Packers' Offense Can Remain Potent Without Allison

For a team loaded with skill position players, there's no reason to believe that the Packers will be short-handed come their week one matchup against the visiting Seattle Seahawks.

That's knowing nothing will schematically change for an offense engineered by coordinator Edgar Bennett, who will see a one-week shortage of Geronimo Allison being involved in the plans.

It was reported on Wednesday that Allison would be suspended for the first game of the regular season for violating the league's substance abuse policy. While Allison steamrolled his way onto the scene last season after a strong training camp and some impressive catches made during the regular season—including averaging 16.8 yards per catch on his 12 receptions in 10 games—losing him for one week only won't put a dent in the grand scheme of things.

In his last meeting with the Seahawks—his only meeting with the Seahawks—the rookie receiver didn't catch a single pass. He wasn't targeted once.

It was the final game in a streak of four that Allison was only targeted once. He didn't catch a single pass from weeks 11-14.

It doesn't attribute to Allison's ability to mold cohesion and familiarity with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has spoken highly on Allison's abilities in the past. It doesn't mean promoting him to the active roster from the practice squad in late October was a mistake.

However, in an offense loaded with high-octane weaponry for Rodgers, it's not hard to see why Allison helps round out the bottom of the depth chart so fittingly.

In the week 11 game against the Redskins—a 42-24 thumping that would give the Packers their final loss of the regular season—tight end Jared Cook shined for six catches and 105 yards receiving on the day along with his lone touchdown on the season. He had begun to show why the Packers invested in him to vertically stretch the field as an immovable force of a tight end.

Randall Cobb also had himself a game; while netting just three receptions, he had 84 yards receiving, averaging 28 yards per catch.

A week later, the Packers got back to their winning ways against the Eagles in a 27-13 win. During it, the receiving tandem of Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams combined for 204 yards on 13 catches, including two touchdowns from Adams.

Allison wasn't targeted once.

The week 13 showdown against the Texans on Lambeau Field's hallowed turf saw the Packers' offense sputter for the first time in several weeks. However, Nelson accumulated 118 yards receiving and earned his 10th touchdown of the season en route to a victory—albeit on blown coverage that left the 2016 receiving touchdown leader wide open for the score.

The last game of Allison's dry spell was a 38-10 dismantling of the Seahawks—the familiar foe the Packers will welcome to Green Bay during Allison's suspension.

Adams led the way averaging 26 yards per reception and a touchdown, but Nelson was close behind with a pair of touchdowns and 41 yards on six catches. Rodgers also had one of his most efficient games of the season, posting a 150.8 rating and completing 78.2 percent of his passes—his highest completion percentage in a game since the 2015 season opener in Chicago.

Going into 2017, the Packers' abundance of talent at wide receiver will return along with some other refined weaponry. 

In the place of Cook, Martellus Bennett takes the reigns. He leads a potent group consisting of him, Lance Kendricks and Richard Rodgers, possibly giving the Packers their most formidable tight end trio in recent memory.

Without Allison, the Packers will get through 60 minutes of football with little hassle. Where one doesn't produce, another steps up. After drafting two receivers in Apri's draft—Malachi Dupre and DeAngelo Yancey—there certainly isn't a lack of hunger for young players to earn a roster spot. 

Despite a handful of them already being solidified, the Packers are a week removed from kicking off training camp with a competitive roster at a handful of positions, including wide receiver. For the second year in a row, many will be wondering whether they enter the regular season with seven receivers, or if they'll trim that number down to five, even six.

Quite possibly the only thing that can hold the Packers back from firing on all cylinders offensively in their home opener, is the notorious slow starts that have plagued them for some of the last few seasons.

__________________________

Zachary Jacobson is a staff writer/reporter for Cheesehead TV. He's the voice of The Leap on iTunes and can be heard on The Scoop KLGR 1490 AM every Saturday morning. He's also a contributor on the Pack-A-Day Podcast. He can be found on Twitter via @ZachAJacobson or contacted through email at [email protected].

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Comments (31)

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carusotrap's picture

July 20, 2017 at 06:32 am

So, if this analysis of Allison's impact is true, why do we assume he's even on the roster? With the depth they have, is there not another 6th WR who can do essentially the same thing AND be available in week one.

