The Green Bay Packers scored 42 points and gained nearly 500 yards of total offense on Sunday against the Detroit Lions, but drops were once again an issue for the passing game.
Coach Matt LaFleur said his staff counted six drops on passes thrown by Aaron Rodgers during Sunday’s win.
“We had six,” LaFleur said. “We’re tough graders a lot, and expect a lot out of these guys, but you have to have a high standard to get where you want to go.”
LaFleur didn’t reveal specifics on the drops, but they weren’t hard to find in the tape. Tight end Jace Sternberger had two drops, both on easily catchable passes without a defender contesting the pass. Tight end Robert Tonyan was likely dinged for a drop on a pass that was knocked out of his hands in the first quarter. Receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling appeared to mistime a jump and couldn’t bring in a potential touchdown pass in the end zone. Receiver Allen Lazard couldn’t finish on a throw over the middle and running back Aaron Jones bobbled a quick throw along the sideline.
LaFleur said a few of the drops were “concentration” issues.
“Sometimes it happens fast, and you don’t get your hands in the right place, or you take your eye off the ball a little bit too early trying to make an explosive play. We just have to make sure that we ensure the catch and finish the catch.”
Sternberger’s first drop was especially egregious. He was wide open in the flat on a designed rollout and had nothing but green grass in front of him, but he tried to get upfield before making the catch and dropped it. Valdes-Scantling’s drop was likely the most costly, given it occurred in the end zone and should have resulted in six points.
Rodgers finished the game with 18 completions on 30 attempts, but clearly LaFleur and the Packers believe he should have completed at least 24 of the passes. With the added completions, Rodgers likely would have gone over 300 yards passing and added at least one more touchdown pass to his totals.
Drops were also an issue in Week 1.
Valdes-Scantling dropped an easy third-down conversion and a deep ball that likely would have gained 50 or more yards. Davante Adams couldn’t bring in a quick throw on fourth down and bobbled a ball along the sideline.
The Packers go on the road to face Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints on Sunday night. LaFleur’s team can’t afford to throw away opportunities for big plays with drops in primetime inside the Superdome.
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