Tag: stars studs duds

Stars, studs and duds from Packers’ Week 12 win over 49ers

The stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 12 win over the 49ers.

Thanks to three takeaways creating 21 points and three touchdown runs from Josh Jacobs, the Green Bay Packers cruised past the short-handed San Francisco 49ers on Sunday at Lambeau Field.

The 49ers were without Brock Purdy, Trent Williams and Nick Bosa, but the Packers did what any contender should do at home against an undermanned, reeling opponent: dominate. Green Bay held leads of 17-0 and 24-7 and finished off the 28-point win with 14 straight points in the fourth quarter.

Here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 12 win over the 49ers:

Stars

RB Josh Jacobs: He scored three 1-yard touchdowns, broke 15 tackle attempts (per Next Gen Stats) and turned 26 carries into 106 hard-earned rushing yards. Time and time again, Jacobs made the first (and sometimes the second and third) defender miss and picked up extra yards. He helped solve some of the red-zone woes with tough running near the goal line. On one of his second-half touchdowns, Jacobs carried a defender or two into the end zone after getting first hit at the 2-yard line. He turned several potential negative plays into positive plays. Jacobs created runs of 10 yards and 18 yards on the opening series, setting the tone early. He finished with seven runs of seven or more yards, including three of 10 or more. No. 8 was a man on a mission against the Niners.

S Xavier McKinney: The former Giant made two hugely impactful plays to end any chance of a 49ers run in the second half. He blanketed Christian McCaffrey and broke up a fourth down pass in Packers territory to start the third quarter, and his interception — and 58-yard return — on the ensuing San Francisco drive set up a quick touchdown.

Studs

LB Quay Walker: A terrific performance from the 2022 first-rounder. Walker finished a third-down stop in the backfield after Rashan Gary’s strip-sack, had a tackle for loss on Christian McCaffrey to set up a punt and produced a pressure resulting in a throwaway on third down. He played fast and decisively against a team with weapons at the skill positions. Six of his tackles would have been considered “stops” if not for a couple of accepted penalties on others. This likely would have been a “star” performance had he held on to a gimmie interception in the first half.

TE Tucker Kraft: He made key blocks over and over in the run game, and his two catches — an 11-yard touchdown off a tight end screen, and a 15-yarder down to the 1-yard line — were key plays for the Packers in the red zone.

K Brandon McManus: The veteran got a chance to kick a long field goal in the cold at Lambeau Field, and he connected on a 51-yarder. McManus also hit all five extra points. There is a quieting and comforting confidence in the kicker position right now.

RB Emanuel Wilson: His nine rushes gained 41 yards. Wilson converted a 3rd-and-1 on the opening drive and had gains of nine yards and 18 yards on a scoring drive in the first half.

WR Romeo Doubs: He had a drop that nearly resulted in a turnover, but Doubs also converted 3rd-and-11 (29-yard catch), 3rd-and-5 (10-yard catch) and 3rd-and-10 (15-yard catch) on a touchdown drive, and he drew a pass interference penalty in the end zone on third down to set up another score. He left with a concussion in the third quarter but caught three passes for 54 yards.

Duds

WR Christian Watson: His uncontested drop of a sure-fire 49-yard touchdown pass was one of the only duds of the game. It’s a play Watson has to make 100 out of 100 times. He did help break up a turnover-worthy throw from Jordan Love.

Stars, studs and duds from Packers’ Week 11 win over Bears

The stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 11 win over the Bears.

The Green Bay Packers escaped Soldier Field with a 20-19 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday. A late touchdown drive engineered by Jordan Love and a dramatic special teams play as time expired allowed the Packers to improve to 7-3 and extend the winning streak over the Bears to 11 games.

Here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 11 win over the Bears:

Stars

DL Karl Brooks: His blocked field goal could be a season-altering play. With an 0-3 start in the NFC North a real possibility, Brooks beat a block and got just enough of Cairo Santos’ field goal attempt to avert disaster.

WR Christian Watson: He caught four passes for 150 yards despite running only 15 total routes. All four catches were impact plays. The first converted 3rd-and-11. The second — a 25-yarder — set up a touchdown. The third — contested 48-yarder between two defenders — got the Packers into the red zone. The fourth — a diving catch-and-run for 60 yards — set up the go-ahead, game-winning touchdown.

Studs

DE Rashan Gary: He led the team with five pressures and five stops. On the final drive, Gary went through left tackle Braxton Jones with power and corralled Caleb Williams for what really should have been the game-clinching play. On four different run plays, Gary was in on a tackle of a gain of two or fewer yards. More and more, Gary is relying on power to win. And more and more, he’s winning.

RB Josh Jacobs: His 21 touches created 134 yards, including a season-high 58 receiving yards. Jacobs had four plays of 10 or more yards, including two catches over 20 yards, and he scored a go-ahead 7-yard touchdown in the second half. The Packers found ways of getting him the ball in space in the passing game, and Jacobs responded with explosive plays. On the game’s first six plays, Jacobs rushed four times for 25 yards — setting the tone offensively. On the touchdown drive in the third quarter, Jacobs had 35 total yards, including an explosive play and the score.

