Allen Lazard’s strong finish bodes well for…

“I really feel like since maybe the Rams game (on Nov. 28), he’s played a number of really good games, made contested catches and big plays down the field,” said Rodgers after Sunday’s win.

“He does all the dirty work, so to get him the ball is awesome because he’s a very unselfish guy. He can go in there, stick his head in there and block and block on the edge as well for some of our run solution stuff, but he’s been making plays down the field, which is great.”

Lazard faced some adversity in November, catching just three of 10 targets against Seattle and the Los Angeles Rams, but he now enters Sunday’s regular-season finale with a chance to set new single-season career highs for both catches and receiving yards.

Rodgers compares Lazard’s success with contested catches to a hot streak former receiver James Jones went on early during Rodgers’ tenure as starting quarterback. Over the years, Jones became one of his QB’s most trusted targets.

“(Lazard) has been making those contested catches and the more you do that, the more opportunities you get,” Rodgers said. “It’s a la James Jones back in the day. When James was a young player, you started seeing him making these contested catches to give you that confidence to go back to him over and over when you know it’s one of those 50-50 balls and he’s been coming down with a lot more of those than not.”

Lazard’s production has been critical for an offense that’s been playing without tight end Robert Tonyan (ACL) since October and veteran receiver Randall Cobb (core) for the past month.

The Packers are getting healthier, though. With Cobb’s return to practice last week, Green Bay could be close to having its full receiving corps available for the first time since Week 1.

Regardless of who is or isn’t playing, Lazard will continue to be ready to fill whatever role awaits him in Head Coach Matt LaFleur’s offense.

“I’m just so locked into the game, I don’t really think about my role changing in that sense,” said Lazard last month. “I prepare for any role to present itself at any given time in the game, whether you’re playing Z, F, Y, X. Whatever it may be.”