Davante Adams Living Up to Hype with Breakout Game vs. Patriots

In a surprising turn of events, the Green Bay Packers' 26-21 win over the New England Patriots may have come down to leaning on one of their least-likely offensive skill starters.

It wasn't Aaron Rodgers, the MVP candidate, who stole the night. It wasn't Eddie Lacy, who last week set season highs in both rushing yardage and carries. It wasn't even Green Bay's top two targets in the passing game, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb.

Instead, it was their second-round selection out of Fresno State, Davante Adams, the 21-year-old receiver who declared as a sophomore, who was thrown into the limelight on the national stage.

Entering the game, Adams had only cracked over 50 receiving yards three times in his short NFL career. Two were relatively recent in times when Green Bay was in danger, against the Miami Dolphins and against the New Orleans Saints, so on paper his performance shouldn't have been as shocking as it seemingly was.

The Patriots, who had the seventh-best opposing passer rating mark on the season, composed a secondary of three former Pro Bowlers, including one of the best cornerbacks in the league: Darrelle Revis

It's hard to say the defensive back unit of the squad was completely unsuccessful. On the relative scale of performances for the Packers' top two targets, the combined production of 138 yards and only one score could be considered a win. This was in all likelihood the best secondary the Packers had faced since their season-opener against the Seattle Seahawks, when the two were limited to 141 yards and a touchdown.

The biggest difference in the Packers' offense since then, though, has been the emergence of their rookie receiver. To start the season, Jarrett Boykin was the third receiver in the Green Bay offense, replacing James Jones who signed with the Oakland Raiders over the offseason. As the season progressed, the Packers worked in Adams until he eventually became the starter.

So while teams could "shut down" the Packers' premier targets, the team was betting the upside of Adams could potentially carry them for a game or two down the stretch. His breakout couldn't have come at a better time.

With 121 yards on 11 targets, resulting in six catches, Adams hit several career-highs during the game, including a connection on a 45-yard pass, the deepest he's caught on the NFL level.

The team obviously thought enough of him to replace a veteran and invest a high draft pick in his future. With a long list of talented receivers under Mike McCarthy's development, one has to wonder if he's going to become the next Nelson, Cobb, Jones or Greg Jennings.

With the chemistry Rodgers has shown with Adams already, the sky is the limit for the pass-catcher who was 20 when he played his last collegiate regular season game as a Bulldog.

He's not perfect; He still makes rookie mistakes, such as a red-zone drop which could have given Green Bay a touchdown, but he's got potential, and the organization has proven it can refine that.

"

That was a killer drop by Davante Adams. Looked like Julius Peppers on the slant. #Packers

— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) December 1, 2014"

Both Cobb and Boykin will be free agents in the coming offseason, and with the Packers' current cap projection and other free agents slated to come off the books, such as starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga or cornerbacks Tramon Williams and Davon House, there's no promises those players will be back in green and gold in 2015.

If the team isn't able to lock down one of those targets to return, at least it can point to film of Adams performing at a high-enough level to show he can transition to a No. 2  target in his sophomore season in the NFL. With three young draft picks behind him in Jared Abbrederis, Jeff Janis and Kevin Dorsey, the Packers won't have a lack of bodies at the position, and after Adams' performance against New England, it's hard to say they'll be shallow in talent.

"

#Packers' Jordy Nelson & Randall Cobb have some fun w/ teammate Davante Adams after Sunday's win at Lambeau Field. pic.twitter.com/rdLmeG6tvQ

— Evan Siegle (@PGevansiegle) December 1, 2014"

Whatever happens next year, Green Bay simply hopes it will begin on good reflections of this season. Now a known commodity, and threat, the rookie receiver may be just what the doctor ordered for these drag-them-down, grind-it-out matches, which the Packers seem to get themselves into in the playoffs.

An improving defense, an MVP-caliber quarterback, a threat on the ground, the best offensive line in the McCarthy era and a triple-threat at receiver is a killer combination. Adams just might be what keeps Green Bay's Super Bowl dreams alive.