Your Weekly Packers News Update

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By PACKERSNEWS

By RYAN WOOD

Xavier McKinney, Tucker Kraft lead way in L.A. as Green Bay Packers top Rams 24-19

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – In a tumultuous week, the Green Bay Packers took care of business Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams.

The Packers had a slow start but finished strong in the second half, beating the Rams 24-19 to improve their record to 3-2 this season. Matt LaFleur is now 5-0 lifetime when coaching against close friend and former boss Sean McVay.

After trailing by a field goal at halftime, the Packers led most of the second half. They still needed a defensive stand in the final 2 minutes to seal the victory. Rookie safety Evan Williams got a pass breakup on a Matthew Stafford pass to Rams receiver Colby Parkinson on a fourth-and-5 from the 38-yard line, sealing the win.

Here are some quick observations from the victory:

Xavier McKinney increases interception streak to five straight games to open his Packers career

Xavier McKinney might be the NFL’s best safety right now. Certainly, through five games, it’s difficult to argue against him. McKinney intercepted a Stafford pass in the third quarter, the fifth straight game with an interception to open this season. The pick flipped momentum in a game the Rams led by a field goal at halftime. The Rams were driving near midfield when they faced third-and-10. With pressure in his face from a Karl Brooks inside stunt, Stafford’s pass for receiver Tutu Atwell was overthrown. McKinney smoothly caught the football and returned it 28 yards, setting up a Packers touchdown drive that opened up a 24-13 lead. McKinney had a fumble recovery earlier in the third quarter, sparking the Packers when they trailed 13-10, and all takeaways matter. But McKinney’s interception streak is becoming legendary. McKinney led the NFL in interceptions entering Sunday, and he’ll exit Week 5 retaining that lead in the midst of an incredible streak.

Tucker Kraft blossoming as a star early in his career

The Packers’ offense has some concerns to address when receiver Romeo Doubs returns from his one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team next week. One thing that is very clear in their passing game: tight end Tucker Kraft needs to be spotlighted every week. Kraft had his best game of an impressive, young career Sunday, catching four passes for 88 yards, including a 66-yarder for a score, and two touchdowns. It was the first time in Kraft’s career he’s scored multiple times in a game. Kraft’s movement skills are special for a tight end who stands 6-foot-5, 259 pounds. On his first touchdown, Love found Kraft wide open on the left side, and Kraft outraced the Rams’ defense for the final 50 yards on a 66-yard touchdown. On the next, Love dumped off a short pass to the left on second-and-goal, and Kraft sliced through the defense to find the end zone. Kraft’s ability to turn simple plays into game-changing moments needs to continue being prioritized in the offense.

Rookie Edgerrin Cooper’s role on the rise

After missing most of training camp, Edgerrin Cooper had a slow start to his rookie season as he tried to make up the lost time. It appears the linebacker has made progress. Cooper had his most significant role Sunday, showing his speed can be an asset in the middle of the Packers’ defense. Coordinator Jeff Hafley was creative with his young linebacker, even lining Cooper up over the A-gap in the second quarter. Cooper was in the middle of a five-man defensive line that included three defensive ends (Rashan Gary, Preston Smith and Lukas Van Ness) and Kenny Clark. On the snap, Cooper stunted to the outside and sacked Stafford on third-and-16. The sack knocked the Rams out of field-goal range, forcing a punt. It was Cooper’s first career full sack, though he now has 1.5 through five games after a half sack Week 3 at the Tennessee Titans. Cooper was lauded for his versatility as a pass-rushing linebacker entering the draft this spring from Texas A&M, and he’s shown that early in his NFL career.

Josh Jacobs resumes role as workhorse running back in Packers offense

A week after splitting carries with backup Emanuel Wilson, the Packers ditched their two-tailback system and fed Josh Jacobs throughout Sunday’s win. Jacobs finished with 73 yards on 19 carries, one shy of 20 carries for what would have been only his second game this season. He opened the scoring with a 2-yard touchdown run, his first in a Packers jersey, outracing the Rams defense to the right pylon. That 20-carry threshold probably should be a consistent benchmark for this Packers offense. The balance Jacobs provides running the football is essential for the passing game, especially quarterback Jordan Love. Even if Jacobs didn’t quite get to 20, it was a significant improve in their game plan from a week ago, when Jacobs got only nine carries and Wilson got eight. Wilson had only six carries Sunday, a 3-to-1 ratio that fits better than an even split.

Brayden Narveson has best game of his young career, much needed clean slate

For the first time in five games, rookie kicker Brayden Narveson had a clean slate with no asterisk next to his kick. Narveson officially had a clean slate Week 3 against the Titans, but a defensive penalty erased a 48-yard miss that afternoon. There was no miss Sunday in Los Angeles. Narveson made his lone field goal attempt from 46 yards to close the half, pulling the Packers within a 13-10 deficit. He also made all three extra point attempts. Narveson had a rough week last Sunday, missing two field goals in a 2-point loss against the Minnesota Vikings. He could have a game to build on, splitting the uprights on each of his four kicks Sunday.

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By ZONE COVERAGE

By EVAN PRICCO

The Packers’ Second-Half Surge Showed Composure For the League’s Youngest Team

The Green Bay Packers’ Week 4 game against the Minnesota Vikings didn’t go as expected for Packers fans. Before the game, Vegas favored the Packers by 2.5 points at home with an over/under of 46 points, indicating it would be a back-and-forth, close game.

