The bye week is over, and the Green Bay Packers (6-3) will soon begin prepping for the Chicago Bears — who will host Matt LaFleur’s team at Soldier Field for a Week 11 showdown inside the NFC North.
Before we get into Bears week, let’s look back one last time at the Packers’ first half of the season. By overall grade at Pro Football Focus, the Packers only rank 22nd in the NFL. Disappointing grades in run-blocking, run-defending and special teams have brought down the Packers’ overall grade after nine games.
Who was good? Who needs to improve? Grades from PFF can help show the way.
Here are the best and worst players from the Packers’ first nine games of the 2024 season:
Top 5 offense
1. RB Josh Jacobs: 83.9
2. RT Zach Tom: 83.3
3. RB Emanuel Wilson: 80.0
4. QB Malik Willis: 77.4
5. WR Jayden Reed: 71.6
Jacobs ranks fifth in run grade (86.9), second in yards after contact (590_ and fifth in missed tackles forced (33) through nine weeks. Tom has allowed only one sack and 11 total pressures while ranking third among offensive tackles in run blocking grade (84.6). Wilson has forced 14 missed tackles and has six runs over 10 yards and three over 15 yards while providing solid work as a pass protector. Willis has completed almost 75 percent of passes while averaging 9.7 yards per attempt without throwing an interception and producing five runs of at least 10 yards. Reed is averaging 2.63 yards per route run (sixth among WRs), ranks second in yards from slot and leads all WRs in rushing yards.
Top 5 defense
1. S Xavier McKinney: 89.5
2. S Evan Williams: 87.4
3. LB Eric Wilson: 78.4
4. CB Jaire Alexander: 74.9
5. LB Edgerrin Cooper: 69.6
McKinney has six interceptions and seven total takeaways. He ranks second among safeties in coverage grade, and he’s missed only three tackles while producing three pressures as a blitzer. Williams has allowed only six completions into his coverage and has both a fumble forced and an interception. Wilson has two sacks, a forced fumble and an interception while producing high grades as a blitzer and in coverage. Alexander has allowed two touchdowns in coverage but also has two interceptions and a solid coverage grade overall. Cooper has five pressures, 13 stops, a strip-sack and a pass breakup over 238 snaps. The rookie has an elite 90.4 pass-rush grade.
Bottom 5 offense
1. TE Luke Musgrave: 47.0
2. WR Malik Heath: 48.7
3. C Josh Myers: 49.9
4. WR Dontayvion Wicks: 53.3
5. OL Jordan Morgan: 59.2
Musgrave ran 45 routes but produced only five catches for 22 yards before suffering an ankle injury. He also struggled as a blocker. Heath has run 32 routes but has just 26 receiving yards, and he hasn’t made an impact as a run blocker. Myers Wicks has dropped six passes and is 0-for-9 on contested catch opportunities, and he’s last among WRs in catch percentage and drop percentage. Morgan has the worst pass-blocking grade among Packers offensive linemen this season, and his run-blocking has only been so-so.
Bottom 5 defense
1. DL TJ Slaton: 42.7
2. DE Lukas Van Ness: 47.6
3. LB Quay Walker: 47.7
4. DL Kenny Clark: 50.7
5. CB Eric Stokes: 51.1
Slaton has only eight pressures (zero sacks) on 99 pass-rushing snaps, four missed tackles and a poor run defense grade (44.8). Van Ness has turned 141 pass-rushing snaps into only six pressures, and he has three penalties and three missed tackles. Walker has tackled well, but he’s given up a lot of production in coverage and hasn’t been effective against the run. Clark has 16 pressures but only two quarterback hits and zero sacks, and he’s missed three tackles. Stokes has allowed a team-high 293 receiving yards into his coverage over 225 coverage snaps this season.
Special teams
Eric Wilson leads the team with 171 special teams snaps. Zayne Anderson has a team-high seven tackles, while rookies Javon Bullard (three tackles, two assists), Edgerrin Cooper (three tackles) and Ty’Ron Hopper (three tackles, two assists) have all been top contributors. Bo Melton has a team-high three missed tackles. The Packers have been penalized 12 times and missed 12 tackles on special teams. Brayden Narveson and Brandon McManus have combined to make 18 of 24 field goals and all 22 extra points. Daniel Whelan ranks ninth in punting grade and sixth in net punting average. Keisean Nixon has returned only seven kickoffs with a long of 37. Jayden Reed currently ranks last in the NFL in punt return grade.
Quarterback play
Jordan Love: 71.3
Love has 10 “big time throws” and 10 “turnover worthy plays,” and his big-time throw percentage is down and his turnover-worthy play percentage is up compared to last season. His adjusted completion percentage (adjusted for drops, etc.) is 74.1 while his average depth of target remains high at 9.5 yards. He’s been hurt by 16 drops. Love has been great when kept clean or not blitzed, but he’s really struggled both under pressure and when blitzed. While dealing with knee and groin injuries, Love has scrambled only five times.
Malik Willis: 77.4
When kept clean this season, Willis has completed 27 of 35 passes for 335 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. Two of his three touchdown passes have come off play-action. He’s also 3-of-5 for 120 yards on throws over 20 yards in the air. Eight times, Willis has scrambled. He has forced five missed tackles and has 122 rushing yards after first contact.