For weeks, the Green Bay Packers’ defense was the talk of training camp. On Saturday, the team finally got to show their stuff against another NFL team. In their preseason opener, the Packers beat the Cleveland Browns by the score of 23-10, with the Browns’ only touchdown of the game coming with 5:08 left in the fourth quarter. The Packers chose not to extend their lead even more, too, as they kneeled out the game three yards away from the goal line.
Most of Green Bay’s starters played the game, though, the first-team offense and defense only registered one drive a piece. Offensively, the Jordan Love-led crew were only on the field for three total plays: a seven-yard rush to the newly signing running back Josh Jacobs, a check down to Jacobs and a 65-yard bomb from Love that went for a third-down score.
The Packers’ first-team defense gave up just 27 yards on their lone drive of the game, even though cornerback Jaire Alexander missed action for what the team is calling a personal matter. Alexander was seen on Green Bay’s sideline, so he made the trip to Cleveland for the game.
Second-round rookie Javon Bullard got the start at safety, the most open competition on the Packers’ depth chart right now. With Alexander out, cornerback Keisean Nixon saw some outside cornerback snaps, which did allow Bullard to play some slot reps during the game. When Nixon was playing in the slot, though, it was usually Corey Ballentine playing as the outside cornerback replacement starter.
Rookie linebackers Edgerrin Cooper and Ty’Ron Hopper also missed action, both due to injury. In base 4-3 looks, the Packers deployed Isaiah McDuffie and Eric Wilson at outside linebacker, as has been common this summer, next to Mike linebacker Quay Walker. In nickel sets, McDuffie was the primary stack linebacker paired with Walker.
With Zach Tom still missing competitive action, despite overcoming his pec injury enough to participate in practice, Andre Dillard was the team’s starting right tackle on Saturday. When the team sent out their second-team offense, Dillard was moved to left tackle, a sign that the Packers view Dillard more as a swing tackle and a true backup right tackle.
A couple of defensive linemen stood out in the game: Devonte Wyatt and Lukas Van Ness, who are both coming off the bench for the team. Wyatt didn’t show up on the box score, but he registered several pressures early on in the game. Van Ness, meanwhile, had three tackles for losses to go along with a sack. You’re going to be hearing a lot of praise about his performance today.
Running back Emanuel Wilson, a preseason star last year, also had a nice game. Wilson posted 13 carries for 67 yards and a touchdown with a long of 23 on Saturday. Green Bay’s top three running backs, Jacobs, AJ Dillon and MarShawn Lloyd, only combined for six total carries. Lloyd dropped out of action with an injury after just a lone carry.
Safety Evan Williams, who is competing for a starting safety job with Bullard and Anthony Johnson Jr., also managed to record a forced fumble versus the Browns. While the defense wasn’t able to post an interception, they did bring three separate quarterbacks down for sacks and recorded a combined four tackles for losses in the win. We’ll go ahead and call that a good showing for new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s unit.
In the kicking game, Anders Carlson was used as the first-look placekicker. Carlson went two of two on field goals with a long of 46 yards. He also hit his PAT attempt. Greg Joseph made a 35-yard field goal and a PAT. Based on the rotation tonight, the only player on the Packers’ entire roster who might not have gotten in the game could have been third-string kicker Alex Hale, who was just signed by Green Bay this week.
