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Up-and-coming receiver Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers focus on moving forward

Packers wide receiver Allen Lazard, top, makes a catch for a first down while defended by Detroit Lions cornerback Justin Coleman during the second half Monday in Green Bay, Wis. (AP photo)

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Next man up: Allen Lazard.

Lazard caught his first pass from Aaron Rodgers on Monday night. He ended up catching three more, including one for a 35-yard touchdown in the Packers’ win over Detroit. It was the biggest moment of the undrafted second-year receiver’s career.

Now what?

“Anybody can do it one time, and that’s what we say, but now you gotta do it each and every time,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “That’s the expectation and that’s the standard. But, again, he puts in the work and he does a great job in practice. So I’m excited to see him put together back-to-back-to-back (productive games) and see where it goes.”

Lazard goes for an encore Sunday when Green Bay (5-1) hosts the Oakland Raiders (3-2), a team the Packers have defeated seven straight times, going back to 1990.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers celebrates as he walks off the field following a game against the Detroit Lions on Monday in Green Bay, Wis. Green Bay won 23-22. (AP photo)

“Monday was great and all, but our focus is on Miami in February (site of the Super Bowl). So we still gotta get to there,” Lazard said.

Despite being an All-Big 12 performer in three seasons at Iowa State, the 6-foot-5 Lazard went undrafted last year and wound up on the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad. He used that time to learn from one of the game’s best.

“I was going against Jalen Ramsey every single day,” Lazard said. “And so just to be able to sit there and go against him, and really, I was studying, watching him, how he reacted against me and how he played me. I sat there and talked to him, asked him questions. What was he doing here? What was he thinking?”

That preparation made Lazard an attractive option for the Packers, who snatched him from the Jaguars toward the end of last season.

Injuries to receivers Davante Adams and Geronimo Allison and a vote of confidence from Rodgers created an opportunity for Lazard to showcase his skills.

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