But the Vikings dominated the Packers for the entire first half. It was ugly. Everything that could go wrong for Green Bay did. The Vikings built a 28-0 lead at one point, but the Packers showed their toughness in the second half, rallying to threaten a comeback. However, they came up short, 31-29.

In the first half, Green Bay’s defense surrendered touchdowns on Minnesota’s first three possessions. The Vikings scored their first touchdown on Sam Darnold’s 29-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Addison, who had beaten Corey Ballentine in coverage and was wide open.

After Brayden Narveson missed a 37-yard field goal to the right, Minnesota drove 73 yards for another score, culminating with a two-yard touchdown catch for Josh Oliver. The Vikings took complete control of the first half when they intercepted Jordan Love on Green Bay’s next drive and turned that into points with another Jordan Addison touchdown. The Vikings were up 21-0 in the second quarter.

After Shaq Griffin intercepted Jordan Love again, Justin Jefferson caught a perfect throw from Darnold and extended Minnesota’s lead to 28-0.

After Minnesota’s fourth touchdown, Green Bay’s fans booed the Packers as they went to the sidelines.

However, Jalen Nailor muffed a punt, and Green Bay recovered the ball at the Minnesota three-yard line. After a penalty, Love threw a 15-yard touchdown to Jayden Reed. It was a small spark for Green Bay right before halftime, but the Vikings were still up, 28-7.

The Vikings started the second half well, driving the ball deep into Green Bay territory. But then Darnold threw an interception to Xavier McKinney, who has four picks in four games with Green Bay.

After two empty possessions by both teams, the Packers drove the ball 89 yards, resulting in a short touchdown pass to Dontayvion Wicks. That made it a two-possession game with 11 minutes to go.

Momentum started to shift in Green Bay’s favor when the defense forced another turnover. Sam Darnold was sacked by Keisean Nixon on a corner blitz and fumbled the ball, which the Packers recovered at Minnesota’s 24-yard line.

Two plays later, Green Bay cashed in with a 13-yard touchdown to Tucker Kraft, followed by a successful two-point conversion.

The Vikings are only up by six, 28-22.

Minnesota answered with a field goal to make it a two-possession game. Then their defense forced another Love interception and a Kraft fumble to maintain control of the game.

Green Bay scored one more time. After stopping the Vikings at Green Bay’s four-yard line, the Packers drove 96 yards in five plays, and Love threw a touchdown to Wicks to bring the score within two points with one minute to go. They would not convert the onside kick, and the Vikings secured a 31-29 victory.

As unimpressive as the first half was to watch, the second half was almost just as impressive.

Down 28-0 at home to a hated rival is one of the loneliest and most frustrating feelings in sports, for both the players and the fans. So seeing that this team responded to that scenario with even more fight and effort shows their lack of quit and an impressive cool-headedness for such a young team — still the league’s youngest. Maybe Matt LaFleur fired them up at halftime with a speech. Regardless, it was impressive how they were able to keep their composure.

After Minnesota took a 28-0 lead, the Packers outscored them 29-3. Green Bay outgained the Vikings 465 yards to 374.

Suppose one thing had gone differently in that first half — if Narveson had made one of his two misses. It’s very frustrating when you execute plays as an offense and move the ball, but it doesn’t result in points.

If they can figure out the kicking issue, they’ll be fine. The Packers clearly have the talent on the team to make plays. They also have the toughness to come back from difficult situations, as they showed on Sunday. It is just a matter of keeping the star players healthy and getting a new kicker.

The Vikings look like one of the best teams in the NFL. Still, the Packers kept their composure and their attack mentality, showing the calm and resilience of a team with far more experience. If they can fix the kicking and continue improving the offense, this game won’t matter any more in a month or two.

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By PACKERNEWS

By RYAN WOOD

Malik Willis, Green Bay Packers defense dominate in 30-14 win over the Tennessee Titans

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Four weeks ago, the Tennessee Titans decided quarterback Malik Willis wasn’t talented enough to play for them.

They drafted Willis in the third round two years ago. Entering his third NFL season, Willis was buried on the quarterback depth chart, third behind Will Levis and Mason Rudolph. Not exactly a position bursting with talent.

The Titans traded Willis to the Green Bay Packers on the final Monday of August, just 27 days ago, surely not expecting to be embarrassed by the decision. That’s exactly what Willis did in the Packers’ 30-14 win Sunday in Tennessee.

With Jordan Love missing his second straight game because of an injured left knee, Willis got his second straight victory as a starter. Unlike last week, when Willis merely had to keep the ship afloat against the Indianapolis Colts, the backup quarterback was a central character in beating the Titans. Willis completed 13 of 19 passes for 202 yards and a passer rating of 120.9. He also led the Packers in rushing with 73 yards on six carries.

The quarterback Tennessee didn’t want a month ago was the best player on the field for four quarters.

It was a deflating loss for the Titans, who drop to 0-3. Levis struggled, completing 26 of 34 passes with two interceptions and two touchdowns. He also lost a fumble. Sharing the field with a quarterback the Titans didn’t give a chance to win his job, it wasn’t a great look. But it also illustrated the difference in how a situation can enable a player’s success, especially for a quarterback.

