Jayden Reed returned to the field for the first time since Week 2 and the Green Bay Packers felt his presence immediately hosting the Bears on Sunday. While Reed didn’t tear up the box scores, he opened up the offense in a variety of ways as the Packers secured the 28-21 victory to take first place in the NFC North at 9-3-1.
Reed makes return and injects immediate life into Packers’ operation
Predictably, Matt LaFleur kept Reed on something of a pitch count, limiting him to 25 offensive snaps. He came down with four catches for 31 yards, plus two totes for 22. Just having him on the field created opportunities for Christian Watson, who went off for 89 yards and two touchdowns.
The Packers wasted no time getting Reed involved. The offense’s first play from scrimmage was a five-yard pass to Reed, and he got two more touches before the drive ended in an interception – not a mistake Jordan Love would make again. He finished the day with three touchdowns on 17-25 passing.
Reed later broke off a 15-yard run on a sweep play, showcasing the additional wrinkles on LaFleur’s playsheet with Reed in the equation. His over-the-shoulder 18-yard catch put the Packers in Bears territory on the game-winning touchdown drive. By being available at all three levels of the field and especially in the quick game, he adds a whole new dimension to the Green Bay offense. And his battery wasn’t even at 100% in his first week back. His snap count should only increase next week in Denver.
Along with Watson as a deep threat, Reed represents another reliable target for Love. Hauling in all four of his targets, he helps the offense stay in rhythm and stay ahead of the sticks. On pass plays, the Packers had only seven incompletions plus the interception, and one sack. Otherwise, it was a tidy operation on display at Lambeau as Green Bay seized control of the division with just four games to go.
The rivals meet again at Soldier Field in two weeks’ time. By the point, Reed will hopefully be just about fully himself in terms of conditioning, reps, and availability.
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