If Malik Willis starts, can Packers replicate last week’s performance vs. stingy Titans defense?

Paul Bretl | 9/20/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — What’s the bigger challenge: accomplishing what Malik Willis and the Packers offense did last Sunday on short notice or duplicating that performance a second time?

If Jordan Love, who is listed as questionable, is unable to play this week against the Tennessee Titans, we may find out the answer to that above question with Willis under center again.

From the play designs and game-plan to the execution from Willis and the rest of the offense, it was a masterful display of football by the Packers offense against the Colts. It was a run-heavy performance, with Green Bay rushing the ball 53 times, but one filled with a variety of personnel, motion, and schematic mixtures to keep the defense guessing.

“The big concern for me going into that game plan was could Malik handle all the moving parts of the game plan,” said Adam Stenavich. “Not necessarily him actually throwing the ball just making sure the motions were good, were timed up and all that. It’s a testament to him, just like his focus and his work throughout that week, that was pretty impressive because there was a lot of things that could’ve–you know, you snap the ball early or you mess up an exchange, you go the wrong way or something like that.

“For a new guy to come in here and do that, that’s what I was most impressed with was just the operation of the game and how he just executed the game plan, so that was pretty cool.”

A new week, however, presents a new opponent and a new set of challenges. For one, an advantage that the Packers had last week was the complete element of surprise. Prior to that game, Willis had just 233 offensive snaps over his first two-plus NFL seasons–that’s not exactly a lot to go off of. In addition to that, none of those snaps came with Green Bay, so how exactly he would mesh with the Matt LaFleur offense was an unknown as well.

The Colts were left to look at the few snaps that they had of Willis in Tennessee, his college tape and the core principles of LaFleur’s system in an effort to mold an idea of how he could be utilized.

But this week, that same layer of unpredictability is gone. Although one game isn’t a large sample size by any means, the Titans do have last week’s game tape to go off of. Not to mention that, even with Willis’ success last week, he’s still quite inexperienced when it comes to operating this offense–it’s only been just over three weeks, after all–and because of that, there’s only so many options LaFleur and Co. have when it comes to play designs.

There is also the added wrinkle of the Titans’ defense knowing well what Willis does well and where he struggles after facing him all summer throughout training camp.

“Every game’s a little bit different,” LaFleur said early in the week. “Just in my initial glimpses of Tennessee’s defense, this is a pretty salty group. It’s got a lot of good veterans on it, and there’s some premier players over there, so it’s going to be a tough task regardless. But we’ll put together a game plan, one we feel like can give us an opportunity to win the game.”

Further complicating things for the Packers is that this is a much more stout Tennessee Titans defense overall, and one that is willing to blitz and plays extremely physical. The 206.5 yards per game allowed in two weeks is the fewest in football, and the defense has given up just 16.5 points per game.

In the middle of the Tennessee defensive front is Jeffrey Simmons and T’Vondre Sweat. Against what would likely be another run-centric game plan from the Packers with Willis, the Titans are surrendering only 4.0 yards per carry–the 10th-lowest rate in football.

“Simmons is really good,” said Stenavich. “I think it’s harder in the pass game to double. When you have a guy like Simmons or Aaron Donald, when they play an interior position, a three-technique, you can slide at him but there’s certain instances where they give you five across, they force you to go one-on-one pass protection, stuff like that, and that’s where those elite players, they make their money.

“He is definitely an elite player. He plays with a great motor. He’s got excellent talent, all the physical tools. Yeah, he’s going to be a problem that we have to understand where he’s at.”

Realistically, this won’t be another game where the Packers are able to rush the ball 53 times. For starters, doing so once is already a pretty rare feat nowadays. But given the opponent and 93 degree heat, chances are the Packers will have to rely more heavily on Willis’ arm in this one.

Just like in the run game, the Titans’ defense won’t make this easy. It’s a group under defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson that will blitz the quarterback, which can complicate things, and one that has been incredibly stingy. The 3.9 yards per pass attempt surrendered is the second-lowest mark in football, and the 114 passing yards per game give up is the fewest.

“He (Wilson) gets the guys to compete, first and foremost,” said passing game coordinator Jason Vrable. “They are a competitive group. They’re experienced on the back end. They went and signed some vets who know how to play. But he challenges.

“I think some teams will play off and soft or this and that, he–the last game versus the Jets, they got their hands on. They play with good technique, they play with good leverage, and they compete every single play. Every single play. So when you watch the tape, they didn’t give up a lot of easy ones against them. They made the Jets earn it.”

At this time, we don’t know if it will be Willis or Love at quarterback for the Packers. Even if it’s Love, everything that’s been said is still true and this Titans’ defense will pose a challenge for the Packers offense–they’ll just have more ways to combat it with Love.

LaFleur, the coaching staff, and the players were excellent last week. But if they have to, can Willis do it again?

Packers RB room looks quite different but confidence in the depth remains high

Paul Bretl | 9/20/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Entering Week 3 of the regular season, the Packers’ running back room looks quite different than what was expected just six weeks ago.

While Josh Jacobs continues to lead the way and shoulder a heavy workload after carrying the ball 32 times in the team’s win over Indianapolis, the committee behind him has drastically changed. Over the summer, expected to see snaps either in relief of Jacobs or with him on the field were rookie third-round pick MarShawn Lloyd and AJ Dillon.

As several Packers coaches have described, Lloyd brings a different element to the backfield, and you can see that when he has the ball in his hands with his ability to make a quick cut and then accelerate. Dillon, meanwhile, had carved out a versatile role in the Packers offense as a blocker, ball carrier, and pass catcher, which included some split-back looks with Jacobs.

