Packers have found a couple of building blocks in rookie receivers Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) This season of transition for Green Bays offense gives the Packers plenty of opportunities to figure out which of their young players could emerge as long-term key performers.It appears theyve found a couple
NFL Los Angeles Rams Jersey of keepers in rookie wide receivers Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks. Reed scored on a and Wicks had three catches for a career-high 91 yards Sunday in a over the Los Angeles Chargers.Theyre playmakers, quarterback Jordan Love said after the game.ADVERTISEMENT Reed, a second-round pick from Michigan State, has a team-high 463 yards receiving. After catching four touchdown pa ses in the Packers first nine games, Reed showcased his versatility Sunday by scoring his first career rushing touchdown.Love faked a handoff to Aaron Jones and then flipped the ball backward to Reed, who raced around the right end. Reed also caught four pa ses for 46 yards.He was a little banged up, as well, Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. Nothing serious, but battling through. He took a nice hit
Kareem Orr Jersey . He is a dog. Hes a war daddy.Before leaving Sundays game to get evaluated for a concu sion, Wicks set up the Packers go-ahead touchdown by catching a short pa s, bouncing off cornerback Michael Davis and heading upfield for a .I was telling him early in the game, Stay into it, a plays going to come to you, Reed said. And it did.All three of Wicks catches Sunday went for at least 25 yards. Hes the first Packers rookie over the past 45 seasons to have at least three receptions of 25-plus yards in a single game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Wicks is a fifth-round pick from Virginia.The emergence of these two rookies provided a spark Sunday as Love threw for a career-high 322 yards. The Packers (4-6) needed more production than usual from their pa sing game Sunday when injuries to and Emanuel Wilson left AJ Dillon as their only available running back.Green Bays i sues at running back could persist as the Packers have little time to get ready for their Thanksgiving Day game with the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions (8-2).I might have to play running back at some point, Reed joked after the game. Im just kidding. No doubt, youve definitely got to make adjustments in those situations. And I think we did a good job.WHATS WORKINGGreen Bays defense did a nice job protecting its goal line against a Chargers offense that entered the game ranked second in the NFL in red zone touchdown percentage. The Chargers kicked field goals on their first two trips inside the 10 and lost a fumble on second-and-goal from the 3. The defense also stopped the Chargers twice after the Packers pulled ahead in the fourth quarter.WHAT NEEDS WORKThe offense came through in the fourth quarter, but wasted plenty of opportunities earlier in the game. Green Bay had a first down at
Matt Gay Jersey the Chargers 23 in the second quarter, but went backward and ended up mi sing a 52-yard field goal. The Packers settled for a field goal after having a first down at the 12 late in the second quarter. They drove to the Chargers 34 on their opening series of the second half, but they punted after losing 15 yards over the next two plays.STOCK UPRomeo Doubs had the Sunday and has caught a touchdown pa s in four of his past five games. His
Coleman Shelton Jersey seven touchdown catches this season put him in a tie for third place in the NFL, behind only Miamis Tyreek Hill and Denvers Courtland Sutton entering Monday. Love has had his two highest pa sing yardage totals in Green Bays past two games. He threw for 289 yards at Pittsburgh before his 322-yard performance Sunday. DT Kenny Clark forced Austin Ekelers fumble on second-and-goal from the 2 and clinched Green Bays victory by batting down a fourth down pa s in the final minute.STOCK DOWNK Anders
Tyler Hall Jersey Carlson mi sed an extra-point attempt Sunday after having a PAT blocked the previous week.INJURIESThe Packers were hopeful that Jones knee injury wouldnt be a long-term i sue. Jones said an initial test showed he hadnt torn his anterior cruciate ligament. Wilson hurt his shoulder and had his arm in a sling after the game. LB DeVondre Campbell left with a stinger in the second half.KEY NUMBER33 TE Luke Musgrave had four catches Sunday and now has 33 this season, putting the second-round pick from Oregon State one away from the Packers rookie record for a tight end. Bubba Franks caught 34 pa ses as a rookie in 2000.NEXT STEPSThe Packers have a Thursday trip to Detroit followed by a Dec. 3 home game with the Kansas City Chiefs. Once the Packers get through this tough two-game stretch, only one of their last five contests will be against a team that currently has a winning record.___AP NFL: