Lost in the concern over Jordan Love’s apparent left leg injury in the closing seconds of Friday night’s game was the statement made by Jayden Reed.
The second-year wideout provided by far the most sparks for Green Bay in a 34-29 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles that was a slopfest and fireworks show in equal parts, totaling 171 yards and two scores on five total touches.
Although he played spectacularly, Reed, like the rest of his teammates following a defeat and facing uncertainty over the fate of their franchise quarterback, took a measured look at his performance. He also maintained the Packers’ mantra of possessing a collection of great wide receivers rather than one option that stands high above the rest.
“Man, with this room it’s any given week,” Reed said postgame. “Anybody can make those plays I made today in the room. We’re very dynamic in that room. I don’t look at it as a wide receiver one thing. I think we all are ones if you ask me.”
Nonetheless, Reed’s 138 receiving yards were more than the 122 combined by the rest of Green Bay’s pass catchers.
He was also the playmaker to break the Packers out of their rut.
With just six points to show after a first quarter that included two drives started in the red zone, Green Bay again found itself in Eagles territory on the offense’s first possession of the second stanza.
On the fifth play, from Philly’s 33-yard line, Reed followed his blockers to perfection on an end-around before shedding an arm tackle and bursting past a handful of defenders to find pay dirt.
That restored the Packers’ lead at 12-7. He then put them ahead again on their next drive by finding space in broken coverage, juking safety C.J Gardner-Johnson and darting the rest of the way for a 70-yard TD reception.
Green Bay’s offense fell into another pattern of inconsistency in the aftermath, and Reed himself had a third-down drop late in the third quarter that preceded a missed 43-yard kick by rookie Brayden Narveson.
He converted a catch with a much higher degree of difficulty later -- when the Packers were in desperation mode -- bringing in a 33-yard pass from Love on the sideline despite a hit from Quinyon Mitchell.
Love was injured on the following play. Whatever news comes from his injury, whether good or bad, will be the ultimate takeaway from Green Bay’s season opener, but Reed’s outing was eye-catching regardless.
If he’s not the team’s No. 1 target, he certainly comes away from the first week looking every bit its most dangerous.
His continued development will be even more important for the Packers should Love miss extended time, and he knows it.
“Got to tighten up on the details like the one drop I had,” Reed said. “Just go to look it in. No doubt. Gotta keep working on ways to get better.”