“We had a pretty clear vision for what he could do,” said Matt LaFleur about Dillon after he was placed on IR, “and it wasn’t just going to be as a runner. The versatility is what I was most excited about, just being able to do a lot of different things in regards to some of the stuff we did a year ago with him when we had some of our two halfback sets.”

However, unfortunately, Dillon was placed on season-ending injured reserve during roster cuts and Lloyd was put on injured reserve earlier this week with an ankle injury–forcing him to miss at least the next four games.

In the place of Dillon and Lloyd are now Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks, who was signed to the practice squad just over a week ago and then to the 53-man roster once Lloyd went on IR.

Since arriving in Green Bay last summer, it seems like every time Wilson touches the ball good things happen, and that has continued two games into the regular season. On nine carries against Philadelphia and Indianapolis, Wilson is averaging 6.1 yards per attempt.

The burst he brings with the ball has always been evident, but when it comes to earning steady playing time, Wilson’s ability in the passing game, both as a pass-catching option and a blocker, are where improvement has been needed. However, slowly but surely, Wilson has been taking advantage of his opportunities and earning the trust of the coaches.

“A lot more comfortable,” said LaFleur when asked how he feels about relying on Wilson. “I think he’s done a good job and he continues to get better and when given opportunities I think he’s maximized those. So for him it’s just about being consistent down in and down out and making sure you’re doing all the little things on a day to day, but I’ve got a lot of confidence in E.”

Although Brooks has barely been in Green Bay, he’s made a quick impact and a good first impression. A 2023 undrafted rookie out of BYU, In 19 carries over four games with Miami as a rookie, Brooks showcased his big play ability, averaging 5.9 yards per rush with nine missed tackles forced, two rushes of 15-plus yards, including a 52-yard run.

However, while how Brooks performs with the ball in his hands is important, his ability to help on special teams along with how quickly he’s picked up and adjusted to the Packers’ offense has caught the attention of LaFleur.

“Very, very impressed,” said LaFleur about Brooks on Wednesday. “He was a guy that we were looking at toward the end as a potential guy that we would be interested in. Had the situation come up, and I’ve been super-impressed with him.

“He’s a very serious guy about ball and I love his running style. He runs with a good forward lean, he’s got great body control, he can stick his foot in the ground and he’s one of those one-cut runners. I think he’s really intelligent so he’s picked up our protections no problem. I’m excited about him. And he brings value in the third phase of ball, as well, on we-fense.”

As was going to be the plan regardless of who the second and third running backs on the roster are, Jacobs will be the focal point at the position. However, at a position where depth has become increasingly important around the league to limit wear and tear, the Packers do feel good about the options they have behind Jacobs in Wilson and Brooks.

“Well one thing with Emanuel, whatever we’ve asked him to do so far, he’s done a really good job,” said offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich. “He had some good pass protection plays in the last game. Any time we hand him the ball, he runs hard, he protects the ball. So I’m happy with what Emanuel’s done and I’m excited to see him as the season progresses how good he can be.

“Chris has done a good job in practice the last two weeks, so yeah, he’s a guy that’s played in some games, so it’s not like it’s not like it’s his first time that he’s gonna be out there doing stuff. So yeah, I’m excited about those guys.”

This week on the schedule is a matchup with a big and physical Titans defensive front that is surrendering just 4.0 yards per rush–the 10-lowest average in football through two games. Success on the ground is always important, but the need for it gets magnified if Malik Willis is again under center.

When it comes to how many carries Jacobs sees compared to Wilson and potentially Brooks, that will remain fluid depending on how Jacobs feels and what the game flow is dictating. If the game dictates Jacobs getting 25-plus touches, the Packers will go down that path. If not, then there is confidence in Wilson and Brooks to handle what is asked of them.

“I don’t want to necessarily say that because every situation’s a little bit different,” said LaFleur when asked if 30 carries is generally too many. “If you’re feeding a guy and he’s doing well and he’s feeling great, why wouldn’t you keep doing that? I think you’ve got to adjust. If he’s being effective and he can handle the wear and tear, then we’ll certainly continue to do that.”

New week, new approach for Packers pass rush vs. Titans?

Paul Bretl | 9/19/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Is this the week we see the Packers’ pass rush take the governor off and really get after the quarterback?

Throughout training camp, we heard from both coaches and players about this new attacking defensive front we were going to see under defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. And it wasn’t just talk, in the practices I watched daily, you could see the disruptive ability that this group has.

However, through the first two games, that element has been a bit under wraps, given the Packers’ opponents in Week 1 and 2, that’s what the game-plans called for. While there were still instances where the Packers took their chances and tried to drum up some quick pressures, overall, it was a different approach from the summer.

“We were trying to get pressure,” said Hafley, “it just wasn’t your–maybe you guys saw in camp where just going 100 miles an hour, getting up field and ripping and running because that guy is going to step up and make you pay. So there were times we took shots and there were times we were calculated. When you are playing a guy who is capable of doing that stuff you’ve got to stick and move a little bit there.”

Facing Jalen Hurts and Anthony Richardson, two quarterbacks who can hurt defenses with their legs, the Packers took a more controlled pass rush approach, where the emphasis was on keeping both players in the pocket and limiting their opportunities to extend plays.

For the most part, the Packers were able to accomplish this. Between Hurts and Richardson, the two combined for 17 carries–13 of which Hurts had–but totaled just 50 rushing yards.

“That’s two weeks in a row where we’re playing a really athletic quarterback and I know our guys up front, they wanna get those sacks,” said Matt LaFleur after the win on Sunday, “but I can’t tell you how proud I am of just being disciplined up front with our rush. I know there was a couple plays he got out late, but I thought for the most part, they did a really good job of just being disciplined, trying to collapse the pocket, get in front of him and force him to make some bad decisions.”

