After getting cut twice this offseason, Green Bay Packers wide receiver James Jones was just another veteran on the street looking for a job. But since reuniting with Mike McCarthy's team, Jones has produced 317 receiving yards and four touchdowns while hauling in 17 of his 21 targets from QB Aaron Rodgers.
Perhaps even more astonishing: Jones has caught nine of his 11 targets thrown 10 or more yards downfield. How does this happen with a guy no one wanted? How does a guy that doesn't separate well keep making hay down the field? For one, Rodgers and Jones have mastered the art of the back-shoulder throw -- a route that relies on chemistry, timing and ball placement. But it goes beyond that.
Let's break down how the duo gets it done and discuss why Jones is practically impossible to cover -- at least when he and Rodgers are on the same page.
Targeting the "covered" receiver
Throwing the back-shoulder ball is all about anticipation and trust because the route is technically "covered." Rodgers isn't throwing to an open receiver who is creating separation over the top. Instead, we are looking at a situation where defenders are in the back pocket of Jones down the field.
The window to get the ball in there? That thing is almost nonexistent at times, and that requires Jones to be on the same page as his quarterback. Locate the ball, make the adjustment, and secure the catch.
It's the perfect route for Jones, who, at 31, can't separate from defensive backs quite like he used to. But with Rodgers at quarterback, that doesn't much matter. Rodgers has the accuracy to throw Jones open based on the defender's leverage.