With a win over the hated Chicago Bears and a late-season bye week to get healthy, the Green Bay Packers have momentum heading into the final stretch of the season. They’ll need it to have any hope of reaching the postseason.
One of the few advantages of a bye so very, very late into the season is it gives the Packers a chance to get some key players back for the final playoff push. On the first date of practice following the bye, every player sans David Bakhtiari, who had an appendectomy recently, practiced.
On offense, this means the return of standout rookie receiver Romeo Doubs, who missed over a month of game time with an ankle injury. Doubs returns to an offense that’s finally starting to find some life thanks to a solidified offensive line and Christian Watson‘s rise. Adding Doubs back into the rotation could be the final puzzle piece in a late-season run.
It’s not much of a take to say, Actually, getting a really good player back is good! Clearly, a team would like its best players available. But this Packers offense has gone through a metamorphosis since Doubs’ exit in Detroit.
Watson came alive the week following Doubs’ ankle injury, putting up three touchdowns against the Dallas Cowboys and showing no signs of slowing down. Watson’s hands have become reliable, his route tree is getting more advanced, and his speed makes even the fastest defenders look like they’re running through snow. Since Doubs’ injury, Watson has 313 receiving yards and seven TDs (along with a rush TD).
Watson’s very presence creates a mismatch DCs need to plan for, so he’s starting to draw a lot of double teams and has been the victim of uncalled holding. Unfortunately, even with Watson opening the field and creating opportunities for other targets, no one else has really stepped up. In the four-game stretch where Doubs was unavailable, this is what the Packers got from their primary pass catchers:
- Allen Lazard – 193 yards
- Randall Cobb – 92 yards, 1 TD
- Robert Tonyan – 57 yards
- Sammy Watkins – 47 yards (all against Dallas)
Meanwhile, Aaron Jones carried the load with 118 receiving yards and a score, while A.J. Dillon added 60 aerial yards.
If Watson is going to draw attention as the team’s true WR1, someone needs to step up, and Doubs is the best option. Thanks to Watson’s early injuries and the Packers still trying to find their footing on offense, Watson and Doubs have only been on the field together for 52 snaps.
Despite missing a month of games, Doubs is still fourth in receiving targets (50), receptions (31), receiving touchdowns (three), and sixth in yards (314). The impressive fourth-round rookie looked on his way to stardom before slowing down and ultimately being injured.
With Watson opening up the offense and drawing attention as the team’s WR1, Doubs should have a much easier time re-acclimating and making his presence known. He’ll need to shake off some rust and overcome some rookie mistakes, but he’s stepping into a much better situation than he was previously in.
A much more open passing game will improve the offense on the whole. If it wasn’t clear, Jones is the ultimate weapon of this offense. And as the weather gets colder, Dillon has started reminding people what kind of powerhouse he can be. But life gets much harder for the running backs when defenders don’t respect the passing game and choose to stack the box instead.
Watson’s ascension has alleviated this somewhat, and Jones and Dillon have had better opportunities, but another weapon will help create mismatches for everyone.
The Packers haven’t been getting much from their veteran receivers. Lazard and Cobb have had reliable moments thanks to their connection with Rodgers, and Watkins has had some excellent blocks, but none of them have struck fear into the hearts of defenders.
The tight end room is basically nonexistent this season. Robert Tonyan hasn’t been close to 2020 Tonyan, Marcedes Lewis is primarily used as an extra lineman, Josiah Deguara is a ghost to Aaron Rodgers, and Tyler Davis still gets offensive snaps for some reason.
If this offense is going to come alive, it’s going to be from a combination of the running backs and the rookie receivers. Despite the narrative, Rodgers hasn’t been afraid to throw to the rookies in big moments; he trusts them enough to go for big plays even after they make mistakes. And Rodgers said that his thumb and ribs are feeling much better following the bye, meaning his play should also improve. If Rodgers does return next season, these last four games are ideal to continue building chemistry with Watson and Doubs and start next season strong.
The playoffs are still a long way off, but Packers fans invested in the future of the team should get a treat seeing Watson and Doubs on the field together. The offense has finally improved, and getting Doubs back should allow it to take the next step.
