Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Packer Plus
Receiver finding his groove in Packers offense
EQUANIMEOUS ST. BROWN
— After the Packers’ hardfought victory over the San Francisco 49ers on a cool October Monday evening, the team’s locker room was a happy place.
With a 3-2-1 record heading into their bye week, the players were looking forward to some time off and dispersed quickly to head home. Not Equanimeous St. Brown. He discussed multiple times his lone reception — a twisting, all-hands snare of a low 19-yarder from Aaron Rodgers — on the final drive that set up Mason Crosby’s game-winning field goal.
St. Brown called the catch a “routine, back shoulder. . . you got to make that play when it comes your way. It’s my job to make that catch.”
The rookie receiver from Notre Dame is learning the Packers offense and the preferences of Rodgers.
“No matter how the games goes, you have to keep playing, no matter what,” he said. “Even if no balls are coming your way, you never know... receivers have to be ready, especially with 12. He can put the ball anywhere at any time with his talent, so you have to be ready for every ball.”
As the locker room emptied, St. Brown had one last interview.
Fluent in three languages — French, German, and English — St. Brown stayed to conduct an extensive discussion with a German television crew. All in German.
“They’re trying to make football bigger in Germany and all of Europe,” St. Brown said. “They used me as an example to kind of spread awareness of football in Germany.”
St. Brown’s mother is German and speaks it exclusively with her three athletic sons at home in Anaheim. She concentrated on preparing her children for academic success, including having the boys attend fifth grade at a school in Paris.
His father, John, was a world champion body builder who rigorously trained his sons to be elite football players.
Equanimeous St. Brown does not shy from high expectations. With injuries to Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison, St. Brown started his third game of the season against Miami. He was targeted just three times and finished with two receptions for three yards in the 31-12 victory, but gained valuable experience with the extended playing time.
He made one major mistake, leveling defenseless cornerback Bobby McCain with an illegal blind side block that knocked him out along the sideline. St. Brown immediately got an earful from assistant coaches about the block that drew a 15-yard penalty.
“Oh yeah (I heard about it),” he said. “I didn’t mean no harm. It’s not going to happen again. It feels good to win today. We’re undefeated at home. Now it’s time for us to get a win on the road.”
St. Brown had a career best five recep- tions for 89 yards against the Lions in Detroit in Week 5. He also started the Rams game in Los Angeles, recording two receptions for 31 yards. He looks forward to his first touchdown reception at Lambeau Field and the ensuing celebratory leap into the stands.
His progress as a rookie has been steady.
“I think I’m fitting in pretty well, getting better each week,” he said. “I’m just sticking to the process... catching balls builds confidence and helps the team win, which is the main goal.
“I went to Notre Dame, so I’ve played in the cold. I’ve come a long way since the start of training camp. But we have a ways to go to get to where we want to be: a dominating offense.”