The Packers improved to 2-1 this season, winning both games without Love. It created something of a best-case scenario with Love getting a chance to heal another week before preparing for a home showdown against the Minnesota Vikings, the NFC North’s last remaining unbeaten team at 3-0.

Here are some quick observations from Tennessee:

Malik Willis able to hit chunk plays in Packers passing game

The stunning part of Sunday was Willis’ ability to make big plays with his arm. It started on the opening drive when Willis had a pair of completions for 30 yards. The first was a short throw to Jayden Reed, allowing the speedy playmaker to stretch it into a bigger gain. But on the second, a third-and-6 with the Packers in fringe field-goal range, Willis delivered a perfect ball for Christian Watson to go up over undersized cornerback Roger McCreary. It was a stunning play considering the circumstances, but it didn’t stop there. Maybe the highlight of the day was a third-and-14 throw to Romeo Doubs over the middle for 18 yards. Or the third-and-18 throw to Watson for 37 yards. Willis had four completions of at least 30 yards, including a touchdown on a screen pass to running back Emanuel Wilson. That clearly wasn’t in the Titans’ scouting report.

A week after getting 32 carries, it was a lighter day for Packers running back Josh Jacobs. He finished with 14 carries for 43 yards. The Packers rushed for almost 200 yards for the second straight week, finishing with 188. But 73 yards came from Willis’ ability to make things happen with his legs. It was a good enough rushing day for the Packers to have some balance on offense, but not the domination they showed last week against the Colts. The Packers were able to win with a less than remarkable rushing attack because Willis made enough plays.

Jaire Alexander turns momentum of game with first pick-six of his career

After a hot start, the Packers had started to lose grip of momentum late in the first quarter, the game devolving into more of a stalemate. Then Jaire Alexander changed the game. The Packers cornerback didn’t even have to move before breaking on a Will Levis pass to DeAndre Hopkins. He simply read Levis the entire play, and by the time the Titans quarterback tried to hit his receiver on a stop route near the right sideline, Alexander looked like the intended receiver. He returned the interception for a 35-yard touchdown, the first pick-six of his seven-year career. Alexander has two picks in the first three games of this season after not having an interception in 2023. The Packers led the NFL with five picks through the first two games entering Sunday. None were as significant as their sixth interception this season.

Packers’ vaunted pass rush finally shows up

There were big expectations for this Packers pass rush entering the season. That didn’t change after modest production in the first two games, considering the Packers were trying to keep Jalen Hurts and Anthony Richardson contained in the pocket. But Sunday was a chance to unleash their pass rush on a quarterback who couldn’t beat them with his legs, and the Packers didn’t disappoint. After a slow start on the Titans’ opening touchdown drive, the Packers’ pass rush started wrecking the game. They finished with eight sacks, scattered among seven defenders. Devonte Wyatt had a career-high two sacks and has three in three games this season, a sign he may be in the early stages of a breakout year. Kingsley Enagbare had a strip sack, forcing a fumble near midfield that Lukas Van Ness recovered. The Packers’ defense came at the Titans in waves, and it was relentless. By the end, the Titans’ offensive line was in disarray.

Brayden Narveson misses a kick, but it doesn’t count

For the first time in three games, Brayden Narveson didn’t miss a kick. But he got lucky. Narveson was wide right on a 48-yard field goal in the third quarter, but the Titans were called for a holding penalty on the play. That gave the Packers a new set of downs, and they quickly scored a touchdown. Narveson officially finished 3-for-3 on field goals from 21, 26 and 47 yards and made all three of his extra points, but the miss that didn’t count sullied his day. An NFL team doesn’t get away with missing kicks each week like the Packers have going back to most of last season. It might not have counted Sunday, and it was important that Narveson responded with splitting the uprights from 47 yards late in the fourth quarter, but it remains a concern.For the first time in three games, Brayden Narveson didn’t miss a kick. But he got lucky. Narveson was wide right on a 48-yard field goal in the third quarter, but the Titans were called for a holding penalty on the play. That gave the Packers a new set of downs, and they quickly scored a touchdown. Narveson officially finished 3-for-3 on field goals from 21, 26 and 47 yards and made all three of his extra points, but the miss that didn’t count sullied his day. An NFL team doesn’t get away with missing kicks each week like the Packers have going back to most of last season. It might not have counted Sunday, and it was important that Narveson responded with splitting the uprights from 47 yards late in the fourth quarter, but it remains a concern.

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By PRO FOOTBALL TALK

By MICHAEL DAVID SMITH

No Jordan Love? No problem. Packers run all over Colts

The Packers didn’t have quarterback Jordan Love today against the Colts, but they had plenty of offense anyway.

Green Bay’s running game pounded the Indianapolis defense for four quarters in a 16-10 win for the Packers. The Packers ended up with 261 rushing yards, and Josh Jacobs led the way with 151.

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur deserves a lot of credit for devising a run-heavy game plan that dominated the Colts’ suspect run defense. Malik Willis, starting for the Packers for the first time in place of the injured Love, didn’t throw the ball a lot and didn’t need to, but he was efficient with mostly short and safe passes.

The Colts have to be concerned about their run defense after back-to-back losses to the Texans and Packers in which both teams’ running backs topped 100 yards. And they also have to be concerned that quarterback Anthony Richardson isn’t showing the kind of poise as a passer that they need from him.

