Packers PFF grades: Best, worst players from loss to Jets in preseason opener
Based on grades from Pro Football Focus, here are the best and worst players from the Packers' preseason-opening loss to the New York Jets:
Top 5 offense
Tom gave up one hurry over 12 snaps but did earn an elite run blocking grade (91.7). Johnson rushed seven times for 67 yards, scored a 39-yard touchdown, forced three missed tackles and had two runs of at least 15 yards. Morgan played 36 snaps at left tackle, including 23 as a pass-blocker, and didn't give up a pressure. Swinson was solid as both a run and pass blocker at tight end. Sheppard caught both of his targets for 20 yards while running only seven routes.
Top 5 defense
Enagbare produced two pressures, including a quarterback hit, plus a team-high four stops against the run across 32 snaps. Hopper had five solo tackles, four assisted tackles, three stops against the run and zero misses while giving up just one completion into his coverage. King broke up a pass in the end zone, didn't give up a catch into his coverage and had one run stop. Bartlett played only 18 snaps but had two stops. Valentine produced one stop and didn't give up a catch over 10 snaps with the first-team defense.
Bottom 5 offense
Hardman dropped his only target and didn't have a catch despite running 20 routes. Doubs couldn't haul in either of his contested catches on the first drive. Jennings gave up a pressure, was flagged for holding on 3rd-and-1 and struggled mightily as a run blocker (team-worst 39.1 run blocking grade). Heath had a drop and caught only one of his four targets for four yards while running a team-high 24 routes. Love completed only 1-of-5 passes and took a sack across 12 snaps and two drives, both ending in punts.
Bottom 5 defense
Dumas-Johnson missed four tackles and gave up two catches for 27 yards across 25 snaps. Simmons missed two tackles and was charged with giving up five catches for 76 yards, both team highs. Dunn gave up one catch for 11 yards and was fortunate he didn't allow a deep touchdown pass (due to an overthrow). Alexander didn't have a tackle or pressure but did miss a tackle over 11 snaps. Ester earned a poor run defense grade and didn't have a pressure over 12 snaps.
Special teams
Linebacker Kristian Welch played a team-high 19 special teams snaps and earned the team's highest overall grade at 87.8. He made three tackles covering punts and kicks. Johnathan Baldwin, Kitan Oladapo and Isaiah Simmons also had tackles. Jamon Dumas-Johnson had a miss, while Barryn Sorrell had a holding penalty on the opening kickoff return. Mecole Hardman muffed a punt, Brandon McManus made his only field goal attempt and Daniel Whelan averaged 52.0 yards per punt.
Quarterback play
Jordan Love completed 1-of-5 passes from clean pockets and took a sack on his only snap under pressure. Love, Malik Willis and Sean Clifford all had passing grades under 50.0 Rookie Taylor Elgersma completed 3-of-4 passes and had a position-high grade of 68.7.
Rookie spotlight
Fourth-round pick Barryn Sorrell produced two pressures and a terrific pass-rushing grade of 87.9. First-round pick Matthew Golden started, played 12 snaps and caught his lone target. Second-round pick Anthony Belton played 42 snaps at right tackle and was on the field for a team-high 20 pass-blocking snaps, but he didn't give up a single pressure and earned the offensive line's second-best run-blocking grade.
Stat to know
The Packers struggled making tackles. The defense was credited with missing 17 total tackles against the Jets.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Studs and duds from Packers' preseason-opening loss to Jets
The Green Bay Packers opened the 2025 preseason with a 30-10 loss to the New York Jets on Saturday night at Lambeau Field. A review of the tape wasn't as bad as the live viewing, and a few notably positive performances could be found scattered among the three phases, but there's no escaping the fact that Matt LaFleur's team produced an dismal performance overall. Here are the studs and duds from the Packers' preseason-opening loss to the Jets: Studs LT Jordan Morgan: The 2024 first-round pick played 36 snaps at left tackle and was nearly perfect as a pass protector. He didn't give up a pressure over 23 pass-blocking snaps. Morgan didn't face any big-time pass-rushers, but he still moved well in space and anchored better against power. An encouraging preseason debut for a player who is competing for a starting job along the Packers offensive line. DE Kingsley Enagbare: The veteran edge rusher has played a lot of football in his first three seasons, so it was encouraging to see him mostly dominate his 32 snaps with the second-team defense. Enagbare was in on the fourth down stop, had a tackle for loss against the run and hit the quarterback once. Per PFF, he finished with a team-high run stops. LB Kristian Welch: Not only was Welch in on two run stops at linebacker, but he delivered three different tackles covering kicks and had a crunching block on special teams. This is how the veteran must make the 53-man roster. RB Amar Johnson: Including a 10-yard run that was negated by penalty, Johnson produced three different runs of at least 10 yards, including a 15-yarder and the 39-yard score on the Packers' lone touchdown drive. He's a bursty runner with good long speed. Johnson also forced three missed tackles, so he's more as a runner than just pure speed. DL Colby Wooden: The third-year defensive lineman -- who is moving to nose tackle -- created an incredibly active 26-snap appearance. He produced four stops against