Tag: stars studs duds

Stars, studs and duds from Packers’ Week 2 win over Colts

The stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 2 win over the Colts.

The Green Bay Packers evened their record at 1-1 after two games by accomplishing one of the more difficult tasks in pro football: winning a game with an inexperienced backup quarterback. Malik Willis started for Jordan Love and was protected by the plan but efficient overall, and the Packers used a dynamic rushing performance and disruptive defensive effort to create a 16-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Complementary football got the job done. Instead of starting 0-2, the Packers showed their mettle by rallying around Willis, who arrived in Green Bay just 19 days before starting on Sunday.

Here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 2 win over the Colts:

Stars

RB Josh Jacobs: His fumble near the goal line was a big-time mistake that prevented the Packers from taking a commanding 17-0 lead early, but it’s hard to ignore what Jacobs accomplished over his 31 other carries. On a hot, humid day, and with the Packers starting an inexperienced backup quarterback, Jacobs carried the load. He consistently forced missed tackles and created yards after contact against loaded boxes. Jacobs finished with four runs of 10 or more yards and two of 15 or more. Eight of his carries gained first downs. Quite unfortunately, he was twice denied a first Lambeau Leap — the first on a touchdown called back by penalty, and the second on the fumble as he was about to cross the goal line. More importantly, Jacobs ran hard and showcased his signature burst. He’s all the way back.

RB Eric Wilson: Over just eight defensive snaps, Wilson produced a forced fumble in pursuit, an assisted run stop on a 3rd-and-1 option play setting up a missed 50-yard field goal and an interception of Anthony Richardson as a hook defender with the Colts driving for points. Oh, and Wilson led the team with 17 special teams snaps.

Studs

TE Tucker Kraft: The second-year tight end caught two passes for 16 yards and had a big-play on a tight end screen negated via penalty. But once again, Kraft lands here because of his excellent work in the run game. He craves contact, and the tape makes it clear how much he loves hunting down second-level defenders as a move blocker. Time and time again, Matt LaFleur put him on the move to provide the key block for the Packers’ complex run game on Sunday, and Kraft delivered. One could count at least a half dozen key blocks from Kraft on successful run plays. He is a perfect tight end for this offense.

WR Romeo Doubs: He led the Packers in routes run, catches and receiving yards. On one third down, Doubs ran a crisp out-breaking route and was wide open for Malik Willis, creating an easy conversion. Later, he skied for Willis’ underthrown deep ball and made the contested catch for 39 yards on 3rd-and-5, moving the sticks again on a scoring drive. Doubs also delivered a block out in front of Dontayvion Wicks on the 14-yard touchdown in the first quarter.

QB Malik Willis: Matt LaFleur gave Willis a game ball in the victorious post-game locker room, and for good reason. Not only did Willis get the Packers in and out of the huddle without issue, but he operated a complex run game and made a handful of big plays on third down without putting the ball in danger. Willis completed 12 of 14 passes, didn’t take a sack and converted six third downs with completions or scrambles. This was close to a perfect performance from an inexperienced quarterback with less than three weeks in the scheme.

WR Dontayvion Wicks: He beat Kenny Moore, a terrific slot corner, for a 14-yard touchdown in the first half, and his out-reached catch of another throw from Malik Willis converted a third down in the second half. Wicks ran only nine routes but saw four targets because he’s so consistently open and reliable.

DL Devonte Wyatt: He stuffed Jonathan Taylor for a loss, sacked Anthony Richardson with a shoestring tackle to help end a drive and finished the game with a team-high four pressures. Wyatt’s interior pressure across 19 pass-rushing snaps was a big reason why Richardson never looked completely comfortable in the pocket.

P Daniel Whelan: Three punts, three inside the 20-yard line. Whelan pinned the Colts at the 8-yard line on his first punt, flipped the field with a 59-yarder inside the 20-yard line on his second punt and then made sure the Colts had the entire length of the field to traverse with a punt that pinned Indianapolis at the 5-yard line before the final drive in the fourth quarter. Whelan has now placed four of his first five punts inside the 20-yard line this season.

LG Elgton Jenkins: He’s looking like pre-ACL injury Elgton Jenkins. The Packers left guard pitched another shutout in pass pro and was excellent in the run game.

Duds

LB Quay Walker: One positive first — Walker’s pressure as a blitzer on Anthony Richardson helped created Xavier McKinney’s interception in the first half. But it was a rough performance overall from Walker. He misplayed a few gaps in the run game, creating chunk gains, and he also missed two tackles and dropped what would have been a game-sealing interception. Even in Year 3, Walker’s sideline to sideline speed hasn’t been impactful. The down to down consistency appears to be lacking.

