Tag: Romeo Doubs

Jordan Love might lead the Packers to the promised land sooner than you think

Packers quarterback Jordan Love has been as good as any QB in the second half of the season. Here’s one play that proves it.

If the Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears on Sunday, quarterback Jordan Love will have done something that Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, his predecessors at his position, were unable to do — lead his team to the postseason in his first full year as a starter. The 1992 Packers just missed the boat at 9-7, and the 2008 Packers were 6-10. The 2023 Packers, who currently stand at 8-8, are on the precipice, and they’re on the precipice with a young group of receivers who are still figuring it out for the most part.

One thing we know — in the second half of the 2023 season, Love has been as good as any quarterback in the league. Since Week 9, Love has completed 210 of 313 passes (67.1%) for 2,350 yards (7.5 YPA), 19 touchdowns, three interceptions, and a passer rating of 105.5. Love has also completed 22 of 44 passes of 20 or more air yards for 665 yards, seven touchdowns, one interceptions, and a passer rating of 125.9. So, he’s not only one of the league’s best passers overall; he’s also one of the best aggressive passers, and that can take you a long way if you get into the tournament. 

Let’s get into one play in the Packers’ 33-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings last Sunday night. Love completed 24 of 33 passes for 256 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 125.3, and he did that against a Vikings defense under Brian Flores who will throw the entire kitchen at you schematically — they just start with the sink, and move on from there. Love’s first touchdown pass, a 33-yarder to rookie receiver Jayden Reed, showed how well Love can deal in the face of just about anything right now.

With 5:15 left in the first quarter, the Packers went four verts on second-and-10 from the Minnesota 33-yard line. Minnesota showed a single-high safety look pre-snap,  but as the Vikings have played the NFL’s highest rates of Cover-0 (11.5%) and Cover-2 (27.5%), Love probably had a pretty good feeling that the middle of the field would be open eventually. It was, but as is often the case with Flores’ defenses, it was in ways you might not expect. The Vikings went with inverted Cover-2 to the boundary with cornerback Mekhi Blackmon dropping to two-deep, and linebacker Jordan Hicks as the middle hole defender.

Love also had to deal with pressure here, as defensive tackle Harrison Phillips pushed center Josh Myers into the pocket. Love made a little hop out of the pressure, righted his body, and made the throw with ideal accuracy and velocity.

“Yeah, they kind of disguised it, went to a cover-two-ish coverage and we had four verts on, and I knew I was going to have J-Reed right there,” Love said after the game. “Kind of didn’t see him at first where he was at, and then he came into my vision, so just let it out there, let him go get it. It was an awesome play.”

Postgame, head coach Matt LaFleur couldn’t wait to talk about his quarterback.

“I can’t say enough great things about him. Just his ability to hang in there versus some tough looks, drifting away from pressure, putting the ball in play, allowing his guys to go make plays. I think he is playing at an incredibly high level. I’m super happy for him because he’s put in a ton of work to get to this point, and I really think the sky’s the limit for him. I think he’s just showing a glimpse of what he can ultimately be, and he’s been more consistent as the season has progressed with a young group around him.”

In this week’s “Xs and Os with Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar,” the guys get into how much Love has progressed as a passer this season.

You can watch this week’s “Xs and Os” right here:

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You can also listen and subscribe to the “Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.

Packers’ Romeo Doubs provides reliability at WR throughout 2023 season

Romeo Doubs has been the one constant for the Packers at wide receiver during the 2023 season.

As the Green Bay Packers deal with injuries at the receiver position and have different players in and out of the lineup, second year wide receiver Romeo Doubs has provided Jordan Love with stability at the position and been a go-to target in key situations.

Over the last month in particular, the Packers have been without Christian Watson for all four games. At various points, they’ve also not had Dontayvion Wicks and Jayden Reed.

However, Doubs has been available in all 16 games up to this point in the season and has played 80 percent of Green Bay’s offensive snaps. Out of all receivers, Doubs ranks 18th in total snaps played this season.

“I think Rome’s been very consistent,” said Matt LaFleur. “Obviously, he’s made a lot of big time plays for us, and in particular, it’s happen to come out this way down in the red area. You can always count on him to go out there and when given the opportunity he’s made some big plays for us this year.

“I think he’s really grown, I would say over the course of the last two seasons, just in terms of being so consistent and so reliable. That’s a great comfort for our offense, for our football team, for Jordan. Knowing that he can always count on Rome to go out there and get the job done.”

Doubs leads this Packers team in targets with 92, and up until Reed’s Sunday night performance in Minnesota, he also led the Packers’ offense in receptions and receiving yards. He’s also tied with Reed for the team lead with eight touchdowns, and that figure is good for the seventh-most at the receiver position in football.

In addition to being available every week, Doubs has provided Love with a safety net in key situations. In recent weeks, Doubs caught the go-ahead touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers in the final minutes.