the run, a batted pass and a few encouraging pass-rush wins inside. LB Ty'Ron Hopper: Saturday's preseason debut is what the Packers needed to see out of the second-year linebacker. Hopper tackled well (nine total, zero misses), was sound against the run and held up in coverage over 35 snaps. Duds WR Mecole Hardman: Rich Bisaccia thought Hardman might have been pressing to make a big play while fighting for the returner job. On his first return, Hardman caught a punt at the 5-yard line in heavy traffic and was immediately stopped. On his second, Hardman tried to catch the punt off the bounce -- Bisaccia said he should have caught the ball in the air -- but muffed the catch, resulting in a turnover inside the 20-yard line. As a receiver, Hardman dropped a well-thrown ball from Malik Willis and didn't have a catch despite running over 20 routes. OL Jacob Monk: The second-year interior offensive lineman was flagged three times for holding penalties, although Matt LaFleur clarified that one was the result of a protection breakdown around him. Monk also gave up a sack on a third down. He played 12 snaps at center and 24 more at right guard, but he was the third option at center behind Elgton Jenkins and Sean Rhyan. LB Isaiah Simmons: He missed a pair of tackles and really struggled in coverage. A pair of completions over 20 yards were likely a result of his mistakes in coverage, and the 24-yard touchdown pass off a tight end screen got started with Simmons being blocked out front. The Packers gave him a couple of opportunities to be the "flier" on the punt coverage team. QB Jordan Love: He played only 12 snaps, and at least two of his five passing attempts were dropped. But Love twice went to a well-covered Romeo Doubs, who couldn't make either contested catch, and he overthrew Luke Musgrave down the seam, missing what could have been a big play. Love also ran himself into a sack on a third down, his final play of the shaky appearance. OL Donovan Jennings: Travis Glover's injury created a big opportunity at the bottom of the offensive line depth chart, but Jennings failed to make a big first impression. He struggled as a run blocker, got flagged for holding on 3rd-and-1 and gave up a pressure over 36 snaps at left guard. WR Malik Heath: The third-year receiver dropped an easy one and finished with just one catch for four yards on four total targets and 24 routes run. Heath has been a standout preseason performer for the Packers during each of the last two summers. His 2025 exhibition schedule got off to a rocky start. LB Jamon Johnson: The rookie played 25 snaps at linebacker and another 16 on special teams. PFF charted five total missed tackles from Johnson, including four defensively. He also gave up a 21-yard catch in coverage.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Sauce Gardner wears another cheesehead after his Jets crush the Packers in preseason game
Sauce Gardner has found another cheesehead. Or maybe the New York Jets' fourth-year cornerback is getting ready for another sacrificial ceremony at some point. Gardner, who famously wore the Packers' popular head gear three years ago after a game only to burn it in a fire pit several months later as his way to recruit Aaron Rodgers to his team, was at it again. After the Jets' 30-10 win over the Packers in the preseason opener on Saturday, Aug. 9, Gardner paraded around Lambeau Field donning a cheesehead. "This ain't disrespectful," said Gardner, who had two pass breakups and one tackle in his two series played. "This is the preseason." Packers fans would kindly disagree with Sauce on that one. But then again, the Packers need to stop losing to Gardner and the Jets at home, preseason or not, to keep him from wearing it. It was during the 2022 season that Gardner, then a rookie, first wore the cheesehead after the Jets torched the Packers 27-10 in a Week 6 game at Lambeau. And it wasn't the last time that cheesehead would be in Gardner's presence. He set it up in flames with a couple of his teammates in March 2023 as he made his pitch to Rodgers to come to New York. The Jets, of course, would get Rodgers, though his two years teaming up with Gardner in New York never lived up to the hype. "Look at the cheese, it's melting" Gardner said as the cheesehead burned during that cheesehead ceremony. "It's turning into cheese sauce." The Packers melted down in their preseason opener on Saturday night in a game that they'll want the taste wiped from their mouths. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Sauce Gardner wears a cheesehead after Jets beat Packers in preseason
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Packers' loss to Jets draws concern, anger, perspective on social media
The Green Bay Packers had an underwhelming preseason debut, losing, 30-10, to the New York Jets on Aug. 9 at Lambeau Field. Preseason or not, social media expected more from the Packers. While some commenters tried to put the loss in perspective, more saw reasons to be concerned — and, at times, angry. Here's a sampling of the reactions to the game: More: Jordan Love, starting offense fall flat, and other takeaways from the Green Bay Packers preseason opener More: After building offensive line this offseason, the Green Bay Packers show there still is plenty to improve More: The good, bad and unknown of the Green Bay Packers' 2024 draft class coming to light More: Sauce Gardner wears another cheesehead after his Jets crush the Packers in preseason game This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Packers' loss to Jets draws social media concern, anger, perspective