DE Kingsley Enagbare: He played 31 snaps but accomplished little, especially as a pass-rusher. Zero pressures. One tackle. It’s fair to wonder if Enagbare’s knee injury from January is hindering him in some way to start the season. He’s been on the field for 38 pass-rushing snaps and doesn’t have a pressure. Late in the game Sunday, Quentin Nelson put him on the ground with a block during an Anthony Richardson scramble drill.

Stars, studs and duds from Packers’ Week 1 loss to Eagles

The stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 1 loss to the Eagles.

The Green Bay Packers were dealt a season-opening loss and a multiple-week injury to quarterback Jordan Love during a 34-29 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1 of the 2024 season.

The defeat, while disappointing, wasn’t at all damning. The Packers had multiple opportunities to take hold of the game or win it late, and missed opportunities are almost always costly. A few stars wearing green and gold shined under the bright lights in Brazil, but an underwhelming performance in the red zone and from Jeff Hafley’s defense ended the international business trip with a loss.

The injury to Love could be tricky to navigate. Matt LaFleur’s team is now in an 0-1 hole and facing the prospect of playing three or more games without Love under center. At least this team knows how to dig out of an early-season hole.

Here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 1 loss to the Eagles:

Stars

WR Jayden Reed: The opener was a magnificent assemblage of playmaking music orchestrated by Reed, who turned only five touches into 171 total yards and a pair of breathtaking scores. His rare combination of burst, vision, creativity with the ball in his hands, long speed and toughness make him special in multiple ways. On his 33-yard touchdown run, Reed burst through the hole and made a tackler miss in the open field. On his 70-yard touchdown catch, Reed ran away from the coverage on a deep over route and then juked the last man. In the second half, he made a running catch moving right to left and then immediately absorbed a big hit. On the final drive, his spinning catch along the sideline gave the Packers hope late and will likely go down as one of the finest catches made by a Packers player in 2024. If he can avoid nagging injuries, Reed could have a special second season.

RT Zach Tom: Against a deep and talented defensive line, Tom nearly pitched a shutout in the passing game, and he was dominant in the run game. The only pressure Tom allowed all night was when he was asked to reach block Jalen Carter — a tough assignment for any lineman. Bryce Huff, the Eagles’ prize free agent addition, accomplished next to nothing as a pass-rusher against Tom.

Studs

RB Emanuel Wilson: His four carries created 46 yards, including runs of 14 and 18 yards. He has good feet and burst for a 226-pounder. The second-year back also made a tough catch in traffic for a first down, and his lead block on Reed’s touchdown run helped spring the big play. The Packers can take their time with MarShawn Lloyd because Wilson looked more than ready to be RB2 in the opener.

S Xavier McKinney: On the first series alone, McKinney showed his playmaking ability. On second down, he ranged to his right and helped disrupt a sideline throw. A play later, he ranged to his left to intercept Jalen Hurts’ throw up the seam. As a last line defender, McKinney made a couple of sure tackles in the open field. “X” came as advertised.

TE Tucker Kraft: The Packers would probably like more impact from Kraft’s 30 routes run in the passing game, but he did have a catch-and-run for 29 yards to help set up a touchdown. He’s in “studs” because of his work as a run blocker. Both inline and on the move, Kraft got the job done. He’s a physical player who seeks out contact and doesn’t shy away from hunting defensive ends and linebackers as a blocker in the Packers run scheme.

LB Edgerrin Cooper: The speed and playmaking ability jumped off the screen across only 11 defensive snaps played. On a second-down run in the second half, Cooper made a sure and physical tackle on Saquon Barkley after a 2-yard gain. On the first play of the fourth quarter, he came on the blitz, batted down a quick throw to the flat and likely prevented a big play to A.J. Brown. The rookie also made an impact special teams play, producing a tackle inside the 20-yard line while covering a kickoff in the first quarter. Expect to see more of No. 56 moving forward.

LG Elgton Jenkins: He didn’t allow a single pressure across 43 pass-blocking snaps, and he was a people mover in the run game. Showcasing his versatility again, Jenkins moved inside to center for the final two snaps of the game after Josh Myers went out with cramping.

Duds

 (Photo by Pedro Vilela/Getty Images)

CB Jaire Alexander: The interception was a huge play, no doubt about it. Alexander came off coverage and made an instinctual play as Jalen Hurts was navigating the scramble drill. But Alexander still had a tough opener. A.J. Brown beat him for four catches. On the first, Brown won inside on a slant. Later, Alexander was playing 10 yards off the ball when Brown ran a quick out, made the catch and circled around Alexander’s tackle attempt for 20 yards on 3rd-and-8. He also beat Alexander on a deep dig for 13 yards. The killer play was the 67-yard bomb. Brown beat lazy coverage and out-ran Alexander for six.

