What We Saw 2023: Week 7

Packers @ Broncos

Final Score: Broncos 19, Packers 17

Writer: Justin Mello (@JustinMelloNE on Twitter)

I won’t lie. My eyes still hurt from sitting through this one. It was a close game to the end which made this contest admittedly somewhat engaging, but neither of these teams looked like they’ll be playing in January, to put it mildly. The Broncos shut out the Packers in the first half and comfortably were in the driver’s seat for most of the game. Two late touchdown passes from Jordan Love made things interesting though. The Packers were able to take a 17-16 lead in the fourth quarter, but that was short-lived after Will Lutz kicked a 52-yard field goal that ended up being the game-winner. That wasn’t the end of the drama though. The Packers got the ball back and pushed toward field goal range only to be pushed back out after a devastating Elgton Jenkins holding penalty. Love eventually threw an interception, and that was that. The Broncos picked up their second ugly win of the season, and the Packers picked up their third consecutive loss.

Two Up

• Javonte Williams – Williams looked healthy and explosive. He is back.
• Jaleel McLaughlin – He’s still stuck behind Williams, but McLaughlin once again proved he belongs on the field.

Three Down

• Jordan Love – After another poor performance, it is fair to wonder if Jordan Love is really a starting-caliber quarterback.
• Samaje Perine – Perine is now clearly the third option at RB in this struggling offense.
• Marvin Mims Jr. – The rookie barely played and did nothing to help his team.

Green Bay Packers

Quarterback

Jordan Love: 21/31, 180 yards, 2 TDs, INT | 3 carries, 21 yards

Jordan Love looked lost in this one. He frantically bounced around in the pocket before either checking it down or missing on a deep shot. While the completion percentage was solid, a lot of that came from short throws to his running backs and tight ends. He also was off the mark frequently when he tried to push the ball downfield. Even his two touchdown passes were somewhat lucky as one was underthrown and one wasn’t caught by his intended receiver. Love showed a lot of promise earlier in the season and looked like he could be a quality starter, but this matchup against Denver was a far cry from that.

Notes

• Seemed uncomfortable in the pocket.
• Misfired multiple balls.

Missed Opportunities

• Wildly underthrew Christian Watson on a deep ball in the third quarter.
• Couldn’t come away with points on their final drive which would have gotten them the win.

Running Back

Aaron Jones: 8 carries, 35 yards | 5 targets, 3 receptions, 22 yards

Although he was on a snap count which limited his usage, Aaron Jones looked like his normal self in this one. The running lanes weren’t always there, but he made the most of the hand he was dealt. His ability to suddenly plant his foot in the ground and burst in the opposite direction was on display on multiple handoffs. He also was successful in turning short completions into first downs on more than one occasion. He needs to get healthy before Matt LeFleur gives him a larger workload though.

Notes

• Hasn’t seemed to lose the burst.

AJ Dillon: 15 carries, 61 yards | 2 targets, 2 receptions, 34 yards

The mysterious case of AJ Dillon is quite intriguing. Despite his size and stature, he is far from elite at playing physically and running through defenders. However, he has had success in beating linebackers in the open field. It doesn’t always make sense, but it once again was the reality against the Broncos. Dillon was stuffed in short-yardage situations, most notably a 3rd & 2 late in the game, but he was successful at bursting past the line of scrimmage and occasionally making defenders miss. His best play came on a 4th quarter check down that he turned into a 29-yard gain and *almost* set up a game-winning field goal. Despite not being the bruising bulldozer that many thought he could be, Dillon pieced together a good game.

Notes

• Surprisingly good at getting open in the passing game.
• Probably the offensive MVP of the Packers today.

Missed Opportunities

• Could not convert a crucial 3rd & 2 late in the game.

Emanuel Wilson: 2 carries, 19 yards | 2 targets, 2 receptions, 8 yards

Wide Receiver/Tight End

Christian Watson: 5 targets, 3 receptions, 27 yards

It was a relatively quiet day for Christian Watson. His first reception came from impressive improvising after the play broke down, but it still only went for a short gain. He also successfully beat man coverage on an out route in the second half which resulted in 23 yards. Otherwise, nothing much happened for Watson. It wasn’t necessarily his fault though. Love looked like a wreck.

Notes

• Beat man coverage, but not frequently enough.

Missed Opportunities

• Was extremely underthrown on a deep ball which could have potentially been a chunk play.

Romeo Doubs: 5 targets, 2 receptions, 30 yards, TD

In my humble opinion, Romeo Doubs looked like the best receiver on the Packers today. The stat line may not reflect that, but the stat line was ugly for just about everyone. Doubs appeared to create separation, but Love was unable to get him the ball. He was wide open on his touchdown, but he was very underthrown which allowed Patrick Surtain to almost intercept the pass. In fact, he did catch it. It’s just that Doubs did too, and the simultaneous possession went to the offense.