The trickle-down effect of that approach, however, is that there were fewer opportunities to really get after the quarterback. We saw a lot more power rushes than speed and fewer stunts and twists in an effort to maintain lane integrity and not open up rush lanes for the quarterbacks.

As a result, Hurts ended up with an average time to throw of 3.96-seconds–the 10th longest of any quarterback in Week 1, according to PFF. Richardson, meanwhile, was under pressure on fewer than 30 percent of his 37 dropbacks.

Admittedly, at times it wasn’t easy to be this patient. After all, players like Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, and Kenny Clark are expected to generate sacks and pressures. Those outside of the organization don’t pay attention to how well Gary set the edge on a run or how Clark took on a double team which helped keep a linebacker clean to make a play. However, in these first two games, this selfless approach is what the game-plan called for, so that’s what the players executed on.

“It’s kind of tempting,” said Gary about wanting to rush the quarterback, “especially when you get into the rhythm of rushing an offensive lineman, him understanding, OK, outside move, outside move, yeah, it gets tempting but that’s the main thing of keeping the main thing, and that’s staying to part of the game plan. So, it don’t matter if it gets frustrating. You execute the game plan and do it the right way, we come out with the win, and that’s what we did today.”

This week, the Packers will face Tennessee’s Will Levis, and the opportunity for the defensive front to pin its ears back is likely more prevalent. In large part, the matchup dictates a more aggressive approach. While Philadelphia and Indianapolis each boast two of the better offensive line units in football in the early going, the Tennessee offensive line has been one of the worst pass-blocking units through two games.

Pick a pass-blocking metric, and the Titans are near the bottom. In pass-blocking efficiency from PFF, the Titans’ collective offensive line unit ranks 32nd. In pass-block win rate from ESPN, the Titans ranks 29th.

To take this a step further, out of 71 eligible tackles, Nicholas Petit-Frere’s 11 pressures are the most through two games. Rookie JC Latham has given up six pressures, which is tied for the 14th-most. Among guards, Peter Skoronski has surrendered the sixth-most pressures and Dillon Radunz the ninth-most.

That ability to create steady pressure will not only lead to sack opportunities, putting the Titans’ offense in long down-and-distance situations, but it will disrupt the timing and rhythm of their passing game, and potentially creating some turnover chances with Levis already having thrown three interceptions and two fumbles in two games.

In this attacking Hafley defense, a one-gap scheme, there should be a much more proactive play-style instead of reactive, with the front asked to get off the ball and north or south as quickly as possible, penetrating their way into the backfield rather than reacting to what the offense is doing.

However, having said that, don’t mistake aggressive for reckless either. Levis has the ability to hurt defenses with his legs, totaling 74 rushing yards in two games on just eight carries. There still has to be order and a coordinated effort to how the front rushes, even if there may be more opportunities to let it rip. Game flow and the in-game situations will still dictate how the Packers want to attack.

“If you look at him,” said Hafley of Levis, “he’s a guy who can run. He’s had a bunch of yards and a bunchg of carries and a bunch of big scrambles. Regardless of who you play, you gotta be aware of who’s back there. Do we want to cut it loose more? Absolutely.

“I want to cut it loose every play if we can. I’d love to do that. It’s just you can’t be reckless either. You gotta play sound defense. You gotta have a plan. You gotta have rush lanes. You gotta have rules where he does keep the ball you have an answer for it. So all of a sudden, he doesn’t pull one and pop it for 60 yards because you’re just go-go-go. But yeah, we have to be aggressive and there’s time where we need to be more aggressive.”

Still feeling the effects, Packers prepare for another physical matchup in the Tennessee heat

Paul Bretl | 9/19/2023

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers are coming off a Week 2 win against the Indianapolis Colts that took quite a bit out of them. On the horizon is a matchup with the Titans, another game played in the heat and against a physical defense.

The temperature at kickoff this past Sunday was 85 degrees–tied for the second-warmest home game in Packers’ history. Coupled with the unusual heat, it was a particularly exhausting game for the Packers offensive linemen and the run game, with Green Bay running the ball on 53 of their 67 plays.

When it comes to the exertion on a given play, a lot more goes into a running play than a passing play. The heat and heavy dose of the run game resulted in both Josh Myers and Elgton Jenkins puking during the game.

The fatigue that many on this Packers team on Sunday has extended into the current week. The initial injury report was long and even many of those practicing were still feeling the effects of this past Sunday, which led to Matt LaFleur adjusting the practice schedule.

“I definitely feel like there was some wear and tear,” said Matt LaFleur on Wednesday. “I mean, obviously when you look at the injury list that represents that as well, but those guys are not on the injury list are also fatigued and so, we made some adjustments for our practice schedule.

Temperature-wise, things aren’t going to get any better for the Packers, with Sunday’s weather forecast showing that it is going to be 93 degrees in Nashville. The Titans defense is also going to turn the heat up as well.

Through two games, the Titans find themselves at 0-2, losing two close games to Chicago and the New York Jets, but this has been a very stingy defense who has made things difficult for the opposing offenses. Tennessee has invested heavily into this side of the football, bringing a number of veterans during the offseason and into training camp, including Sebastian Joseph-Day, L’Jarius Sneed, Chidobe Awuzie, Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams, and Ernest Jones. The Titans also spent several early-round draft picks on that side of the ball and still had Jeffery Simmons returning as well.

The early returns on this investment have been promising. The 4.0 yards per rush the Titans are surrendering ranks 10th in the NFL through two games. The Tennessee secondary is allowing an average depth of target through the air of just 5.8 yards–limiting the big play–which has resulted in just 3.9 yards per pass attempt surrendered–the second-lowest mark in football. The Titans also rank top-10 in red zone defense as well.

