Tag: Luke Musgrave

One of the easiest — and most beautifully-designed — touchdowns of the Green Bay Packers’ 2023 season came Sunday night at AT&T Stadium. Quarterback Jordan Love connected with tight end Luke Musgrave — who had no defender within 15 yards of him — for what ended up being a 38-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter of the Packers’ 48-32 win over the Dallas Cowboys.

So, how did Musgrave get so incredibly wide open?

The Packers ran a clever version of “Y Leak,” a play gaining popularity in the LaFleur/Shanahan systems. The genius of the play call from Sunday is all the deception built into design.

Put simply, LaFleur combined two Bear-killers from Week 1 to dagger the Cowboys.

The Packers hit Y Leak in the season opener. Musgrave was wide open, made the catch but stumbled down before he could score at Soldier Field in Chicago. LaFleur dialed it up again Sunday but with some subtle but important changes.

First, here are the All-22 angles of the play:

The first deception: the run fake. The Packers were gashing the Cowboys on the ground. On the two previous plays, Aaron Jones ripped off runs of 10 yards and 27 yards, so the Cowboys brought a safety down into the box. The Packers countered by faking a split zone run with the offensive line crashing right and Tucker Kraft coming across the formation from the right to left to kick out the backside and simulate the look. The fake worked; all three of the Cowboys’ second level defenders take multiple steps downhill as if playing the run, and all three lose track of Musgrave almost immediately because of the threat of the run play to the right and the rollout to the left.

The next deception: The fake throwback pass. Another call back to Week 1. In Chicago, the Packers got an explosive gain out of Jones on a designed throwback pass off a run and rollout action. The Packers simulated that look here, with Jones peeling off to the right and looking back for the ball with blockers in front.

This is the point of perfection in the play design. Instead of one of the linebackers finding and trailing Musgrave, the lone defender to the playside of the field crashes downhill in an attempt to cover Jones on the throwback. The other two have eyes on Love’s rollout and are caught in no man’s land.

The play design also occupied the single-high safety. Bo Melton, the single receiver to the offense’s left, ran a deep corner. Christian Watson, aligned to the right, ran a deep crosser from right to left. The corner trailed Watson, and the single-high safety helped over the top on Melton.

Musgrave’s job was simple: Slow play his release from the line of scrimmage and then “leak” out to the backside of the play. The play is called “Y Leak” because Musgrave is lined up in the “Y” tight end position attached to the line of scrimmage.

By the time Love throws the football, there is not a single coverage player on Musgrave’s half of the field. In fact, both corners and the safety are on the opposite hash.

It was elementary from there. Love was able to fade away and throw the easiest pass of his life to Musgrave, who had over 15 yards of separation from his nearest defender when he made the catch at the 14-yard line. After composing himself at the catch point, Musgrave turned up field and rather easily scored.

Dagger. With the Cowboys on the ropes, LaFleur took his two best play designs from a Week 1 win over the Bears and combined them to throw the knockout punch. The Packers took a 41-16 lead on the easiest touchdown of the season and cruised into the NFC Divisional Round.

Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave put the dagger through the Dallas Cowboys by scoring his first career playoff touchdown during the second half of Sunday’s NFC Wild Card Round at AT&T Stadium. The rookie ran a leak route from left to right and was wide open for what ended up being a 38-yard touchdown that gave the Packers a 41-16 lead over the Cowboys in the third quarter.

Coach Matt LaFleur poked a little fun at Musgrave in the jubilant post-game locker room inside AT&T Stadium.

“Musgrave stayed on his feet!” LaFleur screamed as he raised both arms and the rest of the locker room exploded.

“MUSGRAVE STAYED ON HIS FEET!” 🤣 #IYKYK | #GoPackGo

Up next: #GBvsSF | Saturday, Jan. 20 at 7:15 CT | FOX pic.twitter.com/hTCjWG5fnV

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) January 15, 2024

Musgrave is big (6-6) and fast (4.61) but at times looks too big and too fast for his own body. Way back in Week 1, Musgrave ran the identical route and was wide open, but he stumbled down before he could reach the end zone. On several occasions this season, Musgrave has either tackled himself or stumbled down to end plays.

Not on Sunday in Dallas. Musgrave came to almost a complete stop, made the catch, advanced upfield and scored the touchdown.

Maybe the baby giraffe is starting to find his footing.

