The Green Bay Packers opened the preseason in 2023 with a convincing win over the Cincinnati Bengals, using touchdown passes from Jordan Love and Sean Clifford and a pair of scores from undrafted rookie Emanuel Wilson to race past the Bengals at Paycor Stadium on Friday night.
An instant analysis and recap of the Packers’ preseason-opening win in Cincinnati:
Final score: Packers 36, Bengals 19
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
| GB | 7 | 14 | 9 | 6 | 36 |
| CIN | 3 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 19 |
It was over when...
Rookie running back Emanuel Wilson raced off the right side for an 80-yard touchdown with just over nine minutes to play, giving the Packers a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Game balls
— QB Sean Clifford: He threw a pair of interceptions, including a pick-six, but the rookie also completed 20 passes for 208 yards and threw a touchdown pass.
— RB Emanuel Wilson: He turned his six carries into a game-high 111 yards. His 80-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter put the game away.
— CB Carrington Valentine: The rookie corner broke up two passes and caught an interception late in the first half. A summer standout, he looks like the real deal.
Key stat
4-for-4: The Packers scored touchdowns on all four trips inside the red zone. Among the successes was Jordan Love throwing a 9-yard touchdown pass to Romeo Doubs on the offense’s second series. The Bengals didn’t score on their only red-zone trip and didn’t have an offensive touchdown.
Jordan Love Watch
Love completed 7-of-10 passes for 46 yards and a touchdown. He missed Luke Musgrave for what could have been a big play on third down during the first series, but he came back one possession later and marched the Packers down the field, using a third-down conversion to Christian Watson to set up his touchdown pass to Romeo Doubs. Love looked poised in the pocket, made good decisions outside the pocket and consistently found the right target in the progression. While his accuracy still needs more consistency, this was a solid start for Love as the starter.
Quick hits
— Rookie Jayden Reed got a gadget touch on a pop pass, made a contested catch for a big play and looked extremely comfortable as a punt returner. He’s going to be a big part of what the Packers do in 2023.
— Jordan Love targeted Luke Musgrave three times: One on a designed split-zone rollout, another over the middle where he was wide open, and a third on a designed tight end screen. Musgrave is going to be a huge part of this passing game.
— Sean Clifford played a majority of the snaps after Love departed the contest, suggesting he’s the heavy, heavy favorite to be the No. 2 quarterback. Nothing about his performance hurt his case. In fact, Clifford made a handful of impressive throws, both from the pocket and on the move.
— The Packers defense was disruptive, delivering 13 pass breakups (two interceptions) and nine quarterback hits. The Bengals found a few explosive plays but averaged only 4.8 yards per attempt.
— Can Emanuel Wilson make a run at a roster spot? Tyler Goodson left with an injury, and Lew Nichols is still out with an injury. Wilson is big (5-10, 226), runs hard and has some runaway speed.
— Rookie kicker Anders Carlson made his first four kicks, including a 45-yard field goal, but he also missed his final two extra points wide right.
Injury updates
Tight end Tyler Davis suffered what Matt LaFleur described as a significant injury, suggesting his 2023 season could be over. Offensive tackle Luke Tenuta was carted off with an ankle injury, and offensive tackle Caleb Jones (ankle) and running back Tyler Goodson (shoulder) exited the game at halftime and didn’t return. Cornerback Corey Ballentine suffered a stinger.
What's next
The Packers will head home and start preparing for the New England Patriots, who will be in Green Bay for joint practices on Wednesday and Thursday before a preseason game at Lambeau Field on Saturday night. Bill Belichick’s team will provide an excellent challenge for the young Packers next week.