QB Jordan Love: He extended his interception streak when he sailed a third-down throw to Tucker Kraft in the red zone, but that might have been one of his only negative plays of the afternoon. He hit five completions over 20 yards and was perfect passing against pressure, and he looked far more comfortable in the pocket and escaping to extend plays outside the pocket. The turnover was bad. The rest was really good.

Duds

LB Quay Walker: His pass breakup downfield was an impressive play, but Walker also failed to make stops on third or fourth down three different times, including one against Caleb Williams on fourth down and another on a Roshon Johnson’s 1-yard touchdown run on third down. He also took a terrible angle while trying to go under a block on D’Andre Swift’s touchdown run.

DL Kenny Clark: He played 48 snaps without recording a tackle against the run or a pressure as a pass-rusher. He’s been dealing with a toe injury all season, but it’s probably past time to start worrying about his lack of impact after signing a big deal this offseason.

S Xavier McKinney: He gave up three completions into his coverage, had a 15-yard penalty for a (questionable) late hit of bounds and missed two tackles, including one as the last-line defender on D’Andre Swift’s 39-yard touchdown run. This was McKinney’s worst game in a Packers uniform by a wide margin.

LB Edgerrin Cooper: The rookie gave up 43 yards after the catch into his coverage, twice failed to catch Caleb Williams on third-down scrambles and accomplished little as a pass-rusher despite six blitzing opportunities. He also missed a tackle, and got blocked by a receiver on Swift’s long touchdown.

DE Lukas Van Ness: In the first game of the post-Preston Smith era, Van Ness produced nothing more than one hurry and one missed tackle over 25 snaps. He was also flagged for offsides.

Stars, studs and duds at midway point of Packers 2024 season

The stars, studs and duds at the midway point of the Packers’ 2024 season.

The Green Bay Packers have a 6-3 record at the Week 10 bye. While NFL seasons are no longer an even 16 games, a bye week after nine games does provide something resembling the midway point.

If the season ended today, the Packers would finish third in the NFC North but also as the No. 7 seed in the NFC — meaning a playoff trip.

Who have been the best players for Matt LaFleur’s team? Who needs to step up?

Here are the stars, studs and duds from the first half of the Packers’ season:

Stars

WR Jayden Reed: Entering Week 10, Reed ranks sixth among all NFL wide receivers in receiving yards (620), 10th in yards per catch (17.2), fifth in yards after catch (286), sixth in yards per route run (2.63), sixth in contested catch percentage (77.8), first in rushing yards (110), third in catches of 20+ yards (12), first in catches of 40+ yards (5) and second in yards from the slot (462). He also leads the NFL in drops, per PFF, so Reed has left plenty of production on the field. In terms of playmaking ability, Reed has proven his star status as a second-year player.

S Xavier McKinney: The former Giant intercepted a pass in six of the first eight games, including five straight to start the season, and has seven total takeaways through nine games. He even delivered a drive-ending third-down sack and has three pressures on only six blitzes. McKinney has been everything the Packers thought he’d be and more, bringing reliability in coverage and as a tackler and game-changing ability to create takeaways and big plays to Jeff Hafley’s first-year defense.

RT Zach Tom: Now in his second year as a full-time starter, Tom has cemented himself as one of the NFL’s best right tackles. He’s allowed only one sack and 11 total pressures over 328 pass-blocking snaps, and his run-blocking grade at Pro Football Focus ranks third among all offensive tackles. He goes about his business as a blocker like David Bakhtiari: quiet, but dominant.

Studs

RB Josh Jacobs: The former Raider is third in rushing yards (762), second in yards after contact (590), fourth in missed tackles forced (33) and fourth in yards of 10+ yards (20), plus he caught his first career receiving touchdown. Jacobs is fifth in yards from scrimmage and fifth in total touches. While maybe not as dynamic as Aaron Jones, Jacobs has been a reliable workhorse. He has seven games with 90 or more total yards (including a current five-game streak) and five games with a rush of at least 25 yards (including a current three-game streak).

S Evan Williams: The rookie has done his best Xavier McKinney impression in terms of mixing big plays with valuable reliability. Williams intercepted a Hail Mary to end a win over the Colts, broke up a pass on fourth-down to secure a win over the Rams, forced a fumble and stuffed a two-point conversion in a win over the Cardinals and led the team with nine tackles against the Texans. The fourth-round pick has played only 231 snaps so far, but he ranks fourth among safeties in PFF grade.

LB Edgerrin Cooper: So. Much. Speed. The rookie often looks like he’s playing at a different speed than the other 21 players on the field. Cooper has 2.5 sacks, including a strip sack, and a fumble recovery. He’s been great playing downhill and hasn’t looked out of place in coverage. Despite being a part-time player, Cooper ranks fourth on the Packers defense in tackles and fifth in stops. Expect his playtime to increase and his impact to skyrocket. Cooper has legitimate star potential.

TE Tucker Kraft: He emerged as the clear-cut No. 1 tight end to start the regular season, and the first nine games showed why. Kraft is a dominant run blocker on the move and a nearly impossible player to tackle in the open field. His five receiving touchdowns rank second among tight ends. Kraft is averaging 9.6 yards per target, with most of the production coming after the catch. His 66-yard catch against the Rams and 67-yard catch against the Jaguars are two of the longest plays from the Packers offense this season.

QB Malik Willis: Acquired just days before the season opener, Willis has played the role of savior as the backup quarterback during the first half of 2024. The Packers won both of his starts early in the season, and Willis came off the bench to lead the Packers to a late win in Jacksonville. Matt LaFleur has protected him with the run, but Willis has been just fine as a passer, completing almost 75 percent of his passes, averaging 9.7 yards per attempt and avoiding any turnovers. His passer rating is 130.3, and he has rushed for 137 yards. It’s hard to imagine the Packers being 6-3 without some of the magic Willis has produced as the backup.

LB Eric Wilson: The veteran has a team-high seven tackles for loss, plus two sacks and an interception. He played two of the best games by a Packers linebacker this season in wins over the Colts and Texans. Wilson has also played a team-high 171 snaps on special teams.

P Daniel Whelan: His net average is 43.9 yards, which ranks sixth among punters and would set a new team record if it holds through the winter months in Green Bay. Sixteen of his punts have been downed inside the 20, and his 11 returned punts have resulted in only 77 return yards. His hangtime average of 4.65 seconds ranks second among punters. Whelan has consistently flipped the field for the Packers special teams.

S Zayne Anderson: Many wondered why the Packers kept Anderson over Anthony Johnson Jr. at safety. Well, Anderson has been terrific on special teams — logging a team-high seven total tackles. Only four players have more special teams tackles in the NFL so far this season. Anderson has a tackle covering a kick or punt in seven of the Packers’ nine games.

Duds

WR Dontayvion Wicks: The second-year receiver either has the most or second most drops in the NFL depending on which stat service you prefer. Among receivers with at least 30 targets, Wicks ranks dead last in catch percentage (37.2), and he’s one of only two receivers to have a catch percentage under 40 percent and a yards/target average under 5.0. He’s dropped easy catches and hard ones — per PFF, Wicks is 0-for-9 on contested catch opportunities this season. The Packers badly need to him to snap out of the funk and become a reliable weapon during the second half.

DE Lukas Van Ness: The Packers’ 2023 first-round pick has turned 141 pass-rushing snaps into just six total pressures. Van Ness actually has more missed tackles (3) and penalties (3) than total sacks and quarterback hits (2). His pass-rush win percentage is just 6.7, which ranks 103rd out of 126 qualifying edge rushers this season. Yikes. The Packers traded away Preston Smith, clearing the path for more snaps at defensive end. Can Van Ness start producing in the second half? The Packers’ pass-rush might depend on it.

DL Kenny Clark: Amazingly, Clark doesn’t have a sack and is at only two tackles for loss and two quarterback hits through nine games. He’s produced 16 pressures, but his lack of game-changing impact is glaring, especially for a player the Packers just signed to a big deal. Clark has been playing through a toe injury, so maybe he’ll come alive if the issue heals up during the bye. The Packers need him to start being a game-wrecker again.

CB Eric Stokes: The return from injury has been a rough one for Stokes, who has allowed 25 catches and a team-high 293 receiving yards into his coverage despite being a part-time player. Stokes has been so unreliable that the Packers have experimented with — and seem to prefer — using Keisean Nixon as the perimeter corner opposite Jaire Alexander. Two injury-wrecked seasons might have derailed his career. Stokes, a looming free agent, might be down to his last eight regular season games with the Packers over the second half of 2024.

LB Quay Walker: Will the light switch ever come on for the 2022 first-rounder? Walker is big and fast, but he rarely plays big against the run and he rarely showcases elite speed to create big plays. His best asset might be as a blitzer. Only 18 of Walker’s 64 total tackles have been considered a “stop,” and teams have gone after him consistently in coverage. It’s Year 3. It’s time to worry about Walker as a long-term part of the Packers defense.

K Brayden Narveson: He’s no longer in Green Bay, but for six games to start the season, Narveson was the worst kicker in football. The Packers preached patience but had no choice but to move on from the rookie. Through six weeks, Narveson missed an NFL-high five field goals, all inside 50 yards, including one under 40.

Stars, studs and duds from Packers’ Week 9 loss to Lions

The stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 9 loss to the Lions.

The Green Bay Packers were unable to overcome a disastrous pick-six and continued issues with penalties, drops and finishing red-zone trips into touchdowns during Sunday’s disappointing loss to the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field.