Notes

• Routes looked crisp.

Missed Opportunities

• Couldn’t haul in a second touchdown pass even though he was targeted, but Jayden Reed scored anyway (more on that below).

Jayden Reed: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 21 yards, TD

The impressive rookie had a quiet day like the rest of the Green Bay receivers. He did have the play of the day though when he hauled in a touchdown which ricocheted off the hands of teammate Romeo Doubs. It was a fluky play, but Reed showcased great concentration which is impressive nonetheless. Besides some other brief displays of athleticism with the ball, there isn’t too much to report on with Reed.

Notes

• Great concentration on TD catch.

Luke Musgrave: 5 targets, 4 receptions, 30 yards

The rookie tight end was mostly used as a safety blanket. He played the role well, but didn’t do much else. He did have an 18-yard reception, but he also took a shot while defenseless from Kareem Jackson, who was ejected for yet another dirty hit this season. Luke Musgrave also left the locker room with a walking boot on which is a bad sign for the future.

Denver Broncos

Quarterback

Russell Wilson: 20/29, 194 yards, TD | 1 carry, 21 yards

The Broncos quarterback played the role of bus driver in this one. Russell Wilson didn’t look anything close to his vintage self, but he played smart. He committed zero turnovers and took only one sack. He also showed great mobility and extended plays with his feet as he worked outside of the pocket once pass protection broke down (which it frequently did). He still struggled with accuracy issues though. Nonetheless, it was good to see Wilson not do too much and just manage the game as he should.

Notes

• Looked quicker than I remember him being in recent years.
• The deep ball was ugly.

Missed Opportunities

• Overthrew Adam Trautman on a seam route in the first half.

Running Back

Javonte Williams: 15 carries, 82 yards | 4 targets, 3 receptions, 14 yards

It was a great day for Javonte Williams. He looked powerful and elusive, and was the engine for this offense against the Packers. Williams’ change of direction was shockingly good considering he is only a year removed from a devastating knee injury. He also showcased elite quickness once he found open space. Williams appears to be fully healthy, or at least close to it, and dangerous.

Notes

• Cuts looked clean.
• Reminiscent of his rookie year.

Jaleel McLaughlin: 5 carries, 45 yards | 2 targets, 1 receptions, 1 yard

I remember writing about then-unknown Jaleel McLaughlin in the preseason and thinking, “This rookie looks good; he should earn a depth spot on the roster.” He not only met my expectations, but he exceeded them. McLaughlin reminds me a lot of starter Javonte Williams. He is explosive and has incredible one-cut ability. He demonstrated this on the few carries he had on Sunday, and it was especially evident on a 23-yard scamper on 2nd & 31. McLaughlin has deserved the usage he’s gotten and debatably deserves more.

Notes

• Great vision and burst.

Samaje Perine: 2 carries, 10 yards | 3 targets, 3 receptions, 31 yards

Samaje Perine has officially been relegated to RB3 duties in Denver. In his defense, he looked solid in this one. He was especially effective as a pass catcher and took full advantage of the hopeless linebackers who tried to cover him. This was almost exclusively how he was used though as Williams and McLaughlin are just so much more explosive in the run game. Based on this game, I don’t see any reason that should change.

Notes

• Great route runner.
• Did well after that catch as well,  but didn’t do much after contact.

Wide Receiver/Tight End

Courtland Sutton: 6 targets, 6 receptions, 76 yards, TD

This man is a touchdown machine. Courtland Sutton continues to be the top receiver for the Broncos. He was absolutely wide open on his touchdown catch thanks to a wheel route which confused the defense, but he didn’t really create a whole lot of separation besides that. He instead excelled in tracking the ball and making contested catches. His first reception of the day was the best example when he ran down the right sideline and made a diving catch with a defender draped all over him. He has certainly earned the trust of Russell Wilson, and that connection was on display in this one.

Jerry Jeudy: 5 targets, 5 receptions, 64 yards

I was unimpressed with Jerry Jeudy for much of the game, but he came on strong after a slow start. He was especially effective at running comeback routes near the sideline where Wilson delivered him the ball on multiple occasions. Jeudy actually created good separation which he has struggled with a times. It was a step forward for the young receiver, but his performance was still not up to the standards that his draft capital would suggest.

Notes

• Suffered an injury when he was inadvertently punched in a spot that gives me secondhand pain just thinking about it.

Marvin Mims Jr.: 1 target | 1 carry, -11 yards

“Miserable” may not be a strong enough word to describe this performance for Marvin Mims Jr.. He was barely on the field, and he did absolutely nothing to help his team when he was. He actually hurt them if anything given he netted -11 yards on an end around where he inexplicably kept running backwards to try to make something happen. It was a day to forget.

Adam Trautman: 2 targets, 1 reception, 5 yards