Zero2Cool
a year ago

GREEN BAY – Last summer, a group of young and hungry Packers receivers flew out to California to run routes for Jordan Love and spend some time with their new starting quarterback.

As the 2023 season enters the December stretch, Green Bay's receiving corps hasn't stopped going the extra mile to build chemistry, and camaraderie, with Love.

For the past month, Love and the wideouts have met on their own to take stock of the Packers' offense and discuss the upcoming opponent. The idea was thrown out by players in the midst of the team's four-game losing streak earlier this season.

Recent results would suggest the extra cram sessions are working. The Packers have won three of their last four, while the offense is averaging 391.0 total yards in those games.

During that stretch, Love has completed 90 of 138 passes (65.2%) for 1,107 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions for a 103.1 passer rating.


A lot has gone into the Packers' turnaround, including a shift in the team's weekly schedule, but rookie receiver Jayden Reed feels the Tuesday get-togethers between Love and the receivers have contributed to the offense's progress.

"I think that helped tremendously, just us understanding where everyone is coming from," Reed said. "We're seeing everything from the same eye when we go out there and play our opponent. Definitely is the main reason we've shown development and the way we prepare. We practice hard. We follow the game plan and we're doing much better executing."

Reed has played a big role in that. The second-round draft pick received back-to-back nominations for NFL Rookie of the Week honors after catching five passes for 84 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh and then amassing 92 total yards with a TD in a 23-20 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 11.

Last Thursday, Reed scored the opening TD during Green Bay's 29-22 Thanksgiving win in Detroit after Love hit his 5-foot-11 receiver in stride on a 10-yard slant through heavy traffic.

Reed currently leads Green Bay with 497 receiving yards this season. His 36 catches and five receiving TDs are second only to second-year receiver Romeo Doubs.


"It definitely went straight through me and Christian (Watson) and Jordan just made a great throw. He put it right on my number," said Reed of Love's throw. "That was definitely like a catch you don't see every day. He just made a great throw and put it where I could make a play."

It hasn't just been Reed, either. Undrafted rookie Malik Heath made four catches for 46 yards in just 11 snaps against the Lions, while Christian Watson posted season highs with five catches for 94 yards and a TD.

One week earlier, it was Dontayvion Wicks' turn. The rookie fifth-round pick led the Packers with three catches for 91 yards against the Chargers. He missed the Lions game due to a concussion but has since cleared the protocol.

Wicks agrees with Reed that the extra meeting time with Love has helped Green Bay's young wideouts get on the same page with the QB. There's a free-flowing exchange of ideas, which has also promoted team bonding and cohesion.

"Just talking to the quarterback, we know what he wants. We know what he's looking for," Wicks said. "We just make our routes based off of that. We know the plays going into the week, so just studying that more and knowing the details and routes and the blocking we gotta do."


Whether it was traveling to California to run route with Love or meeting as a position after a loss in Pittsburgh, the Packers' receivers have left no stone unturned in their pursuit of improvement and the method has worked for the rookie wideouts.

Reed, Wicks and Heath have combined for 61 receptions 881 yards and six TDs through 11 games, while Love has provided a steady hand through all of it.

When the wins and production weren't there earlier this season, Love told his receivers to keep believing in and playing for each other. When necessary, Love also hasn't been shy about correcting his receivers.

The Packers' coaches have noticed a difference, too. Earlier this month, receivers coach/pass game coordinator Jason Vrable remarked the team was having some of its best practices during his time in Green Bay.

Following Monday's bonus practice, Vrable praised his wideouts for how they've attacked various points of emphasis throughout the year but also reminded them that they "have to set the standard."


That isn't always making a big catch, either. Sometimes it's as simple as a receiver running 20 yards downfield to pick up a teammate after a run or catch.

"There's just an energy and total belief in one another that's special and it's showing up more and more and more," Vrable said. "The excitement on the sideline during the Detroit game when someone else makes a catch, that stuff is infectious. Confidence is contagious and so is winning and you can see our guys starting to build that nucleus."

https://www.packers.com/news/packers-rookie-receivers-continue-to-go-the-extra-mile-2023?1 



