‘Infectious’ Energy Highlights Packers’ Improved Passing Attack

It's not just the accuracy of Jordan Love or the plays made by the receivers that have passing-game coordinator Jason Vrable excited ahead of Sunday's game vs. the Chiefs.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Jason Vrable coaches the Green Bay Packers’ receivers. More than that, he’s the team’s passing-game coordinator.

So, from that big-picture perspective, what has Vrable seen from the team’s rapidly growing passing attack?

It’s not the improved accuracy of quarterback Jordan Love or the ability of the receivers to get open and catch the ball, though both things are true with the Packers ranking sixth in net yards per passing attempt over their last four games.

Rather, it’s an all-for-one and one-for-all mentality.

“I think someone’s there to pick someone up and someone’s there to make a play for someone, someone’s there to block for someone,” Vrable said on Monday. “I just care about our guys being unselfish and playing hard and playing with great effort.”

That might sound like coachspeak, but Vrable continued with examples about how a young group has brought youthful energy to a unit that had been dominated by veterans.

“When you watch, the one thing I’ll say (is) our tape compared to some other teams that I’ve been on in the past, when the ball is 20 yards downfield, Dontayvion Wicks is running to pick up his tight end off the ground,” Vrable said. “Jayden Reed is the first one on the sideline running 20 yards to pick up a running back or high-five him.

“There’s an energy and just a total belief in one another that has been special, and it’s shown up more and more and more. The excitement on the sideline in the Detroit game for when someone else makes a catch, that stuff’s infectious.”

Infectious energy is great. Production is better.

With improved consistency and production, the Packers have won three of their last four games.

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By team, the Packers during that span are sixth in passer rating (103.1), sixth in yards per attempt (7.8), sixth in net yards per attempt (7.2 when sacks are included), fifth in yards per completion (11.7) and 16th in completion percentage (65.2). Yards after catch is improving, the deep game is delivering more frequently, drops are declining and the pass protection has been strong, especially given the quality of pass rushers.

With the Packers scuffling along at 2-5 following a four-game winning streak, Vrable talked enthusiastically about the receiver corps’ work habits and practice-field performances. The light at the end of the tunnel wasn’t a freight train. Rather, it was a ray of hope that better days were ahead.

Those comments came a few days before the Packers beat the Rams. In the six previous games, Love averaged 6.00 yards per attempt. Against Los Angeles, he averaged 8.77.

That game was encouraging. More encouraging was stringing together strong performances. Of Love’s five games with at least 7.00 yards per attempt, four have come the last four weeks.

“When the O-line plays great, like they did in Detroit, we win our matchups and Jordan throws in rhythm, it’s an awesome thing to see,” Vrable said. “I brought up the practice habits and I talk about it all the time. When the ball’s not hitting the ground and we’re winning one-on-ones and we’re playing fast, you can just feel it. Guys were competing so hard at practice, and they were mad because the results aren’t going [their way].

“I’m like, ‘Listen, guys, it’s always going to be a process, but every business that there is, if they’re successful, it’s always the top-down process. We were working our butts off, we really were, and every time after practice, I was like, ‘Guys, that was a tremendous practice, man. I’m telling you guys, it’s going to start clicking. You’ve just got to stay positive, you’ve got to stay together, you can’t let the outside world and all the other people saying stuff bring you down.’ I thought the cohesiveness with Jordan and our group, I could just feel it.”

Four strong performances in a row don’t mean Love and Co. are the equivalent of the 2011 Packers, with MVP Aaron Rodgers leading one of the greatest offensive seasons in NFL history. There will be twists and turns and ups and downs.

One could come on Sunday night, when the Packers will face the Chiefs, who defensively rank third in yards per attempt, third in sack percentage, sixth in completion percentage and 10th in passer rating.

“Where we’re at, we are young,” Vrable said. “Like I said, it’s not an excuse but you could just see that stuff’s starting to click and there’s a growth to that. There’s going to be bad moments too. There’s going to be times where we’re going to have another drop, right? …

“Confidence is contagious and so is winning, and you can just see our guys building that nucleus. We’re facing a great opponent this week who has a great defense and I think an elite defensive back room. Every week we’ve got to build up our habits, our preparation and go give our best shot and hopefully we come out on the right side.”

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