Musgrave was as open as it gets. Jordan Love faked a handoff, rolled slightly to the offense’s left, faked the throwback screen to Aaron Jones and found Musgrave — who “leaked” from the left to the right — all by himself down field:

Jordan Love found a wide open Luke Musgrave off of a play action bootleg for a 38-yard TD. Musgrave had 17.2 yards of separation, the 6th-most on a TD pass in the NGS era (since 2016).

🔹 Love on Play Action (Wild Card): 7/9, 165 yards, TD#GBvsDAL | #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/OtRqUO0W4F

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) January 15, 2024

The touchdown — a 38-yard score, the longest of Musgrave’s NFL career — prompted Packers play-by-play announcer Wayne Larrivee to unleash his signature “Dagger!” call late in the third quarter.

Here’s Larrivee’s call:

"Musgrave. End zone. TOUCHDOWN!"

Listen to the #Packers radio call of Luke Musgrave's TD in Sunday's NFC Wild Card win over the Cowboys. 📻

Up next: #GBvsSF | Saturday, Jan. 20 at 7:15 CT | FOX pic.twitter.com/4GrlaCb1Zr

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) January 16, 2024

Musgrave caught three passes for 52 yards and the score. Both of his other catches converted first downs. At Pro Football Focus, Musgrave was the team’s highest graded player on offense overall.

The Green Bay Packers activated tight end Luke Musgrave from injured reserve on Saturday, clearing the way for the rookie to take the field for first time since suffering a kidney injury on Nov. 19 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Packers face the Chicago Bears in the regular season finale on Sunday at Lambeau Field.

Musgrave and running back Emanuel Wilson were both activated from injured reserve. The corresponding roster moves were placing safety Rudy Ford on injured reserve and releasing cornerback David Long.

Musgrave, the team’s second-round pick, missed the last six games. His kidney injury required a hospital stay, and the team wasn’t certain he would be able to return to the field during the regular season. He practiced over the last two weeks and proved he was physically ready to return.

In the Packers’ first 10 games, Musgrave caught 33 passes for 341 yards and a touchdown.

He was heating up before the injury. In games against the Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Rams, Musgrave had nine catches for 143 yards and a score.

With Musgrave back, the Packers can lean more on two tight end sets featuring Musgrave and Tucker Kraft, who emerged as both a blocker and receiver over the last six weeks.

It’s unclear how many snaps Musgrave will play Sunday. He is likely to be eased back into action after a serious internal injury, so Kraft is still likely to take most of the snaps at tight end. Musgrave can add speed and a vertical threat up the seam in the passing game even if his snaps are limited.

In the first meeting with the Bears, Musgrave caught three passes for 50 yards, including a 37-yarder on a busted coverage that eventually set up a touchdown.

The Packers also elevated rookie receiver Grant DuBose from the practice squad for Week 18.

Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur believes it’s “realistic” for tight end Luke Musgrave to return from a kidney injury and play in Sunday’s season finale against the Chicago Bears, and Musgrave is cautiously optimistic in his potential to play.

“I want to play. Definitely want to play. But we’re going to take it day by day and see,” Musgrave said.

While now in his second week practicing with the team while designated to return from injured reserve, the rookie tight end said the plan all along was to take it day by day in his recovery from a serious injury to an internal organ.

“I feel better than yesterday,” Musgrave said Thursday.

Musgrave has been out since suffering the injury on Nov. 19 against the Los Angeles Chargers. He said he is still experiencing some pain and won’t play unless he’s cleared and it’s deemed safe for him to return.

The Packers listed Musgrave as limited in practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. They will practice again Friday before issuing a final injury report, and the team has until Saturday to activate him from injured reserve to the 53-man roster.

It’s possible the Packers will get back Musgrave, Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks for the showdown with the Bears. Watson has missed four straight games with a hamstring injury but has now practiced each of the last two days, while Wicks was upgraded to a full participant on Thursday after missing last week’s win in Minnesota with a chest injury.

In Musgrave’s absence, rookie Tucker Kraft has ascended. The third-round pick has 23 catches and a pair of touchdowns over the last six games, including four straight games with four or more catches. Even if Musgrave returns, Kraft will likely remain in a full-time role as Musgrave is eased back into action.

“You have to have realistic expectations,” LaFleur said of players returning from multi-week absences.