On a fourth-and-one in the second half against Kansas City with the Chiefs down just two, Love connected with Doubs for 33 yards, putting Green Bay at the 11 yard line and setting up a touchdown. Then versus Carolina, Doubs 36 yard pass on third down, which several plays later resulted in the go-ahead field goal.

On third and fourth downs this season, Doubs has caught 19-of-30 passes with 15 of those receptions going for a first down. He’s also had five touchdowns as well. Inside the opponent’s 10 yard line, Doubs has caught 6-of-9 passes with all 6 catches going for scores. Overall, in the red zone, Doubs has nine receptions, eight first downs, and seven touchdowns.

“Romeo is a guy that has come up clutch for us in so many situations this year,” said offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich. “Not only down in the red zone, but third downs—some big catches, some contested catches. He’s such a safety net for Jordan in those situations when you can go to a guy like that.

“His consistency of being out there and playing hard. He’s developing into one of those guys where he can develop into an every down wideout. It’s fun to watch him develop.”

Watson brings a presence to this offense with his size and speed that no one else does. Wicks and Reed have emerged as playmaking threats, Wicks with his route running ability and Reed with his shiftiness. Not to mention we’ve seen Bo Melton and Malik Heath come up in big moments as well. Where Doubs stands in that pecking order week-to-week isn’t always clear, but on this version of the Green Bay Packers, it doesn’t matter a whole lot either.

One of several things that this offense has going for it right now is that one any given play, Love could go to four or five different players with the ball—and that’s dependent on how the defense is defending Green Bay and what Love’s reads are. The fact that Melton was the first Packers receiver this season to eclipse 100 yards in a game perfectly encapsulates this.

When a defense can’t key in on one or even two players, it’s an added stressor for them and forces the defense to defend the entire field, thus spacing the defenders out and creating opportunities in the passing game that Love has been very good at taking advantage of.

With the emergence of several different pass catchers all at various points throughout the season, Doubs, at times, can fly under the radar. But as Love has navigated his first season as a starting quarterback, throughout the ups and downs, Doubs has been there to lean on—both from an availability standpoint and also in key situations.

“It’s huge,” said Love of Doubs’ reliability. “Obviously with guys going down, not everybody being healthy this week, that’s when you need other guys to step up. Obviously, Rome knew that going into it and he did what he’s been doing all year, making plays. I think his confidence right now too, the way he’s playing is playing all into that, but it helps a lot to have him out there making those plays.”

Vikings vs. Packers: 4 defensive keys for week 17

It’s do or die time for the Vikings. Minnesota’s defense has to follow these four keys if they want to win on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.

This is their last chance.

The Minnesota Vikings get one more chance to salvage their playoff chances as they face the Green Bay Packers in U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday Night Football at 7:20 p.m. CST. 

Minnesota has a chance to atone for dropping the past two with a good performance against a surging Green Bay team. 

After starting 3-6 this season, the Packers have found a way back into the playoff conversation, and it’s been behind the play of their offense. 

Since their meeting in week eight, Green Bay’s offense has been fourth in EPA/play, sixth in success rate, third in EPA/dropback and tenth in EPA/rush. Jordan Love has come into his own as a passer. He’s sixth in Adjusted net yards per pass attempt, second in passing yards (2095) and third in passing touchdowns (16) in that span.

On the other hand, Minnesota has been in a bit of a slump after their improbable 3-0 win against the Raiders at the beginning of the month. In the last two weeks, they have allowed 57 points, more than the four games before them combined. They’ve allowed the fourth-most EPA/play and are third-worst in success rate.

This defense must follow these four keys to success to get back on track and keep their playoff hopes alive.

Fantasy football waiver wire: Week 17 free-agent forecast

Check out the top waiver wire targets in fantasy football for Week 17.

The majority of fantasy football leagues come to an end this week. It has been a long and grueling process to the point, and most of us have been left with disappointment with championship week upon us.

However, there are still plenty of vital matchups taking place, and the waiver wire should be a busy marketplace in Week 17 after the events that unfolded on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Before we get to it, I’d like to thank you for sticking with us all season. We wouldn’t be here without the readers, and even though the suggestions haven’t always worked out, we’re appreciative of the time you’ve spent with us this season.

We’ll be taking a look at the top available players rostered in Yahoo leagues, using the 75% rostered mark as the threshold. If you have any questions about prioritizing a certain player over another, don’t be afraid to hit me up on X, formerly Twitter, (@KevinHickey11). Your questions and comments are always welcome!

Because it’s Week 17, there is no need for stashing players so we’ll only look at the top streaming options for the upcoming week along with the top waiver adds.

Fantasy football waiver wire recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated.

Check back for any updates throughout Monday and Tuesday as more injury news becomes available.

Adam Thielen on controversial Romeo Doubs catch: ‘It’s what you get when you play the Packers’

Panthers WR Adam Thielen on the official ruling of Romeo Doubs’ controversial catch: “Kind of what you get when you play the Packers.”

