In a lost year in Green Bay, Davante Adams is quietly having one of the greatest statistical seasons in franchise history.
The Packers No. 1 receiver has been the steadiest player in Green Bay all season, displaying an ability to burn any corner off the line and find the soft spot in nearly every coverage. Through 15 games, Adams has compiled 111 receptions for 1,386 yards and 13 touchdowns.
The 11-catch performance against the New York Jets on Sunday puts Adams two receptions away from breaking Sterling Sharpe's team record (112), set in 1993.
"I honestly wasn't thinking about it too much, especially when the game started getting the way it did," Adams said Sunday of the record, via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I was worried about other things. It's in the back of your mind, but we'll see if we can take care of that next week."
The 26-year-old receiver should get the record easily in Sunday's Week 17 matchup versus the Detroit Lions. It's not the only team-best Adams can hit. Per the Journal Sentinel, Adams needs 133 yards to break Jordy Nelson's single-season record of 1,519 yards set in 2014. If he reaches that mark and adds two more touchdowns this week at Lambeau Field, Adams would become the first Packers player ever with 100 catches, 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns in a single season. That benchmark would be a good way to close the franchise's 100th anniversary.
Hitting those numbers isn't outlandish for Adams. He's had four games with more than 130 yards this season. In the Week 5 loss to Detroit, the wideout went for 140 yards on nine catches and one touchdown.
"I mean, I would have loved to do that today," he said Sunday, "but being in front of the home fans, it'll definitely mean more."
Adams' record-setting season has mostly gone unnoticed but underscores the type of dominant target the fifth-year receiver has grown into. After foot injuries curtailed the start of Adam's pro career, he's become a technician getting off the line of scrimmage, beating any combination of press, man or zone coverage. Adams might not have the athletic ability of the Julio Jones or Odell Beckhams of the world, but his consistent numbers speak to his skill as a route-runner.
He's not putting up nearly 1,500 yards while going against weak corners each week either. Adams' division boasts the likes of Darius Slay, Kyle Fuller and Xavier Rhodes. The NFC North earned four Pro Bowl selections in the secondary (Slay, Fuller, Eddie Jackson, Harrison Smith).
Two catches and Adams will own a Packers record. A bigger day Sunday would mean even more. Expect Aaron Rodgers to feed his No. 1 target heavily to get as close to those achievements as possible.
