Returning playmaker could take Packers offense to new heights in playoffs

The Green Bay Packers seem to be peaking at the right time. They have scored 30 or more points across the last four games, having gone 3-1 over that timeframe.

Still, as Matt LaFleur stated in his locker room speech, there is plenty of room for growth after a disappointing second half against the Seattle Seahawks.

Over the last four games, Jordan Love has shown exactly why the Packers made him the then-highest-paid player in NFL history at the start of training camp.

He hasn’t had to be a superhero for Green Bay to flourish, but Love has thrown seven touchdowns and no interceptions over this four-game span. The Packers have also benefitted from Josh Jacobs’ scoring breakout, having put up 425 total yards and eight touchdowns over the past four games.

As for the receiving game, the Packers’ production has been widely dispersed. While they may not have a true WR1 like they did in the Davante Adams era, Green Bay has continued thriving.

Jayden Reed leads the team through 14 games with 727 yards and six touchdowns, with Christian Watson not too far behind him at 620 yards and two scores. Tucker Kraft and Romeo Doubs are each above 500 yards, with Kraft scoring seven touchdowns and Doubs four, including two against Seattle.

Packers could get Luke Musgrave back at just the right time

Yet one piece of the Packers’ passing puzzle may take the offense to new heights: Luke Musgrave.

Musgrave has only appeared in four games this season and has been on injured reserve since Green Bay’s Week 4 loss to Minnesota. In those four games, Musgrave, like many other Packers pass-catchers, struggled to get going statistically, collecting five catches for just 22 yards. Musgrave returned to practice last week but didn’t play in Seattle.

In an injury-abbreviated rookie season, Musgrave hauled in 34 catches for 352 yards and a touchdown in the regular season and had an additional six catches for 66 yards and a touchdown in the postseason.

For those who may have forgotten, Musgrave was an immediate impact player. He inserted himself into the starting lineup from Day 1 and constantly showed flashes of what he could bring to Green Bay’s offense. From an X’s and O’s standpoint, it is easy to see the impact Musgrave can have.

Checking in at 6-foot-6 and 253 pounds, Musgrave opens up the field with a unique combination of size and speed. He displayed it on his touchdown catch against the Los Angeles Rams last season when Jordan Love faked a screen action to Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon before finding Musgrave down the seam for the score.

.@jordan3love ➡️ @Luke_Musgrave19
TOUCHDOWN! 🙌#LARvsGB | #GoPackGo
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/AlhC3dQHhj
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) November 5, 2023

Tucker Kraft has endeared himself to Packers fans, and rightfully so. He is one of the leading receivers in yards and touchdowns and an incredible blocker. Kraft will continue to have a massive role in the Packers’ offense. However, adding Musgrave back into the fold opens the field up for everyone, including Kraft.

Green Bay has an incredible opportunity to open up its playbook when Musgrave returns. With Musgrave working the seam and middle of the field, guys like Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs open up underneath.

The play-action game will take a massive step forward when Musgrave and Kraft can both be on the field, giving Jordan Love multiple options. Adding another serious pass-catching option at tight end (no offense to Ben Sims) also opens things up significantly for Josh Jacobs in the run game. Last, with the ability to get downfield, safeties will be forced to pick between Musgrave and Christian Watson, which will only help the deep ball.

Very rarely does an impactful playmaker join a lineup in late December. In the NBC broadcast of Sunday Night Football, Cris Collinsworth joked that Matt LaFleur said he had no idea how they would fit Musgrave in, with Collinsworth adding that he made it sound like a bad thing.

While this was very much said with laughter, it is not a joke that Musgrave coming back gives Green Bay another weapon in part of what could be another big playoff push.