Each week, there seems to be a new Green Bay Packers wide receiver who steps up, and in their upset win over the Dallas Cowboys, it was Romeo Doubs’ turn to get in on the action.
Doubs put together a career day, catching six passes on six targets for 151 yards and a score. This included several explosive plays as well, with a long of 46 yards and another that went for 39 yards.
Good protection from the Packers’ offensive line allowed some of those longer developing routes to take place, with Doubs finding success over the middle and in the soft spots of the Cowboys’ zone coverage.
“It was awesome,” said Jordan Love of Doubs’ performance. “Just how locked in Rome was this whole week. Obviously, showing with the performance he put on. We needed him and he stepped up huge. He was able to put some really good routes on tape and made some huge explosive plays. The last catch he had was awesome.
“Proud of Romeo and the way he’s continued to battle. He probably hasn’t had as many balls come his way as he’s wanted to, but he continues to work and find ways to get better. He made some plays tonight.”
The Packers went 16 weeks without a pass catcher eclipsing the 100-yard mark but have now done so in three straight games by three different receivers. Bo Melton did it first against the Minnesota Vikings and Jayden Reed the week after against the Chicago Bears.
This goes to show one of the strengths of this Packers offense. While there may not be a true No. 1 target, there are six legitimate receivers that opposing defenses have to worry about on any given play, not to mention Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave at tight end.
Instead of being able to key in on one or even two players, defenses have to defend the entire field because the ball could literally go anywhere. Jordan Love has no biases–the ball goes where the read and defense dictate, and that’s it. Having this element then creates more spacing as well as opportunities in the passing game.
“Defenses have to pick and choose,” said Matt LaFleur post game. “If you cover one guy then it opens up the other guy. I just think the depth that we have, I don’t know if I’ve been around a team that can go with six, seven different guys.”
In addition to Doubs’ performance, Musgrave and Dontayvion Wicks both had touchdown catches and combined for 77 yards, along with eight different players having at least one target.
However, perhaps the best example of just how well-rounded the Packers are at their skill positions is that the offense put up 41 points and looked nearly unstoppable for much of the game and did so with Reed and Christian Watson combining for just one reception for nine yards.
With the emergence of Reed and Wicks over the second half of the season, Doubs’ contributions can fly under the radar. But throughout the entire season, he has provided stability at the receiver position for the Packers.
Doubs has started in all 18 games and has been a safety net, as offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich put it, for Love in crucial situations. Doubs finished the regular season catching 19-of-30 targets on third or fourth down, with 15 of those receptions moving the chains. He was also 6-of-9 with six touchdowns when targeted inside the 10-yard line.
“Rome, he goes about his business,” added LaFleur. “He does a great job, and it’s fun to coach a guy like that. He brings so much to our team.”
This was a Cowboys defense that entered the game ranked first in pressure rate, according to TruMedia, had allowed just 18.5 points per game, and was top 10 in takeaways with an aggressive, ball-hawking secondary. However, watching Doubs’ performance, along with the rest of the offense, you wouldn’t have known that watching Sunday’s game unfold.
“Rome, he was on one tonight,” said LaFleur. “You could see it. He’s got great hands. He’s got an unbelievable mindset. It was really cool to see that come to fruition.”
