Despite standout performances from a few top players on defense and a strong pass-blocking effort from the offensive line, the Green Bay Packers were unable to sustain on offense and unable to create big stops late on defense during Sunday’s 23-21 defeat at the hands of the Washington Commanders.
Based on grades from Pro Football Focus, here are the best and worst performers from the Packers’ Week 7 loss to the Commanders:
Top 5 offense
1. RB A.J. Dillon: 67.8
2. RB Aaron Jones: 67.5
3. WR Allen Lazard: 67.1
4. QB Aaron Rodgers: 66.5
5. LT Zach Tom: 66.1
Dillon carried only four times, but he earned a strong grade for his work in pass protection, mostly due to one excellent block against a blitz. Jones forced six missed tackles on just eight carries, caught nine passes on 10 targets and scored two touchdowns, including one on a contested catch in the end zone. Lazard dropped a pass, but he averaged almost 3.0 yards per route run and had a contested catch. Rodgers had two “big time throws” on passes thrown over 20 yards, including the touchdown to Jones. Tom wasn’t great as a run blocker but he didn’t allow a single pressure over 41 pass-blocking snaps at left tackle in his first NFL start.
Top 5 defense
1. LB De’Vondre Campbell: 94.3
2. CB Rasul Douglas: 90.7
3. DL Dean Lowry: 79.7
4. LB Quay Walker: 78.0
5. S Rudy Ford: 77.4
Campbell combined his pick-six in coverage with three pressures on pass-rushing snaps, four stops against the run and five stops total. Douglas missed two tackles, but he also had three run stops and three pass breakups, and the seven attempts into his coverage netted only 29 yards. Lowry produced three pressures and two stops against the run. Walker led the team with seven total stops, including six against the run, and he had three pressures, including two quarterback hits. Ford played only nine snaps but still managed four tackles, including two considered to be a stop.
Bottom 5 offense
1. TE Marcedes Lewis: 30.9
2. TE Robert Tonyan: 35.4
3. WR Romeo Doubs: 43.6
4. LG Elgton Jenkins: 50.0
5. WR Amari Rodgers: 50.3
Lewis struggled as a run-blocker and didn’t have a target over eight routes run. Tonyan had the team’s worst run-blocking grade and nearly all of his production as a pass-catcher came on the uncontested final play. Doubs was credited with just one drop, but he was 0-for-3 on contested catch opportunities and didn’t have a catch on four targets (32 routes run). Jenkins was the only player along the offensive line with a poor pass-blocking grade. Rodgers caught two passes on 14 routes but dropped his big play opportunity down field.
Bottom 5 defense
1. OLB La’Darius Hamilton: 32.7
2. CB Eric Stokes: 50.6
3. CB Jaire Alexander: 53.1
4. DL Jarran Reed: 57.2
5. DL Kenny Clark: 62.2
Hamilton played 14 snaps but accomplished nothing but a missed tackle. Stokes missed a tackle, gave up four catches (including a touchdown) and had two penalties. Alexander allowed four catches and 67 yards on six targets to Terry McLaurin, who beat him for a score and two big catches late. Reed produced just two pressures over 48 total snaps. Clark had five hurries as a pass-rusher but didn’t affect the run game on the stat sheet.
Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers: 66.5
Of his 23 completions, 21 were thrown 10 yards or shorter in the air, including eight behind the line of scrimmage. He did create a touchdown and a big-time throw on an off-schedule play against pressure. Washington blitzed him just one time. From clean pockets, Rodgers averaged just 5.4 yards per attempt and had an average depth of target of 4.0 yards. Five of his passes were dropped, meaning his adjusted completion percentage was almost 85.0.
Special teams
Keisean Nixon had two tackles and the highest special teams grade. The Packers didn’t miss a tackle on special teams for the first time all year. Amari Rodgers earned a poor grade after muffing a punt.
