WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – Wide receiver Davante Adams has extensive experience playing alongside starting quarterbacks who have sustained long NFL careers.
First it was Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, who is currently playing for Pittsburgh in his 21st NFL season. This year, it's Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles, who is in his 17th NFL season and playing arguably the best ball of his career.
The key to that longevity, according to Adams, also explains why he and Stafford's connection has progressed to what's been displayed over the last two games.
"It's one thing to have an arm and to be able to throw," Adams said after Wednesday's practice. "That's a prerequisite to play quarterback in this league. You have to be able to throw a football decently well. They (media) criticize everybody and act like certain guys can't throw well, but they can all throw the ball. It's just about how well you can get on the same page with guys and how much you're willing to work through. Like what he and I have because some of the bumps we've had with injuries and stuff like that early on. Anytime you have a guy that's cerebral about the game and understands that small different nuances, not letting certain things slide that are important as to why a 12-yard curl works out. Just understanding, 'Tae I need you to be on the outside edge of the numbers or inside edge of the numbers or breaking at six versus eight (yards).' Those types of things are really important to him and how he sees the game."
Those minute details have helped Adams produce seven touchdowns on seven red zone catches heading into Sunday's game against the 49ers at Levi's Stadium.
According to Adams, it's also a product of what has long been a staple of head coach Sean McVay's scheme: The marriage of the run and the pass. His explanation showed how that came to life on his two touchdown catches against the Saints last week.
"We've been finding a way to marry up the plays that we run out of certain personnels and finding some one-on-ones playing the number game," Adams said. "Basically, if they want to go one-on-one, we like that matchup. If they want to travel somebody out there and play a bracket or a double team or vice, however they want to do it, then we have numbers there too. They either run it or run another play."
"He's doing a great job of getting open down there," Stafford said. "I'm putting it in some spots where he can go make his plays and that's awesome. I think our coaching staff does a great job of finding ways to let his skillset come to light down there. He's been doing it for a long time in the league, especially down in the red zone. He's got a hundred and something touchdowns and it's really impressive to see what he can do in a small area, both at the line of scrimmage and at the catch point."
Beyond that sequencing, the other biggest example of the two being in sync came on Stafford's no-look, 29-yard completion to Adams on a dig route Adams ran last Sunday. Stafford timed the release of the ball from his hands early in Adams' route, while also creating the opening by locking in on running back Kyren Williams.
"It doesn't always work every time, whether he's looking or he is not looking. It doesn't always work. But once you start getting no look passes from Matthew, that means he trusts you," Adams said. "He's got a good understanding of where you're going to be and knowing that you're going to be in a spot you're supposed to at the time you're supposed to. So that's something that we've been working on. Obviously, it's starting to pay off a little bit."
"It's all just reps and communication," Stafford said. "The more reps we get, the better it's going to be. We are always communicating, talking to each other and giving each other feedback on what feels right and all that. He did a great job of getting to the spot in the coverage he needed to get to and the timing and the rhythm of the play and I was able to put it in a good spot for him."
Adams said playing with someone like Rodgers is a big reason why he's become the cerebral player he is. Rodgers is "a lot of the same," as far as the details, like Stafford. That attention to them is a big reason why his connection with Stafford has come to life mid-season.
"Maybe not exactly with yardages, but honestly, that's something you have to work to where you can start playing with your depth on routes and different techniques and stuff like that," Adams said. "He's a guy that obviously knows a lot about the game and has a lot of experience and played with some great receivers too. Being able to take different things from different guys and implement it into the way we do it here, that's why we're able to make it look like the way we do."
