The Green Bay Packers’ offense was severely depleted heading into their Week 16 game against the Carolina Panthers. One would never guess that given the offense’s 33 points and quarterback Jordan Love’s eighth game of the season with multiple touchdown passes and no interceptions. The defense, on the other hand, did not appear to be as strong.
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While the defense has struggled and calls to fire Joe Barry have grown, the offense has refused to take its inexperience, youth, or injuries as excuses. They have fully adopted the “next man up” philosophy, and as a result, their synergy has strengthened week after week.
Unfortunately, the Packers were missing wide receivers Christian Watson and Jayden Reed, as well as tight end Luke Musgrave. Reed, who leads the club in receptions and yards, missed the game due to an ankle ailment, while Watson is currently rehabilitating from a hamstring issue. Musgrave was just activated from injured reserve to recover from a lacerated kidney.
Love and the Packers needed others to step up because they were without three of their top pass catchers. While Bo Melton and Tucker Kraft had strong supporting performances, it was Dontayvion Wicks who found the end zone.
Dontayvion Wicks of the Green Bay Packers is quietly having a good season.
Wicks had two receptions for 29 yards and a touchdown against the Panthers on Sunday. He now has 33 receptions for 520 yards and two scores on the season. When he is targeted, Love has a passer rating of 103.4. He now has more receiving yards in his first season than the following Packers wide receivers:
- Davante Adams
- Allen Lazard
- Randall Cobb
- Romeo Doubs
- Jordy Nelson
- Donald Driver
- Antonio Freeman
There are many more, of course, but these are some of the more recent and larger names that Wicks has already exceeded.
Dontayvion Wicks of the Green Bay Packers suffered a chest injury against the Carolina Panthers.
Unfortunately, the Packers’ already-injured receiving corps dealt another blow on Sunday. Wicks’ 21-yard touchdown reception resulted in a severe shot to the chest. He was escorted to the locker room for testing, then attempted to return but was unable to.
Many others were concerned that he had fractured ribs. Wicks, according to Tom Silverstein of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, escaped major injury:
Wicks’ status for the Packers’ must-win game against the Minnesota Vikings on New Year’s Eve is unknown, according to Silverstein.
Of course, the Packers did not practice on Monday, and head coach Matt LaFleur also gave them the day off on Tuesday.
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