The 24-14 defeat — which featured the Lions scoring 24 straight points between the first and third quarters — dropped the Packers to 6-3 entering the bye week.

Here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 9 loss to the Lions:

Stars

WR Jayden Reed: He caught passes for 41 yards, 32 yards and 28 yards and finished with a game-high 113 receiving yards. Reed was also wide open and likely would have produced a big play if the blocking had been better on Jordan Love’s pick-six. Twice, Reed made contested catches, including the 28-yarder on 4th-and-5 in the fourth quarter.

Studs

RB Josh Jacobs: His 15 touches gained 105 total yards, although most of the production came in the first half. Jacobs battled through pain in his ankle and briefly left the game. He rushed for 35 yards on the opening drive, including runs of eight yards, nine yards and 11 yards. His biggest run came on a 37-yarder in the first half. Down three scores in the second half and with Jacobs hurting, the Packers gave him just three carries after halftime. A better game script and a healthier ankle might have led to a big day and much different end result. Jacobs now has five straight games with 90 or more total yards.

Duds

WR Dontayvion Wicks: The failures finishing catches continued. He dropped a third-down conversion on a perfect throw to start the second half, and his drop in the end zone in the fourth quarter ended up costing the Packers seven points. Wicks was targeted three times and didn’t have a catch. He’s having a nightmarish second season. Wicks is open a lot, but the Packers can’t trust him to finish plays. His catch percentage through nine games is 37.5.

Stars, studs and duds from Packers’ Week 8 win over Jaguars

The stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 8 win over the Jaguars.

The Green Bay Packers mostly dominated the first half before losing the lead and starting quarterback Jordan Love early in the second half, but an inspired effort from Josh Jacobs and Malik Willis helped Matt LaFleur’s team escape with a 30-27 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

The Packers are now 6-2 — including a perfect 4-0 record against the AFC South. Willis played a big role in three of the four wins against his former division.

Here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 8 win over the Jaguars:

Stars

RB Josh Jacobs: He created almost 100 yards after first contact, consistently broke tackles at the line of scrimmage or the second level and produced a 38-yard touchdown run after cutting back and forcing two misses in the open field. When the tide turned and Jordan Love went out, the Packers rode Jacobs, and he drove them back into the lead. The veteran back finished with 127 yards and two scores. He kept the Packers on schedule, had explosive runs and powered the offense once Malik Willis entered the game.

Studs

TE Tucker Kraft: He found space on an extended play, broke a tackle in the open field and raced for a 67-yard gain in the first half, setting up a score. In the fourth quarter, he caught his team-high fifth touchdown pass of the season on a well-designed play-action fake. All three of his catches gained a first down or produced a score. Productive as a receiver, Kraft was also excellent as a blocker. He continues to be terrific at finding second-level defenders as a blocker on the move. Also, watch back the 51-yard completion to Jayden Reed on the final drive — Kraft blocked Travon Walker on the edge.

QB Malik Willis: Leading a game-winning drive as a backup quarterback is an automatic “stud” placement. Willis not only hit Jayden Reed on a 51-yard pass off a “can” audible to set up the game-winning score, but he connected with Dontayvion Wicks for a third down conversion and scrambled 20 yards on the go-ahead scoring drive in the third quarter. He also hit Kraft on a touchdown pass, and he would have finished a perfect 5-for-5 passing had Romeo Doubs not dropped a pass.

LB Edgerrin Cooper: His strip-sack of Trevor Lawrence changed the game. The rookie beat the block attempt of the center and then swiped the ball out of Lawrence’s hands, creating a turnover. Later, Cooper showed off all-world athleticism by chasing down Christian Kirk down the seam and breaking up a pass — which would have been an explosive play — on third down.

Duds

DB Javon Bullard: Sunday showed why playing Bullard in the slot and at safety is a risky game. After practicing all week for a role in the slot, Bullard had to get moved mid-game to full-time safety, and he struggled. The rookie missed two tackles, including one on an explosive run from Tank Bigsby, and he gave up four catches for 63 yards, including a pair of catches and the touchdown pass to Brian Thomas Jr. on a go-ahead drive in the second half. The Packers have put a lot on Bullard’s plate, and it’s fair to wonder if a more specialized role makes more sense.

Stars, studs and duds from Packers’ Week 7 win over Texans

The stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 7 win over the Texans.

The Green Bay Packers didn’t play their best but still had enough to get past the Houston Texans on Sunday at Lambeau Field. In a game with seven lead changes, the Packers got a final drive from Jordan Love and a game-winning field goal from Brandon McManus to steal the 24-22 victory.

The Packers are now 5-2 after winning three straight games.

