3 Issues Packers Have to Clean Up after Sloppy Win Over Bears

3. Catching the Football

At times, it seems like the Packers have developed an allergic reaction to catching the football. It’s a team-wide affliction, affecting everyone from Romeo Doubs to Tucker Kraft to Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks. No one has been immune, and the numbers back it up.

After their narrow and sloppy win over the Bears, the Packers now rank third in the NFL in drops with 23—trailing only the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns. That’s hardly the company Green Bay wants to keep. To make matters worse, their drop percentage is the worst in the league, with nearly eight percent of all throws slipping through their fingers.

Doubs was Sunday’s most glaring example. On a crucial third-and-three from their own 47-yard line midway through the second quarter, Jordan Love delivered a perfectly placed pass to Doubs on an out route near the sideline. The ball hit Doubs right in the hands and then fell harmlessly to the turf.

The Packers salvaged the drive thanks to a Bears offsides penalty on fourth down, but it was still a disappointing moment for a receiver who’s supposed to be one of Love’s most reliable targets.

Doubs isn’t alone in his struggles. Wicks (seven drops) and Reed (six drops) lead the team in this frustrating category, but the reality is that everyone in the receiving corps has contributed to the problem.

As Green Bay looks ahead to the playoffs, this has to be cleaned up. The postseason is unforgiving, and the Packers can’t afford to fight themselves while trying to overcome their opponents. If they want to make a legitimate run, securing the football is a good place to start.

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