Much has been made about the Green Bay Packers' issues on offense. While the offensive line and play-calling have grabbed most of the headlines, a familiar issue has reared its head through the team's first three games: drops.
According to Pro Football Focus, Jordan Love currently leads the NFL with the most passes dropped by a receiver (nine).
When the issues first began popping up against the New York Jets in Week 2, it was easy to be explained away. The game was rainy, conditions weren't great, so it's unsurprising that receivers dropped some passes. Last week against the Atlanta Falcons, though, shone a light on what might be a bigger issue than we think.
Packers' receivers need to stop dropping the football
Here's a rundown of the Packers' drops through Week 3 (per Pro Football Focus):
Player | Drops |
|---|---|
Christian Watson | 3 |
Matthew Golden | 3 |
Tucker Kraft | 2 |
Chris Brooks | 1 |
The Packers also currently rank 32nd in PFF's "supporting cast" rating, which charts the average grades of a team's running game, passing game, and offensive line play in run and pass blocking.
While the Packers couldn't get anything going on offense, several drives stalled due to routine drops. Matthew Golden and Tucker Kraft, specifically, both exhibited some uncharacteristic drops.
Drops are a weird one, since they're not exactly something that can be fixed with scheme. Instead, the players involved simply need to work on it on their own. Thankfully, receivers like Golden and Kraft have shown in the past that they are reliable players, so it should work itself out, but as of now it's just another issue in an already perilous offensive situation.
As it stands, the Packers rank last or close to last in a number of big offensive stats. This includes rushing yards, third-down conversions, completion percentage, and penalties. Many of these issues point back to the offensive line, which has been so bad that it seems to be affecting the entire team.
Of course, much of this has been litigated by fans at this point. With almost a full week off between their Week 3 loss and their next game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the conversation around the Packers' woes has reached a fever pitch. Whether it's fixable remains to be seen, but the team has had some extra time to potentially adjust around it.
The next two games for the Packers will be some of the biggest of the entire season. Games against the Buccaneers and Chicago Bears won't be easy, but will likely both be played against backup quarterbacks. This doesn't guarantee anything, though, and although the Packers may have an easier two weeks on paper, they will still need to prove that they can get the offense back on track in a meaningful way before we can believe it.
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