Here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 7 win over the Texans:

Stars

LB Eric Wilson: Quay Walker went down after only 13 snaps. In stepped Wilson, who delivered as many big plays in a game as any Packers defender this season. The veteran linebacker made two tackles of Joe Mixon behind the line of scrimmage, delivered two sacks of C.J. Stroud off blitzes on third down, broke up a pass intended for Dalton Schultz on third down and even chipped in a special teams tackle. In a couple of games this season — Sunday and Week 2 against the Colts — Wilson has been a game-changer for the Packers defense.

Studs

S Evan Williams: The rookie safety keeps flashing. He played all 64 defensive snaps against the Texans and led the team in total tackles with nine. The tackles weren’t empty of impact. On four different runs, Williams made a tackle at or inside four yards. He also stuffed the Texans’ two-point conversion attempt with a perfect open-field tackle on Joe Mixon.

WR Romeo Doubs: He continued to be productive post-suspension, catching eight of 10 targets for a team-high 94 yards. PFF credited him with making four contested catches, including a couple grabs on tough in-breaking routes in traffic. Doubs hauled in a pair of passes on the final drive, proving again Jordan Love’s trust in him in big spots.

DE Rashan Gary: The Packers’ top pass-rusher is starting to heat up. He produced a half-dozen pressures on Sunday, including a sack of Stroud and a pair of quarterback hits. Jeff Hafley moved him around the defensive front and he was productive, both on traditional rushes and stunts. Gary also had two run stops.

P Daniel Whelan: He boomed five punts, averaging almost 58 yards gross yards and over 51 net yards. During a three-punt stretch in the second half, Whelan hit three straight over 60 yards. Not only did he flip the field consistently, but his catch and hold on the poor snap saved the game-winning field goal.

K Brandon McManus: The veteran arrived in Green Bay on Wednesday and knocked home all four of his kicks on Sunday, including the game-winner from 45 yards following a poor snap.

QB Jordan Love: Leading a game-winning drive as a quarterback is, at minimum, an instant “stud” performance. Love threw two bad interceptions leading to points for the Texans, but he also threw three go-ahead touchdown passes, including incredible throws to Tucker Kraft (on third down in the red zone) and Dontayvion Wicks, and his game-winning drive to set up the field goal was surgical.

RB Josh Jacobs: He got only 12 carries, but three gained 10 or more yards — continuing his ability to create explosive runs. His long was a 27-yarder that set up his career first touchdown catch. On one run, Jacobs avoided a defender in the backfield and turned what should have been a 3-yard loss into a 4-yard gain. Great backs get explosive plays on well-blocked runs but also create gains on poorly-blocked runs. Jacobs does both.

Duds

WR Jayden Reed: A rare dud from Reed. He dropped one short pass that was nearly a backwards pass and a fumble. He couldn’t finish on a deep ball from Jordan Love that would have put the Packers in field goal territory late in the first half. And he fielded a punt at the 1-yard line and was stopped inside the five. Reed’s three touches on offense gained only 10 yards.

Stars, studs and duds from Packers’ Week 6 win over Cardinals

The stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 6 win over the Cardinals.

The Green Bay Packers improved to 4-2 with a convincing and comfortable win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at Lambeau Field. Matt LaFleur’s team jumped out to a 24-0 lead in the first half, absorbed a counter punch from the Cardinals and then finished the job with three takeaways and a productive run game down the stretch.

The Packers produced more first downs, total yards, passing yards, rushing yards and third down conversions while also winning the turnover battle.

Here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 6 win over the Cardinals:

Stars

QB Jordan Love: Without a truly unfortunate interception thrown when Bo Melton slipped down, Love’s passer rating would have been 132.8 — a better representation of how well he played. Love was excellent on third or fourth down, throwing three touchdown passes and producing seven total conversions. When not blitzed, Love sliced and diced the Cardinals, averaging almost 10 yards per attempt. Even against pressure, he found Romeo Doubs for a touchdown against a free runner. Love hit a layup deep shot to Christian Watson, and he consistently found the underneath or intermediate target. His throw to Watson on fourth down — a perfectly layered ball into the smallest of windows — was incredible. Love completed passes to nine different players, scrambled three times for positive gains and wasn’t sacked.

S Evan Williams: The rookie safety killed two drives with elite plays. In the first half, Williams took the quarterback on a zone read and made a terrific open-field tackle on Kyler Murray behind the line of scrimmage, forcing a punt. Later, his punch — perfectly timed and placed on the ball — forced a fumble with the Cardinals driving. Williams is mixing down-to-down reliability with impact plays.

Studs

RT Zach Tom: Another quietly dominant performance. Tom didn’t allow a pressure over 38 pass-blocking snaps, per PFF.

DE Rashan Gary: This might have been Gary’s best game of the season. He created three pressures, including one near-sack and a quarterback hit. Gary also had two stops against the run, and his pass-rushing discipline helped keep Kyler Murray in the pocket.

