Decentralized offense is key for the new version of the Packers
The Green Bay Packers don't have a Davante Adams-type receiver anymore. A true, dominant wide receiver one. Someone that, as Aaron Rodgers said, was the primary read on about 80% of the passing plays. But it has not been a bad thing for this young version of the Packers. In 18 games this season, counting […]
The Green Bay Packers don't have a Davante Adams-type receiver anymore. A true, dominant wide receiver one. Someone that, as Aaron Rodgers said, was the primary read on about 80% of the passing plays. But it has not been a bad thing for this young version of the Packers.
In 18 games this season, counting a 48-32 playoff win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, the Packers only repeated a leading receiver in consecutive games once: Romeo Doubs led the team in yardage in week 3, against the New Orleans Saints, and then again in week 4 in the first Detroit Lions game. Other than that, it's a different guy leading the way each game.
"We've just got a lot of great receivers in that room," quarterback Jordan Love said after the win in Texas. "It's a very unselfish receiver room. They love to see others succeed, just as much as them. So that's the key to it. We've got a lot of playmakers in that room, and they continue to show what they're about. It just allows us to get the ball in different people's hands, it puts pressure on the defense, who they want to take away. But I think we've got a lot of mismatches out there."
Against the Cowboys, it was another Romeo Doubs game. The second-year receiver finished the game with six receptions for 151 yards and a touchdown.
The yardage is particularly interesting because Green Bay hadn't had a 100-receiving yard game from anyone until week 17. Since then, it's been three consecutive ones, and each of them by a different player: Bo Melton against the Minnesota Vikings, Jayden Reed last week versus the Chicago Bears, and Doubs on Sunday.
Packers leading receivers by game:
- vs. Cowboys – Romeo Doubs, 151 yards
- vs. Bears – Jayden Reed, 112 yards
- vs. Vikings – Bo Melton, 105 yards
- vs. Panthers – Romeo Doubs, 79 yards
- vs. Buccaneers – Dontayvion Wicks, 97 yards
- vs. Giants – Tucker Kraft, 64 yards
- vs. Chiefs – Romeo Doubs, 72 yards
- vs. Lions – Christian Watson, 94 yards
- vs. Chargers – Dontayvion Wicks, 91 yards
- vs. Steelers – Jayden Reed, 84 yards
- vs. Rams – Luke Musgrave, 51 yards
- vs. Vikings – Jayden Reed, 83 yards
- vs. Broncos – AJ Dillon, 34 yards
- vs. Raiders – Christian Watson, 91 yards
- vs. Lions – Romeo Doubs, 95 yards
- vs. Saints – Romeo Doubs, 73 yards
- vs. Falcons – Dontayvion Wicks, 40 yards
- vs. Bears – Aaron Jones, 86 yards
The loss to the San Francisco 49ers in 2021 was Davante Adams' last game as a Green Bay Packer. That night, then 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans put together a strong gameplan based on the idea of limiting Adams' performance. They were successful doing that, and the Packers offense didn't find other answers.
Now, it's a different structure of offense. No Packers player reached 800 receiving yards in the regular season, and even then Jordan Love surpassed 4,000 passing yards.
"Defenses have to pick and choose. So if you cover one guy, it opens up the other guy," head coach Matt LaFleur said. "I just think that the depth that we have, I don't know if I've been around a team that can go with six, seven different guys."
Next week, the Packers will have another big challenge. After facing the fifth best defense by DVOA in the wild card round, Green Bay goes to California to face the fourth best defense. It's another chance for Jordan Love to spread the ball around. Who is going to be his primary option?
It’s just the beginning for Jordan Love and the Packers
It’s just the beginning for Jordan Love
