Blocking issues on offense and an inability to stop the run played leading roles in the Green Bay Packers’ loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2. Without Aaron Jones, the Packers struggled to get going on the ground, and Bijan Robinson shredded Green Bay’s run defense.
Based on grades from Pro Football Focus, here are the best and worst performers from the Packers’ Week 2 loss to Falcons:
Top 5 offense
1. WR Jayden Reed: 82.9
2. WR Dontayvion Wicks: 74.8
3. C Josh Myers: 67.3
4. RB A.J. Dillon: 66.9
5. TE Luke Musgrave: 66.2
Reed caught four passes and scored two touchdowns on just 18 routes run. Wicks caught two passes and scored a touchdown while forcing two missed tackles on 16 routes run. Myers was solid as a pass-blocker and run-blocker over 49 snaps. Dillon created 39 yards after contact and caught his only target. Musgrave caught two passes and was generally fine in the blocking game.
Top 5 defense
1. LB Quay Walker: 72.3
2. OLB Justin Hollins: 72.2
3. OLB Lukas Van Ness: 71.6
4. OLB Preston Smith: 69.9
5. CB Keisean Nixon: 69.8
Walker stuffed the stat sheet, producing 11 solo tackles, eight assisted tackles, four pressures (one QB hit), four stops and one pass break-up on a near interception without missing a tackle. Walker earned the team’s top tackling grade. Hollins played 26 total snaps, including 14 against the run, and earned the team’s best run-defense grade. He made one run stop. Van Ness had a run stop over 18 snaps. Smith had three hurries (one QB hit), three run stops, and earned a strong coverage grade over three coverage snaps. Nixon allowed just one catch in coverage from the slot.
Bottom 5 offense
1. TE Josiah Deguara: 41.5
2. RB Patrick Taylor: 50.2
3. WR Malik Heath: 51.7
4. LG Royce Newman: 52.3
5. RG Jon Runyan Jr.: 56.8
Deguara was the team’s lowest-graded run blocker and pass blocker. Taylor earned a high grade in pass protection but he also dropped a screen pass, rushed one time for just one yard and committed a penalty. Heath didn’t have a catch over 10 snaps. Newman didn’t give up a pressure but earned poor run-blocking grades. Runyan gave up a pressure and was poor as a run blocker.
Bottom 5 defense
1. DL Colby Wooden: 36.9
2. DL Devonte Wyatt: 45.4
3. DL Karl Brooks: 48.6
4. S Darnell Savage: 50.7
5. OLB Kingsley Enagbare: 51.4
Wooden had one hurry but also missed a tackle and earned a horrendous grade against the run over 36 total snaps. Wyatt had a stop and three hurries but was also terrible against the run. Brooks didn’t have a pressure over 11 pass-rushing snaps and was below average against the run. Savage missed two tackles. Enagbare missed a tackle and was ineffective as a rusher over 40 snaps. Across the board, the Packers earned poor run defense grades.
Special teams
Safety Jonathan Owens made two tackles but also had a 15-yard penalty. He earned the highest special teams grade in Week 2. Innis Gaines missed a tackle, while Kingsley Enagbare had a tackle and an offsides penalty. Dallin Leavitt led the team with 22 snaps on special teams.
Quarterbacks
Jordan Love: 59.3
Love was credited with one “big-time throw” and one “turnover-worthy play.” He was under pressure on six of his dropbacks and averaged 2.47 seconds to throw. He also had a false start penalty. On throws over 20 yards in the air, Love was 0-for-3, although two defensive pass interference penalties negated potential deep completions. Off play-action, Love was 7-of-10 passing for 98 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged only 3.5 yards per attempt on 17 dropbacks without play action involved.
First-round pick
Over 18 snaps, Van Ness produced two total tackles, including a stop against the run. He didn’t have a pressure over eight pass-rushing snaps before exiting with an elbow injury. In general, Van Ness played the run and tackled well before his injury. His 71.6 overall defensive grade was the team’s third-highest in Week 2.
One grade to know
Jaire Alexander (final grade: 55.0) missed two tackles and gave up five completions on six targets into his coverage for 99 yards and a touchdown. He also dropped an interception. Drake London caught four of five targets for 54 yards and a touchdown against Alexander’s coverage.
