Packers WRs answer the call in Week 1 win over Vikings
Many observers, including this writer, questioned how the Green Bay Packers had built the wide receiver position entering the 2020 season, especially after GM Brian Gutekunst completely ignored the increasingly important position during April’s draft.
One game is only one game, but Sunday’s dominant performance against the Minnesota Vikings – fueled in large part by three terrific individual efforts from the receiver position – helped highlight why Gutekunst and coach Matt LaFleur were so confident in what they had at receiver.
Pro Bowler Davante Adams was outstanding as expected, leading the way with 14 catches for 156 yards and two touchdowns, while Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling combined for eight catches, 159 yards and two scores in complementary roles. Altogether, the three receivers caught 22 of Aaron Rodgers’ 32 completions and accounted for 315 of Rodgers’ 364 passing yards.
Adams was sublime as the No. 1 option. He tied a team record with 14 catches and probably should have finished with 16 catches on 17 targets. Rodgers had a passer rating of 144.1 when targeting the three-time Pro Bowler on Sunday.
The two were in lockstep all day. In fact, Rodgers said his connection with Adams is bordering on what he once shared with Jordy Nelson. It was easy to see Sunday. Rodgers threw on time, hitting Adams coming out of breaks for simple completions. He attacked downfield, connecting with Adams for a late 40-yard completion, setting up a touchdown. And he improvised, buying time and unleashing a vintage 28-yard touchdown strike during the scramble drill late in the first half.
Valdes-Scantling was hot and cold, but the ups in his experience outweighed the downs. Although he dropped two passes that would have created big gains, he also caught a 45-yard touchdown to end the first half and later set up another touchdown with a 39-yard connection on a free play. Rodgers never lost confidence in his third-year deep threat. Valdes-Scantling finished with four catches for 96 yards and a touchdown.
Lazard was nothing if not solid. He converted a third-down with a 12-yard catch on the Packers’ first scoring drive of the second half. Later, he got behind the defense for a 38-yard catch on third down, setting up his own 4-yard touchdown reception two plays later. He also produced a 19-yard run. Overall, Lazard turned five touches into 82 total yards. And Rodgers completed all four attempts and had a perfect passer rating when targeting him in the passing game.
Overall, Rodgers completed 22 of 27 passes to the three receivers on Sunday. The five incompletions included two drops on potential big gains from Valdes-Scantling and a dropped touchdown by Adams.
Context is required, as always. The Packers receivers were great, but they were also going up one of the youngest and least experienced cornerback groups in the NFL entering 2020. Mike Hughes, Holton Hill and Cameron Dantzler were no match, especially with Adams torturing Hughes so often.
Still, these numbers look really encouraging after one week:
WR | Receptions | Targets | Yards | TD | Passer rating |
Davante Adams | 14 | 17 | 156 | 2 | 144.1 |
Marquez Valdes-Scantling | 4 | 6 | 96 | 1 | 149.3 |
Allen Lazard | 4 | 4 | 63 | 1 | 158.3 |
TOTALS | 22 | 27 | 315 | 4 | 154.9 |