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Andrew Lloyd Peth's picture

July 20, 2017 at 07:43 am

Exactly. I wasn't even predicting he'd make the team. We're super-deep at WR.

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Since'61's picture

July 20, 2017 at 06:38 am

I'm confident that the Packers will make it through week 1. This too shall pass. Thanks, Since '61

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TKWorldWide's picture

July 20, 2017 at 07:01 am

"This too shall pass."
But not to Allison in week one. ~~
You're welcome, TK.

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Tundraboy's picture

July 20, 2017 at 02:45 pm

Potentially super deep. Potentially.

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chugwater's picture

July 20, 2017 at 06:40 am

Big ol' nothingburger. Especially with Bennett and Kendricks on the roster this year.

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RCPackerFan's picture

July 20, 2017 at 07:09 am

As of right now Allison is penciled in as the 4th WR. In terms of weapons he is closer to the 6th or 7th receiving option right now behind the top 3 WR's plus Bennett, Kendricks and Montgomery.
They will be more then fine in week 1.

That being said his emergence late in the year proved his value to the team. Especially early in the year they like rotate players a lot more so players can get more conditioned to playing.
What this will do is it will allow someone else a chance to play the first week. Perhaps Davis or Janis or one of the rookies will step up and take advantage of it.

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NickPerry's picture

July 20, 2017 at 07:20 am

I really like Allison. More than once last year I watched him work himself back to Rodgers when Rodgers was extending the play scrambling. I thought that was pretty heady play by a rookie UDFA. I think he'll be as effective as Rodgers wants to make him. He's a big target with good hands who knows how to get open. He reminds me a little of Marques Colston of the Saints because of his size AND speed.

With that said the Packers will be just fine without Allison. Just look how well the WR group played after Nelson was injured against the Giants. Now with Bennett and Kendricks, Cobb and Nelson healthy or healthier, options aren't a problem in Green Bay.

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marpag1's picture

July 20, 2017 at 04:15 pm

"He reminds me a little of Marques Colston of the Saints because of his size AND speed."

When did Geronimo Allison get speed? He ran 4.67 at the combine. He was 33rd out of the 37 who ran. In fact, he doesn't really have great size, either. He has height (6'3"). But only 9 of 43 WRs at the combine weighed less than Allison's 196. Basically, he's a beanpole.

Compared to Allison, Marques Colston ran 0.2 faster (4.5 flat), was 2 inches taller (6'5") and 30 pounds heavier (224).

I don't really see the similarity.

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NickPerry's picture

July 21, 2017 at 04:57 am

I stand corrected.....

I guess I meant in terms of height. Most places I've looked have Colston at 6'4" tall and about 224. Allison is 6'3" and you're right, thin as a rail. Neither is fast. Colston may have ran a 4.5 at the combine but he certainly didn't play very fast his entire career. Truth be told I stole that comparison from a different website : /

Is that plagiarism???

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marpag1's picture

July 21, 2017 at 08:28 am

hehe... we'll look the other way on any plagiarism concerns. With Allison, I actually agree with most people who say that Allison just seems to have that indescribable "it" factor of being able to get open. But, geez, he just doesn't have the physical tools that you expect at his position. I think his lack of athleticism brings his ceiling down pretty low. I can't see him as anything close to a starter. What I have seen from him so far is that he has very good hands, and he has taken advantage of blown coverages and scramble drills. But I just don't see him manning up with the DB in front of him and winning on a consistent basis.

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NickPerry's picture

July 22, 2017 at 04:58 am

2 thumbs up on the "Good Hands".

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Tundraboy's picture

July 21, 2017 at 03:10 pm

So what's wrong with a bean pole We can be very athletic.!

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lucky953's picture

July 20, 2017 at 08:22 pm

I like Allison too. He has an elusive stride pattern that's a little unique. But from an economic perspective, that was pretty dumb as a guy who certainly had to compete for a roster spot.

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NickPerry's picture

July 21, 2017 at 04:57 am

Double Post...sorry..