But the Packers should be thrilled that after losing Love in Week One, they regrouped in Week Two and got a big win, with Love likely returning in Week Three.

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By PACKERWIRE

By Zach Kruse

Glazer: Malik Willis expected to start for Packers in home opener vs. Colts

In a report on the injury status of Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love, Jay Glazer of FOX Sports stated Malik Willis is expected to start while Love recovers from a sprained MCL.

“In the meantime, Malik Willis will get the start,” Glazer said on FOX’s NFL pre-game show on Sunday.

The Packers will welcome the Indianapolis Colts to Lambeau Field for the home opener next Sunday.

Glazer confirmed reports from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network on a Grade 1 or Grade 2 sprain of Love’s MCL in his knee.

“It’s about a two-to-four- week injury,” Glazer said. “Matt LaFleur said we do want to be conservative with him, but much better news than it could have been.”

The Packers play the Colts, Tennessee Titans, Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams over the next four weeks.

Willis, a third-round pick of the Titans in 2022, was traded to the Packers for a seventh-round pick during final cuts last month. Over two seasons in Tennessee, Willis appeared in 11 games and made three starts. He was the No. 3 quarterback for the Titans this summer and likely to be released before the Packers swung the trade.

During regular season appearances, Willis completed 35 of 67 passes for 350 yards, zero touchdown passes and three interceptions while rushing for 144 yards and a touchdown.

The Packers were impressed with Willis’ progression as a pocket passer during the 2024 preseason. He took over the job as Love’s backup after Sean Clifford, who remains on the practice squad, and rookie Michael Pratt failed to earn the job during training camp.

Brandon Carwile of Packers Wire dug into Willis’ tape to highlight more about his game here.

Given Willis’ inexperience in the scheme and stage of development as a passer, LaFleur and the Packers offense might need to get creative to produce offense while Love recovers. Willis has a big arm and legitimate running ability. Can LaFleur scheme up easy throws and use all the talent around the quarterback position to help Willis navigate a tricky situation? 

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By PACKER REPORT

By Daire Carragher

5 off-field stories for Packers kicking off season in Brazil

The Packers are bound for São Paulo in just a couple of days.

The week is finally upon us. The NFL season is here once again and the Green Bay Packers are one of the 8 teams lucky enough to kick their season off with a stand-alone game. 

On Friday, the Packers will play a regular season game outside of the United States for just the second time in their history — the organization didn’t seem too thrilled about the prospect of traveling 5,400 miles before a ball is even snapped, but at the very least Brian Gutekunst appreciates the value of taking a road game out of Philadelphia — one of the more notoriously aggressive crowds in the NFL. 

Which brings us to our first point:

1. Packers fans expected to outnumber Eagles fans in São Paulo. 

International games are always a neutral affair. Especially when it’s the first ever game to take place in the given country — which will be the case in Brazil on Friday night. Expect diehard NFL fans of every team to flock from all over South America for what will be the first experience of professional American football for many.

Green Bay famously brought one of the most impressive single-team crowds to an international game when they traveled to London in 2022. However, I would anticipate Friday will be the least-traveled-to international game among American fans since the series began in 2007. São Paulo is one of the world’s largest cities, however it doesn’t quite match London or Mexico City when it comes to transport links from the United States. 

That being said, the Packers are a massive brand in Brazil. The league estimates that Packers fans make up 1/8th of Brazil’s NFL fanbase — more than any other team. 

With precisely zero exclusive international marketing rights deals, the Packers don’t place a ton of emphasis on expanding their brand internationally — they don’t really need to. But the Packers continue to grow beyond US borders regardless.  

Global interest in the sport has increased exponentially over the last 30 years, and the Packers just so happen to hold the 2nd most victories of any franchise during that timespan. There are other factors too — one such example specific to Brazil, is the color scheme of green and yellow. Oh yeah, about that…

2. The ‘can’t wear green’ thing isn’t real oh my god

I hate that I have to explain this. 

For some reason, the ‘ban on green’ discourse took on a life of its own, not helped by misinformed Packers RB Josh Jacobs — who hinted that the color ban was gang-related and that the team would be transported around in an armored bus. 

ITS LITERALLY JUST PALMEIRAS COLORS. For the love of God. 

Green is one of the national colors of Brazil. It is adored in every context besides from Corinthians fans in their rivalry with Palmerias — who literally play in the same city! When Palmerias play at Corinthians Stadium, they wear green! Their fans in the stands wear green! 

The stadium has hosted several Brazil games — who wear green — including the opening match of the 2014 World Cup. This is like suggesting that Man United fans wouldn’t be allowed to wear red for a game at Michigan stadium because of Ohio State. It’s… stupid.

The Packers will wear Green as the road team. Perhaps the home team Eagles team wanted to pay homage to their hosts, SC Corinthians, by matching the team’s color scheme of white and black. 

3. It’s going to be a ‘true’ night game

Philly’s decision to dress in lighter colors has nothing to do with the sun — It’s Winter time in the Southern hemisphere and the sun will set over three hours before the scheduled kickoff. 

Moreover, to match the standard night-game kickoff times in America, the game will begin at 9:15pm local time — making it one of the latest NFL kickoff times ever — I can’t accurately fact check this — but I couldn’t find a single game that kicked off after 9pm local time in league history. 

