A highly disappointing performance from the offense, two turnovers and two bone-headed penalties doomed the Green Bay Packers in the season finale on Sunday night at Lambeau Field. Matt LaFleur’s team scored just 16 points and lost to the Detroit Lions in a game in which a win would have clinched a playoff spot.
Based on grades from Pro Football Focus, here are the best and worst performers from the Packers’ Week 18 loss to the Lions:
Top 5 offense
1. WR Christian Watson: 88.2
2. TE Tyler Davis: 68.8
3. RB A.J. Dillon: 65.9
4. TE Robert Tonyan: 63.9
5. WR Allen Lazard: 62.7
Watson caught five of six targets for 104 yards, created 35 yards after the catch, averaged 3.71 yards per route run, produced five first downs and made one contested catch. Davis earned high marks as a blocker over eight snaps. Dillon averaged 3.2 yards after contact and ran for three first downs, but he also dropped a pass. Tonyan made a terrific contested catch for 20 yards. Lazard also had a contested catch, and he scored the Packers’ only touchdown, but he got dinged for a drop.
Top 5 defense
1. DL Devonte Wyatt: 91.1
2. LB Krys Barnes: 78.9
3. DL Kenny Clark: 76.4
4. LB De’Vondre Campbell: 73.0
5. CB Jaire Alexander: 72.3
Wyatt played 32 snaps and earned an elite pass-rush grade after producing a sack and forced fumble. Barnes delivered two stops over just seven snaps. Clark delivered two pressures, including a quarterback hit, and a stop. Campbell had two stops and a pressure, plus eight total tackles without a miss. Alexander allowed three completions for just 12 yards.
Bottom 5 offense
1. WR Romeo Doubs: 34.3
2. RT Yosh Nijman: 35.4
3. LG Elgton Jenkins: 52.4
4. C Josh Myers: 54.1
5. WR Randall Cobb: 55.5
Doubs dropped two passes and didn’t have a catch on 12 routes run. Nijman gave up three pressures (two sacks) and committed a penalty over 24 snaps before he was pulled. Jenkins allowed just one pressure but earned a low run-blocking grade; the same goes for Myers. Cobb averaged only 0.85 yards per route run (11 yards on 13 routes).
Bottom 5 defense
1. S Innis Gaines: 37.3
2. LB Quay Walker: 46.4
3. OLB Justin Hollins: 49.0
4. OLB Preston Smith: 51.1
5. CB Rasul Douglas: 51.2
Gaines gave up two completions and made one tackle over 13 snaps, including 10 from the slot. Walker missed a tackle, gave up four completions on four targets into his coverage and had a penalty/ejection in the fourth quarter. Hollins didn’t have a tackle, stop or pressure over 17 snaps. Smith had more missed tackles (2) than pressures (1) and stops (0) over 57 empty snaps. Douglas gave up three completions and had a 15-yard penalty.
Special teams
Isaiah McDuffie led the way with two special teams tackles and the top overall special teams grade. Corey Ballentine and Eric Wilson also had tackles in coverage, and no one missed a tackle. Keisean Nixon averaged only 19.8 yards per kickoff return and nearly fumbled away a punt. Mason Crosby hit the crossbar from 53 yards, and Pat O’Donnell’s only punt traveled 37 yards.
Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers: 56.0
Rodgers struggled mightily under pressure, completing just four of nine passes for 50 yards and an interception on 12 dropbacks under pressure. He was otherwise good from clean pockets (13 of 18, 155 yards, touchdown). Rodgers had three “big-time throws” and three “turnover-worthy plays,” and all six plays came on throws over 20 yards. He was also plagued by four drops, so his adjusted completion percentage was actually over 80.0.
