Analysis: It’s Time to Win; It’s Time for Kumerow
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Exactly two months ago, the Green Bay Packers signed Ryan Grant. Despite the team’s struggles at receiver, he hasn’t played a single snap.
“I just think we have a lot of players that are playing pretty well,” receivers coach Alvis Whitted said on Monday.
Really?
Geronimo Allison, a week after having a fumble taken away on replay review, added another drop to his unimpressive ledger.
“It’s no secret, G-Mo has had a couple drops,” coach Matt LaFleur said on Monday, a day after his Packers improved to 11-3 and clinched a playoff spot by beating Chicago 21-13. “I think the one yesterday, that was not an easy catch. I’ve seen him make it before, so I know he can do it.”
Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s two-month slump continued with a drop of a 70-yard touchdown pass on the first offensive snap of the game. He wound up playing a season-low seven snaps.
“Teachable moments every day. The game was a teachable moment,” Whitted said. “But, first play of the game was to him, that shows that we have the utmost confidence in him and his development. He’s learning and growing every day.”
Never mind learning and growing. The time for that has come and gone. There are two games left in the regular season. If the Packers can earn an upset win at Minnesota on Monday night or prevail at Detroit in Week 17, they’ll win the NFC North. If they can win both games, they’ll earn a first-round bye and potentially home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. After that, it’s the one-and-done NFL postseason.
LaFleur appears to understand that the time for patience is over. Jake Kumerow, who had a 49-yard catch-and-run in which he broke three tackles, will be given more playing time.
“We have to make sure we get him on the field,” LaFleur said. “I think you’ll see more of him as we move forward.”
It’s about time. Can Lazard and Kumerow carry the Packers to the Super Bowl? Who knows, but the Packers can’t keep waiting on the others. In the eight games since Valdes-Scantling’s big performance against Oakland, he’s caught 2-of-11 passes for 11 yards – a miniscule 0.12 yards per pass route, according to Pro Football Focus.
“I know you guys don’t always get to see it, but he has been busting his butt at practice,” LaFleur said. “That’s why I’m confident that he’s going to work himself out of it.”
Of 100 receivers who have been targeted at least 32 times in the passing game, Allison ranks 96th with 0.74 yards per pass route and 94th with 8.7 yards per reception, according to Pro Football Focus. At least he blocks; the coaches pointed to his block of Bears linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski on Aaron Jones’ 21-yard touchdown.
“I don’t think you’re going to find too many receivers that can do that,” LaFleur said. “A far as ‘Quez, he’s still a young player and I know we as a staff still have a lot of confidence in him. He is a guy that can really run and he’s been working extremely hard at practice and I just can’t wait, it’s going to pay off for him. I know it is.”
Maybe in time that will be the case, but the Packers don’t have time. It’s championship time. It’s not development time. It’s not reward-hard-work time. It’s time to produce. It’s time to make plays. It’s time to win games. It’s time to try to win a championship.
With no catches of more than 15 yards by either Valdes-Scantling or Allison over the last eight games, it’s time to try someone different. So, it’s Kumerow time – who hadn’t even been targeted the previous three games.
“In fairness to those other guys,” LaFleur said, “we have to do a better job of making sure a guy like Jake Kumerow gets on the field more often because he has been making plays.”
