Randall Cobb comes up clutch in the red zone

Randall Cobb didn’t know when his number was going to be called Thursday night, but the Packers’ longtime receiver was darn sure going to be ready for it.

With Davante Adams, Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling all unavailable against an unbeaten Arizona Cardinals team, quarterback Aaron Rodgers turned to his trusted ally inside the red zone and Cobb responded with a pair of second-half touchdowns that proved critical in Green Bay’s 24-21 victory at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

The first, which came on a quick out on first-and-goal from the Cardinals’ 2-yard line, gave the Packers their first two-score advantage of the game.

The second, four seconds into the fourth quarter, re-established a two-score advantage after Cobb came free in the end zone off a slant on third-and-5 from the Cardinals’ 6-yard line.

“I told myself coming into this game, I didn’t know what it was going to look like, I didn’t know how many opportunities I was going to get, but no excuses,” said Cobb, who made his first start of the season. “Go out there and make a play when you get the chance and find a way to come down with it. I just was able to make that play and put us in position.”

With Adams and Lazard both on the COVID-19/reserve list and Valdes-Scantling still on injured reserve, Cobb was the only active Green Bay receiver with more than 30 catches and 30 NFL games of experience under his belt.

The rest of the receiving corps included rookie third-round pick Amari Rodgers, Equanimeous St. Brown, practice-squad elevation Juwann Winfree and Malik Taylor, who was activated off the COVID-19/reserve list earlier in the day.

Things didn’t get any easier for the Packers, either, after losing starting tight end Robert Tonyan to a knee injury after he brought in a 33-yard pass on a deep crosser with 2 minutes, 41 seconds left in the third quarter.

While AJ Dillon and Aaron Jones sparked a 151-yard day on the ground, the Packers had seven different players catch 22 total passes from Rodgers.

“When you’ve got the top receiver in the league and the top quarterback in the league, you sometimes can get overshadowed and not have as many opportunities,” Cobb said. “But I told the guys, going into this game, I told them last night, ‘Make the coaches, when you walk off this field tonight, make the coaches want to get you involved whenever they’re calling plays.’ I think that some guys stepped up today and showed what they can do when they touch the ball.”

With his two TD catches against Arizona, Cobb is now tied with Jones for the team lead with four this season. Re-acquired on the eve of training camp in a trade with the Houston Texans, Cobb is thankful to be part of Green Bay’s 7-1 start to the 2021 campaign.

“I think it’s been a year close to the date of when the Packers played the Texans, and I was on the other side. It’s just crazy,” said Cobb, referring to Green Bay’s 35-20 road win over Houston on Oct. 25, 2020.

“I’m so grateful to be here, to be a part of this team. It’s a special group of guys. I’m just so grateful for this opportunity. I’m grateful to wear the G and represent Packer Nation.”