3 Takeaways from Packers' Week 10 Loss vs. Steelers

The Green Bay Packers made it interesting on Sunday, but they ultimately picked up their sixth loss of the season in a 23-19 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Missed opportunities will haunt the Packers this week. Quarterback Jordan Love played mostly good football to open the game, but he was picked off twice in the final quarter—his first interception coming in the red zone with a four-point deficit.

Going into Pittsburgh isn't easy, but this was one Green Bay had to win if it wanted any shot of getting back into the playoff mix. Instead, the second half of the 2023 season is likely all about evaluating Love and figuring out how to return to relevance in 2024.

Here are our biggest takeaways from the Packers' Week 10 loss to the Steelers.

Love Continues to Show Inconsistency

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Jordan Love

The Packers have another year after this one with which to evaluate Love, but you can bet that they'd prefer to know what they have heading into the offseason. To this point, though, the jury is still out.

Sunday's game was a microcosm of the quarterback's 2023 campaign. He had a couple of nearly flawless touchdown passes—including a gorgeous 35-yard strike to Jayden Reed—but the flashes haven't come often enough.

Love was 7-of-13 for 90 yards and two touchdowns at the half. He finished 21-of-40 for 289 yards, two scores and two interceptions. He also had a couple of wasted red-zone opportunities.

In the third quarter, the Utah State product missed an open Luke Musgrave on 3rd-and-9 and the Packers settled for a field goal. In the fourth quarter, he short-armed a pass to Christian Watson that was picked off, preserving Pittsburgh's four-point lead.

If Green Bay is going to head into 2024 knowing that Love is the guy, it needs to start seeing him play as he did in the first half for a full four quarters.

Christian Watson Isn't Playing Like a No. 1 Receiver

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Packers WR Christian Watson is defended by Steelers CB Patrick Peterson

While Love definitely could have thrown a better ball on his first interception, Watson deserves some blame for not making a more concerted effort to attack the football—or prevent the interception.

Patrick Peterson casually swatted the pass away from the receiver, and Steelers safety Keanu Neal picked it.

The reality is that Watson isn't playing like a receiver Love can trust in critical situations, and the two are clearly struggling with chemistry.

Both of the quarterback's interceptions on Sunday were in the red zone and thrown in Watson's direction. Coming into Week 10, three passes intended for the 2022 second-rounder yielded picks, according to Pro Football Reference.

Whether it's Reed, Musgrave or Romeo Doubs, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur has to start dialing up plays with someone else as the top option.

While Watson has the physical tools to be a No. 1 NFL receiver, his play isn't consistent or reliable enough right now. It's hurting both Love's development and Green Bay's chances of winning close games.

Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks Continue to Show Growth

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Packers WR Jayden Reed

While Love and Watson failed to establish a connection on Sunday, the quarterback and Reed are starting to heat up.

The rookie receiver ran a splendid route on his touchdown reception, and he finished with five catches on five targets for 84 yards. It marked the second time in three games that he has topped 80 receiving yards.

A second-round pick out of Michigan State, Reed (5/11, 187 lbs) might not have the traditional size of a No. 1 target, but he has just about everything else.

"He has great ball-tracking skills, both down the field and across the middle, and has strong hands to finish consistently," Derrik Klassen wrote for the Bleacher Report Scouting Department before the draft.

The 23-year-old is beginning to emerge as a consistent threat in the Green Bay offense, as is rookie fifth-round pick Dontayvion Wicks.

Wicks finished with three catches for 51 yards and has now topped 45 yards in back-to-back games. Along with Musgrave, Reed and Wicks give the Packers a terrific trio of rookie pass-catchers that should highlight the offensive game plan down the stretch.