LB Isaiah McDuffie: The -year linebacker missed a pair of tackles, gave up a touchdown pass to Saquon Barkley and committed a penalty on special teams. While he plays hard on every down, it’s fair to wonder if the Packers can have a plus run defense with McDuffie playing close to 100 percent of the defense’s snaps.

LT Rasheed Walker: Committing three penalties in a game is a sure-fire way to land in “duds.” Walker was flagged for holding on the third play following Xavier McKinney’s interception, helping force the Packers to settle for a field goal. Later, he false started on a field goal. Finally, Walker’s second holding penalty turned 2nd-and-1 into 2nd-and-11, and Love was intercepted on the next play. As a pass protector, Walker gave up a team-high four pressures.

WR Dontayvion Wicks: He dropped his first target in traffic. On his second target, Wicks slipped coming out of his break and couldn’t recover in time to make the catch even though he was wide open — a tough result given the field conditions. Later, Jordan Love’s sideline throw drifted inside and Wicks couldn’t make the catch through contact. He ran 16 routes but didn’t have a catch.

TE Luke Musgrave: He played only 17 snaps and was surprisingly relegated to TE2 in the opener. At this point, Tucker Kraft is just far superior as a do-it-all tight end. Musgrave was targeted twice and didn’t have a catch, and it’s possible the coaches will put some — if not all — of the blame on Musgrave for Jordan Love’s interception. He drifted and didn’t attack the ball in the air. In the run game, the gap between Musgrave and Kraft as blockers is gigantic.

Stars, studs and duds from Packers’ preseason loss to Broncos

From Kristian Welch to Kalen King, here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ loss to the Broncos in the preseason.

The Green Bay Packers will need to regroup and move on after a disappointing couple of days battling the Broncos in Denver. Struggles for the first-team offense and defense spilled into Sunday’s preseason game, where the Packers backups got mostly dominated by the Broncos in a 27-2 defeat at EmPower Field at Mile High.

The bright spots were few. In an overall discouraging effort, the evaluation revealed more of a collective failure than a plateful of individual disasters.

Here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ preseason loss to the Broncos:

Stars

LB Kristian Welch: The Wisconsin native played with an urgency that was lacking amongst the reserves. On one run snap, he took on the tight end in the hole, flattened the block attempt and made the tackle on the running back. Later, he identified the run, ranged to his right and made the tackle after a short gain. According to PFF, his average depth of tackle on three runs stops was 1.3 yards. His interception — on a jump ball after a tipped pass — was the lone takeaway. A core special teamer, Welch also played 13 snaps for the third phase.

Studs

DE Brenton Cox Jr.: The pass-rushing talent continues to flash. On his sack, Cox Jr. won the hand battle at the point of attack and beat the right tackle around the corner. Later, he beat a double team with a spin inside, creating a pressure and hurried throw. Cox needs to develop against the run, but his ability as a pass-rusher — he now has eight pressures in two preseason games — should ensure he sticks on the 53.

WR Malik Heath: What could have been. On the first series, Heath was open deep and Sean Clifford missed him by inches. A completion would have resulted in either 1st-and-goal inside the 5-yard line or a walk-in touchdown. Think of the narrative had the Packers’ backups opened the game with a touchdown drive against the Broncos starting defense. Michael Pratt also missed Heath deep in the second half. Alas, Heath finished with three catches for 22 yards, including a conversion on third down.

RB Emanuel Wilson: The second-year running back produced the offense’s two biggest plays — a 15-yard run in the second half and an 11-yard catch on a third-down screen. In between, Wilson produced a handful of impressive pass pro reps, including two where he identified the blitzer and got him blocked. PFF credited Wilson with breaking four tackles, and he gained 43 yards after contact. His one catch was an impressive grab on a lobbed pass in the screen game.

Duds

CB Kalen King: The seventh-round pick missed tackles and got beat in coverage. On 3rd-and-17, King missed a tackle on tight end Greg Dulcich, creating a conversion. Later, he got lost in traffic covering Tim Patrick near the goal line and gave up an easy touchdown. In the second half, he got beat from the slot on an in-breaking route and then missed the tackle, allowing the Broncos to convert another third down with a big play.

TE Tyler Davis: His 13 snaps were an unrelenting disaster of run-blocking. By our count, he missed or failed on five different run-blocking snaps, and he also drew a holding penalty. His in-line snaps were especially poor.