“I think they got a lot of veteran players and they’re a well-built defense,” said LaFleur. “I think schematically it’s a challenge. Dennard Wilson coming from Baltimore and just he’s an experienced guy in this league. And then when you couple that with really good players, you have a chance to be a really good defense. And they do all the little things the right way, in terms of the effort and physicality that they play with. So we’ve got our work cut out for us this week.”

On the flip side, where this Titans’ defense hasn’t had much success is in generating consistent quarterback pressures, currently ranking 21st in pressure rate, and they have no takeaways on defense.

New Titans’ defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson comes from Baltimore and cut his teeth in the NFL working under Greg Williams. The Williams’ defenses are known for their willingness to blitz the quarterback, and in the early going of Wilson’s tenure as the defensive play-caller for the Titans, he’s done much of the same in that regard. Williams’ defenses will also throw a lot of different looks at opposing offenses, both schematically and personnel-wise, and do so along the defensive front and in the secondary.

Further complicating things for the Packers is that there are only two games worth of film of Wilson working with this Titans’ defense and personnel.

“They’re very multiple and there’s I would say relatively limited tape on them,” LaFleur said about Wilson’s defense, “so there’s going to be some wrinkles that we haven’t seen, which is typical early in the year. You’ve got to trust your rules.”

With Jordan Love returning to practice on Wednesday, the Titans are forced to prepare for both him and Malik Willis. However, a potential early hurdle this week for Green Bay is dividing those practice reps between Love and Willis, not exactly knowing at this time who is going to start. And, of course, another added wrinkle to the splitting of reps is that the game plan will look quite different as well, depending on who is under center.

LaFleur put together a masterful game-plan last week that Willis executed to near-perfection. However, if it is Willis who has to start again, duplicating that success will come with its challenges. There is now at least some film for the Titans to study of Willis in the LaFleur system. This is also a much more stout run defense compared to the Colts, not to mention that Tennessee’s willingness to send pressure and throw a variety of looks at the quarterback can complicate things for a still-inexperienced Willis.

But game-plan aside, any potential success begins with being physically and mentally prepared for another physical matchup in the heat.

“We know it’s going to be another physical game this weekend. It’s going to be hot,” added LaFleur. “They’re a very physical football team. So we got to make sure recovery is at the forefront of what we need to do.”

Packers QB Jordan Love returns to practice ahead of Week 3 matchup vs. Titans

Paul Bretl | 9/18/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers were back on the practice field Wednesday in preparation for their Week 3 matchup with the Tennessee Titans. Also back out there was quarterback Jordan Love, open the door open for a potential return this week.

“It’s definitely feeling a lot better, a lot better from when the injury happened in Brazil,” said Love at his locker after practice. “So the whole thing is, like we’ve said before, we’re just taking it day by day and see how it feels every day and come in here, keep doing treatment, going to rehab. I was out there today and just trying to take it day by day and just keep feeling it out, but it’s doing better.”

Love would practice in a limited capacity, according to head coach Matt LaFleur. Love suffered the knee injury in the team’s Week 1 loss to Philadelphia. At first glance, things appeared to be much more bleak than the eventual diagnoses of an MCL sprain.

“When it happened, it was very painful,” said Love about the injury. “It was definitely, I was telling people it’s the most pain I’ve been in so, you know, just a lot of emotions, but definitely very painful and didn’t know in the moment what might have happened, what the injury actually was, how long I might be out. It was definitely a scary moment, but it was very painful.”

While initial reports suggested that Love would be out for 3-6 weeks, internally, the Packers seemed to be more optimistic about the timeline for a potential return. Now, less than two weeks later, he is back at practice and hopeful that he’s at a point where he can continue to progress towards being available.

“It’s one of those things,” said Love, “I’m going to take the week and just take it day-by-day and see how it feels but I’m not going to make any decision on that right now. I’m hopeful that I’ll get to that point where I can get in there, but we’re just going to take it day-by-day and see.”

While, of course, the Packers want Love back on the field as soon as possible, LaFleur has made it clear since the injury happened that they wouldn’t sacrifice the long-term for some hopeful short-term gain. Step one in this process was always going to be Love getting medically cleared, giving him and the team confidence that he can go out on the field, protect himself, and not have to worry about the injury worsening.

In order to get to the point where Love would feel comfortable playing, he mentioned that there are a lot of boxes to be checked.

“I mean there’s a lot of boxes,” Love said about returning. “Obviously I think being back at practice and doing that and feeling what it feels like to take those drops, be in the live fire, things like that. But like I said, we’re taking it day by day, the trainers are doing a great job of monitoring me and seeing how I’m doing and how I’m reacting to every play. They’ll be the ones to clear me when the time comes.”

Love is currently wearing a knee brace to provide additional stability. This isn’t the first time he’s had a brace on–he wore one at one point in college–but admittedly, it does limit his mobility to a degree. And having that element of Love’s game affected could impact how he plays the game.

“Not as fast, no,” Love said about the brace. “I’ll say that. It’s just different than not having anything, I’d say. It’s a piece of metal on your knee, so definitely not as fast, but it’s one of those things that you just gotta adjust. It’s gonna help protect me and keep me stable in everything I do, so might change my game a little bit, but at the end of the day, I’m not a receiver that has to run all these crazy routes downfield, things like that, where I can stay in the pocket. But definitely affects mobility a little bit.”

Getting back to this point where Love can be on the practice field consisted of a lot of rehab, exercises, and treatment. Love may not have been an active participant in practice last week by taking snaps, but he was heavily involved, communicating with Malik Willis after every drive and talking through what each player saw. In terms of the mental side of things, Love took on his normal workload heading into the Colts’ game.

