The Green Bay Packers managed to pull out a road win in a week when their receiving depth took a major hit.
They’re hopeful they’ll be stronger in that area moving forward.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Monday that he had a “productive” meeting with Romeo Doubs and expects the third-year receiver to be back with the team when it returns to practice Wednesday. The Packers handed Doubs a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team after he didn’t attend practice on Thursday or Friday.
“It’s a pretty isolated incident,” said LaFleur, who didn’t go into details about his conversation with Doubs. “This has not happened with him before and I don’t expect it to happen moving forward.”
The receiving depth was one of the Packers’ biggest strengths heading into the season, but Green Bay (3-2) suddenly had a shortage of targets Sunday with Doubs suspended and Christian Watson out because of an ankle injury.
The Packers’ leading receiver in their 24-19 victory over the Los Angeles Rams was tight end Tucker Kraft with four catches for 88 yards. Jayden Reed was the top wideout, with four catches for 78 yards, but Green Bay’s other wideouts combined for just 46 yards receiving.
Jordan Love went 15-of-26 for 224 yards — including two touchdown passes to Kraft — but he also threw his first career pick-6.
Love has thrown five interceptions in his three starts this season.
“It just comes down to being smart with the ball, and I’ve got to do a better job with that,” Love said after the game.
That interception total is noteworthy because Love had done such a good job of avoiding turnovers during his late-season surge last year that earned him a four-year, $220 million contract extension this summer. Love threw 21 touchdown passes with only one interception during a nine-game stretch that concluded with the Packers’ 48-32 wild-card playoff upset of Dallas.
“I think all quarterbacks kind of go through this,” LaFleur said Monday. “We’ve just got to continue to encourage (him) to take what’s there. He’s always wanted to push the ball down the field, which I respect. One thing we always talk about is sometimes you’ve got to earn the right to throw it down the field.”
Next, the Packers return home to face the Arizona Cardinals, who are coming off a 24-23 victory at San Francisco.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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