Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw a game-changing interception in the red zone during the second half of Sunday’s 38-3 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
A painful and unexpected hit to a sensitive area was at least partly to blame for the throw, which ended up behind receiver Davante Adams and in the arms of Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo.
“I don’t like to make a lot of excuses for interceptions…That one was entirely due to the double nut shot I took,” Rodgers told “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday.
On the play, Rodgers had to step up into the pocket to avoid the rush and get rid of the ball. Two Saints defenders, including Cam Jordan, converged on Rodgers as he made the throw.
“I was going to throw across my body to Davante, who was running a shallow cross. It’s a ball I’ve thrown in practice before,” Rodgers said. “Right before I’m throwing it, I took a left clothesline, and somebody on the right with right cross, a double shot. I guess I gotta overcome that and throw a better ball. That was a painful one. They got their money’s worth on that one.”
After the play, FOX cameras caught Rodgers on the ground holding his legs, likely in an effort to let the pain subside from the hit.
The interception was a painful one for the Packers. The offense had a chance to score a touchdown and get the game to 17-10. Instead, the turnover snowballed into more mistakes, and the Packers ended up losing 38-3.