“Last week was a lot of treatment and rehab exercises just trying to get my knee back.” said Love. “Didn’t practice last week. Just taking it day by day again. There was a lot of mental reps of going through the game plan and trying to keep myself in the game and just being in the film room and learn from those reps I was missing, so just trying to stay as fresh as I can and stay ready if there was the opportunity for me getting cleared.”

Although it was a run-heavy performance by the Packers with Willis under center, with 53 running plays called, there was a lot on the new quarterback’s plate as well, having just arrived in Green Bay not even three weeks prior to kickoff. As LaFleur said post-game, the Packers have a lot of long calls for Willis to quickly learn and then make. The Packers also threw a lot at the Colts in the run game, both from a personnel and schematic standpoint, which in turn, put a lot on the shoulders of Willis.

Then, when asked to throw the ball, Willis was 12-14 overall, for 122 yards with a touchdown. He had a passer rating of 126.8 and was an impressive 7-for-8 passing on third downs, where 94 of his 122 passing yards came from, along with his touchdown pass to Dontayvion Wicks.

“I’m very proud,” said Love about Willis and the team’s win. “I think offensively we played really well. I mean, the O-line dominated all game. The backs did a really good job. And it takes everybody. The tight ends, the receivers blocking, doing their job, but the run game was on point, I think Malik did a great job.”

Love being back on the practice field is certainly a good sign and a big step in the right direction. However, his status for Sunday’s game in Tennessee is still up in the air. The Packers will see how his knee responds to the current workload and give him the week to see how he’s feeling before ultimately making a decision.

There are a few added challenges that the Packers face this week from a preparation standpoint. For one, there isn’t going to be the same unpredictability for the Titans as there was for the Colts when it comes to how LaFleur might utilize Willis. There’s a full game’s worth of tape for Tennessee to study, and only so many plays LaFleur can draw up for a quarterback still learning the offense.

In addition to that, as the week progresses, the Packers hope to gain some clarity around who could be the likely starter because splitting starting reps in practice can prove to be challenging as there are only so many reps to go around in the allotted time frame.

“That’s always a challenge,” said LaFleur, “and so, throughout the course of the week, hopefully, you get a better indication, and that kind of leads to some of the decisions you have to make.”

Packers ‘confident’ in K Brayden Narveson, will remain patient for now

Paul Bretl | 9/17/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Rookie kicker Brayden Narveson has battled ups and downs in his first two games with the Packers, but Matt LaFleur plans to stay patient as Narveson navigates the learning curve that comes with kicking the NFL.

“It’s a better question for Gutey,” said Matt LaFleur on Monday when asked how patient the team will be with Narveson. “But from my perspective I’d say pretty patient. I like his mentality, I like his talent. There’s going to be some ups and downs.  Hopefully there’s more ups than downs.”

Through two games, the Packers have leaned heavily on Narveson right away—a sign of the confidence they do have in him. His eight field goal attempts are tied for the most in the NFL. While Narveson has made all three of his extra-point attempts, on field goals, he is 6-of-8, with both misses coming from 43 yards. Between the extra point and field goal attempts, Narveson was 5-for-6 against Philadelphia and 4-for-5 versus Indianapolis.

In two close games for the Packers–with one that went their way and one that did not–those misses proved to be important. Making that 43 yarder against the Eagles has the Packers down only two on that final possession, and with them having worked their way to near midfield, obviously the dynamic changes when only a field goal is needed instead of a touchdown.

Then, against the Colts, Narveson making that 43-yard attempt would have kept the game out of reach from Indianapolis, even with their late touchdown score. If that kick goes through, the Packers are up nine instead of six in those final minutes.

“I do think he’s done a pretty nice job,” added LaFleur. “He’s got to make that field goal, he knows it, we all know it. But I’m confident if he’s in that situation again he’ll hit it.”

It comes with the territory of being a kicker, but the misses are going to be what garners the attention on the outside–especially given the uncertainty that the Packers face at this position. However, not to be overlooked are the six made field goals and three extra points from Narveson, and what went into making those kicks, which also helps inspire the confident that the team has.

As a rookie who wasn’t even with the Packers during training camp or the preseason, Narveson was thrown into the fire, so to speak, making his first regular season field goal attempt in Brazil after being with the team for just over a week. There is also the process of getting comfortable on the fly with a new snapper and holder.

From the Packers’ perspective, there was certainly a leap of faith that they took with Narveson, hoping that he would be able to navigate these changes on the fly and do so when it mattered. This, of course, is no longer the preseason–every kick matters.

Giving the Packers the confidence that Narveson could handle this was his play with Tennessee in the preseason, and also, the pre-draft interview they had with him that gave the team some insight into his mental makeup and general approach as a kicker.

“We like Brayden’s makeup,” said Rich Bisaccia last week. “It’s one of the things (that appealed to us). I think Gutey talked about it and Byron Storer’s interview with him last year, some of the notes that were made after the interview were about that, about his makeup, about his personality, his self-confidence, and his ability to move on from one play to the next and I think that’s what he’s showing.”

While LaFleur may be taking the patient approach with Narveson, by GM Brian Gutekunst’s own admission, he isn’t as patient with specialists as he perhaps needs to be. In part, however, the Packers do not have the ability to be patient right now.

This is a team with Super Bowl aspirations, and in league where the margin for winning and losing is oh so small, having the wrong kicker can be the difference between having a bye in the playoffs or playing that first weekend. It can be the difference between going to the NFC Championship Game, and going home.

“I mean, guys have got to produce,” Gutekunst said after claiming Narveson off waivers. “If they don’t produce, it’s going to be a short leash. And so for me it’s really no different than it has been. We’re going to always, we’re working all year to see if there’s opportunities to make us better and if there is, and we can, we’re going to try to do that.