Title isn't accurate. Read the article. It's good.
UserPostedImage
yooperfan
a year ago
I love reading good news and this article is loaded with good news.
I'm excited to see these young players improve as the season winds down.
Fan Shout
Mucky Tundra (10h) : Kaydon Finley, son of Jermichael Finley, commits to Notre Dame
dfosterf (3-Jul) : Make sure to send my props to him! A plus move!
Zero2Cool (3-Jul) : My cousin, yes.
dfosterf (3-Jul) : That was your brother the GB press gazette referenced with the red cross draft props thing, yes?
Zero2Cool (2-Jul) : Packers gonna unveil new throwback helmet in few weeks.
Mucky Tundra (2-Jul) : I know it's Kleiman but this stuff writes itself
Mucky Tundra (2-Jul) : "Make sure she signs the NDA before asking for a Happy Ending!"
Mucky Tundra (2-Jul) : @NFL_DovKleiman Powerful: Deshaun Watson is taking Shedeur Sanders 'under his wing' as a mentor to the Browns QBs
Zero2Cool (30-Jun) : Dolphins get (back) Minkah Fitzpatrick in trade
Zero2Cool (30-Jun) : Steelers land Jalen Ramsey via Trade
dfosterf (26-Jun) : I think it would be great to have someone like Tom Grossi or Andy Herman on the Board of Directors so he/they could inform us
dfosterf (26-Jun) : Fair enough, WPR. Thing is, I have been a long time advocate to at least have some inkling of the dynamics within the board.
wpr (26-Jun) : 1st world owners/stockholders problems dfosterf.
Martha Careful (25-Jun) : I would have otherwise admirably served
dfosterf (25-Jun) : Also, no more provision for a write-in candidate, so Martha is off the table at least for this year
dfosterf (25-Jun) : You do have to interpret the boring fine print, but all stockholders all see he is on the ballot
dfosterf (25-Jun) : It also says he is subject to another ballot in 2028. I recall nothing of this nature with Murphy
dfosterf (25-Jun) : Ed Policy is on my ballot subject to me penciling him in as a no.
dfosterf (25-Jun) : I thought it used to be we voted for the whatever they called the 45, and then they voted for the seven, and then they voted for Mark Murphy
dfosterf (25-Jun) : Because I was too lazy to change my address, I haven't voted fot years until this year
dfosterf (25-Jun) : of the folks that run this team. I do not recall Mark Murphy being subject to our vote.
dfosterf (25-Jun) : Ed Policy yay or nay is on the pre-approved ballot that we always approve because we are uninformed and lazy, along with all the rest
dfosterf (25-Jun) : Weird question. Very esoteric. For stockholders. Also lengthy. Sorry. Offseason.
Zero2Cool (25-Jun) : Maybe wicked wind chill made it worse?
Mucky Tundra (25-Jun) : And then he signs with Cleveland in the offseason
Mucky Tundra (25-Jun) : @SharpFootball WR Diontae Johnson just admitted he refused to enter a game in 41° weather last year in Baltimore because he felt “ice cold”
Zero2Cool (24-Jun) : Yawn. Rodgers says he is "pretty sure" this be final season.
Zero2Cool (23-Jun) : PFT claims Packers are having extension talks with Zach Tom, Quay Walker.
Mucky Tundra (20-Jun) : GB-Minnesota 2004 Wild Card game popped up on my YouTube page....UGH
beast (20-Jun) : Hmm 🤔 re-signing Walker before Tom? Sounds highly questionable to me.
Mucky Tundra (19-Jun) : One person on Twitter=cannon law
Zero2Cool (19-Jun) : Well, to ONE person on Tweeter
Zero2Cool (19-Jun) : According to Tweeter
Zero2Cool (19-Jun) : Packers are working on extension for LT Walker they hope to have done before camp
dfosterf (18-Jun) : E4B landed at Andrews last night
dfosterf (18-Jun) : 101 in a 60
dfosterf (18-Jun) : FAFO
Zero2Cool (18-Jun) : one year $4m with incentives to make it up to $6m
dfosterf (18-Jun) : Or Lions
dfosterf (18-Jun) : Beats the hell out of a Vikings signing
Zero2Cool (18-Jun) : Baltimore Ravens now have signed former Packers CB Jaire Alexander.
dfosterf (14-Jun) : TWO magnificent strikes for touchdowns. Lose the pennstate semigeezer non nfl backup
dfosterf (14-Jun) : There was minicamp Thursday. My man Taylor Engersma threw
dfosterf (11-Jun) : There will be a mini camp practice Thursday.
Zero2Cool (11-Jun) : He's been sporting a ring for a while now. It's probably Madonna.
Martha Careful (10-Jun) : We only do the tea before whoopee, it relaxes me.
wpr (10-Jun) : That's awesome Martha.
Mucky Tundra (10-Jun) : How's the ayahuasca tea he makes, Martha?
Martha Careful (10-Jun) : Turns out he like older women
Martha Careful (10-Jun) : I wasn't supposed to say anything, but yes the word is out and we are happy 😂😂😂
Please sign in to use Fan Shout
2025 Packers Schedule
Sunday, Sep 7 @ 3:25 PM
LIONS
Thursday, Sep 11 @ 7:15 PM
COMMANDERS
Sunday, Sep 21 @ 12:00 PM
Browns
Sunday, Sep 28 @ 7:20 PM
Cowboys
Sunday, Oct 12 @ 3:25 PM
BENGALS
Sunday, Oct 19 @ 3:25 PM
Cardinals
Sunday, Oct 26 @ 7:20 PM
Steelers
Sunday, Nov 2 @ 12:00 PM
PANTHERS
Monday, Nov 10 @ 7:15 PM
EAGLES
Sunday, Nov 16 @ 12:00 PM
Giants
Sunday, Nov 23 @ 12:00 PM
VIKINGS
Thursday, Nov 27 @ 12:00 PM
Lions
Sunday, Dec 7 @ 12:00 PM
BEARS
Sunday, Dec 14 @ 3:25 PM
Broncos
Friday, Dec 19 @ 11:00 PM
Bears
Friday, Dec 26 @ 11:00 PM
RAVENS
Saturday, Jan 3 @ 11:00 PM
Vikings
Recent Topics
4-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

2-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / dfosterf

2-Jul / Fantasy Sports Talk / dfosterf

1-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

29-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

25-Jun / Around The NFL / Martha Careful

23-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

20-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

20-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

20-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

18-Jun / Random Babble / Zero2Cool

16-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / dfosterf

15-Jun / Random Babble / Martha Careful

14-Jun / Around The NFL / beast

14-Jun / Community Welcome! / dfosterf

Headlines
Copyright © 2006 - 2025 PackersHome.com™. All Rights Reserved.