The expiring game clock wasn’t the only controversial ruling from the officials in this afternoon’s matchup between the Carolina Panthers and Green Bay Packers.

Sunday’s 33-30 win for the visitors was propped up by a clutch fourth-quarter catch from wideout Romeo Doubs, a 36-yarder that pushed Green Bay down to Carolina’s 33-yard line. But it wasn’t clear, at least initially, that Doubs completed the process of the grab.

The Panthers ended up challenging the reception, only to be denied by the official review. But Carolina receiver Adam Thielen, who was positioned right in front of the play, thought otherwise.

“Yeah, I saw the whole play,” the 33-year-old veteran told reporters after the game. “I saw a catch, and then ball moving as he’s going to the ground. Ball moves, controls it again, hits the ground and then loses it again. So, in my opinion, the ball moved twice at two different times. So there really wasn’t enough time to control the ball.”

Nonetheless, the referees believed Doubs did control the rock—which set up the eventual game-winning field goal by kicker Anders Carlson. And Thielen, who’s seen Green Bay plenty of times during his long NFL career, knows how it goes.

“Kind of what you get when you play the Packers.”

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Fantasy football waiver wire: Week 15 free-agent forecast

Check out the top waiver wire targets for Week 15.

Only two more games Monday night stand before the start of the playoffs in the majority of fantasy football leagues, and the waiver wire will be a busy marketplace entering Week 15.

There were a multitude of injuries to the running back position to keep an eye on moving forward. Players such as Josh Jacobs, Alexander Mattison, Brian Robinson Jr. and Isiah Pacheco — to name a few — all have injury question marks.

The bye weeks also are finally over, so it will be just good old-fashioned fantasy football. With trade deadlines concluded in the majority of leagues as well, the waiver wire becomes the most vital tool for fantasy managers over the three weeks.

We’re also getting to the point of the season in which stashing FAAB isn’t as crucial. Don’t be afraid to spend a bit more on a player who might give your team an edge down the stretch.

We’ll be taking a look at the top available players rostered in Yahoo leagues, using the 75% rostered mark as the threshold. If you have any questions about prioritizing a certain player over another, don’t be afraid to hit me up on X, formerly Twitter, (@KevinHickey11). Your questions and comments are always welcome!

We also will be taking a look at some deeper players to stash and the top streaming options for the upcoming week.

Fantasy football waiver wire recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated.

Check back for any updates throughout Monday and Tuesday as more injury news becomes available.

Fantasy football start ’em, sit ’em: Week 14

Check out these starts and sits for Week 14 in fantasy football.

After watching a surprisingly decent Thursday night game between the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers, the focus shifts toward a weekend full of vital decisions for fantasy football lineups.

The majority of bye weeks have passed as only the Arizona Cardinals and Washington Commanders are the only two teams to get the week off. With most leagues finalizing the regular season in Week 14, the start/sit decisions have never been more crucial.

Hopefully, we can help get you into the dance for those trying to make it or help you spoil it for someone else.

Doing start/sit articles can be a little challenging. The players featured on the list below should not be taken as “must starts” or “must sits.” Instead, these are more suggestions on what we believe managers should do with fringe players heading into the weekend. The choice is ultimately up to the manager.

Just because a player is listed as a “start” doesn’t mean he should be put in the lineup over the secure, bona fide studs. Vice versa for the “sits.” If there’s no better option on the waiver wire or the bench, a manager shouldn’t automatically sit the player. That’s why these can be tricky waters to navigate.

Feel free to ask any specific start/sit questions via X, formerly Twitter, (@KevinHickey11), or check out our start/bench list for Week 14:

Giants vs. Packers: 3 best player prop bets for Week 14

The New York Giants and Green Bay Packers square off on Monday night in Week 14 and here are the 3 best prop bets to consider.

The New York Giants (4-8) host the Green Bay Packers (6-6) at MetLife Stadium this coming Monday night in a game that could have postseason ramifications.

The betting populace will be zoning in on this nationally televised game, but what should they be looking at?

Here are three prop bets you might want to consider, per BetMGM.

Fantasy Football: Potential bargains, must-plays from Giants-Packers game

Here’s a look at some potential bargains for daily fantasy from the New York Giants-Green Bay Packers Week 14 game on Monday night.

The New York Giants (4-8) host the Green Bay Packers (6-6) at MetLife Stadium this coming Monday night in a key matchup that had NFC playoff seeding ramifications.

Both teams are on winning streaks — the Packers have won three straight and the Giants had a two-game streak before their bye last week.

The change in fortunes for both teams has piqued the interest of fantasy enthusiasts. Here are three possible plays for Monday night’s game.

Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson make incredible grabs for Packers

Packers receivers showed the gift of grab against the Chiefs

Jordan Love threw a couple passes to wide receivers in the third quarter on Sunday at Lambeau against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Somehow, Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson made catches as the Packers upped their lead to 21-12 over the Super Bowl champs.