“We’re really excited to get Brayden in here and see what he can do. And he’s certainly got a lot of talent and we’re excited about that, but at the end of the day, like all these guys who made this team, they’ve got to produce.”

At the end of the day, the Packers need Narveson to produce but some early ups and downs were to be expected, as LaFleur mentioned. Narveson knows the opportunity that is in front of not only him but this Packers team and if he wants to be a part of the ride he will need to find added consistency each week.

That sense of urgency, however, and the need to produce is a feeling that Narveson relishes and is an environment he lived in during his college career, playing for four different schools over six seasons and having to compete every step of the way. Narveson believes that the unusual path he took to the NFL has prepared him well for these moments.

Going back to the aforementioned mental makeup of Narveson, he is unfazed by it all because he knows that he belongs in the NFL. Now, one kick at a time, he’s out to prove that to everyone else.

“At the end of the day, I look at it a little bit different now,” Narveson said. “I know how good I am, I know I belong in the league – I’m here – and one miss is not going to define me. I’m going to bounce back and try to make the next one. That’s my job. That’s what I get paid to do. At the end of the day, that’s my goal when I step on the field is focus on my process so that I can knock it through the uprights.”

Packers dominating turnover battle with ball-hawking secondary

Paul Bretl | 9/16/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Through two games, the Packers have generated six takeaways on defense, including five interceptions–a far cry from what we saw from this unit in 2023.

“I think it’s guys just relentless effort to the ball,” said Jaire Alexander of the Packers’ early season turnovers. “Putting a lot of pressure on the quarterback consistently and the guys on the back end with vet leadership have the ability to make big plays.”

As a collective defense last season, the Packers forced 18 turnovers. This ranked 23rd in the NFL. When it came to interceptions specifically, the Packers totaled only seven–the second-fewest in football.

When it comes to turnovers, there isn’t always a rhyme or reason behind why turnovers happen. However, factoring into the Packers’ 2023 takeaway woes were injuries, with Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes both missing time, there were coverage breakdowns, and a more passive approach, with an emphasis on keeping everything in front of the secondary, which isn’t always conducive for making aggressive plays on the ball.

It goes without saying but the winner of the turnover battle is often the winner of the game. Turnovers take away opportunities from the opposing offense and provide the defense’s own offense with additional possessions that can often come with good field position as well.

We are now only two games into the 2024 season, but already in this new Jeff Hafley defense, there is a stark difference in the Packers’ ability to create turnovers. Green Bay has generated three takeaways in each of their first two games. This is the most in football currently and with five of those takeaways being interceptions, the defense has already nearly matched its 2023 total in that regard.

“That’s something that we made an emphasis of in the offseason,” said Xavier McKinney after Sundays’ win, “was just being able to create turnovers and be able just to do something productive to be able to get that ball back for the offense. So the fact that we’ve been able to go out there, execute and get our hands on the ball with these turnovers has been great.”

Sometimes, turnovers just come in bunches and it can be difficult to predict when they’re going to happen. But a contributing factor to the Packers early takeaway success is the new Hafley system, which has implemented a vision-based approach on the back-end of the defense, giving the defenders more opportunities to make plays on the ball.

“I would say more vision based,” said Matt LaFleur during the offseason about the secondary, “more visual on the quarterback because he’s ultimately going to take you to where the ball is going to go. So, and it’s hard to do that when you’re playing with your back to the quarterback, or if you’re playing a real matchy, not to say that we won’t be that.

“There’s certainly going to be circumstances when you want to man up and play some match coverage. I would say a big part of what we’re going to do, especially from a coverage standpoint is going have vision on the quarterback.”

Another element is Hafley’s emphasis on allowing the defenders to play fast and free. To accomplish this begins with implementing a game plan that can be executed on at a high level, allowing the defenders to react and fly around the field. This inherently, will put the defenders in a better position to make plays on the ball.

Also playing a key factor in all of this is the addition of Xavier McKinney, who has two of the Packers’ interceptions. His ability to seemingly teleport around the field and fill a variety of roles frequently puts him in a position to make plays, and his teammates benefit from his presence in the secondary.

McKinney is one of those players that quarterbacks must know where he is at all times, and that can impact where the ball goes on a given play.

“He’s a vet. He’s a leader already,” said Jaire Alexander. “Come in making big plays, what more can you ask for?”

Interceptions and takeaways are always important, but on a day where the Packers were without Jordan Love at quarterback, those turnovers meant a little bit more for Green Bay. The defense played a pivotal role in keeping points off the board, limiting the Colts to just three points for much of the game, which allowed the offense under Malik Willis to stick to it’s run heavy game plan and maintain the early lead that was established.

“The challenge is that every week,” said Alexander. “I know we said in camp and in OTAs that we wanted to kind of be more of a defensive-led team. So, I mean, three turnovers in back-to-back weeks, I mean, that’s saying a lot.”

Turnovers are a volatile stat, one that can vary wildly from season-to-season and even week-to-week. Success in one game does not guarantee success the next week. But what the Packers do have going for them is that with stability in the secondary and a system where all eyes are on the quarterback, they can increase the likelihood of the ball finding them by consistently being positioned correctly.

“It’s just a testament to the guys, working every day,” said Alexander. “The coaches, I mean, it all plays a hand. Nutrition. I mean, I could go down the line, but really man it’s the guys on the field putting that work in.”

Malik Willis plays in complete control despite short tenure with Packers

Paul Bretl | 9/15/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — No, Packers’ quarterback Malik Willis did not attempt many passes in the team’s win against the Colts. However, made sure the come through when he did, and like any quarterback, Willis had plenty on his plate, especially given the circumstances of only being in Green Bay for less than three weeks.