4. Potential ban on X/Twitter in Brazil

Elon Musk and the Brazilian government have been squabbling for quite some time now, and it seems as though the world’s 6th most populous country is about to pull the plug on one of its most-used social media sites. 

The ban, which will come into place with immediate effect over the coming days, is more likely than not to be in effect when the NFL comes to town next Friday. The teams official X accounts (along with @NFL) shouldn’t have much trouble sending footage to a social admin in the offices back in the United States, but it may create quite a unique situation for the media and reporters attending the game. 

So if you don’t hear from me, my VPN isn’t working. 

5. The added advantage of playing early

The Packers will arrive back in the US on Saturday morning, where the mere 2 hour time difference will have virtually no effect on their body clocks. They will enjoy a full day to recover on Saturday, and get to enjoy the beginning of the season on Sunday afternoon with Scott Hanson and the rest of us. 

There is an inherent advantage to playing early to begin the season — you get the extra few days of rest afterwards without the typical punishment of a quick 4-day turnaround from the game prior. 

This additional time will afford Packers’ coaches some spare hours to look ahead to their upcoming matchups with both the Colts and Titans — Matt LaFleur has admitted in the past to looking ahead an extra week when you have extra days between games, ridiculing the theory of ‘one game at a time’. Neither the Colts or Titans would be considered regular opponents for the Packers, so the extra time to do some homework will be welcomed by their coaching staff. 

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By PACKERSWIRE

By Zach Kruse

Which Packers players helped their roster chances in preseason finale?

The Green Bay Packers’ preseason finale against the Baltimore Ravens was a final audition for several players battling for a roster spot on Brian Gutekunst’s initial 53-man roster, which will be unveiled on Tuesday. Matt LaFleur sat 38 players, including all projected starters, providing a true evaluation opportunity for many on Saturday at Lambeau Field.

Who stepped up in the 30-7 win over the Ravens?

Here are a few players who helped their roster chances in the preseason finale:

DE Arron Mosby

Mosby made two of the biggest defensive plays of the afternoon when he delivered a strip sack and an interception on back-to-back series. The forced fumble was returned for a touchdown; the interception prevented a potential scoring drive in Packers territory. Brenton Cox Jr. looks like a good bet to be the No. 5 defensive end, but did Mosby tempt the Packers into keeping six? The second-year edge rusher spent all of last year on the Packers’ practice squad and now looks much more comfortable as a 4-3 defensive end.

WR Malik Heath

Heath caught a game-high four passes, including a 7-yard touchdown on 4th-and-4 in the second half and a third-down conversion on a scoring drive in the first half. On the touchdown, Heath ran through contact at the break point and made a contested catch in the end zone. Most years, the roster battle at the end of the receiver depth chart is highly overrated in all 32 NFL cities. In Green Bay in 2024, it’s not. Heath, Bo Melton and Grant DuBose are all legit.

RB Emanuel Wilson

It’s possible Wilson was already close to lock status at running back given the injuries to A.J. Dillon (stinger) and MarShawn Lloyd (hamstring). More and more, Wilson is looking like a player who could handle a regular season role. He had several runs over 10 yards and even produced a 20-yard catch. His blocking is better and better, both in terms of identification of blitzers and execution. Come Week 1, Wilson could be the No. 2 behind Josh Jacobs against the Eagles.

LB Kristian Welch

While he dropped what should have been an interception on a wacky play in the first half, Welch made up for it in the second half when he baited the quarterback into a bad throw down the field and — despite a bobble — finished the interception. He also had an impressive special teams stop. The former Raven created three turnovers during the postseason, consistently tackled well and was all over the core special teams groupings. There’s an increasingly good chance the Wisconsin native sticks on the 53 as the sixth linebacker.

K Greg Joseph

The veteran kicker made both of his field goals, including a picture-perfect 55-yarder, and also connected on his lone extra point attempt, creating a 3-for-3 day. Meanwhile, Anders Carlson missed a chip shot from 32 yards out. Joseph had a rough week and a half at training camp, including a miss last week in Denver, but it’s possible this final appearance will give him the edge on the initial 53-man roster.

CB Kalen King

Last week, King missed a tackle on a tight end on 3rd-and-17 and allowed a conversion. This week, King made amends. On the first drive of the second half, the rookie cornerback delivered a crunching hit in the flat on Ravens tight end Riley Sharp, creating a fumble that was recovered by Christian Young for a turnover. In the first half, King made a nice read-and-react play on an underneath throw on third-and-long and created a stop. His five tackles led the defensive backs. The tape will have to determine if King was in the wrong on Tylan Wallace’s 48-yard touchdown catch. Robert Rochell’s hip injury might clear a path for King to the roster.

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By PACKERSWIRE

By Zach Kruse

The best and worst players from last night’s preseason game against the Broncos

A complete lack of production and efficiency from the Green Bay Packers offense combined with the early success of Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos starting offense helped created a lopsided 27-2 win for the Broncos over the visiting Packers in Sunday night’s preseason clash at EmPower Field in Denver.