QB Sean Clifford: The backup quarterback fumbled the opening snap, missed a downfield throw to Malik Heath, threw an interception in opponent’s territory, held the ball and took a sack on third down, and didn’t operate well under pressure. Overall, Clifford was 0-for-3 on passes thrown 10 or more yards downfield.

OL Royce Newman: He played all 59 snaps, a good sign he’s on the roster bubble. Newman gave up a pressure on third down on the first series and another pressure on the second series resulting in a sack. He also got blown up on a screen to Emanuel Wilson and provided no push on a failed fourth down run. This was a typical game from Newman: mostly good in pass protection, with a few glaring mishaps and little accomplished in the run game.

K Greg Joseph: The veteran kicker got the first and only kick and blew the opportunity, sailing his 47-yard attempt wide right. In Denver, a 47-yard kick isn’t difficult. Joseph’s attempt never had a chance.

DE Lukas Van Ness: The 2023 first-round pick got 12 pass-rushing reps against the Broncos starting offensive line and accomplished little. Veteran left tackle Garrett Boiles quietly handled all the power moves Van Ness attempted.

Stars, studs and duds from Packers’ preseason win over Browns

From Grant DuBose to Lukas Van Ness to Bo Melton, here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ win over the Browns to open the preseason.

The Green Bay Packers opened the 2024 preseason with a convincing win over the Cleveland Browns. Jordan Love played only three snaps, but the brief appearance was all he needed — on the third play from scrimmage, the Packers quarterback hit Dontayvion Wicks for a 65-yard touchdown and the standout play of the afternoon. Up 7-0 early, the Packers never looked back, cruising to a 23-10 win.

In terms of a preseason performance, the Packers checked a lot of boxes. They didn’t turn the ball over, allowed just one sack for zero lost yards, decisively won the rushing battle and didn’t suffer a major injury. Matt LaFleur’s team led 17-3 at halftime and at one point held a 23-3 advantage in the second half.

Love played only three snaps, so he won’t be found in this edition of Stars, Studs and Duds. He did complete both of his pass attempts, and his deep ball to Wicks was perfectly thrown. His passer rating was literally perfect at 158.3.

Here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ preseason opener:

Stars

WR Grant DuBose: His first target was a forced throw under pressure by Sean Clifford. From there, DuBose was just about perfect. He caught his final five targets. Among his five catches were a tumbling catch on a low throw near the sideline converting a fourth down, a first-down catch off a nifty slant route and a toe-dragging sideline catch for 23 yards in the two-minute drill. DuBose also had effort and execution in a number of different blocking assignments.

Studs

DL Lukas Van Ness: Facing mostly backup offensive linemen, the 2023 first-round pick dominated. He cleaned up a sack created by interior pressure from Devonte Wyatt on the first drive. He teamed with Eric Stokes to stuff a perimeter run. He beautifully played a read-option as the conflict defender, crashing down on the running back to make a quick stop. Later, his stunt inside produced the pressure that created an easy sack for Colby Wooden.

S Evan Williams: The rookie put on an impressive tackling display. Three different times in the first half, he made a confident and aggressive tackle in the open field, including one short of the sticks on third down. He played fast downhill on short passes to the flat. His highlight play came on the first drive of the second half when his crunching tackle from a single-high alignment created a fumble and turnover.

RB Emanuel Wilson: Last year’s preseason rushing champ was impressive again. Wilson averaged 5.2 yards per carry, forced three missed tackles, scored a 5-yard touchdown and created a highlight play with a juke move on a 23-yard run.

CB Robert Rochell: He disrupted two pass attempts into his coverage, including one breakup on fourth down in the red zone, while allowing only a single catch. His most impressive snap might have been as a gunner on special teams, when he beat a double team block and made a perfect tackle while covering a punt.

DL Devonte Wyatt: He played only nine snaps, but he was disruptive on almost all of his pass-rushing snaps. His first pressure helped create a sack. Twice, Wyatt’s interior push forced a quick throw. Unleashed as an up-field attacker, Wyatt looks ready for a monster year.

WR Julian Hicks: The rookie receiver made an impressive spinning catch on a back-shoulder throw from Michael Pratt for 23 yards, and he showed off some speed on a 14-yard run off a jet sweep.

S Anthony Johnson Jr.: He won’t be happy about missing a tackle in the flat on a tight end, but Johnson had a nice afternoon overall. He blew up one play by taking on the pulling guard with force. The second-year safety also made two tackles covering kicks, showcasing his potential value on special teams.

