoiding bulletin-board material, even if that means deflecting praise.
Against the Falcons, Nelson led the way with eight catches for 146 yards and two touchdowns. For the season, Nelson has a league-high 12 receiving touchdowns, and his 1,265 receiving yards are fifth overall. Cobb had four catches for 58 yards in the Week 14 win—three of them were third-down conversions.
Early in the fourth quarter, facing a 3rd-and-9, Rodgers completed a short pass to Cobb, who turned it into a 13-yard gain. It was Cobb's 25th third-down catch of the season, which is the sixth-most in the NFL.
On the next play, Nelson broke free for a 60-yard touchdown, his franchise-record-tying seventh touchdown reception of 40 or more yards this season.
The Green Bay offense has become more balanced this season, thanks to the running back combination of Eddie Lacy and James Starks. They are also getting meaningful contributions from Davante Adams, Richard Rodgers and Andrew Quarless among others.
But Cobb and Nelson are the key to Aaron Rodgers' passing prowess. They are the fuel that keeps the engine running in Green Bay. They are the oxygen that feeds the Packers' championship fire.
Unfortunately, the duo's days together could be numbered.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2294938-green-bays-wr-duo-putting-aaron-rodgers-packers-in-nfc-drivers-seat
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