The Green Bay Packers got a big performance from Jordan Love and the passing game and a few timely takeaways forced by young players to cruise past the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
Right tackle Zach Tom was quietly dominant once again, while rookie safety Evan Williams continues to look like a legitimate playmaker.
Based on grades from Pro Football Focus, here are the best and worst players from the Packers’ Week 6 win over the Cardinals:
Top 5 offense
1. RT Zach Tom: 88.1
2. TE Ben Sims: 83.8
3. RB Josh Jacobs: 74.2
4. QB Jordan Love: 72.1
5. RB Emanuel Wilson: 72.0
Tom didn’t give up a pressure over 36 pass-blocking snaps and earned an elite run blocking grade. Sims was also elite as a run blocker, and he caught two passes for 38 yards, including a 28-yarder. Jacobs forced four missed tackles as a runner, had a 10-yard run and caught all three targets for 28 yards. Love was accurate (adjusted completion percentage of almost 76.0) and efficient, averaging 8.2 yards per attempt with four touchdown passes and zero turnover-worthy plays. Wilson forced three missed tackles, had two runs over 10 yards and had a 19-yard catch while once again handling pass pro snaps without issue.
Top 5 defense
1. S Evan Williams: 93.3
2. DL Karl Brooks: 93.0
3. DE Rashan Gary: 81.7
4. LB Edgerrin Cooper: 81.0
5. CB Jaire Alexander: 70.7
Williams forced a fumble, delivered a run stop on Kyler Murray on third down and allowed only one completion into his coverage, creating an elite grade. Brooks forced and recovered a fumble. Gary had three pressures, including a QB hit, and he earned the team’s top run defense grade. Cooper led the team with three stops, and he made six tackles without a miss. Alexander missed a tackle and was credited with giving up the lone touchdown pass, but he still earned an excellent coverage grade.
Bottom 5 offense
1. WR Malik Heath: 45.5
2. TE Tucker Kraft: 49.0
3. OL Jordan Morgan: 49.9
4. OL Elgton Jenkins: 52.1
5. LT Rasheed Walker: 53.0
Heath wasn’t targeted on five routes run, earned a below average grade on 12 run-blocking snaps and had a penalty. Kraft had only 13 receiving yards despite running 29 routes and was only OK as a blocker. Morgan gave up a pressure and was poor in the run game. Jenkins gave up a pressure and committed two penalties. Walker gave up four hurries and had a declined holding penalty.
Bottom 5 defense
1. DE Lukas Van Ness: 30.0
2. DL Kenny Clark: 44.0
3. DE Preston Smith: 44.2
4. LB Quay Walker: 49.2
5. LB Isaiah McDuffie: 51.3
Van Ness didn’t have a pressure over 17 pass-rushing snaps and struggled against the run. Clark had two pressures and a fumble recovery, but he missed two tackles and earned a low run defense grade. Smith had only one hurry and one assisted tackle over 30 snaps. Walker tackled well, but he was credited with giving up a team-high nine completions against his coverage. McDuffie missed three tackles and gave up two completions.
Special teams
Rookie Ty’Ron Hopper had two tackles and an assisted tackle. Edgerrin Cooper, Javon Bullard, Zayne Anderson and Bo Melton also had tackles covering kicks and punts. Anderson had a missed tackle and the lone penalty. Daniel Whelan’s lone punt went out of bounds at the 8-yard line. Brayden Narveson missed from 44 yards. Keisean Nixon had a 39-yard punt return setting up a touchdown, and a season-long 37-yard kickoff return.
Quarterback play
Jordan Love: 72.1
Love had a big-time throw (44-yard touchdown to Christian Watson) and zero turnover-worthy plays (interception negated by receiver slipping). He attempted only three passes over 20 yards, choosing instead to attack underneath and in intermediate areas. He was 4-of-5 passing for 81 yards and a score on passes between 10-19 yards in the air. Love completed seven passes for 112 yards and a touchdown off play-action. He was under pressure on only 11 of 36 dropbacks (30.6 percent). In addition to four touchdown passes, Love also had 13 completions gaining first downs.
Stat to know
Jordan Love wasn’t blitzed on 22 dropbacks. He completed 16 of 20 passes for 197 yards (9.9 per attempt) and three touchdown passes, and he twice scrambled for first downs. He earned an elite passing grade of 89.6 when not blitzed against the Cardinals’ shaky pass rush.