Based on grades from Pro Football Focus, here are the best and worst players from the Packers’ preseason loss to the Broncos:

Top 5 offense

1. OT Luke Tenuta: 69.6
2. WR Malik Heath: 69.3
3. WR Samori Toure: 64.5
4. OT Caleb Jones: 64.2
5. OT Travis Glover: 64.0

Tenuta didn’t allow a pressure over nine pass-blocking snaps at right guard and ended up as the offense’s highest-graded run blocker. Heath caught three of his six targets for 22 yards on 18 routes run. Toure caught two passes on two targets for 17 yards. Jones didn’t allow a pressure over nine pass-blocking snaps at right tackle. Glover allowed two pressures over 26 pass-blocking snaps and 48 total snaps at right tackle.

Top 5 defense

1. S Benny Sapp III: 85.5
2. LB Kristian Welch: 75.1
3. DL Colby Wooden: 72.8
4. DL Jonathan Ford: 72.6
5. DE Arron Mosby: 71.4

Sapp delivered a run stop and a pass breakup over 14 snaps. Welch had three stops vs. the run, allowed only one catch in coverage and caught an interception. Wooden had two hurries as a pass-rusher and two runs stops. Ford didn’t record a hurry or stop but looked explosive over 34 snaps at nose tackle. Mosby had a hurry creating an interception and drew a penalty.

Bottom 5 offense

1. TE Tyler Davis: 33.9
2. QB Sean Clifford: 35.5
3. WR Grant DuBose: 38.4
4. TE Joel Wilson: 48.7
5. QB Michael Pratt: 53.2

Davis had a nightmare night as a run -blocker. We counted five missed or failed blocks on 10 run-blocking snaps. Clifford fumbled a snap, threw an interception and managed only six completions across four drives. DuBose was credited with two drops, although one was a tough throw behind him on fourth down. Wilson caught just one pass for four yards on 19 routes run. Pratt lost a fumble and averaged only 3.3 yards per attempt. His average depth of target was 5.3 yards.

Bottom 5 defense

1. CB LJ Davis: 28.8
2. LB Ralen Goforth: 32.9
3. DL Zach Morton: 47.0
4. CB Kalen King: 47.2
5. LB Christian Young: 51.0

Davis gave up a catch for 22 yards. Goforth missed a tackle on a touchdown run and was penalized 15 yards. Morton had the sack-safety, but he also missed a tackle and earned a poor run defense grade. King missed two tackles, including one resulting in a first down on 3rd-and-17, and allowed three catches on three targets for 40 yards and a touchdown. Young allowed a touchdown pass while trying to undercut a block attempt on the Broncos’ final score.

Special teams

Grant DuBose had a tackle covering a punt. Greg Joseph missed the only kick attempt, a 47-yard field goal. Daniel Whelan averaged 54.8 yards per punt and 43.3 net, with two punts inside the 20-yard line. His hangtime average was 4.99 seconds.

Quarterback play

Michael Pratt: 53.2
Sean Clifford: 35.5

Both Pratt and Clifford had a turnover, and they combined to average 3.7 yards per attempt and 5.9 yards per completion. Neither Pratt nor Clifford completed a pass thrown over 10 yards in the air (0-for-5). Rough night for the backup quarterback competition.

Stat to know

Brenton Cox Jr. led all players with five pressures, including a sack, while rookie linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper had a team-high four defensive stops, including three against the run.

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By PACKERSWIRE

By Brandon Carwile

6 standouts from Packers’ preseason opener vs. Browns

Not that the final score really matters, but the Green Bay Packers came out hot in Saturday’s preseason opener and defeated the Cleveland Browns 23-10.

Green Bay’s starters got out to a quick lead, providing the backups with favorable conditions to coast to a victory. Then again, the preseason is less about who won and more about using these games to build the best possible roster, which Saturday’s game film will certainly help with.

The Packers saw a handful of players distinguish themselves during the exhibition, including some looking to take the next step in their second NFL season and some vying for playing time or a roster spot in a competitive position group.

Whatever their circumstance, here are the standouts from Green Bay’s first preseason outing.

QB Jordan Love

It was a short but efficient day for Love, who needed only three snaps to throw a touchdown. Facing a 3rd-and-4 on the opening drive, Love dropped a beautiful deep ball into the hands of Dontayvion Wicks for a 65-yard touchdown. That was all from the starting quarterback, who completed both passing attempts for 63 yards and a touchdown for a 158.3 passer rating. Only expected to play a series or two, Love’s fast start allowed the team to get a longer look at backups Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt.

WR Dontayvion Wicks

The second-year receiver out of Virginia was on the other end of Love’s touchdown, beating safety Ronnie Hickman on the third play of the game. Wicks was lined up in the slot and used his speed to get behind Hickman. As a rookie, Wicks showed flashes early on and eventually became a key contributor in the passing game. It looks like he is ready to pick up where he left off while fighting for targets in a crowded receiver room.

DE Lukas Van Ness

With some help from a Devonte Wyatt pressure, Van Ness sacked quarterback Jameis Winston for a seven-yard loss to put Cleveland into a long down and distance on their first series. The Browns were forced to attempt a long field goal, a 55-yarder that was made with plenty of distance by Cade York. To continue his disruption as a pass rusher, Van Ness would later get his hands on Tyler Huntley to help Colby Wooden with a sack. The 2023 first-round pick also made a couple of nice plays as a run defender, recording two stops in the backfield. Even though Van Ness is the third option behind Rashan Gary and Preston Smith, he will be a big part of the defensive line rotation.