Green Bay Packers rookie tight end Luke Musgrave has been on IR the last four games, but he’s been staying involved on a week-to-week basis while sidelined.

“Luke, and like all these guys, our personnel guys did a great job, they love football,” said tight ends coach John Dunn on Wednesday. “I mean love football. For him, not to speak for him, you wouldn’t have it this way, but you do get to step back and maybe look at the game a little differently since you’re not playing. I do think for him, behind able to see it, watch it, study, seeing it through a different lens, but just talking to him. He’s a great kid.”

Musgrave sustained a lacerated kidney against the Los Angeles Chargers but played the final 16 snaps of the game on offense, speaking to his toughness, something Matt LaFleur has raved about on a few occasions. Along with landing Musgrave on IR for four games, that injury also landed him in the hospital following the Chargers game.

On Thursday, Musgrave was designated to return from IR, and at practice, although he did not go through drills with his fellow tight ends, he did work off to the side on his own, catching passes.

“It was great,” said Matt LaFleur about having Musgrave back on the field. “He was running and catching some balls with the trainers. He’s making progress.”

This return to the practice field opens up a three week window for the Packers to add him back to the 53-man roster. Given where we are in the week, Musgrave won’t be back for this week’s matchup with Carolina, making Week 17 against Minnesota being the soonest we could see him, but there is no guarantee that happens either.

Prior to this injury, Musgrave had caught 33 of his 44 targets for 341 yards with a touchdown, including a pair of chunk plays of 25 yards and 36 yards the two games prior. From Weeks 8 through 11, Musgrave ranked fourth among all tight ends averaging 15.9 yards per catch. He also has shown to be a very willing blocker.

Along with working his way back physically, staying engaged mentally has been an important aspect of the rehab process for Musgrave as well, and one that he hasn’t taken lightly.

“It goes back to the character,” added Dunn, “but you’ve got to stay involved in this game mentally as much as you can. There’s a lot of moving pieces that go into it. So whenever you relax mentally, sometimes that part takes a little bit to get back into like I forgot about this little tidbit or this. So you’ve got to stay involved.”

Following Thursday’s practice, LaFleur said he was “cautiously optimistic” that Musgrave could return before the season ends, but he doesn’t know when that could be either. If that time comes, the growth that Tucker Kraft has experienced over the last month coupled with Musgrave’s presence will give the Packers quite the one-two punch at the tight end position.

When the tight end position is as versatile as what the Packers have and has players that can make an impact in both the running and passing games like Musgrave and Kraft can, that really opens up the playbook for LaFleur as a play-caller, and can really stress opposing defenses.

With the growth that both these players have experienced, what the Packers are able to dial up schematically when Musgrave and Kraft are back on the field together is going to look different than what we saw earlier in the season.

“Luke played a lot of football and has seen a lot of different stuff,” said Dunn. “The awesome part and the cool part for me seeing it through their eyes is you learn something every time. There’s always a teaching moment, whether it be watching film, them doing it, being technique-wise.

”We talk about no plays are ever the same. It’s against a different person, a different situation in the game, whatever the case may be. So there is always something to learn. But credit to these guys. They are constantly learning, asking questions, and going about it the right way.”

One day after beginning the return from injured reserve process for both Emanuel Wilson and Luke Tenuta, the Green Bay Packers designated tight end Luke Musgrave for return from injured reserve.

Musgrave suffered a kidney injury during the Packers’ win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Nov. 19 and has missed the last four games. Designation for return opens up a three-week practice window for Musgrave, who isn’t officially back on the 53-man roster until he’s activated from injured reserve. He can now practice with the team and will be listed on the injury report.

Coach Matt LaFleur said Musgrave was itching to return to the field but the team was taking his recovery process from a serious internal injury day by day.

Musgrave, the 42nd overall pick in the 2023 draft, caught 33 passes for 341 yards and one touchdown in the Packers’ first 10 games. The rookie was on the field for 71 percent of the offense’s snaps over the first 10 games.

In Musgrave’s absence, third-round rookie tight end Tucker Kraft has enjoyed a breakout four-game stretch, catching 13 passes for 173 yards and two scores while playing 97 percent of the offense’s snaps.

The Packers face the Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears over the last three weeks. While unlikely to play this week in Carolina, Musgrave now has a legitimate chance to return for the final two games.