CB/PR Keisean Nixon: He was in on a run stuff on the Cardinals’ first play from scrimmage. He broke up a third down pass in the first half, forcing a punt. He returned a punt 39 yards, flipping the field and setting up a touchdown. He even returned two kicks. Nixon finished with 99 return yards, a season high.

RB Josh Jacobs: He produced an explosive run on the Packers’ first touchdown drive, consistently gained tough yards between the tackles, caught all three targets for 28 yards, forced five missed tackles and produced four total first downs. His 90 total yards were a team high.

DL Karl Brooks: His turnover was a fantastic individual play. Brooks read the screen, pursued the ball and stripped James Conner before recovering the fumble. Without Devonte Wyatt available, Brooks has consistently made big plays.

LB Edgerrin Cooper: The rookie linebacker stuffed Trey Benson after a 1-yard gain and made a tackle covering a kickoff. He flew around the field, showcasing speed and aggressiveness. The Packers want more consistency with his run fits but his talent can’t be kept off the field. Cooper played 38 snaps.

LB Ty’Ron Hopper: Over 15 special teams snaps, Hopper produced three tackles — two solo and one assisted — covering kickoffs.

Duds

K Brayden Narveson: Another miss. Narveson’s 44-yarder went wide right in the second half. The rookie has a miss in four of six games this season and leads the NFL with five total misses through six weeks. He did remain perfect on extra points.

Stars, studs and duds from Packers’ Week 5 win over Rams

The stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 5 win over the Rams.

The Green Bay Packers used two takeaways from Xavier McKinney and two touchdowns from Tucker Kraft to erase a 13-10 halftime deficit, and a late defensive stop — powered by impressive plays from a pair of rookies on fourth down — helped the Packers escape Los Angeles with a 24-19 win over the Rams on Sunday.

Jordan Love and the passing game were inconsistent early but eventually caught fire following a chaotic pick-six. Once again, the Packers offense feels close but still lacks consistency.

Here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 5 win over the Rams:

Stars

S Xavier McKinney: He recovered a fumble, creating a game-turning play, and he nearly picked off three passes. On the Rams’ first possession, McKinney diagnosed a deep crosser and met Tutu Atwell at the catch for a pass breakup on third down. Later, he ranged to his right and was in position to catch Matthew Stafford’s pressured overthrow, marking his fifth interception in five games. A drive later, he nearly had his second interception on a leaping attempt of a Stafford pass over the middle. He plays from multiple alignments, gives up nothing in coverage, tackles everything and continually finds the football. McKinney is enjoying an All-Pro start to 2024.

TE Tucker Kraft: His YAC ability has emerged as an elite trait within the Packers offense. He broke at least three tackle attempts on his two touchdown catches — one a 66-yarder in which he showed explosiveness in the open field, and a second on a screen pass in which he weaved through defenders and found the end zone. Later in the second half, he bounced off a tackle attempt after a short catch and converted a first down. Once again, Kraft was valuable as a blocker, especially on the move. He is quickly turning into one of the NFL’s best all-around tight ends.

Studs

RB Josh Jacobs: While it wasn’t a flashy performance, Jacobs’ 20-touch, 94-yard finish was nothing if not effective. He produced a pair of runs over 10 yards and had a 21-yard catch. On the Packers’ 96-yard scoring drive, Jacobs converted three first downs and then creatively bounced outside on his 2-yard touchdown run. Jacobs fought for tough yards between the tackles, and his presence helped create big plays in the run-action game. Of his 20 touches, seven gained a first down or a scored touchdown.

WR Jayden Reed: The third-down drop was a poor play, but Reed also set up three different scores with explosive plays: a touchdown after his 53-yard catch, a field goal after his 18-yard catch and a touchdown after his 11-yard run. He finished with 97 yards on six touches and it should have been more. Rare is the slot receiver who can make an over-the-shoulder catch running full speed 60 yards downfield with three defenders in the area.

LB Edgerrin Cooper: His quickness and closing speed as a blitzer — especially when the Packers bring him on delayed stunts — have been overwhelming. On a third-down sack, he stunted from the A-gap to the edge, came unblocked and lassoed down Matthew Stafford to end a drive. On the game’s decisive play, Cooper looped inside, had a free run and forced a hurried and inaccurate throw. The rookie was also in on a run stop and a tackle for loss, and he wasn’t picked on in coverage.

S Evan Williams: The rookie safety made two run stops, broke up two passes and provided blanket coverage on the decisive fourth down stop. He played fast but under control as a deep safety and aggressive and physical near the line of scrimmage. His coverage wasn’t always perfect, but he played Colby Parkinson tough on a few important targets over the middle. The Packers played him on every defensive snap, potentially signaling a full-time role for Williams moving forward.

DE Kingsley Enagbare: Every game needs a game-turning play, and Enagbare helped provide one. His punch out on Kyren Williams halted the Rams’ first drive of the second half in Packers territory and set up a touchdown drive. Enagbare also had a quarterback hit on Matthew Stafford.