WR Grant DuBose

After a back injury sidelined him for the offseason program and most of training camp, DuBose could not make up enough ground to secure a spot on the Packers’ initial 53-man roster last season. However, a healthy and motivated Dubose made the most of his opportunities in Cleveland to begin his 2024 roster campaign. He finished with five receptions totaling 65 yards, including a nice toe-dragging grab to pick up 23 yards and help set up a last-second field goal before halftime. Receiver is already a deep position for the Packers, but DuBose is out to prove that he shouldn’t be overlooked.

S Evan Williams

Every day, it seems as though the rookie safety is making plays out on the practice field. Well, now he is doing it in-game. Williams carried his momentum from training camp, forcing a fumble early in the second half of his first preseason game. He knocked the ball away from running back John Kelly Jr, leading to a recovery from linebacker Kristian Welch. The turnover-causing play set up a 35-yard field goal for Green Bay kicker Greg Joseph to go up 17-3. In addition to the forced fumble, Williams led the team with six solo tackles. Williams will have no problems getting onto the field during the regular season if he continues to have this kind of impact.

RB Emanuel Wilson

Wilson came out of nowhere last August when he recorded a league-high 174 rushing yards in two preseason games. Well, the former undrafted free agent is off to another strong start after logging 13 attempts for 67 yards (5.2 avg) and a touchdown against the Browns. Even though Wilson led all runners in Saturday’s game, he still has a lot to overcome to carve out a role in Green Bay’s backfield. Wilson is competing for snaps with Josh Jacobs, AJ Dillon, and Marshawn Lloyd, the newly arrived third-round pick. Wilson managed to defeat the odds last season to make the team, but it will be a much taller task this time around. Even if it’s not with the Packers, Wilson can point to these kinds of performances to show he belongs on an NFL roster.

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By SBNATION

By Paul Noonan

The Case for Number One: Bo Melton

Bo Melton? (Checks notes.) Yes, Bo Melton.

The Green Bay Packers absolutely knocked it out of the park drafting and acquiring pass-catchers over the last two seasons, and as a result, they are now blessed with one of the deepest receiver rooms in football. While most teams have a clear number one receiver (Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, DJ Moore, etc.), the Packers really don’t. For many teams, that would be a problem, more indicative of a lack of talent than anything. For the Packers, their cup runneth over, and almost any member of the receiving corps and even the tight ends could very well develop into a true number one. Maybe all of them will, who knows!

Today we cover the longshot of the group, but once you dig in, you might be surprised at what you find. Let’s talk about Bo Melton.

2023 Stats: 24 Targets, 16 Catches, 218 Yards, 13.6 Y/R, 1 TD

You might think it’s insane to even bother with Bo Melton in this context. While it may be unclear who the Packers’ number one receiver is, what is pretty clear is that Melton is fifth. That said, don’t sleep on Bo, because the only real difference between the case for Wicks and the case of Melton is sample size, and in a few key areas, Melton may even have the advantage.

But first, let’s dispense with the obvious small sample size negatives. Whatever brilliant, advanced stats follow, the fact is that including playoffs, Bo Melton was only targeted 27 times in 2023, with all 27 targets coming after Week 9. Melton did not have to contend with any first-half Jordan Love struggles, and so the stats he did produce don’t carry any of the drag that we see with Romeo Doubs, for instance. Anyone can have a a solid five games just based on luck, and so we have to be cautious here as it’s true that we’ve barely seen Melton at all.

And if Melton were a potential number one, wouldn’t he have gotten more run? Wouldn’t he have, in fact, dominated more in college, playing at lowly Rutgers, and not fallen to the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft? Good question! Here’s where things get complicated.

Melton’s Doomed College Career

If you just look at Melton’s college stats, covering his five years at Rutgers, there’s nothing particularly special about them, but as is the case with all college stats, context is key. Here, I think exploring a lesson from Melton’s teammate Jayden Reed will be illuminating.

One of the big selling points with Jayden Reed (and probably with Keon Coleman as well) is that their Michigan State quarterback Payton Thorne was horrible. Reed’s college production was good, but it probably would have been even more impressive at a school with a better quarterback, and the only reason Reed wound up with Payton Thorne is because they were buddies, having played on the same high school team.

Out of high school, Reed attended Western Michigan but he quickly transferred to Michigan State to be with Thorne. Reed was good, especially in 2021 when he averaged 17.4 yards per catch and gained over 1000 yards, but as a senior both of those numbers tanked to 636 total yards and 11.6 yards per catch. Reed went in the second round, and he’s obviously very talented, but scouts had to parse that 600-yard senior season to see through the noise. Ultimately it worked out for him, but playing with a quarterback of Thorne’s quality was a risk for a receiver.

Melton was a four star recruit with offers from Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, and several other major programs, but he wound up at Rutgers largely because he grew up in Mays Landing, New Jersey, and his father Gary and mother Vicky played football and basketball there, respectively. And so, familiarity led Melton to commit to what can only be described as an atrocious football program — one of the worst of its era. How bad?

As a true sophomore Melton actually made a significant dent in the starting lineup, finishing second on the team in receptions with 28 to Raheem Blackshear’s 44. I should mention at this point in the story that Blackshear is a running back, and that this team also featured running back Isiah Pacheco, now of the Chiefs. Rutgers was coached by Chris Ash, who took over the program in 2016 and went 2-10 in his first season. In Bo’s sophomore campaign Rutgers somehow got worse, going 1-11 and averaging 12.5 points per game, dead last in D-1.