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Andrew Lloyd Peth's picture

July 20, 2017 at 07:40 am

I wasn't predicting he'd make the team, so no biggie.

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Gianich's picture

July 21, 2017 at 12:13 pm

Bet you a beer he makes the team??? If he ends up on IR before week 1 bet is void. Deal?

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VollmerLV426's picture

July 20, 2017 at 08:05 am

With the weapons the Packers have, I personally find this to be a no brainer pointless article. I mean the guy caught 12 passes in 10 games and if he never plays another down for the Packers again it will have absolutely no effect on the offense what so ever. Dime a dozen to find a WR that can catch 1 pass in a game.

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dobber's picture

July 20, 2017 at 10:15 am

Bingo! If the Packers couldn't survive for one game without a replacement (or below replacement) level WR, the problems run much deeper than his one-game suspension.

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Chris Vachio's picture

July 20, 2017 at 08:21 am

You have now officially calmed down the legion of fans who thought we were completely screwed without Allison.

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croatpackfan's picture

July 20, 2017 at 12:18 pm

I will be a bit bad. I know you do not like Travor Davis. And lot of fans do not. Why? He has so common name and he is not Jeff Janis.
I would love to see Travor Davis to become 4th WR in depth chart, just to have opportunity to tell all of you: I told you so!
I hope Travor will justify high marks he received from Mike McCarthy through OTAs.

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TKWorldWide's picture

July 20, 2017 at 03:38 pm

I have noticed that any type of "I told you so" sentiment is not well received around here.

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croatpackfan's picture

July 21, 2017 at 02:56 am

I know. And I can live with that ;-)

But, anyhow, thank you for warning me!

I do not like spitting on any player, especially player who is on Packers roster. I'm thankfull to all players who are trying to give the best from themselves so I can enjoy in Packers game as fan. I know that players has flows, but every player has flows. Some players are fans darlings, so their flows is out of discussion?

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

July 22, 2017 at 12:42 pm

I don't know about that, TK. We had one poster who apparently has been banned just recently who was so in your face about it that many developed an antipathy to I told you so. I see a few posters do it without getting slammed for it, but it is far more subtle and more importantly it is not their central point.

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NickPerry's picture

July 23, 2017 at 06:07 am

They should also leave the person's perceived intelligence out of the discussion. I can deal with "I told You So" but calling people names or making nasty remarks about ones intelligence gets old and is out of line. There also seems to be several people on this site who feel they have the right to insult the subject or content of a article or the writer themselves. IMO that's just wrong on many levels. If you can't say something decent or constructive then don't say anything at all. Just keep moving to the next article.

BTW...If it's who I think you're talking about he's been booted what, 4 or 5 times now? I mean really, how many times does a grown man need to be warned? And this person had been warned recently by Jersey Al more than once...Again

I hope he's gone for good. There seems to be a s***load of people here who can comment for years and years without ever getting so much as a warning. It's really not that difficult.

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ThxJackVainisi's picture

July 20, 2017 at 10:20 am

So an offense which completed 403 passes for 4,999 yards and recorded 40 TD passing TDs in the regular season will still be potent without a WR who caught 12 passes (3% of receptions) for 202 yards (4% of passing yards) and 2 TDs (5% of passing TDs)?

Good to know.

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marpag1's picture

July 20, 2017 at 11:32 am

LOL. Thank goodness. We can all come down from the ledge now.

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snowdog's picture

July 20, 2017 at 12:02 pm

Yawn ... Wake me up when camp starts . The fill-in articles are brutal .

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Anderson44's picture

July 20, 2017 at 07:11 pm

Whew!! I was shaking in my boots how we could possibly win a game without Allison. Now let's hope he can drop the 420 and just work his ass off and make the final roster.

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Tundraboy's picture

July 21, 2017 at 09:57 am

Remain potent? Duh. Only 1 more week before we have something new to talk about.

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Cartwright's picture

July 21, 2017 at 05:44 pm

The only thing I would like to add to the discussion is when will the NFL stop penalizing and look the other way hen it comes to cannabis.This poor guy now really has to swim upstream and for what. I like his style, I think he's good for the team, hope he hangs on.

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