“I don’t think you guys can appreciate or even comprehend the task that Malik Willis–I mean, this guy got here three weeks ago and for him to be able to go out there and command our offense,” said Matt LaFleur post-game.

This was a game that called for a heavy dose of Josh Jacobs and the Packers running game, with the offense rushing the ball 53 times against the Colts. In part, this was a product of Willis just arriving in Green Bay and still learning the offense. But in addition to that, this was a Colts’ defense that struggled mightily against the run in Week 1 as well.

Matchup-wise, it very much made sense for the Packers to run the ball. Even with Jordan Love at quarterback, although not to the extent that it was Sunday, the run game was going to be a factor against a Colts defense that has shown they have little answers to stopping it. So, as Willis mentioned after the game, if the game plan dictates a run-heavy approach, and most importantly, it’s working, why go away from it?

Although a run-heavy game plan, what this wasn’t, however, was a game-plan where Willis simply turned around and handed the ball off. The Packers threw a lot at the Colts defense, from the personnel they utilized the mixing of outside zone and gap running schemes. This, in turn, then put a lot on Willis.

“We had a lot of long calls,” added LaFleur. “We had shifts, motions, a ton of different run schemes. There was a lot put on his plate and for him to be able to go out there and do what he did today, I think that speaks volumes of who he is as a person and the work that he’s put in.”

When Willis was asked to throw the ball, he was efficient, completing 12 of his 14 passes for 122 yards with a touchdown. The end result was a passer rating of 126.8.

While, for the most part, the Packers didn’t ask Willis to push the ball downfield, he did come up with two big throws on the day. The first came on his touchdown pass, a tight window throw to Dontayvion Wicks that he was able to turn up field and take into the end zone.

The second big throw came with the Packers facing a 3rd-and-five in the fourth quarter, where Willis connected with Romeo Doubs down the right sideline for a 39-yard gain. This then set up a Packers field goal to make it 16-3, a crucial set of points following a late touchdown by the Colts.

“I just think Romeo made a great play,” said Willis. “He went up and got it. It was awesome to see. This organization has done a great job getting receivers here. They have a great receiver room right now, all throughout.

“It’s not just Romeo. It’s all those guys. They go out and make plays. When they’re given an opportunity, you see, they make a play, like Wicks, that was a quick throw, and he turns it into a touchdown.”

No, the game didn’t look like it would have if Jordan Love were under center, but that was never going to be the expectation either. Perhaps it was Josh Jacobs who said it best after the game saying, Willis did what he needed to do to get the win. He led the offense, was seemingly in complete control from start to finish–again, another feat given the circumstances–and made the key throws when it was required.

It was a crash course in getting to this point with a lot of questions, additional studying and tape review, meetings with coaches, and practice sessions with the receivers. But Willis aced the exam.

“Just super proud of him,” said LaFleur. “I think our coaches did a great job preparing him and yeah, just really happy and proud of our football team.”

Packers offense runs wild against the Colts

Paul Bretl | 9/15/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Without Jordan Love, the Packers pulled off a win on Sunday over the Indianapolis Colts, and it all started in the trenches with the offensive line.

The Packers finished the game with 261 rushing yards, averaging 4.9 yards per attempt. In fact, 164 of those rushing yards came in the first quarter, the most by a team since Denver rushed for 167 yards in the opening quarter of a game back in 2011. 

“I mean, I feel like it was mindset more than anything,” said Elgton Jenkins at his locker post-game. “We knew to win this game we going have to run the ball and we going have to run it good. So, I feel like we came in with the right mindset, for sure just to get the job done.”

For Josh Jacobs, this was a game where he could showcase why the Packers signed him in free agency. During his time with the Las Vegas Raiders, there were numerous occasions over his five seasons there where he handled a hefty workload.

While the Packers did find ways to spread the ball around in the run game, they needed Jacobs to be that player today, carrying the ball 32 times for 151 yards–a task that he was more than comfortable taking on.

“Man, honest, I feel like I could play another half,” said Josh Jacobs. “It was hot, it was hot, especially in warm-ups, but body-wise, I feel good, man. I told ‘em, I don’t think I’ve ever had a game where I came out kind of like this clean. So I feel good.”

In a game where the opponent knew the run game was going to be a big factor for the Packers, Matt LaFleur didn’t just run the ball, but he threw a variety of different looks at the Colts as well. Whether it was the usage of all three running backs, Malik Willis, the receivers or mixing outside zone and gap schemes, as far as the run game goes, the Packers threw it all at the Indianapolis defense.

“I just think we had a variety of schemes up,” said Matt LaFleur, “and I think you gotta give credit to Adam Stenavich and all our coaches that kind of come up with that run plan, just the diversity within our run game and then the ability to put guys in certain positions, using our receivers in the running game, our tight ends blocking their butt off. Again, I told the O-line, I challenged ’em the other day and we had a shaky day at practice, I think on Wednesday and I went in there and said, hey, we’re winning this game through you guys and I thought they stepped up.”

Success in the run game is always important, but it becomes paramount when relying on a backup quarterback who has been with the team for less than three weeks. Moving the ball on the ground puts the offense in short down-and-distance situations, which forces the defense to defend the entire field.

Conversely, struggles in the run game puts the offense behind the sticks and in predictable passing situations where the defensive front can pin its ears back and the secondary has the advantage from a coverage standpoint. The run game needed to be Willis’ best friend, which it was.

“It was definitely huge,” said Jacobs of the run game, “because obviously he’s only been here two weeks. He did really good with what was asked of him, but we knew we had to come in and run the ball today. We knew we had to set that tone. So it allowed us to be able to do that. It was definitely a team effort, and it just played out good today.”