Despite having Pacheco and Melton, Rutgers could never establish any kind of offense largely because quarterback Artur Sitkowski was almost unfathomably bad. In his 11 games as the starter, Sitkowski completed just under 50% of his passes for 1158 yards, four touchdowns, and (drumroll please) eighteen interceptions. Eighteen.

The following season Sitkowski was mostly benched for Johnny Langan, who managed to break the 50% barrier (50.3%) while matching those four touchdowns and cutting the picks in half from eighteen to just nine. Melton led the team with 30 receptions for 427 yards and two scores. The next best receiver on the team, Isaiah Washington, recorded 18 catches for 272 yards and one score. Rutgers also improved to 2-10.

In the Covid year of 2020 Greg Schiano took over for Ash and Melton had his best season, catching a team-leading 47 passes for 638 yards and six touchdowns, with quarterback Noah Vedral throwing more TDs (9) than picks (8) in a big step forward for the program. The Covid year was all kinds of messed up and trusting any stats from that 9-game season is a dicey proposition, but I think it’s worth noting that Melton’s performance came against a schedule that featured Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, and a crazily ranked Indiana squad. Moreover, Rutgers actually put up 42 points on Michigan, 27 on OSU, 38 on MSU, and generally speaking didn’t embarrass themselves on offense. Had Rutgers played in 12 games instead of 9 that season, Melton likely would have had something like 63 catches for 851 yards and 8 scores, a yardage total that would have ranked about 17^th that year.

In 2021 Melton took a step back, missing two games, but still leading the team with 55 receptions for 618 yards and three scores. His quarterback was still the absolutely atrocious Noah Vedral, although five different players threw at least five passes for Rutgers that year. Their third-leading receiver was Johnny Langan with 18 catches for 177 yards. You may remember him as the guy who was throwing to Melton as a sophomore.

This is all a long way of saying that Melton, because of the comforts of home and family ties, committed to play for a complete disaster where success was impossible. Keep in mind that Isiah Pacheco was a part of the same disaster, fell to the seventh round, and now has a 4.7 Y/C average as a member of the Chiefs, over 2000 rushing yards, and two Super Bowl rings. If you were going to hide a potential top receiver where no one could find him, it may very well be as a part of Chris Ash’s Rutgers’ team, followed by two Covid seasons that were, under the surface, not too shabby at all. Now, back to the present.

The Here and Now

Like Pacheco, Melton fell to the seventh round. Unlike Pacheco, he did not catch on with his initial team, the Seattle Seahawks, but the Packers were interested enough to kick the tires and signed him off Seattle’s practice squad late in 2022. He then spent the 2023 offseason in Green Bay, starting the regular season on the Packers’ practice squad. Melton was activated for the Thanksgiving Day game against the Lions, playing exclusively on special teams, and a few weeks later, against Tampa, he found himself in the game, catching one ball for seven yards. (That catch picked up a first down. Reed would score three plays later).

The following week he would catch four of six targets for 44 yards against the Panthers. And then, on New Years’ Eve, he would have his breakout game, leading all Packer receivers with nine targets, six catches, 105 yards, and a 9-yard score. It was the first 100-yard receiving game of the year by any Packers player.

Melton took a bit of a back seat to the normal starters in the playoffs, but I can’t help wondering if that was a mistake. I’m not sure that Christian Watson was really all the way back against the 49ers, and even though Watson and Wicks out-snapped Melton, he outperformed both of them, catching his only target for one of Jordan Love’s two touchdown passes (the play after drawing a key 40-yard pass interference penalty on 3rd-and-long) and giving Green Bay a brief 13-7 lead.

The Melton sample is limited, but the results were great. His 18.42 DVOA was first on the team, and 13^th in the NFL just behind Justin Jefferson. DVOA’s counting stat cousin is DYAR, which credits efficient play AND volume, and while Melton’s 63 was lowest among the five receivers, it was within spitting distance of Romeo Doubs (70) and Christian Watson (81). Melton was second on the team to Jayden Reed in EPA per Target (.446 v. .508), led the team in Yards per Route Run (2.87, where anything approaching 3 is phenomenal), and had the team’s top PFF receiving grade (82.6, with Wicks second at 77.0). Melton was adept playing outside as well as in the slot, and his separation numbers rival Wicks’.

Moreover, Melton isn’t some Rudy-style try-hard without any physical gifts. The only receiver on the team with better tools is Christian Watson. Melton has the second highest RAS, the second fastest 40, and the second fastest 3-cone, all to Watson. Jayden Reed is incredibly fast for a slot receiver, ripping off a 4.45. But…

And this is not a rip on Reed, who was incredibly productive as a rookie and put that speed to good use! It’s just that Melton is something else.

Melton the Fifth

And so, Bo Melton enters camp as the fifth receiver, but goodness, they really may have something here. While it’s true that efficiency doesn’t always scale up with volume, Melton has a lot of slack to work with. 13 of his 16 catches went for first downs, his athletic ability is off-the-charts good, and unlike some small receivers, he can be effective outside where he played 66% of his snaps. This wouldn’t be the first time the Packers struck gold with a former seventh round pick. Donald Driver battled his way from virtual unknown to one of the most beloved players in franchise history. Don’t be too shocked if Melton manages to pull off something similar.