DL Karl Brooks: Playing more snaps in place of Devonte Wyatt, Brooks made three huge plays as a pass-rusher. His pressure on Stafford helped force Xavier McKinney’s interception. He ended a drive with a third-down sack. And his second-down sack of Stafford helped kill the Rams’ final drive. Brooks led the team in pressures.

Duds

WR Dontayvion Wicks: To be fair to Wicks, Jordan Love missed him on two clean routes that should have been easy completions. But the second-year receiver also dropped another pass, and he failed on another contested catch in a big spot on third down late in the game. A false start backed the Packers up inside the 10-yard line before Love’s pick-six. The Packers really need Wicks and Love to start connecting, especially on the layups.

WR Malik Heath: He played 45 snaps, produced only 14 receiving yards on 21 routes run and committed two penalties, including a holding penalty on a run play and a false start on 1st-and-10. It’s possible he would have had a big play on an RPO slant during the Packers’ second to last possession, but the Rams knocked down the ball.

CB Eric Stokes: The Rams picked on Stokes at times. He allowed seven catches into his coverage, including a pair of first-down catches from Jordan Whittington and a touchdown pass to Demarcus Robinson.

Stars, studs and duds from Packers’ Week 4 loss to Vikings

The stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 4 loss to the Vikings.

The Green Bay Packers trailed 28-7 at halftime and were unable to complete the rally in the second half despite 22 fourth quarter points, losing 31-29 to the Minnesota Vikings in a key early season NFC North showdown at Lambeau Field on Sunday.

The Packers’ two-game win streak is no more. In starting 2-2, the Packers have sandwiched two important wins against the AFC South with a pair of disappointing defeats against NFC contenders.

Here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 4 loss to the Vikings:

Stars

WR Jayden Reed: His eight touches created 141 total yards and a touchdown. Reed got the Packers on the board with an impressive 15-yard score late in the first half, and he added three more explosive plays — a 24-yard catch, a 21-yard catch and a 42-yard catch. Five of his catches gained a first down or scored, and he also drew a pass interference penalty worth 20 yards. The Packers only gave him one rushing attempt, but his seven catches totaled 139 yards — a career-high. Reed is dynamic, tough and reliable.

Studs

RT Zach Tom: Another dominant performance. It’s been written in this space before, but Tom produces so many David Bakhtiari-like games now. He quietly wins his pass-blocking reps snap after snap, almost becoming a forgotten player during the course of a game. But he’s dominating, and it takes a PFF grade or a review of the tape to realize the quality of the performance. He allowed only two pressures on 58 pass-blocking snaps and was terrific getting people moved in the run game. His first four games have been All-Pro quality.

RG Sean Rhyan: In his second game as a full-time player at right guard, Rhyan looked more and more comfortable. He gave up only two pressures on 58 pass-blocking snaps, and his blocks in the run game helped spring a couple of big runs, including a 13-yarder on the first drive. Rhyan looks better moving laterally as a pass protector, and he’s been great as a pull blocker in the run game.

S Xavier McKinney: The former Giant picked off his fourth pass in as many games when he diagnosed a sail route to Aaron Jones and undercut Sam Darnold’s ill-advised throw in the red zone. It was a huge play and kept the Packers in it. McKinney also had a quarterback hurry on a blitz, didn’t miss a tackle attempt and wasn’t credited with giving up a completion in coverage.

P Daniel Whelan: His onside kick attempt wasn’t great, but Whelan did help the Packers get back into the game when his towering punt was misjudged and muffed, creating a turnover. Whelan also had a 46-yard punt put inside the 20-yard line, and a 60-yard punt from his own end zone. He averaged 60 yards per punt, with a long of 74. His hangtime average was over five seconds.

Duds

DE Rashan Gary: He rushed the passer 22 times and didn’t have a pressure. He also got fooled on Jordan Addison’s end around, which resulted in a touchdown. Gary did have three run stops, including a chase down of Sam Darnold and a pair of stops on Aaron Jones on a late fourth-quarter drive. But the Packers needed far more impact as a pass-rusher. His failures were reflective of the greater issues rushing the passer with four.

WR Romeo Doubs: He failed to secure a pair of contested catches, including one that would have been a 17-yard gain but was overturned on replay. While it wasn’t necessarily all his fault, Doubs did have an interception go off his hands in the first half. It was an unfortunate play, but Doubs’ release off the line messed with the spacing of the play, and then he failed to fix the mistake after Jordan Love’s pass went through Luke Musgrave’s hands. Just a tough rep. Late in the game, Doubs couldn’t hang onto another pass after getting hit.

K Brayden Narveson: Missing from 37 yards out is not acceptable for an NFL kicker. In fact, Narveson became the first and only NFL kicker to miss from under 40 yards on a field goal this season. He also missed from 49 yards out later in the first half, and Matt LaFleur eventually decided to go for it on 4th-and-10 from the 34-yard line with the score 28-0. One could argue Narveson’s kicking issues cost the Packers nine points.

