Packers’ best plays of 2023, #6b: Romeo Doubs puts the Packers in front of the Saints

It’s Doubs vs. Yiadom for the Win

After a heartbreaking loss in Atlanta in Week 2, the Packers were looking to bounce back in their home opener against the perpetually salary cap-impaired Saints, but it wasn’t going to be easy. While the Saints were a mess on offense, they have routinely featured elite defenses, and 2023 was no exception as New Orleans finished 5^th in defensive EPA per play.

Early in the season, the young Packers were still finding their way on offense, and it didn’t help matters that they fell into a seemingly insurmountable hole, but as the fourth quarter began, we started to get a few glimpses of what would come later in the season, and the rally began.

The Situation

The Saints hit Green Bay where it hurt to build up their 17-point lead, first hitting former Packer Jimmy Graham for an 8-yard score. Graham’s touchdown was only possible because of a failed fourth down attempt by Green Bay the previous drive and an unnecessary roughness penalty on Kenny Clark.

The Saints would add to their lead by taking advantage of Green Bay’s special teams unit as early in the second quarter, Rashid Shaheed returned a 40-yard Daniel Whelan punt 76 yards for a score. New Orleans would manage a Joe Barry special at the end of the half, as the passive Green Bay defense allowed an 82-yard drive, resulting in a 25-yard Blake Group field goal.

A Love interception and another failed fourth down stymied the Packers in the third quarter, but at the start of the fourth they finally managed a decent drive, moving 46 yards and culminating in an Anders Carlson 38-yard field goal. After forcing a Saints punt, Green Bay would move right back down the field thanks in large part to a 45-yard pass interference penalty drawn by Dontayvion Wicks on Alontae Taylor, which was immediately followed up by another pass interference penalty drawn by Romeo Doubs, this time for 22 yards.

That penalty would turn out to be crucial, as the culprit was former Packer Isaac Yiadom. Doubs and Yiadom had been physical for much of the game, and the Packers took special note on this play. Love would eventually scramble in from a yard out and hit Samori Touré for a two-point conversion, cutting the deficit to an analytically smart six points.

The defense would hold, and with 5:23 left in the game, the Packers would start their final drive. Wicks gained a quick nine yards before an outstanding 24-yard scramble from Love down the sideline moved them into New Orleans territory. Love would then hit Jayden Reed down the seam for 30 as Reed make an incredible diving catch, setting the Packers up in the red zone. A 7-yard gain to Wicks brought them even closer, down to the eight, at which point the Doubs/Yiadom rematch started in earnest.

The Play

Yiadom remained physical and won the first battle, forcing an incompletion, but the Packers went right back to the exact same play on third down.

Matt LaFleur is skilled at tying opposing defenses in knots and springing players open, but here he eschewed creativity in favor of the simple idea that my guy is better than your guy. Dontayvion Wicks lined up outside left with Samori Touré in the slot, flanking tight end Luke Musgrave. Patrick Taylor joined Love in the backfield out of shotgun while Doubs and Yiadom faced each other on an island to the south.

Doubs took an outside release on Yiadom, and as Love released a perfectly thrown back shoulder ball, Doubs spun counterclockwise, screening Yiadom off the ball and making a sensational touchdown catch despite some aggressive hand fighting from Yiadom.

Christian Watson is a freak athlete, Dontayvion Wicks has the release of Davante Adams, and Jayden Reed is one of the fastest slot receivers in football. And while Doubs is a fine athlete, is a fine route runner, and possesses fine speed, where he truly excels is in ball tracking and body control, which is exactly what was needed to win at the goal line on this play.

Because the Packers had successfully gone for two earlier, Anders Carlson’s extra point gave them the lead, and while Jameis Winston and the Saints would manage to drive down to the Packers’ 27-yard line, Blake Grupe missed his 46-yard attempt, and Green Bay held on to win the home opener.

The Packer receivers have such diverse skill sets that the offense can beat you in so many ways, but when the team needs someone to win a physical battle in a tight space, Romeo Doubs is the man.