A complete lack of production and efficiency from the Green Bay Packers offense combined with the early success of Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos starting offense helped created a lopsided 27-2 win for the Broncos over the visiting Packers in Sunday night’s preseason clash at EmPower Field in Denver.
Based on grades from Pro Football Focus, here are the best and worst players from the Packers’ preseason loss to the Broncos:
Top 5 offense
1. OT Luke Tenuta: 69.6
2. WR Malik Heath: 69.3
3. WR Samori Toure: 64.5
4. OT Caleb Jones: 64.2
5. OT Travis Glover: 64.0
Tenuta didn’t allow a pressure over nine pass-blocking snaps at right guard and ended up as the offense’s highest-graded run blocker. Heath caught three of his six targets for 22 yards on 18 routes run. Toure caught two passes on two targets for 17 yards. Jones didn’t allow a pressure over nine pass-blocking snaps at right tackle. Glover allowed two pressures over 26 pass-blocking snaps and 48 total snaps at right tackle.
Top 5 defense
1. S Benny Sapp III: 85.5
2. LB Kristian Welch: 75.1
3. DL Colby Wooden: 72.8
4. DL Jonathan Ford: 72.6
5. DE Arron Mosby: 71.4
Sapp delivered a run stop and a pass breakup over 14 snaps. Welch had three stops vs. the run, allowed only one catch in coverage and caught an interception. Wooden had two hurries as a pass-rusher and two runs stops. Ford didn’t record a hurry or stop but looked explosive over 34 snaps at nose tackle. Mosby had a hurry creating an interception and drew a penalty.
Bottom 5 offense
1. TE Tyler Davis: 33.9
2. QB Sean Clifford: 35.5
3. WR Grant DuBose: 38.4
4. TE Joel Wilson: 48.7
5. QB Michael Pratt: 53.2
Davis had a nightmare night as a run -blocker. We counted five missed or failed blocks on 10 run-blocking snaps. Clifford fumbled a snap, threw an interception and managed only six completions across four drives. DuBose was credited with two drops, although one was a tough throw behind him on fourth down. Wilson caught just one pass for four yards on 19 routes run. Pratt lost a fumble and averaged only 3.3 yards per attempt. His average depth of target was 5.3 yards.
Bottom 5 defense
1. CB LJ Davis: 28.8
2. LB Ralen Goforth: 32.9
3. DL Zach Morton: 47.0
4. CB Kalen King: 47.2
5. LB Christian Young: 51.0
Davis gave up a catch for 22 yards. Goforth missed a tackle on a touchdown run and was penalized 15 yards. Morton had the sack-safety, but he also missed a tackle and earned a poor run defense grade. King missed two tackles, including one resulting in a first down on 3rd-and-17, and allowed three catches on three targets for 40 yards and a touchdown. Young allowed a touchdown pass while trying to undercut a block attempt on the Broncos’ final score.
Special teams
Grant DuBose had a tackle covering a punt. Greg Joseph missed the only kick attempt, a 47-yard field goal. Daniel Whelan averaged 54.8 yards per punt and 43.3 net, with two punts inside the 20-yard line. His hangtime average was 4.99 seconds.
Quarterback play
Michael Pratt: 53.2
Sean Clifford: 35.5
Both Pratt and Clifford had a turnover, and they combined to average 3.7 yards per attempt and 5.9 yards per completion. Neither Pratt nor Clifford completed a pass thrown over 10 yards in the air (0-for-5). Rough night for the backup quarterback competition.
Stat to know
Brenton Cox Jr. led all players with five pressures, including a sack, while rookie linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper had a team-high four defensive stops, including three against the run.
