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Toe injury cuts short Davante Adams' career night

Jamaal Williams exits after enduring scary hit on first play

WR Davante Adams
WR Davante Adams

GREEN BAY – It was a bitter ending to what was an otherwise historic night for Packers receiver Davante Adams.

The two-time Pro Bowler registered a career-high 180 receiving yards off 10 catches prior to getting his foot stuck in the ground and suffering a painful toe injury late in Sunday's eventual 34-27 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

It came on a 13-yard reception that converted a third-and-6 situation and set up first-and-goal from the Philadelphia 8. Peeking through the team's medical tent, Adams watched Green Bay come up short on fourth-and-goal from the 1.

With Adams on the sideline, the Packers still had one more chance to tie the game but saw their window of opportunity close after Nigel Bradford's interception in the Philadelphia end zone with 20 seconds remaining.

"Obviously I would've been out there if I could," Adams said. "With a toe injury and the type of player I am, what my game is based on is explosion and things like that, so if I can't get out there and really do my thing how I want and I'm in a lot of pain, I'm sure my teammates understand that.

"But it's tough, because I feel like those are the type of moments that I'm built for and I've been able to capitalize or help bring home a win for my team in the past, so it sucks."

Adams started the game with six catches for 107 yards in the first quarter, the most yards in an opening quarter for a Packers receiver since Javon Walker had 121 receiving yards against Indianapolis on the same date in 2004.

Adams started with a 58-yard catch down the sideline to set the table for Aaron Jones' 3-yard touchdown run, marking the third consecutive week the Packers have scored on their opening possession.

He and quarterback Aaron Rodgers then made the Eagles pay for jumping offside on third-and-10 with 10:20 left in the second quarter, connecting on a 40-yard pass that put the Packers at Philadelphia's 21 after a facemask penalty.

With an 11-yard catch before halftime, Adams put a stamp on an eight-catch, 158-yard first half. It was the most yards in a half by a Packers receiver since Antonio Freeman had 169 vs. Tennessee on Dec. 20, 1998.

"I think he had an awesome night," said receiver Geronimo Allison of Adams. "His effort that he gave us tonight to make himself available, to make those catches and the yards after catch was huge tonight for him. He was able to put us in some good opportunities to get points on the board."

Adams said afterward he's dealing with a "turf-toe situation" and the team will "look at it more (Friday) and get a better idea about where I'm at."

As a whole, Adams felt the offense made strides against the Eagles with a season-high 491 yards and 31 first downs.

"We had a little bit of an aim to come in and try to get things rolling early and often, and I felt like we were in a good rhythm all game," Adams said. "So yeah, it sucks that it was derailed by something like that. I'm just trying to control the controllables at this point and do what I can do to make sure I can get back out there."

Passing-game production: While Adams set the tone for the passing game, the rest of the Packers' skill-position players also played in a hand in the offense's big night.

Eight different players caught passes from Rodgers, including Jimmy Graham (six catches for 61 yards and a touchdown), Allison (three catches for 52 yards and a touchdown) and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (three catches for 47).

Valdes-Scantling had a 26-yard catch to convert on third-and-7 in the third quarter, setting up Graham's 14-yard touchdown that tied the game at 27. He also was involved in a controversial no-call on a play Head Coach Matt LaFleur challenged for interference.

Allison had perhaps the best catch of the evening on a leaping 31-yard grab in the middle of the field on third-and-6 with 31 seconds left before halftime. After absorbing hits from two Eagles defenders, Allison came right back to catch an 18-yard touchdown on the next play after a spike.

"It's meaningful because you didn't take that lick for nothing," said Allison, who had five catches for 24 yards entering Thursday. "You went up there, made the play and finished it off. You took the lick – so be it. Get up, move on to the next one. Then to come back, to have that focus to finish it off and get that touchdown, it's what we do when we're at our best."

Lambeau Field hosted a Thursday Night Football game between the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4 of the 2019 NFL season.

Scary moment: Running back Jamaal Williams was carted off on a stretcher after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit from Eagles defensive end Derek Barnett on the first Green Bay offensive play of the game.

Williams gave a thumbs up as he exited the field. The team later announced the third-year running back was being evaluated for head and neck injuries, but had feeling in all of his extremities.

With rookie Dexter Williams a healthy scratch, the Packers were forced to play with only running back Aaron Jones and fullback Danny Vitale in the backfield.

"As soon as we're done here, I'm going to go see how he's doing, check in on him," said Vitale of Williams. "That's one of my brothers. I want to make sure he's OK. Until then, Aaron, Dexter and I are going to have to pick up the pace and carry a little more of the load."

The Packers also were without starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga (shoulder) in the second half. Second-year offensive lineman Alex Light finished the game in his place.

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