CB Eric Stokes: He allowed five catches into his coverage, including a 31-yarder to Jalen Nailor and a 27-yarder to Justin Jefferson. He was also flagged for pass interference, extending a scoring drive.

CB Corey Ballentine: He got burned one-on-one on a double move from Jordan Addison, and his pursuit on Addison’s end around touchdown was questionable at best.

CB Keisean Nixon: His strip-sack was a pivotal play, but Nixon also gave up a touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson, missed a tackle and got flagged for holding in the end zone. Sam Darnold was 5-of-6 passing for 70 yards when targeting him in coverage.

Stars, studs and duds from Packers’ Week 3 win over Titans

The stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 3 win over the Titans.

The Green Bay Packers used another dominant performance along the line of scrimmage and a handful of big plays from a re-tooled offense to win a second consecutive game with Malik Willis under center. Sunday’s 30-14 road victory over the Tennessee Titans improved the Packers to 2-1 through three weeks.

Considering the Packers tallied eight sacks and three takeaways, it’s hardly surprising that a number of standout individual performances came from the defensive side of the football.

Here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 3 win over the Titans:

Stars

CB Jaire Alexander: His pick-six turned the game on its head late in the first quarter. With eyes on the quarterback, Alexander reacted in a flash, made the catch with arms extended and high-stepped into the end zone for six. He also helped shut down No. 1 receiver Calvin Ridley, who caught only one pass on three targets, and he made four tackles without a miss.

QB Malik Willis: Less than a month after the Titans traded him away for next to nothing, Willis returned to Tennessee and was nearly perfect in a devastating takedown of his former team. He scored a pair of touchdowns, led five scoring drives, produced 275 total yards, averaged 10.6 yards per attempt and 12.2 per rush. Three times in the first half, Willis hit receivers for big plays on third downs from the pocket. He also used his legs to both escape the pocket and hurt the Titans on read options. Willis set career highs for passing yards and rushing yards. His passer rating was over 120.0 for the second consecutive start.

DE Kingsley Enagbare: His strip-sack of Will Levis was an important play. With the Packers up 13 and the Titans driving, Enagbare cleanly beat the right tackle with an inside move and stripped Levis, creating a game-turning takeaway. On one fourth quarter drive, Enagbare stuffed Tony Pollard after a short gain and then combined with Edgerrin Cooper for a drive-ending sack on third down. He played only 22 snaps but almost single-handedly killed two Titans drives in the second half.

Studs

RB Emanuel Wilson: His 85 total yards were a career-high, and he scored his first NFL touchdown on a well-devised and executed screen pass. He created two explosive plays, made defenders miss between the tackles and was excellent in pass protection. On one snap in the first half, Wilson moved to his right across the formation and blocked the blitzing linebacker, allowing Willis to escape the pocket and scramble for a first down.

DL Devonte Wyatt: The 2022 first-round pick is becoming a consistent disruptive force. He had a run stuff of Tony Pollard on the first drive and a sack of Will Levis on the opening drive of the second half. Later, he teamed up with Enagbare on a run stop on first down and then sacked Levis on second down, helping ruin a drive. He finished with three pressures and three stops.

WR Christian Watson: He won a contested catch for 30 yards on a slot fade, converting 3rd-and-6 on the first drive and setting up a touchdown. Later, his speed on a deep over route provided a throwing window for a 37-yard completion on third-and-long, setting up a field goal. Big plays from Watson helped create 10 points. Like usual, he gave maximum effort as a blocker.

S Xavier McKinney: He made a tackle covering a kickoff, a run stop of Tony Pollard and the game-sealing interception ranging to his right from a single-high alignment. His consistency in doing a variety of things in coverage is a big reason why the Packers have been so disruptive on defense to start the 2024 season. Jeff Hafley uses him as a chess piece to clutter the look pre-snap.

Duds

DL Kenny Clark: The Packers need more from their recently paid interior defender. He accomplished little as a pass-rusher despite good matchups and once again had issues in the run game. It’s been a quiet, ineffective start to 2024 through three games for Clark.

LT Rasheed Walker: His penalty fest to start the 2024 season continued. On the final drive of the first half, Walker had a 10-yard holding penalty and 10-yard illegal hands to the face penalty. Thanks to big third-down plays from Malik Willis, the Packers overcame both infractions and kicked a short field goal. Walker was solid against Arden Key in the passing game, however.

TE Luke Musgrave: He lacks punch both inline and as a move blocker in the run game, especially when contrasted with what Tucker Kraft brings as a blocker. In terms of movement and physicality, he too often looks like a big receiver. The Packers must find better ways of unlocking his playmaking ability in the passing game — he has two catches on four targets for nine yards through three games.

LS Matt Orzech: He missed a tackle while covering a punt return, and his high snap contributed to a missed field goal, although the miss from Brayden Narveson was negated by a penalty.