There is also a positive trickle-down effect that the run game can have for the defense. With the Packers putting together long drives and bleeding the clock for much of the game, they dominated the time of possession, with Green Bay’s defense not even on the field for 20 minutes of the 60 minute game. That’s one helpful way to limit an explosive offense like the Colts have.

“I was literally just sitting back enjoying my Gatorade,” said Jaire Alexander with a smile. “Felt amazing. This might be the shortest film that we watch all season.”

Attacking the Colts on the ground wasn’t the game plan only because Willis was under center, but the Indianapolis defense also struggled to do so last week, surrendering 213 rushing yards to the Houston Texans, with Joe Mixon averaging over 5.0 yards per attempt. In a similar fashion, the Packers utilized 11 personnel and shotgun looks to spread the Colts’ defense out.

Some might look at the Packers’ game plan as conservative. However, if you ask the Packers, what we saw on Sunday was just what this matchup dictated, and they found great success with it, so why stop?

“I don’t think of it,” said Willis when asked if this was a conservative approach. “It’s either win or lose, and y’all going to write about that either way. You can say what you want to. All you can do is control the flow of the game. The flow of the game said we’re running the ball today, and if we’re going to be successful running the ball, would you not run the ball just to prove somebody wrong, you know what I mean? That just is what it is. We’re not here to throw those terms around. We’re here to win games and do what we can to lean on each other, and that’s all it is.”

This game ended up being more of an old-school, win-ugly type of game for the Packers, but all wins–and all losses–regardless of how they look, count the same in the wins and losses columns.

In a game where the Packers ran the ball a whopping 53 times, the ball carriers and the offensive line left it all on the field–literally. Elgton Jenkins and Josh Myers puked on day where the temperature in Green Bay wasn’t too far off from 90 degrees.

“It was a grinder,” said Jenkins. “We just had to make sure we stayed hydrated, stay above the sticks and don’t get behind the sticks and lean on those guys and give our running backs, our quarterbacks, too, some space to run. It’s definitely one of those days – one of those camp days – for sure.”

Jeff Hafley anticipates S Evan Williams having role in Packers’ defense moving forward

Paul Bretl | 9/14/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — From the sounds of it, one change that we can expect to see defensively from the Packers on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts is that at some point, rookie safety Evan Williams will be on the field.

In the Packers Week 1 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, Williams didn’t register any defensive snaps.

“We do believe Evan deserves to play,” said defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley on Thursday, “and I think Evan, I know Evan has had a really good week of practice this week, and I’d anticipate Evan having a role going forward and I’m excited what he can do. So yeah, we need to have 33 have a role.”

Williams rotated with fellow rookie Javon Bullard for much of the summer, each having their share of opportunities to line up next to Xavier McKinney. The Packers did this to, one, get each player reps because a competition for playing time was taking place, and, two, with an emphasis on interchangeability, the Packers wanted both safeties comfortable taking snaps next to McKinney while filling different roles–whether that be playing deep or close to the line of scrimmage.

In the final few weeks of camp, it became clear that Bullard had pulled ahead of Williams in that competition, with the first-team rotation between the two all but disappearing

But nonetheless, Williams had certainly impressed throughout the summer. The decision to start Bullard very much seemed to be much more of a credit to him for seizing that playing time and not because Williams had really done anything drastic to lose the battle.

When the Packers first drafted Williams back in April, long-time scout Sam Seale described Williams has smart, instinctive, and someone who is always around the football. Those qualities were on display for the duration of training camp, with Williams recording a handful of interceptions in practice, along with forcing a fumble in the Packers’ preseason opener against Cleveland.

“Evan is a ballhawk,” said Jaire Alexander. “He reminds me a lot of Micah Hyde. Something always around the ball. Someone able to make plays. Just naturally too, man. He just has a knack for it. I can’t wait to see him on the field.”

Packers VP of Player Personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan would mention after the draft the “aggressive play-style” that Williams–along with Bullard and Kitan Oladapo–bring to the Packers’ secondary. We saw this quality from Williams in how he flew around the field and in the physicality he brought as a tackler, specifically in that Browns game where he totaled six tackles in only 23 snaps.

So now the question is, if in fact Williams is going to see playing time moving forward, how are the Packers going to get him on the field?

Given Bullard’s experience as a slot defender at Georgia, and we did see him take snaps there this summer, he could fill that role with Williams lining up next to McKinney. However, while I suppose that is an option, it doesn’t sound like an option that is going to be explored at this time.

“Keisean, who I think played a really good game, he was physical, very physical in the run game,” Hafley said. “I thought he covered well. Had a big hit on the quarterback, a sack or close to a sack on the wrap and roll tackle. He had an opportunity to have a pick six and change the game, so I like the way we attacked the ball.”

Instead, I would guess that the Packers have Williams filling in for Bullard in specific situations. I would still expect that when the game is over, Bullard will have played more snaps, but perhaps there will be certain packages when Williams takes his spot on the field. Or maybe it could be as simple as when in nickel, Bullard is out there and when in base it’s Williams.

The potential opportunity that it sounds like Williams will see moving forward isn’t about Bullard’s play or what he didn’t do in Week 1; rather, it’s about making sure you get a good football player snaps because he can make an impact. It just so happens that accomplishing that will take some maneuvering with the talent that the Packers now have at the safety position.

“I think first and foremost it’s the players we have,” said defensive backs coach Ryan Downard. “The players, those guys have made it a point of emphasis to go after the ball. I think they’re playing fast, I think the rules are simple, they’re detailed, but they’re simple and efficient.

“When you give guys the ability, they know what their job is, and then they’re able to get their cleats in the ground and execute, then I think they play faster, and I think a smarter football player usually tends to make more plays on the ball, because they put themselves in position to make those plays.”

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