Aaron Rodgers: Jordy Nelson's injury limited Packers' playbook

Aaron Rodgers: Jordy Nelson’s injury limited Packers’ playbook

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Aaron Rodgers says the Packers offense was not the same last year without wide receiver Jordy Nelson, Jason Wilde of ESPN.com reports.

Rodgers believes that a healthy Nelson will cure much of what ailed the Packers last season.

Nelson, who suffered a season-ending torn ACL in his right knee during the team’s Aug. 23 preseason loss at Pittsburgh, remains on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list after suffering what he termed a “hiccup” in his left knee while working out in advance of training camp. Although three other players came off the PUP list Tuesday, Nelson remained there.

Without Nelson last season, Rodgers said one of the most crucial elements of the Packers’ scheme – their play-action downfield passing game – virtually disappeared. Rodgers finished the season with a career-low 7.1 yards per attempt, a number that looks even worse when compared to what he averaged during his NFL MVP seasons in 2011 (10.5) and 2014 (9.5).

In 2014, Nelson caught 98 passes for a Packers franchise-record 1,519 yards, had an NFL-best five touchdown receptions of 50 yards or more and also had an NFL-high five receptions of 60 yards or more. Nelson also has four career touchdowns of 80 yards or more, tied for the most in Packers history.

“It’s an excuse, but it’s the truth,” he said. “The truth is we lost a stud receiver who put up incredible, All-Pro numbers one year and he’s gone the next year without getting that production back. We knew you can’t replace a Jordy Nelson. But we thought that supplementally, we would [compensate].

“I thought that collectively we were going to be able to fill some of that void. But again, the stuff that he does is tough to teach, and that’s why he’s one of the best in the business. I’m proud of the way that we battled, but we all didn’t play as well as we wanted to and we didn’t get it done.”