K Greg Joseph: Anders Carlson made all three of his kicks, but Joseph’s two makes were far less stressful. While Carlson had to curl in two kicks inside the upright, Joseph’s two attempts — an extra point and a 35-yarder — both split the uprights.

QB Michael Pratt: Impressive start for the rookie quarterback. His back-shoulder throw to Hicks was a big-time throw, and his 5-of-7 finish passing could have looked even better had Bo Melton held on to a perfectly thrown ball in the red zone.

TE Joel Wilson: He caught all three of his targets, creating 30 yards and two first downs. More importantly, Wilson looked terrific as a blocker, both inline and on the move. He’s an easy mover in space and more physical than expected.

Duds

WR Bo Melton: His hands didn’t make the trip to Cleveland. Melton had two bad drops and some — including PFF — credited him with three total drops on four targets. One drop stalled a drive on third down. Another nearly created an interception in the red zone. Melton also mishandled a jet sweep handoff, and he was fortunate to recover the fumble on a bounce and gain positive yardage. To his credit, Melton fought like crazy as a perimeter blocker.

RT Kadeem Telfort: He struggled to get off the ball and finish blocks, especially in the run game. He also got beat with speed around the corner on one pressure. The Packers played him for 38 snaps at right tackle, but he didn’t help himself in a swing tackle competition.

OL Royce Newman: The Newman Experience was on full display. He missed a few blocks in the run game and committed a penalty. While there were good moments in pass protection, Newman — now in Year 4 — still appears to lack the consistency needed to take a step forward.

Stars, studs and duds from Packers’ 17-13 loss to Raiders in Week 5

The stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ 17-13 loss to the Raiders in Week 5.

The Green Bay Packers struggled to block Maxx Crosby and Jordan Love threw three interceptions during a primetime loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5. An excellent performance from a pair of players in the Packers secondary and A.J. Dillon’s best game as a runner of the season wasn’t enough to overcome Crosby’s dominance and Love’s mistakes.

Here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ 17-13 loss to the Raiders in Week 5:

Stars, studs and duds from Packers’ 34-20 loss to Lions

The stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ 34-20 loss to the Lions.

The Green Bay Packers are 2-2 after getting outplayed in every phase by Dan Campbell’s Detroit Lions on Thursday night at Lambeau Field. The Lions scored six times, led 27-3 at half, outgained the Packers by almost 200 yards and held the football for almost 38 of the 60 minutes.

The final score was 34-20, but it took a pair of scoring drives to open the second half for the Packers to get within two scores.

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

Stars, studs, and duds from Packers’ 18-17 win over Saints in Week 3

All the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ win over the Saints in Week 3.

The Green Bay Packers used a furious fourth-quarter rally — featuring 18 consecutive points — to secure an 18-17 win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday at Lambeau Field. The win avoided a two-game losing streak and improved the Packers’ record to 2-1 after three games.

It’s a short week with the Detroit Lions coming to Green Bay on Thursday night. Before advancing to Week 4, it’s time to put a ribbon on last week’s dramatic win.

Here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ 18-17 victory:

Stars, studs and duds from Packers’ 25-24 loss to Falcons in Week 2

The stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 2 loss to the Falcons.

The Green Bay Packers squandered opportunities early and then failed to protect a 12-point fourth-quarter lead en route to a disappointing 25-24 defeat at the hands of the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The Packers struggled at the line of scrimmage and fell apart in the fourth quarter. Despite leading for the majority of the first three quarters, Matt LaFleur’s left Atlanta with a 1-1 record.

Here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ 25-24 loss to the Falcons:

Stars, studs and duds from Packers’ 38-20 win over Bears in Week 1

Highlighting the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ season-opening win over the Bears in Week 1.

The Green Bay Packers used 28 second-half points — including two scores from Aaron Jones and a defensive touchdown from Quay Walker — to race past the Chicago Bears and win a ninth straight game in the rivalry on Sunday at Soldier Field.

The Packers jumped out to a 7-0 lead, held a 10-6 lead at half time, scored twice to extend the lead to 24-6 in the third quarter and then clinched the win with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns, including the dagger from Walker on an interception of Justin Fields.

Highlighting the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ season-opening win

Stars, studs and duds from Packers’ preseason finale vs. Seahawks

Highlighting the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ preseason finale win over the Seahawks on Saturday at Lambeau Field.

The Green Bay Packers got two scoring drives from Jordan Love, a long field goal from Anders Carlson and clutch plays from Alex McGough, Jadakis Bonds and Benny Sapp late in the fourth quarter to beat the Seattle Seahawks 19-15 in the final preseason game of 2023 on Saturday at Lambeau Field.

Here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ preseason finale: