Hangin’ with Havel
Friday September 13th
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Willis to start at QB in
Packers’ home opener
By Chris Havel
Special to The FAN
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Malik Willis sees the opportunity before him. The question is whether the Packers’ likely starting QB in Sunday’s home opener versus the Colts can seize it.
Willis, 23, has been in Green Bay fewer than three weeks.
In that time he greeted his new teammates, met with the coaches, trainers and equipment staff, and began to settle in as the Packers’ QB2 who wears jersey No. 2.
It was a great opportunity to watch, learn and hone his skills with a first-class mentor in Jordan Love and a highly successful head coach in Matt LaFleur.
Then the entire scenario changed in the twist of a knee.
Love suffered an MCL sprain of his left knee in the final seconds of the Packers’ 34-29 loss to the Eagles in their Week 1 season opener in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Love is expected to be sidelined 3-to-4 weeks, although the Packers didn’t place him on IR, meaning he wouldn’t have to sit a mandatory for weeks in exchange for an additional roster spot.
The best news is that Love’s injury isn’t season ending.
It’s also better that it occurred in Week 1 versus Week 18. It allows Love ample time to rehab and recover from the injury. It also gives the Packers leeway in case of a 0-for-whatever start.
In addition, it’s also better that Love’s injury occurred late in the Eagles’ game, as opposed to early in the Colts’ home opener. That’s because this time table at least allows Willis an entire week to practice and prepare for Indianapolis.
So who is Malik Willis?
He was a dual threat quarterback at Liberty whom the Titans selected in the third round of the 2022 draft. He is a stoutly built 6-1, 225-pound athlete with legit 4.4-second speed in the 40.
Willis started three games as a rookie.
The Titans went 1-2 but it wasn’t pretty. In fact, the Titans won in spite of Willis, rather than because of him.
In retrospect, Willis realizes he was ill-prepared to be an NFL starting quarterback as a rookie. The fact is it’s, “Ready or not, here they come,” when an NFL team has nowhere else to turn.
“I’ve only played three games and I was a rookie, call it what you want to … I wasn’t ready yet,” Willis admitted this week. “But I had to go in and I’m a different player than (I was) then. It’s not about what you know, it’s about what you can prove on the field, you know what I mean?”
Willis’ chance to begin “proving it” starts Sunday.
So what are realistic expectations?
I suspect Willis’ stat line to read something similar to this:
Willis is 16 of 27 for 113 yards with one touchdown and an interception. He’ll also have six carries for 48 yards and a TD.
Those are typically modest passing numbers for a Packers’ quarterback. The truth is they’re actually on the high side for Willis, given his lack of experience in the Packers’ system.
Willis showed signs of progress during the Titans’ preseason when he completed 20 of 27 passes for 205 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
His accuracy and ability to succeed as a passer out of the pocket remain his greatest challenges.
LaFleur said the Packers’ coaches are going to continue working with Willis on his fundamentals in addition to getting him ready to start against the Colts.
Willis has been putting in long days to get up to speed.
“The reality is I just got here, so it’s gonna be a little bit in overdrive,” Willis told reporters. “It’s been pretty much around the clock since I got here. You try to come in and be ready to go if you’re called upon.”
That call came a lot sooner than Willis might’ve figured on.
Nevertheless, he doesn’t seem fazed. Or he isn’t letting on.
When asked if he was nervous, Willis replied, “Nervous about what? It’s Wednesday.”
While Willis’ on-field experience is limited he has gone about the business of preparing and playing as a starter. It enables him to have a perspective that lets him know what he’s in for.
“He’s got to communicate to us and let us know where he’s at,” LaFleur said. “Certainly we’ll go through it and comb it at the end of the week and probably ‘X’ out some things if he’s not very comfortable with it, and star the things that he really likes.
“I’m confident that he’ll tell me if he’s uncomfortable with something.”
The Colts (0-1) surrendered more than 200 yards rushing to the Houston Texans in a 29-27 loss in Week 1. Joe Mixon had a career rushing day against Indianapolis, which suggests the Packers will do everything to get their run game going in an effort to make Willis’ job that much easier.
However, the Colts’ greatest weakness is their secondary. Cornerback JuJu Brents is out with an injury in a secondary that already is short on talent and depth.
The question is this: Does LaFleur attack with Willis’ arm? Or does he focus on the run game, Willis’ speed and jet sweeps with merely a sprinkle of the pass game to move the chains?
Conversely, the Colts have Anthony Richardson at quarterback, an extremely talented athlete who is reminiscent of Cam Newton in the way he runs and throws.
Richardson’s accuracy has been a problem, but his arm strength is unquestioned. The Packers’ defense must decide if it’s going to rush four and drop seven in coverage, or play it straight and give Richardson time to self-destruct.
The Colts’ Jonathan Taylor is a premier back and a dual threat as a ball carrier and receiver out of the backfield.
The Packers will have their hands full Sunday.
PREDICTION
COLTS 24, PACKERS 16
Love out 3-to-4 weeks,
Packers turn to Willis
By Chris Havel
Special to The FAN
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Packers are 0-1 with Jordan Love.
Now, they face the unwelcome and undeniably more difficult task of winning without him due to a left knee injury that will sideline the Packers’ QB1 for three to four weeks.
Love was injured in the final seconds of Green Bay’s 34-29 loss to Philadelphia during Friday night’s regular-season opener on a slick field at Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur didn’t get into specifics during his Monday news conference, but he did call it “relatively good news” that an MRI revealed it wouldn’t be season ending.
LaFleur said Love wouldn’t be placed on injured reserve, meaning he’d miss at least four weeks. The coach also said the Packers – despite media reports to the contrary – haven’t explored the possibility of signing a veteran quarterback.
Further, LaFleur said recently acquired Malik Willis is their starting quarterback until Love is cleared by the medical staff.
LaFleur was asked to put a percentage on Love’s availability.
“I couldn’t give you a percentage, but if he gets cleared, we’ll give him every opportunity (to play) like we always will,” he said. “I know he’s doing everything in his power. I know he’s spending a lot of time trying to get back as soon as possible.
“But certainly we’re not going to put him in a position where if he can’t protect himself that he’d go out there.”
Love had an uncharacteristically rocky start to the season.
He finished 17 of 34 for 260 yards, two touchdowns and an interception for an 83.0 passer rating. He never looked comfortable on the slick field and didn’t scramble once.
Most disappointing was the Packers’ performance in the red zone. Green Bay’s defense forced two turnovers within the game’s first four minutes that set them up point blank.
The Packers’ offense seemed ill-prepared to take advantage of their early good fortune and was forced to settle for a pair of Brayden Narveson field goals. The missed opportunities were compounded later when a third turnover only led to a field goal, and Narveson misfired on a fourth attempt from 43 yards out.
It was reminiscent of the start of the Packers’ 24-21 loss at San Francisco in the NFC divisional playoffs.
In that January playoff game, the Packers’ first three possessions played out like this:
** 1st and 10 at the 49ers’ 13-yard line: 29-yard field goal.
** 1st and 10 at the 49ers’ 23-yard line: Fourth-down failure.
** 1st-and-goal at the 49ers’ 9-yard line: 29-yard field goal.
By the time the smoke cleared it was 49ers 7, Packers 6. If that sounds familiar it’s because the Packers, after similar failures, trailed the Eagles 7-6 despite the golden opportunities.
In addition, Anders Carlson missed a fourth-quarter field goal attempt in that 49ers’ game (much like Narveson versus the Eagles Friday night) that factored in the loss.
The Packers’ miscues and Love’s injury – in addition to season-opening wins by the Bears, Vikings and Lions – gives the rest of the NFC North two legs up on the Packers.
The first leg up is the one-game lead in the standings. It may not seem like much in September, but by December it could be the difference between a playoff berth and a long, cold offseason.
The second leg up is Love’s left leg, or left knee, to be specific.
Now, it’s up to the recently acquired Willis to run the offense.
LaFleur appears pleased with Willis’ efforts to learn on the fly.
“He’s put a lot of time and effort into this thing,” the Packers’ coach said. “He’s grinded. He’s learned the terminology and is able to spit out the play calls, and we’ve got confidence in him.
“If he’s given a full week of preparation, a full week of practice, I’ve got confidence he’ll go out there and perform at a high level.”
Clearly, Willis sees the opportunity before him. The question is whether he will be able to seize it. He does possess the talent.
Willis (6-1, 219) is a tremendous athlete with a strong right arm and legit 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash.
Willis also is unpolished, if not raw.
The third-year pro out of Liberty was selected by Tennessee in the third round of the 2022 draft. He started three games as a rookie, completing 25 of 49 passes for 234 yards and three interceptions. He also rushed 20 times for 95 yards.
Willis’ next touchdown pass will be his first in the NFL.
By the way, the Titans were 1-2 in Willis’ three starts.
LaFleur was asked what percentage of the playbook Willis had mastered. The coach said he wasn’t going to guess but did offer a prediction: “He’ll know 100 percent of the game plan.”
“Every game’s a little bit different and certainly you’ve got to play to your players’ strengths, so it’s our job to try to come up with (a plan) to put him in a position to be successful, whether that’s moving launch points or straight drop back, whatever it may be,” LaFleur said. “We always carry play-actions every week. So we’ll come up with whatever we feel like is going to give us the best possible opportunity to move the football.”
The Packers’ success in the next few weeks, good and bad, isn’t all going to fall on Willis’ shoulder pads.
The coaches need to be better than they were in the opener. LaFleur and his staff had too many miscommunications between themselves and the players.
The rest of players also need to be better.
There has never been a serious Super Bowl contender that lived and died strictly with the quarterback. The great Dan Marino got to the pinnacle just once in his illustrious Hall of Fame career, and he lost to the 49ers at that.
It’s time for the offense to rally around Willis, focus on the details and play with a true sense of urgency. It’s also time for Green Bay’s defense to do likewise.
Teams can’t play their way into the postseason in September.
But they sure as heck can play their way out of it.
Eagles outgun Packers
34-29 in sloppy opener
By Chris Havel
Special to The FAN
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers’ good vibe “Summer of Love” got smacked upside the helmet by a harsh jolt of reality otherwise known as the NFL’s regular season.
The mood among Packers fans went from “thumbs up” to “fingers crossed” when Jordan Love’s left knee buckled in the final seconds of a 34-29 loss to Philadelphia on Friday night.
The Packers’ starting quarterback had to be helped off the slick field at Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The fear is his final play of the game might be his last of the season.
Media reports early Saturday ahead of the Packers’ arrival back in Green Bay indicated an ankle injury had been ruled out. However, reports also said Love’s knee would undergo an MRI.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur was asked about Love’s injury during his postgame news conference.
LaFleur’s response: “I don’t know.”
What the Packers’ head coach does know is that his team’s performance against the talented Eagles wasn’t good enough.
“A lot to clean up,” he admitted. “(It was) definitely a sloppy game for us. There some uncharacteristic things we did as a staff, frankly, that trickled down to our players.
“Guys competed hard, but it was sloppy. It seemed like every time offensively we had a drive-stopping penalty. We overcame some of those, but a lot of penalties.”
The Packers (0-1) did some good things against the Eagles (1-0) in their “South of the Equator” season opener. The trouble is much of the good was erased by the Packers’ own mistakes.
The Eagles were minus-2 in turnovers but still managed to win, an amazing feat considering teams that were minus-2 in the turnover battle went 7-42 last season.
Philadelphia prevailed despite the odds in large part due to Green Bay’s self-destructive ways.
The Packers’ defense got three takeaways, including two inside the Eagles’ red zone in the game’s first four minutes, but the offense could only parlay it into a measly three field goals.
“To force three takeaways against a really good offense, I feel we should win the game,” LaFleur said. “Stats will tell you it’s a 90 percent win ratio when you’re plus-2 in takeaways.
“Nine points off three turnovers? Not good enough.”
The Packers committed 10 penalties for 71 yards, including an offsetting “12 men on the field” that wiped out a Love-to-Jayden Reed 38-yard touchdown pass on the game’s opening drive.
The Packers’ offense followed that by being turned back by the Eagles’ defense twice inside the red zone. Green Bay was forced to settle for field goals of 31 and 23 yards by Brayden Narveson.
LaFleur lamented the red zone failures.
“We had a lot of opportunities we didn’t capitalize on and when you don’t do that, you get beat,” LaFleur said. “The red area was a huge problem tonight. Last year I thought we were pretty good in that area, but we got destroyed there tonight.”
Narveson, an undrafted rookie free agent signed just days before the season opener, also missed a 43-yard field goal attempt that glanced off the right upright late in the third quarter.
The Packers trailed 31-26 and a “make” would’ve drawn them to within a field goal. Instead, they still needed a touchdown, a fact that dogged them down the stretch.
Meantime, the Eagles’ defense forced one turnover – a Love interception with six minutes to play in the third quarter – and took over at Green Bay’s 24-yard line. Saquon Barkley scored on a 2-yard run four plays later.
Barkley finished with 24 carries for 109 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught a touchdown pass from Jalen Hurts to get the TD hat trick.
“We had some mistakes, in the run game we had some blown gaps where Saquon was barreling through there and getting chunk gains,” LaFleur said. “You can’t do that against a good football team.”
Hurts finished 20 of 34 for 278 yards with two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Xavier McKinney got him early and Jaire Alexander got him late, but neither pick led to touchdowns.
The Eagles’ splendid receiving duo of A.J. Brown (five catches for 119 yards and a touchdown) and DeVonta Smith (seven for 84) repeatedly found openings in the Packers’ secondary.
Hurts was sacked twice and hit five times but it didn’t matter. When the Eagles’ quarterback needed to direct a game-winning, clock-consuming drive he did it with power and aplomb.
“They were having their way with us,” LaFleur said. “I expected more from our pass rush tonight, and when we did bring pressure, a lot of times it looked like guys were uncovered.”
McKinney said he spoke to the team in the locker room after the loss. He doesn’t want to hear any doom-and-gloom forecasts after just one game.
“Defensively, I think we know what we have to do to improve from this game,” McKinney said. “We’re going to be critical of ourselves watching this film on the way back, and we’re going to be better, a lot better, next week.
“I think we know we didn’t hold up to the standard that we wanted to be defensively, but we’ll get that fixed and I don’t think we’ll have an issue moving forward.”
The Packers’ offense flashed at times with big plays.
Josh Jacobs had 16 carries for 84 yards, but 80 of those yards (on 10 attempts) came in the second half. Jacobs said the Packers’ offense made an adjustment at halftime and it paid off.
“We just changed our scheme,” Jacobs said. “They had a great game plan the first half, so we changed our scheme like the third or fourth drive and it started paying off.”
Jacobs had a 32-yard gallop that keyed Green Bay’s 10-play, 79-yard scoring drive in the fourth quarter.
Emanuel Wilson added 46 yards rushing on four carries. The Packers finished with a respectable 163 yards rushing on 21 carries for a 7.8 yards-per-carry clip.
Conversely, Love was uncharacteristically off target and finished 17 of 34 for 260 yards, two touchdowns, the interception and an 83 passer rating.
Reed had the big night with four catches for 138 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown grab. He also had a 33-yard touchdown run on a clever play in the first half.
Romeo Doubs had four catches for 50 yards, and Christian Watson hauled in a 9-yard touchdown catch, but the Packers’ receivers also had at least four drops. That includes two by second-year pro Dontayvion Wicks, who didn’t catch a pass. Now the Packers have to lick their wounds and pray that Love’s knee injury isn’t serious.
Packers-Eagles opener
pits two of NFC’s best
By Chris Havel
Special to The FAN
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers enter the 2024 NFL season with great expectations.
They won seven of 10 games (including the playoffs) to close out last season. That included wins over NFC North champion Detroit (29-22), Super Bowl champion Kansas City (27-19) and NFC East champion Dallas (48-32) in the NFC divisional round.
Only one failed defensive stand, and a missed field goal, stood between the Packers and a berth in the NFC title game.
Indeed, Matt LaFleur’s team finished with a flourish.
The Philadelphia Eagles can’t say the same.
Nick Sirianni’s team was .500 (6-6) in its last 12 games.
The Eagles started 10-1 before their once-promising season was derailed by advanced age, injuries and a 30th-ranked defense.
Both the Packers and Eagles made significant offseason changes to shore up weaknesses and accentuate strengths in an effort to claim the NFC championship and advance to Super Bowl LIX.
The Eagles acquired Saquon Barkley to replace D’Andre Swift and jumpstart their once-vaunted running game.
Barkley, one of the NFL’s most dynamic weapons, averaged 3.9 yards per carry behind and awful N.Y. Giants’ offensive line. He still managed to accumulate 51 first downs rushing and another 16 in the passing game against defenses designed to stop him.
That included the Packers’ defense under Joe Barry.
Barkley rushed 20 times for 86 yards and two touchdowns in the Giants’ 24-22 upset win at the Meadowlands. He also caught three passes for 15 yards and would’ve sealed the win if not for fumbling after a 26-yard gallop late in the game.
The Eagles’ offense returns quarterback Jalen Hurts, tight end Dallas Goedert and receivers A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith. It’s as talented an arsenal of weapons as there is in the league.
What the Eagles don’t have is a proven offensive line. Perennial All-Pro center Jason Kelce retired in the offseason. The Eagles’ “Brotherly Shove” certainly took a hit, and it is possible Hurts also will take numerous hits because of it.
The Packers counter with new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, a revamped safety room that added All-Pro Xavier McKinney, and the return of everyone in the front seven.
Hafley isn’t concerned that it will be the first time he’s calling the defensive plays for an NFL team.
“For me, it’s like this, just like I talk to the players and I mean this – I tell them we’re gonna work really hard up until the time that we kick off and my sheet’s gonna be in front of me and I’m gonna let it rip, and we’re gonna call it and we’re gonna play fast and we’re gonna play physical and I’m not gonna hesitate on the call,” Hafley said. “We’re gonna get it in quickly to Quay Walker so they can look out and see what the offense is coming out in and we can go line up and play.
“Once that starts, maybe I’ll be a little anxious before kickoff but we’re gonna work to the point where we’re prepared. I trust the players. I trust the staff and I just gotta go call it and they gotta go play and execute and I cannot wait for that to happen.”
Jordan Love leads a Packers’ offense that went from struggling to score in the first half of games early in the season to being one of the league’s most explosive attacks.
The Eagles hired Vic Fangio to coordinate its new-look defense.
“Vic is one of one,” LaFleur said. “There are a lot of guys who’ve tried to copy and emulate his scheme, and some guys have had success, but not to the level he’s had. He’s one of the best (defensive coordinators) in the game.”
Love said they are doing their best to prepare for what comes.
“A lot of unknowns,” Love said. “So you just have to trust the rules of the game plan and go out there, take that opening drive to get a feel … for what their blitz flavors of the day might be and how they’re trying to play us.”
The Eagles, like the Packers, played vanilla offense in the preseason.
“I’m sure they didn’t unleash everything that they have in their arsenal,” LaFleur said. “Week 1’s always, it’s a guessing game in some respect. That’s why you’ve really got to focus on what you do and knowing your rules inside and out, knowing the details of what you’re trying to get done, and that’s what we’ve emphasized to our guys.”
Love should be able to exploit the Eagles’ young secondary, especially with All-Pro defensive tackle Fletcher Cox’s retirement and Hasaan Reddick, their best pass rusher, being traded to the New York Jets.
Josh Jacobs’ arrival also should help the Packers’ running game find traction in the opener. Jacobs replaces Aaron Jones, who was revered in Green Bay. I suspect Packers fans will embrace Jacobs in similar fashion once they see what he can do.
Jacobs is just a year removed from being the NFL’s leading rusher. He also is adept in pass protection and serves as a bona fide weapon out as a receiver out of the backfield.
“It comes down to adjustments,” LaFleur said. “You’re goingto have to adjust Week 1 … and typically whoever can do that better will probably win the game.”
PREDICTION
The Packers’ offense, in particular Jacobs in the run game, should be able to put up points against the Eagles’ defense.
Love and his band of receivers should be able to gain yardage in big chunks. The addition of Jacobs should make for better success in short-yardage and goal-line situations.
The special teams’ matchup is something of a mystery given the NFL’s new kickoff rule. In addition, the Packers have a new kicker in undrafted rookie Brayden Narveson.
Overall, I expect the Packers-Eagles matchup in Friday night’s regular-season opener in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to be hotly contested. I also expect it to be decided in the fourth quarter.
It would be foolish to underrate the Eagles and Hurts. It’s even possible Philadelphia might maul the Packers in the opener.
But I don’t see it that way.
The Packers’ passing attack, in addition to an entirely retooled defense, should be enough to carry the day.
Packers 27, Eagles 24
Packers retool safety,
Dillon done for season
By Chris Havel
Special to The FAN
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Packers overhauled their entire safety position, replaced half of their 10-man offensive line group, and bid adieu to running back A.J. Dillon (stinger) and tight end Tyler Davis (shoulder) by placing both veterans on season-ending injured reserve.
They also released both backup quarterbacks – Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt – one day after trading a 2025 seventh-round draft pick to the Titans for quarterback Malik Willis.
In addition, Greg Joseph earned a spot on the Packers’ “initial” 53-man roster when Green Bay released second-year kicker Anders Carlson after less-than-inspiring performances by both.
Joseph’s only “leg up” on Carlson is that he hasn’t scarred his coaches and teammates – at least not yet – with an abundance of crazy misses and erratic kicks.
Meantime, the six-player wide receiver unit stood at the meeting room door and essentially declared, “No one shall pass!”
Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks return as the top four with fellow holdovers Malik Heath and Bo Melton also back.
For Dillon, the Mayor of Door County’s days with the Packers are finished. Sadly, Dillon’s NFL career – pending more medical information – also may be in jeopardy.
Davis has been a consummate pro in Green Bay, but last year’s knee injury and this year’s shoulder injury have derailed his career here.
Here’s a closer look at the Packers’ “initial” 53-man roster:
** QB (2): Jordan Love is ready to build on his tremendous first season as the Packers’ QB1 and next franchise quarterback. Willis, a third-round pick in 2022, is a 6-1, 219-pound speedster who possesses a strong but all-to-often inaccurate throwing arm.
Clifford didn’t do enough in training camp and the preseason to give the Packers confidence he could win a game or two if Love was sidelined with an injury. Pratt flashed at times but is too raw to be relied upon as the backup on a serious playoff contender.
It’s been suggested Clifford may be resigned if for no other reason than to serve as the backup for Week 1 against Philadelphia. He knows the offense well enough to run it should something happen to Love in the regular-season opener.
That said I’d still prefer a newbie in Willis to Clifford. Willis has played in the NFL and his legit 4.4 speed and strong arm could be enough to enable Green Bay to survive a short stretch.
** RBs (3): Josh Jacobs is going to be the bell cow. He better be ready to go out of the gate because he’ll get a lot of work in the season-opener in Brazil.
Emanuel Wilson earned a spot on the 53-man roster. He had 13 rushing attempts in the postseason last year. His running style is similar to Jacobs’ and he knows the offense. I’m pretty sure Wilson would have beaten out a healthy Dillon straight up.
Rookie Marshawn Lloyd has immense upside and will be brought along slowly.
** WRs (6): Doubs, Reed, Watson, Wicks, Heath and Melton provide Green Bay and Love with as dangerous a group as there is in the NFL. Grant Dubose should return on the practice squad.
Watson has shown no adverse effects regarding his hamstring and Doubs remains a key weapon. Reed, Wicks, Heath and Melton all should thrive in their second season here.
** TEs (3): Luke Musgrave, Tucker Kraft and Ben Sims hold down the fort at tight end. It’s as young and talented a trio of tight ends as there is in the league.
** Offensive Line (10): The Packers kept 11 offensive linemen last season. That group included the now departed David Bakhtiari, Yosh Nijman, Caleb Jones, Jon Runyan Jr., Royce Newman and Luke Tenuta.
The Packers return Rasheed Walker, Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers, Zach Tom and Sean Rhyan while adding Jordan Morgan, Kadeem Telfort, Jacob Monk, Andre Dillard and Travis Glover.
Morgan and Rhyan may alternate at right guard, although it appears that eventually it will be Morgan’s job with Rhyan as the top G/C reserve.
** DT (5): Everybody returns here. Kenny Clark, T.J. Slaton, Devonte Wyatt, Karl Brooks and Colby Wooden all are back. Jonathan Ford will open on injured reserve with the ability to be activated this season.
** DE (6): Preston Smith, Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare and Brenton Cox, Jr., all return with Arron Mosby added to the mix.
** ILB (5): Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie and Eric Wilson will open the season as the starters in Green Bay’s base 4-3 defense. Rookies Edgerrin Cooper and Ty’Ron Hopper effectively replaced De’Vondre Campbell and Tariq Carpenter.
It’s an infusion of speed and youth. Fans are rooting for Kristian Welch to be brought back on the practice squad.
** CB (5): Jaire Alexander leads a talented group with Eric Stokes starting opposite him and Keisean Nixon in the slot. Carrington Valentine and Corey Ballentine were no-brainers. Both are quality backups who started critical games last season.
** S (5): It’s an entire whitewash at safety.
Gone are Darnell Savage, Rudy Ford, Jonathan Owens, Dallin Leavitt and Anthony Johnson Jr.
Johnson Jr.’s release was the surprise here.
The revamped unit is led by Xavier McKinney with rookies Javon Bullard and Evan Williams playing key roles. Zayne Anderson is a reliable special teams’ performer and rookie Kitan Oladapo is a rugged and willing special teamer as well.
** K, P, LS: It is Joseph (for now) as the kicker, along with punter Daniel Whelan and long snapper Matt Orzech.
Packers’ subs rise up
to sink Ravens, 30-7
By Chris Havel
Special to The FAN
GREEN BAY, Wis. – It was a fitting finish to what was a vastly productive, highly spirited training camp and preseason.
The Packers’ 30-7 victory over the Ravens in Saturday’s Week 3 preseason finale at Lambeau Field carried the team’s good vibe all the way into Tuesday’s NFL roster cut deadline.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur said there will be a lot of difficult decisions with the roster cuts. He added that he’s grateful he doesn’t have to be the one to make the final decision. That task falls to GM Brian Gutekunst after much discussion and debate.
Two things with that:
** No. 1 – It speaks to the degree of trust and teamwork between Gutekunst and LaFleur. They are similar to Ron Wolf and Mike Holmgren in that they are constantly gaming out roster scenarios as well as analyzing camp battles between players.
Their coordination and communication appears to be excellent.
It amazes me whenever I read reports discussing the animosity between a GM and coach in the league. I always think, “It’s plenty challenging when they’re seeing eye-to-eye. How do they win when they’re not collaborating?”
The answer is a majority of them don’t succeed.
Fortunately for Packers fans, the GM and coach have a healthy working relationship. It doesn’t guarantee a team’s success – especially if neither the GM nor the coach knows what the heck they’re doing – but it’s a good way to bet.
** No. 2 – When LaFleur opined on the difficulty of making roster cuts he was being truthful. It is “difficult” but for the best reason possible: Because there are more than 53 worth keeping.
A week after having their helmets handed to them by the Broncos’ starters in a joint practice and ensuing preseason game, the Packers’ reserves gained a measure of redemption Saturday.
The Packers dominated the Ravens in every phase.
Green Bay had impressive showings by both individuals and their respective offensive and defensive units as a whole.
The defense forced four turnovers and didn’t allow Baltimore’s offense to reach its red zone. The Ravens’ lone touchdown came on 48-yard toss from Josh Johnson to Tylan Wallace. It gave the Ravens a short-lived 7-6 lead early in the second quarter.
After that it was all Packers on a Chamber of Commerce Day, much to the delight of the 72,000-plus fans that showed up to cheer for their team during its lone home preseason appearance.
The offense also obliged the Lambeau Field patrons by churning out 193 yards rushing to go with an effective passing attack. Or perhaps it’s the other way around. The run game quite likely made throwing the football much more doable for backup QBs Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt.
Pratt hit Bo Melton on a perfectly thrown fade for an 18-yard touchdown catch. Pratt was 8 of 12 for 80 yards with one touchdown, one interception and a 78.5 passer rating.
Clifford connected with Malik Heath on a 7-yard touchdown pass. He completed 6 of 14 for 53 yards and the touchdown toss for a 77.4 passer rating.
It’s a true competition for the backup QB job.
Clearly, the Packers aren’t going to expose Pratt to the waiver wire. They felt fortunate to be able to draft the Tulane quarterback in the seventh round.
He isn’t going anywhere.
Clifford is another matter. He has been solid in camp but his preseason games have been a mixed bag: some good, some bad.
It’s likely they’ll keep both on the 53-man roster. If something should happen to starter Jordan Love they’ll deal with it then.
The running back battle comes down to whether the Packers will keep two or three on their 53-man roster. I suspect it’ll be Josh Jacobs and Emanuel Wilson at the season’s outset with A.J. Dillon (stinger) and/or Marshawn Lloyd (hamstring) on the 53.
It is possible Dillon and/or Lloyd could go on reserve lists.
If that’s the case it’ll be either Ellis Merriweather or Nate McCrary as the third back until further notice.
The receiver position looks like Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Melton, Heath and perhaps Grant DuBose.
The Packers’ O-line is settled with the exception of the swing tackle and the first player up as the primary G/C backup.
Green Bay didn’t allow a sack against the Ravens.
Defensively, edge rusher Aaron Mosby made a name for himself with a very physical strip-sack that led to Anthony Johnson Jr.’s 26-yard scoop-and-score in the first half.
Mosby intercepted a pass on the next defensive series.
Linebacker Kristian Welch, who is a special teams’ mercenary by trade, intercepted a pass for a second straight week. He also was active against the run game and solid versus the pass.
Welch has a great chance to be the sixth linebacker.
The winner of the camp-long kicker battle between incumbent Anders Carlson and veteran Greg Joseph remains a mystery.
Joseph made field goals of 36 and 55 yards, while Carlson nailed 54-yarder but then missed a 34-yard try in the fourth quarter. Neither one has earned my trust. If I’m the Packers I’m looking in earnest to find another kicker or two to keep the competition alive. The Packers can’t miss on this again.
Once the Packers announce their first round of roster cuts to 53 they will have a week to firm up the practice squad. Most of the Packers’ decisions are whether to protect a player on the 53 or open with them on the practice squad.
Some teams are hard-pressed to find 53 worth keeping.
The Packers appear more focused on using the 53-man roster and the practice squad in tandem. They have to be mindful of which players could help them as “game-day call-ups.”
Left tackle Andre Dillard, right tackle Kadeem Telfort, guard Royce Newman and receiver Samori Toure are all on the bubble.
Let the roster-cutting begin.
Packers’ vibe positive 2 weeks before opener
By Chris Havel
Special to The FAN
GREEN BAY, Wis. – While Sao Paulo feels like it’s a world apart from Green Bay, the Packers’ season opener versus the Eagles in Brazil’s largest city is right around the corner.
In two weeks the Packers will test their mettle against the Eagles in an international game featuring two of the NFC’s top teams.
It’s only the first of 17 regular-season games, but Philadelphia figures to factor into the NFC playoff picture, and notching a Week 1 win would give Green Bay a healthy head start.
Between now and then, the Packers have plenty of work to do.
A good deal of the heavy lifting occurred Thursday in the Packers’ joint practice with the Baltimore Ravens.
Jordan Love was sharp.
According to one media outlet, Love was 17 of 26 for four touchdowns and an interception. He hit big plays to Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Tucker Kraft. Kraft was especially impressive with his agility to get open, soft hands to reel in the pass and legit explosiveness after the catch.
Kraft, despite missing time with a pec injury, looks ready.
So does Love.
The Packers’ quarterback was smooth in the pocket while nimbly sidestepping on-rushers and either firing a strike deep or calmly taking his check-down.
The running game was … well … it’s a practice, after all, and the run game is difficult – if not impossible for the lay person – to accurately assess.
That wasn’t the case in other areas.
The Packers’ pass protection was A-plus against a salty Ravens defense that is regarded among the NFL’s finest.
“It was fantastic today,” Love said of the protection. “The Ravens do a lot of different stuff, a lot of different pressures they throw at you, and I think those guys handled it really well up front.
“We had a couple of protection adjustments. They did a really good job of just being able to pass those off and figuring out who they need to pick up. I felt good back there all day. Shout-out to the O-line.”
Green Bay’s defensive front seven imposed its will on Baltimore when the Ravens had the football.
Rashan Gary, Preston Smith and Devonte Wyatt all had potential sacks, and rookie safety Evan Williams came down with an interception. Williams continues to shine.
The Ravens’ Roquan Smith had the interception, and MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson threw some darts to Rashod Bateman, among others, in what was a top-notch day’s work.
Both teams were pleased with the results. That’s always a great sign that each squad got exactly what they wanted out of it.
“I thought the practice was excellent,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “It’s what you hope for in a practice like this. It’s what we expected against a team coached by Matt LaFleur.
“Both teams were keeping it between the lines, between the whistles. It was a physical practice. They’re a very good team. I thought our guys did well, acquitted themselves well, both sides of the ball. I thought we played good football.”
Harbaugh told reporters he was especially pleased with the work against the Packers’ up-tempo offense in the two-minute drill.
“Real grateful for that work,” he said.
The Packers also were pleased with what they accomplished in the two-hour joint practice. It was highly spirited, physical and competitive, but it didn’t get chippie.
Both teams maintained their composure throughout.
The work was so valuable that Jordan Love declared the Packers’ offense ready for regular-season action. The Packers’ No. 1 offense has played a total of three snaps this offseason.
The snaps were first down, second down and touchdown against the Browns in the preseason opener. Since then the Packers have had a lackluster joint practice against the Broncos, followed up by a sloppy Week 2 preseason loss at Denver.
LaFleur wasn’t pleased. Neither were his players.
It’s why the bounce-back joint practice with the Ravens was important beyond the work done that day. It was important to see how the Packers responded after a less-than-stellar outing.
When asked if the Ravens’ joint practice was what the Packers were looking for Love didn’t hesitate to answer.
“Definitely,” he said. “For where we’re going and to start the season, it was an emphasis we made to be able to bounce back this practice. More than anything it’s just locking in and focusing in on the details.”
Love said the setback in Denver served as a reset.
“It was a little sloppy in Denver,” he said. “A lot of the small details that in the grand scheme of a play dictate whether it’s a good play or not, we weren’t getting done. So just being locked in to all those little details … then you can just go out there and get the ball to the playmakers.”
With the joint practice behind them, and the Week 3 preseason finale coming up on Saturday, the Packers have a fairly lengthy “To Do” list.
** Final roster cuts are Tuesday, Aug. 27.
The Packers’ 53-man is fairly settled, at least compared with past seasons, but several key questions linger. Who will be the Packers’ opening-day kicker? Anders Carlson appears to be leading the competition, especially given Greg Joseph’s recent struggles.
But Carlson isn’t a lock.
Will Andre Dillard be the Packers’ backup left tackle? Who will be behind Zach Tom at right tackle? Does Sean Rhyan start at right guard? Or will Jordan Morgan have a chance to take one more run at winning the job?
It’s a lot to figure out in a short time.
Fortunately the Packers’ big questions are answered.
LaFleur is one heck of a coach, with or without Aaron Rodgers, and Love is a rising star. Jeff Hafley’s defense remains a bit of a mystery, but that will begin to reveal itself soon enough.
Excitement is high. Expectations are higher.
Kickoff is two weeks away, which is right around the corner, even if it’s in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Packers’ subs awful,
Brewers stay red hot
By Chris Havel
Special to The FAN
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Packers’ Week 2 preseason game at Denver afforded Green Bay’s subs a chance to sink or swim.
They drowned.
The Broncos’ starters and top reserves routed the Packers’ backups 27-2 in a mostly unwatchable and eminently forgettable game at Denver’s Empower Field at Mile High.
Denver’s starters, led by rookie quarterback Bo Nix and a salty defense, suffocated the Packers from start to merciful finish.
At his postgame news conference, Packers coach Matt LaFleur sighed and stated the obvious: “That was a long night.”
The Broncos’ starters jumped out to a 10-0 lead.
The Packers couldn’t respond in any meaningful fashion.
“Certainly I was hoping our guys would come out with more strain, effort, and grit after kind of getting humbled the other day in practice. To have it happen again, not where we want to be. I think it’s a good lesson for our guys.”
LaFleur wasn’t entirely discouraged though.
“It’s a little different I would say in terms of how you have to judge it,” he allowed. “It’s great to see a lot of our younger players go up against NFL starters. I thought we showed more resiliency, more fight in the second half, especially defensively.
“There were some good moments.”
Pray tell?
“I thought our defense competed much harder in the second half,” he said. “We just didn’t have as many busts. We still had a couple out there. We had some situations where we had their offense in third and long and gave up big completions. That’s an area we have to get better at.”
The Packers’ offensive reserves proved that they can’t hang with an NFL starting-caliber lineup. There were several decent moments by individuals such as Emanuel Wilson, Malik Heath and … well … that’s about it.
Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt raised more questions than they provided answers in terms of developing a reliable backup QB.
Clifford started and was awful.
He finished 6-for-10 for 43 yards, one sack, an interception and a passer rating of 30.4.
Pratt was 10 of 16 for 52 yards, one sack and a 67.7 passer rating.
It makes one wonder just how good the Packers’ No. 1 defense is against an opponent’s QB1. It also makes one wonder whether the Packers need to consider making a move for the Patriots’ Bailey Zappe, the Browns’ Tyler Huntley or some other veteran backup QB if – god forbid – Jordan Love sustained an injury.
The run game wasn’t any better.
Wilson had 41 yards in 13 carries for a 3.2 average. He also made a nifty one-handed catch for an 11-yard gain. The Packers rushed 26 times for only 88 yards (a 3.4 average).
Heath caught three passes (six targets) for 22 yards. Bo Melton hauled in two passes for 10 yards. That was about it.
“I want to see more fight from our guys,” LaFleur said of the offense. “Just the lack of ability to move the football, both in the running game and the passing game …
“The production kind of speaks for itself, but it wasn’t just on (the QBs). It’s on everybody. We’ve got to block better up front, we’ve got to finish runs better (and) we had a couple drops. Collectively, all 11 have to be better in order for us to have any success offensively.”
The Packers had 10 first downs. They were 3-for-13 on third down attempts and 0-for-3 on fourth down tries. They also had three fumbles (one lost) and Clifford’s interception.
The offense never entered the red zone. The best drive of the night afforded Greg Joseph a chance to drill a 47-yard field goal and gain a leg up in the kicker competition with Anders Carlson.
Joseph missed wide right.
Defensively, rookie linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper was in on 11 tackles and stood out. The pass rush was non-existent. Second-year edge Lukas Van Ness did nothing in 17 snaps. Second-year tackle Karl Brooks likewise did nothing in 20 snaps.
The Packers are off Monday and return to practice Tuesday. On Thursday they will hold a joint practice with Baltimore ahead of Saturday’s noon preseason finale against the Ravens.
The final roster cuts are Tuesday, Aug. 27.
“The thing I challenged our team on is you’ve got to check yourself every play,” LaFleur said. “Are you giving your max effort? Are you straining the way we want you to strain? Is the style of play what we want to see?”
LaFleur didn’t commit to playing his starters in the preseason finale. He did say that game and the joint practice will give players a chance to redeem themselves.
“It’ll be a good opportunity for all of us to evaluate and see the guys that really want to put it all out there, not only for themselves but for the team.”
** Brewers sweep Guardians in weekend series
Colin Rea tossed 5 2/3 innings of no-hit baseball at the AL Central-leading Guardians and combined with two relievers for a two-hit, 2-0 shutout win Sunday at American Family Field.
Rea allowed two hits with five strikeouts and no walks in seven shutout innings Sunday. Bryan Hudson pitched a clean eighth and Jared Koenig tossed a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save. Koenig became the Brewers’ 11th pitcher to record a save this season.
All-Star closer Devin Williams, who missed most of the season with an injury, wasn’t available after notching saves in the Brewers’ 5-3 and 2-1 wins to open the three-game series.
Milwaukee (72-52) is 20 games above .500 for the first time this season. The Brewers trail the Phillies (73-51) by one game and the Dodgers (73-52) by a half-game in the race for the National League’s No. 1 and No. 2 playoff seeds.
The top two teams in each league receive playoff byes while the No. 3 seed opens with a best-of-3 series (all at home) against the league’s No. 6 seed.
Rea (11-4) is a big reason the Brewers are in contention for the NL’s top playoff seed.
“He’s just been an incredible anchor,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said of Rea. “He really has. He gives you it every time out. What you see is what you get. It’s who he is as a human, every day the same, every day doing everything he can to help out whoever’s around him, whatever the mission is … the consummate teammate. I can’t say enough about him.”
The Brewers’ current five-game winning streak is their fourth such streak and matches their season high. Milwaukee is now 38-24 at home, 34-28 on the road and 29-15 in interleague play.
They are off Monday before traveling to St. Louis for a three-game series that opens Tuesday night at Busch Stadium.
Brewers bounce back to split with Dodgers
By Chris Havel
Special to The FAN
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Major League Baseball’s official record will reflect that the Dodgers and Brewers split their four-game series earlier this week.
What it doesn’t reflect is the series’ nature.
The official scorer may deem it a draw, but to the upstart Brewers it was much more than any “moral victory.”
The Brewers’ thrilling 6-4 victory over the Dodgers Thursday afternoon at American Family Field – on the heels of a scintillating 5-4 win Wednesday night – went a long way toward answering the question: “Can the Brewers hang with the best?”
Yes … they … can.
The fact is they have been all season.
It’s just that their shaky start in the first two games – a 7-2 loss in the opener and a 5-2 setback in Game 2 – stirred up a tired storyline: The Brewers are good, but not quite good enough.
That was the pervasive feeling late Tuesday night.
Less than 24 hours later, thanks to their gritty 5-4 and 6-4 wins, the outlook had done a 180-degree shift.
Brewers’ first baseman Rhys Hoskins took note.
“I think what’s impressive is getting beat the way we did in the first two games of this series and then responding the way we did,” he said. “I mean, the Dodgers carry a certain type of aura about them wherever they go. There’s always (Dodgers’) fans in the stands. They have the who’s who of players. I think we can grab a lot of confidence knowing that we can get punched in the face and get knocked down, and be right back in a series.”
On Wednesday night, recently acquired Frankie Montas started and did enough to keep the Brewers in the game. The veteran right-hander allowed three runs (none earned) on five hits in five innings. He walked three and struck out six.
On a day the Dodgers’ defenders looked like they were wearing blindfolds the Brewers capitalized on four unearned runs to get the win. The Brewers were outhit 9-4 but the Dodgers’ three errors proved costly in defeat.
The Brewers took a 5-4 lead in the seventh when Joey Ortiz was hit by a pitch and sacrificed to second before red-hot rookie sensation Jackson Chourio flared a single to right that was badly misplayed by Mookie Betts to allow Ortiz to score.
The Brewers’ bullpen did the rest.
Joel Payamps (3-5) retired all four batters he faced for the win.
All-Star closer Devin Williams cut through the heart of the Dodgers’ order to earn the save. He needed just seven pitches – all strikes – to retire Shohei Ohtani, Betts and Freddie Freeman.
The Brewers trailed 3-0 after a half-inning, but hung in there to plate three runs of their own in the second and another in the fourth of Walker Buehler.
It was the eighth time this season that the Brewers have stood on the brink of a four-game losing streak. It also was the eighth time this season that they didn’t blink.
Milwaukee (69-52) is 7-3 in its last 10 games. The Brewers hold a commanding 9-game lead in the NL Central ahead of the second-place Reds and Cardinals.
It’s the largest lead in any division.
Thursday afternoon’s series finale provided even more drama as the Brewers earned their MLB-best 33rd comeback win.
It wasn’t easy but it sure was fun.
The Dodgers (71-51) grabbed a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning, but the AmFam Field roof fell in on them two innings later.
Reliever Daniel Hudson (6-2) began the bottom of the eighth for the Dodgers and promptly surrendered a double to Chourio. After he walked Garrett Mitchell, William Contreras followed with a single to load the bases.
Willy Adames delivered the tying run with a single and Tyler Black drove in Mitchell with a groundout. Hoskins added another ground ball that plated the sixth run.
Chourio crushed his 15th home run earlier in the game before delivering the clutch double in the eighth.
The Brewers’ success against the Dodgers is a bona fide boost of confidence, especially for the young players.
“We know we can compete with anybody,” Chourio said. “Our job is to go out there and show that on the field. … I think I had a lot of good AB’s in this series, and particularly the last two games here. I think a lot of the guys would feel the same way. We were able to come out on top, regardless of what it looked like.”
Brewers’ right-handed rookie Tobias Myers continued to go about his work like a veteran. Myers allowed four runs (two earned) and gave up eight hits and a walk in 5 2/3 innings.
Brewers’ manager Pat Murphy was matter-of-fact afterward.
“It wasn’t perfect,” he said. “A lot of points from our young guys where it’s August and they’re still making mistakes. You get kind of emotional about it. But they bounced back.”
The Brewers wrap up their current 10-game home-stand with a three-game weekend series against AL East-leading Cleveland.
The Guardians (72-49) lead the Twins by four games.
Aaron Civale (3-8, 5.08) will start Friday night’s 7:10 game for the Brewers versus Gavin Williams (2-4, 4.38) for the Guardians.
It’ll be Tanner Bibee (10-4, 3.39) for the Guardians against Freddy Peralta (7-7, 4.11) for the Brewers in Saturday’s 6:15 p.m. game.
Sunday’s 1:10 p.m. series finale will complete the all-right-handed starters weekend with Cleveland’s Ben Lively (10-7, 3.72) versus the Brewers’ Colin Rea (10-4, 3.72).
The Brewers trail the Dodgers by only 1 ½ games for the NL’s No. 2 seed behind the Philadelphia Phillies.
In sports, a single year
feels like a lifetime ago
By Chris Havel
Special to The FAN
GREEN BAY, Wis. – What a difference a year can make in the fast-changing world of sports.
Consider where the Green Bay Packers’ Jeff Hafley, Xavier McKinney, Josh Jacobs, Jordan Love, the entire receiving corps, Javon Bullard, Evan Williams and others were a year ago.
Think about what the Milwaukee Brewers’ Pat Murphy, Rickie Weeks, Rhys Hoskins, Tobias Myers, Joey Ortiz, Jackson Chourio and the rest were doing this time a year ago.
Clearly, the Brewers’ and Packers’ rosters are replete with rising young stars whose performance in the present stirs visions of greatness in the future.
The teams also feature a number of proud, battle-tested pros in their prime and at the height of their powers. I’m talking especially about the newcomers such as Jake Bauers, Bryan Hudson, Jared Koenig and Joe Ross with the Brewers and the aforementioned McKinney and Jacobs as well as Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness and Kenny Clark here in Green Bay.
Let’s take a look:
** A year ago, Jeff Hafley was preparing his Boston College Golden Eagles for their Sept. 2 season-opener at home against Northern Illinois.
The Huskies edged Hafley’s Golden Eagles 27-24 in overtime. Despite a 1-3 start that included a 31-29 loss to third-ranked Florida State, Hafley’s team went on to upset No. 17 ranked SMU 23-14 in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl.
Today, Hafley is the Packers’ defensive coordinator and head coach Matt LaFleur’s right-hand man leading a 2024 season of great expectations. Hafley’s “vision-based” scheme and experience coaching the defensive backs is designed to enable the secondary to make plays on the football.
Translation: A ton of interceptions.
It’s pretty heady stuff for Hafley, who routinely has drawn praise from his players throughout training camp. We’ll see if the well-spoken, common-sense approach of Hafley’s plays as well in games as it does with his players.
** A year ago, Jackson Chourio was tearing it up in Class AA Biloxi, Miss., after a notoriously slow start with the bat.
Once Chourio, who was 19 at the time, settled in at the plate he dominated Southern League pitchers. Chourio hit a modest .280 – again, after a slow start – to go with 23 doubles, 22 home runs, 89 RBI and 43 stolen bases.
Today, Chourio is widely regarded as one of the National League’s top young players.
Chourio has 12 multi-hit games in his past 17 games. He became Milwaukee’s youngest player to have a multi-home run game in franchise history earlier this month.
On the year, the outfielder is hitting .277 – again, after a slow start – to go with 15 doubles, 14 home runs, 50 RBI and 16 stolen bases.
Chourio has played in 101 games thus far.
In the past 50 his offensive numbers rank among the NL’s top hitters in practically every meaningful category. The Brewers paid him $82 million before he took his first big-league swing.
It appears both Chourio and the Brewers have hit a home run.
** A year ago, Jordan Love was preparing for the Packers’ Aug. 11 preseason opener at Cincinnati. The Packers won 36-19 as backup QB Sean Clifford completed 20 of 26 passes for 208 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions including a “pick six.”
Love was 7 of 10 for 46 yards with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Romeo Doubs. After two series, Love gave way to Clifford for the day.
Today, Love is leading the Packers into the 2024 preseason as the highest-paid player in franchise history. Love’s record-setting contract came after he missed the first four practices (non-padded) of training camp. He has since had strong moments against Hafley’s active and aggressive defense.
Love is widely regarded as a serious NFL MVP candidate this season, especially as he deploys so many young, talented weapons at receiver, tight end and running back.
The only big question is the offensive line, but if it recaptures the form is played with in the final nine games of 2023 Love should be an MVP finalist.
** A year ago, Xavier McKinney was preparing for the Giants – led by newly minted quarterback Daniel Jones – to go back to the playoffs for consecutive seasons.
It didn’t happen.
The Giants were awful, McKinney was a willing and able leader on a bad team, and the future looked dismal. At least he’d be getting a handsome contract from the Giants, right? That didn’t happen, as it turns out, and McKinney couldn’t be happier.
Today, McKinney is a driving force on the Packers’ revamped defense.
The Packers jumped all over McKinney the instant he became available in free agency and made a pre-emptive strike to secure his services. The Packers got Hafley’s “ideal” safety in addition to a proven high-level performer just entering his prime. McKinney’s contract should allow him to focus on leading the Packers and their defense to great heights.
** A year ago, Josh Jacobs was lamenting his future with the Las Vegas Raiders. Despite being a bell-cow back and the NFL’s leading rusher in 2022 the Raiders didn’t reward him with a handsome contract.
On the contrary, they played hardball and Jacobs realized his days with the Raiders were numbered. Nevertheless, he continued to improve in blitz pickup and catching the football out of the backfield.
His numbers took a drastic dive, but the Packers weren’t concerned. They jumped all over the opportunity to sign Jacobs, 26, who is entering his prime with plenty of tread on the tires despite being a high-volume ball-carrier in Las Vegas.
Now, Jacobs is the Packers’ No. 1 running back in an offense in dire need of more juice in the short-yardage and goal-line run game. Furthermore, Jacobs’ combination of power and speed should enable the Packers to run effectively in the red zone. With Love’s weaponry it should make Green Bay’s attack almost unstoppable inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
Those are just a few of the “feel good” stories surrounding the Brewers and Packers in terms of coaches, coordinators and players whose circumstances have changed drastically in a year.
It’s crazy but it’s true.
Brewers crush Braves
in epic offensive series
By Chris Havel
Special to The FAN
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Harvey’s Wallbangers would be proud. Bambi’s Bombers surely enjoyed the blast from the past.
Murph’s Marauders – at least for one series – brought back fond memories while swatting 52 hits and plating 34 runs in one of the most prolific offensive outbursts in Brewers history.
Brewers’ manager Pat Murphy could only smile and shake his head as his young team showed just how dangerous it is right now and what awesome potential it holds for the future.
The Milwaukee Brewers’ entire lineup treated the Braves’ highly regarded and top-ranked pitching staff like so many amateur retreads in a three-game romp at Atlanta’s Truist Park.
From Atlanta starting pitchers Grant Holmes and Chris Sale to Charlie Morton the Brewers’ bats were relentless. It was as if every at-bat was precious to the hitters. It was as priceless a piece of wood carving as a fan is likely to see.
Milwaukee capped off the sweep with a 16-7 hammering of the befuddled Braves on a sunny Thursday afternoon. Milwaukee blasted six home runs in the game, just one shy of the franchise record of seven home runs in the game.
The Brewers pounded out 20 hits and rookie Jackson Chourio drilled two home runs in the win.
Chourio finished 3-for-5 with four RBI in the series. William Contreras, Garrett Mitchell, Willy Adames and Jake Bauers all hit home runs in the game.
Contreras was 3-for-5 with three RBI, Sal Frelick went 4-for-5 with two RBI and Mitchell went 2-for-4 with an RBi and three runs scored.
The Brewers (65-49) lead the second-place St. Louis Cardinals (59-56) by 6 ½ games and third-place Pittsburgh by nine games.
The marathon win came after Brewers’ wins of 10-0 in Tuesday night’s opener and an 8-5 rout on Wednesday night. The Braves had gone 231 straight games without being shut out at home.
The Marlins ended that with a 7-0 victory Sunday at Truist Park, and the Brewers followed it with Colin Rea’s gem on Tuesday.
The Brewers’ hitters were locked in for a three-game stretch like none in recent memory. Top to bottom the production – like singles, doubles and home runs – reigned supreme.
Twenty-one of the 34 runs by the Brewers came after two outs. The Brewers had 16 extra-base hits. They hit .321 for the series.
Twelve different Brewers drove in a run.
It was a constant procession of 3-2 counts – all full up – and often with nowhere to put the Brewers’ hitter.
The Braves’ pitching staff is no joke, either.
Atlanta (60-54) came into the game with the National League’s lowest team ERA (3.57) and also ranked first in the NL in home runs allowed, third in hits allowed and fourth in walks issued.
The Brewers didn’t care a whit.
It was extending batting practice for three straight days.
It also extended the Braves’ losing streak to five games.
Recently acquired right-hander Frankie Montas started for Milwaukee and threw four innings. His first five outs were by strikeout and he finished with seven Ks to just two hits allowed.
Chourio had two home runs on Thursday, including his first off Morton that came after a bunt attempt rolled foul. He followed it by pounding a curve into the seats.
“I thought, ‘Why not try to bunt?’ ” Chourio said through an interpreter after the game. “But I was glad it rolled foul. I came right back and got a good pitch to hit.”
Adames had three home runs in the series, including a pair of two-run blasts.
The Brewers were so dominant in their 16-7 victory Thursday that they put an obscure MLB rule to the test. The Braves turned to third baseman Luke Williams in the lost-cause series finale.
Teams can only use a position player to pitch if they trail by at least eight runs IN ANY POINT of the game.
Williams tossed an array of lollipops in the 65 mph range, right at the speed limit on most Wisconsin highways, and the Brewers took their cuts in good jest.
Williams surrendered two runs on four hits.
It was smiles all around for the Brewers, a fitting finale to a laugher, as they depart Atlanta and prepare for their longest home-stand of the season.
The Brewers will see the NL Central’s last-place Reds (55-59) in a three-game weekend set. It opens Friday night at American Family Field. Right-hander Aaron Civale will start for Milwaukee.
On Monday, the Brewers open a four-game series against the NL West-leading Dodgers (66-49) in a battle for the National League’s No. 2 seed in the postseason.
The home-stand wraps up with a three-game series against the Al Central-leading Guardians (67-47) on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
That will leave the Brewers with just 38 games to play.
The pennant race is on, and the Brewers are making sure they’re in full swing.
Packers’ Family Night
features football, fun
By Chris Havel
Special to The FAN
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Many of the best memories growing up revolved around family, the Packers and the Fourth of July fireworks lighting up the night sky above Castle Rock Lake.
Years later the Packers found a way to tap into all three.
It’s called Family Night.
What began in the late 1990s as a scrimmage/dress rehearsal under the lights at Lambeau Field has morphed into a televised event meant to showcase the Packers and give back to the fans.
It remains a grand tradition and fan-favorite 23 iterations later. That much was clear this past weekend as more than 60,000 fans gladly paid the $10 to see the annual spectacle unfold.
They weren’t disappointed.
From Jordan Love’s laser-like throws to the fantastic fireworks display it was a smashing success.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur presided over his sixth Family Night. He said he enjoyed it as much as the first one.
“What an atmosphere, man,” LaFleur said. “It never gets old, going into Lambeau – the environment, the energy the fans brought.”
It was football wrapped around fun embraced by fans.
One of the highlights was a youth football player from Waupun, Wis., in uniform and joined by teammates, catching not one, not two but three punts in a row – while still clutching each football.
The crowd went wild as Packers players rushed to engulf the player with congratulatory hugs and high-fives.
“That was pretty impressive,” LaFleur said. “I mean all three? I know I couldn’t do that. That was a good moment. I’m sure he’ll remember that for the rest of his life.”
It was one of several feel-good moments on the night.
Jordan Love had his share on a balmy Saturday night.
He fired touchdown passes to Christian Watson and Jayden Reed in the 1-on-1 drills. He also connected with Romeo Doubs on a pair of touchdown tosses in the red zone. Doubs’ leaping catch on a high fade route was particularly impressive.
In short, Love looked smooth and in total control.
“I’m definitely getting back in that rhythm,” he said. “I feel like training camp, the speed is always so much faster. I feel like everybody’s got that energy and they’re flying around, especially at the start.
“Definitely something I’m just getting back to playing fast and trying to keep myself slowed down in the midst of it all, trying to not get sped up with my feet and my reads, which I think is something I’m trying to focus on right now.”
In general, top to bottom, the Packers’ receivers lived up to their reputation as playing fast, loose and effective football. Their collective speed can be felt play-to-play, which is impressive considering the same can be said of the defensive backfield.
Rookie safety Javon Bullard nearly intercepted Love twice. Bullard’s ability to break on the football and make plays is undeniable. He will be a difference-maker this season.
Bullard, a second-round draft pick, worked with the No.1 defense alongside Xavier McKinney at safety.
He alternated with rookie Evan Williams and second-year safety Anthony Johnson, Jr., much like they have in training camp.
Bullard knows he has a lot to learn but he likes his progress.
“I’m inexperienced in the league,” he said. “The more you play, the more things start to slow down. I’m just trying to get my feet wet and continue to do the things that I do best and there’s certain things that I have to work on. I know what those things are, so I’m definitely going to dial into those the next few days of training camp.”
Bullard lined up in the slot when Williams came in at safety.
“It’s a completely different position,” he said of the slot. “To the person that doesn’t watch enough football people think DB is all the same. From the outside corner to inside corner to safety, all of those are different. You talk about playing the deep part of the field and covering a guy with 4.3 speed in the open field – it’s completely different but reps bring muscle memory. You’ve got to dial in your keys and your technique.”
The Packers’ defensive line roughed up the offensive line with Rashan Gary dominating a collection of reserves at right tackle. Kadeem Telfort, Caleb Jones and others.
Gary looks like he’s on the verge of a monster season.
He had a pair of sacks and a terrific stop of rookie running back Marshawn Lloyd behind the line of scrimmage.
“That’s our guy,” defensive tackle T.J. Slaton said of Gary. “So when he comes out there with that energy we just feed off of him and every time he runs to the ball, we want to run to the ball, too.”
The Packers’ offensive line has struggled while starting right tackle Zach Tom continues to recover from a torn pec muscle.
The good news is LaFleur said he expects Tom to participate in team drills when the team returns to practice Tuesday.
“It’s tough on the O-line right now,” LaFleur said. “Certainly I think the D-line gets frustrated at times because in practice we use a lot of chippers, I’m like hey man that’s a credit to you guys, that’s the ultimate compliment (because) we feel like we have to get four hands on you to block you. It’s going to happen during the season. I think our D-line is solid, hopefully they continue to get better and improve and just keep coming off the ball the way they are.”
On special teams, kickers Anders Carlson and Greg Joseph had productive evenings.
Carlson was 8-for-9 on field goal attempts between 33 and 57 yards. It was a good sign after Carlson was a miserable 4-of-7 at Thursday’s practice. He is 33-for-40 (82.5 percent) this summer.
Joseph had hit on 20 straight attempts before missing from 54 and 57 yards late in practice. He was 7-for-9 and has hit 36 of 40 kicks in camp (90 percent).
“Thought they both had a pretty good night,” LaFleur said.
Packers’ pass rushers,
DBs all over the place
By Chris Havel
Special to The FAN
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Jordan Love’s record-setting contract extension has dominated headlines the past few days the way the Packers’ defense has dominated practice the first full week.
Back to front, sideline to sideline and play to play Green Bay’s defense has been aware, aggressive and around the football.
The pass rush gets up-field at the snap and routinely redraws the line of scrimmage a yard or two into the backfield. The interior defensive linemen such as Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt and Karl Brooks collapse the pocket. Edge rushers Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Kingsley Enagbare et al clean it up.
The defensive secondary appears to be a legit nine deep … at least.
The infusion of raw speed is evident, but so is the speed associated with quickly reading and reacting before and at the snap. Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s “vision-based defense” clearly gives DBs – and especially the safeties – opportunities to make plays on the ball.
Rookie safety Evan Williams has three interceptions thus far in camp. So does third-year cornerback Eric Stokes. Others such as Javon Bullard, Jaire Alexander and of course Xavier McKinney also have put their skills, and Hafley’s defense, on display.
The Packers’ backup quarterbacks aren’t the only ones finding it a challenge to move the ball against the new-look defense.
Jordan Love has made some terrific throws since he returned Saturday.
He has been especially sharp on crossing routes and deep balls. The Packers tied for third in the NFL with 40 pass plays of 25-plus yards, just behind San Francisco and Houston.
There appears to be no letup in sight.
Love hit 16 of 29 passes on Wednesday, the eighth practice of training camp, but he was dynamite in the final two periods.
Love went 9-for-12 in that stretch including a 40-yard bomb to Christian Watson, a 21-yard dart to Jayden Reed, a 12-yard TD to Dontayvion Wicks AND the game-winning 2-point conversion to Wicks.
The big throw to Reed came after the play broke down.
“I think that is definitely a goal of mine to keep working ‘scramble drill’ when I get outside the pocket, just keep trying to find those big plays down the field,” Love said Wednesday. “I think for everybody, too – the receivers, tight ends – just keep working the scramble drill when it goes off-schedule, finding the space they can work.
“Especially in practice, I don’t want to just take off and run,” he continued. “I want to try and work the scramble drill and get a pretty good feel for everybody and how we’re going to run it in the games. Definitely something we’ll keep working on.”
It is clear Love appreciates the defense making it as difficult as possible in camp. The keen competition can only help both sides of the ball. He also knows the defense is going to keep him and the offense honest.
“I think the defense has done a great job of mixing up looks,” Love said. “They never really give you the same two looks back-to-back. They do a great job of mixing it up.
“The safeties are always moving and they make stuff all look the same with their pressures, with their disguise,” he continued. “They’ll show pressure, drop out, so it’s really a mind game for the quarterback trying to tell what they’re in.”
When fans and media discuss “training camp battles” it usually refers to a battle to see which of two or perhaps three players will start at a given position. In the Packers’ case, “training camp battles” just as likely could be a reference to Romeo Doubs versus Jaire Alexander in one-on-one passing drills, or Rashan Gary terrorizing Andre Dillard in one-on-one pass rush drills.
The team’s upgrade in overall speed is apparent. What’s not quite as clear yet, especially on defense, is how of that is raw footspeed and how much of it is actually being coached up to understand the scheme.
It’s probably a lot of both.
Love has noticed the improved precision with which the defense attacks, covers zones, fakes one blitz before bringing another and so on.
“I think (the defense) is doing a great job of being able to pass stuff off and understanding where they need to be in the zones, in the man and communicating well with each other,” Love said. “Whereas OTAs, you could tell it was fresh for them. They were still learning that stuff and now they’re dialed into everything they need to be doing and there’s not a lot of wide-open guys.”
Here are some other notes from training camp:
** Jordan Morgan has been working at right guard with the No. 1 offensive line on consecutive days now.
Morgan, the 25th pick overall, was thought to be the Packers’ left tackle of the future. That still could be the case, but right now Rasheed Walker has that job locked down like a snapping turtle on a stick.
Walker’s emergence, Sean Rhyan’s slow development and Morgan’s versatility has led to Rhyan practicing as the swing guard and Morgan operating with the first team.
When Packers head coach Matt LaFleur talks about “the best five” starting in the O-line the media and fans tend to roll their eyes. In fact, the Packers’ approach to drafting versatile linemen is common sense.
Compare Morgan and Dillard. Both are former first-round draft picks. Both were projected to play tackle. When Dillard began to flame out despite his incredible size and athleticism, the Eagles chose to kick him to the curb, rather than inside to guard. They had no choice. Dillard was never going to be strong enough to hunker down inside against 320-pound monster defensive tackles. They’d toss him like a rag doll.
That’s not true of Morgan, who has the lower-body strength to do more than simply “hold his own” inside against the “big boys.”
It appears the Packers’ offensive line change is going to be swapping out Jon Runyan and inserting Morgan at right guard. Otherwise it’s Walker, Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers and Zach Tom when he returns from his pec injury. Morgan appears to have the inside track at right guard.
The bigger question, and concern, is who starts at right tackle if Tom isn’t ready to roll by the season opener? Kadeem Telfort is taking the first-team reps for now, with Caleb Jones, Luke Tenuta and Dillard also somewhere in the mix.
That’s not exactly an awe-inspiring group to back up Tom.
Don’t be surprised if Green Bay is quietly in the market for a veteran right tackle as other NFL teams trim their rosters. A Jared Veldheer-type lineman would be a comforting acquisition at this point.
** Eric Wilson is working on his third straight one-year deal with the Packers, who don’t love him enough to commit long-term, but do like him enough to keep bringing him back and playing him.
Thus far, Wilson is working with the 4-3 base defense’s first unit ahead of second-round pick Edgerrin Cooper. Wilson’s experience as an eight-year veteran (he led the Vikings in tackles in 2020) coupled with his speed has helped him grasp Hafley’s defense quicker than the rookies.
Cooper will have a role in the sub-packages to be sure. He also may force his way into the starting lineup in the 4-3 base due to his incredible speed and raw physical skills.
But until further notice the steady Wilson is manning the post.
Packers’ Love signed,
sealed and set to win
By Chris Havel
Special to The FAN
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The speculation and conjecture, with a touch of anxiety, began to build among some fans and media while Jordan Love’s contract extension was being finalized last week.
The Packers’ quarterback of the future attended but didn’t participate in the first four non-padded practices of training camp.
The time it takes to dot the i’s and cross the t’s has been known to stoke worry, especially where record-setting deals are concerned.
Here’s the funny thing about that: Love may have been the least distracted or anxious among those who cared.
What’s another four days after waiting four years?
Love penned a four-year, $220 million contract extension with the Packers before Saturday’s first padded practice. It includes a $75 million signing bonus – the highest in NFL history – and at an annual average of $55 million it ties Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow and Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence for tops in the league.
With all that money come incredible expectations. High expectations can ratchet up the pressure, which can lead to poor performance.
Love dismissed the idea during Saturday’s post-practice media session.
“Being a first-round pick, there’s pressure,” he admitted to reporters. “Becoming the starter, there’s pressure, but there’s always pressure. I think that’s, you know, part of the job we sign up for. You’ve got to find ways to deal with that pressure and handle it as best you can to be the best player you can be every day.”
He paused.
“But there’s always pressure,” he continued. “There’s no hiding that … I’ve been in some great pressure situations, so I think there’s always going to be that. But just finding a way to navigate through this and handle it the best I can.”
Packers GM Brian Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur drew a fair amount of criticism when they drafted Love in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft. Some suggest it was the selection of Love that lit a fire under his predecessor, Aaron Rodgers, to recapture his MVP form.
That also led to speculation that Rodgers’ relationship with the Packers was mortally wounded by the Love pick.
It led to Rodgers being traded to the New York Jets last offseason and Love – after a three-year apprenticeship – grabbing the reins in 2023.
Love’s steady progress and rapid ascension pushed the Packers into the playoffs and erased most concerns about the new QB1.
He threw for 18 touchdowns to just one interception during the final eight games. Then in the playoffs he KO’d the Cowboys in Dallas and took the 49ers to the brink before losing in the NFC divisional round.
Love’s fantastic flourish and an embarrassing amount of youth and talent at receiver and tight end have earned the Packers a serious place among 2024 Super Bowl contenders.
The guess here is that Love continues to handle pressure the way he always has as the Packers’ starting quarterback. He handles it by proceeding as if he were oblivious to it all.
He is calm, cool and poised to deliver a lot of touchdowns and wins.
Obviously Gutekunst is one of the true believers.
“Seeing how he handled that this past year becoming the guy, handling that pressure, coming out the other side of it, just gave us a lot of confidence that this is the guy that’s going to lead us into the future,” Gutekunst said late last week.
“I’m really excited about that.”
LaFleur echoed that sentiment.
He had a sideline view of Love’s growth as a player and a leader. He isn’t worried that “being the face of the franchise” – even one as revered as Green Bay’s – will cause Love to be anything less than his best.
“I think he’ll embrace that,” the sixth-year coach said. “I don’t think you’ll see a difference in the person. And I don’t think we would do something like that if we felt that way.”
LaFleur kidded that he has a surefire way to keep Love from changing.
“I always joked with him, if he ever changes I’m going to call his mom,” the Packers’ coach said. “But he’s been raised the right way. I think he’s about the right stuff, and his teammates really certainly respect him.
“They respect the man. They respect the work he puts in. They were fired up today to have him back in the fold.”
Love practiced Saturday and Sunday.
The numbers weren’t altogether great – he started 1-of-8 on Saturday before heating up to finish 11-for-20 with some terrific throws.
In some ways, Love resembled the Brewers’ All-Star closer, Devin Williams, who returned Sunday after missing all season with an injury. Williams struggled a bit, found his footing and blew away the Marlins to earn his first save in what feels like forever.
On Sunday, Love hit 9 of 16 passes including several lasers.
With Love’s return, it didn’t take long to be reminded why the Packers’ offense was struggling so mightily against Jeff Hafley’s new and improved defense. They didn’t have their lead dog pulling the trigger.
Suffice it to say the offense is much smoother with Love under center.
Rookie safety Evan Williams took note.
“(Love’s) really smart,” Williams said. “Pre-snap, he’ll switch his count up to get you to tip a blitz or tip what you’re doing and then kind of see what you’re doing, see the movement of the DBs, see the drops before they happen and see a window before it appears.
“So he’s able to fit a lot of balls into windows that shouldn’t be there where the throw seems kind of impossible. It’s great for our defense to go up against a caliber of quarterback just like Jordan. If we can play as well as we are with him behind center, then we should be all right versus a lot of the quarterbacks we see this year.”
Love connected with Christian Watson on a beautiful 47-yard touchdown throw on his first day back at practice.
“To be able to hit him in stride and him make that play, it felt good to connect on that first day back, for sure,” Love said.
It was the first day of the rest of his career.
The future is bright.
Packers extend all-pro Clark on eve of camp as excitement abounds
By Chris Havel
Special to The FAN
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Packers and their fans have been eagerly anticipating this day ever since San Francisco ousted Green Bay 24-21 with a late touchdown in a hotly contested NFC divisional playoff game.
That loss feels like an eternity ago.
Today, the Packers officially kick off the 2024 season with a pair of morning news conferences (GM Brian Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur) followed by the first practice of training camp.
The Packers didn’t want their season to end in January.
It felt like it was just getting rolling with a 7-3 finish after a 3-6 start.
Jordan Love capped his first season as the Packers’ starter by outplaying every other NFL quarterback in the season’s second half. His ascension was steady. His numbers were staggering. His future as the Packers’ QB1 was cemented and a mega-contract extension secured.
Now that momentum is being carried into training camp.
They are expected to sign Love to a multi-year extension in excess of $50 million per year. They preceded that move with a clever cap-cutting extension of All-Pro defensive tackle Kenny Clark on the eve of camp.
Clark, 28, is among the oldest players on the NFL’s youngest roster.
He also is one of the most well-respected players and leaders in the locker room. And guess what else? He can still play at a high level. In fact, he ranked eighth in the league in pass rush production among all defensive tackles.
There is a feeling that new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s scheme is going to unleash Clark’s pass rush ability like never before.
The Packers have 46 days between now and their Friday, Sept. 6 regular-season opener against Philadelphia in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Here is the Packers’ “To Do” list between now and then:
** No. 1 – Seal the deal to extend Love’s contract. Once that is settled the entire focus will be on the field, not off it.
Love, 25, is the unquestioned leader on offense.
His calm demeanor, day-to-day consistency and apparent talent have drawn teammates to him. He is a charismatic guy who seems as real and down-to-earth as a burgeoning NFL star is apt to be these days.
Love’s development, ascension and success has validated Gutekunst’s decision to draft him and reinforced LaFleur’s reputation as a creative play caller and quarterback whisperer.
The better Love plays, the better everyone looks.
** No. 2 – Settle on an offensive line that can go into the season ready to handle anything Philadelphia’s defense can throw at it. The projected starting five appears to be (left to right) Rasheed Walker, Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers, Sean Rhyan and Zach Tom.
While Tom recovers from a torn pec muscle the Packers need to decide which configuration best suits the offense’s needs. If Tom isn’t ready for the season opener it could be rookie Jordan Morgan or veteran Andre Dillard at right tackle. Or perhaps another offensive tackle will emerge.
Regardless, the Packers have much better depth than they did a year ago.
** No. 3 – Jeff Hafley’s defense will be under the microscope in camp. That comes out of curiosity, rather than concern, because nobody is quite sure exactly what to expect on that side of the football.
Most assuredly it will be a significant departure from the recent past.
Hafley’s 4-3 base defense will take some getting used to. So will seeing the Packers’ defense successfully stop the run on early downs, rather than being steamrolled to set up second-and-short situations.
Clark isn’t the only defensive lineman expected to benefit from Hafley’s scheme. Devonte Wyatt and Karl Brooks also are excited about being able to cut it loose at the snap and create disruption wherever they can.
** No. 4 – The Packers signed free agent safety Xavier McKinney and running back Josh Jacobs to lucrative deals.
Both will be under the microscope as fans get to know them.
McKinney is a fluid, ball-hawking safety whose strengths include being a bona fide student of the game. McKinney leads by example. He already is similar to Charles Woodson in that his defensive back mates just naturally gravitate to him.
They see what he does and try their best to emulate it.
Jacobs, 26, is bigger, stronger and younger than Aaron Jones. He also is just one season removed from being the NFL’s rushing leader.
He should improve the Packers’ fortunes in short yardage and goal line situations. He also is tenacious in blitz pickup and a capable receiver out of the backfield. He lacks Jones’ explosiveness, but don’t be fooled. Jacobs ranked among the best in the NFL at making the first would-be tackler either whiff or get run over.
McKinney and Jacobs were excellent free agent signings in that they’re both just entering their prime and already have excelled at the highest level. There is no mystery about what McKinney and Jacobs bring.
It’s professionalism, leadership and an abundance of talent.
** No. 5 – It’ll be interesting to watch the coaches interact during camp. That’s especially true on the defensive side where Hafley has either retained or brought in an interesting group of accomplished assistants.
They are reputed to be vocal, intense and unwilling to suffer repeat mistakes. They are demanding, detail-oriented and highly respected. This isn’t Joe Barry’s crew, not by a longshot.
** No. 6 – The Packers’ special teams has details to be sorted out such as how to best cover and return kickoffs under the new rules. They also need to decide on a kicker they can rely on and figure out which of their rookies can enhance the mix on special teams.
It’s a lot to accomplish in 46 days, but it feels doable under this regime.
The 2024 season is officially here.
It might feel like an eternity between today and the Packers’ season-opener in Brazil, but trust me on this: It’s going to be here before you know it.
Packers’ defense looks to attack under Hafley
By Chris Havel
Special to The FAN
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The contrast between Joe Barry and Jeff Hafley couldn’t have been clearer simply based on first impressions.
Barry, who was part of the Lions’ winless season, spent his introductory news conference defending past failures as much detailing a plan for future success when he was hired to coordinate the Packers’ defense.
Hafley spent his initial media availability painting a vision of what he expects the Packers’ defense to play like under his tutelage. He also drew a picture of what his ideal “post safety” would look like.
Barry flamed out after three largely underwhelming, at times epically embarrassing seasons. The run defense sprang more leaks than a rusted out pipe. The pass defense and its “better safe than sorry” approach – which often failed – generated more regret than turnovers.
Now it is Hafley’s turn to implement his brand of defense.
The first-year NFL defensive coordinator is scarcely a newbie. He spent seven seasons in the league working with Kyle Shanahan, among others, while building a first-rate reputation.
He took that to Ohio State and helped build the nation’s No. 1 defense. After that it was on to Boston College, where Hafley’s Golden Eagles showed steady improvement under him.
However, Hafley appeared destined to return to the NFL, whether it was as Shanahan’s defensive coordinator in San Francisco, or LaFleur’s Packers in Green Bay.
The Packers-49ers NFC Divisional playoff winner advanced to the NFC Championship. The loser got the chance to hire Hafley and pounced.
Hafley, a former defensive backs coach, runs a “vision-based” defense where the back end (safeties and occasionally cornerbacks) keeps its eyes on the quarterback in an effort to better read and react.
Theoretically, it creates more opportunities to make big plays, especially game-changing interceptions.
Eric Stokes, who is hoping to rejuvenate his career under Hafley, is a big fan of what he’s seeing so far. The first-round draft pick spent three seasons in Barry’s scheme so he has an interesting perspective.
“I love Hafley,” Stokes admitted to the media. “I love how his mindset is and everything … He just wants you to ball. He’s going to put you in the positions (to make plays). He ain’t gonna make you overthink anything and all that stuff.
“He just wants you to go out there and have fun and just play 110 miles per hour, and that’s what I love about Hafley, to where he always says, ‘I’m going to go ahead and take the bullet (when plays backfire). You just go out there and just have fun and you just play.’ And it’s different for every position.’ ”
Hafley deploys as 4-3 as his base defense.
However, it’ll be a 4-2-5 alignment that will be on the field most often.
The 4-3 should provide stouter run defense on early downs. In turn, the vision-based defense on the back end should be equipped to defend offenses that choose to pass on early downs, rather than buck the 4-3.
All-Pro defensive tackle Kenny Clark is on board.
“I think it’s going to be really good,” Clark said. “It’s one of the things where all of my career I’ve been kind of playing this way but in more of a controlled way. And I think now this is giving us a chance to shut all that other stuff off. Just use your ability and just go up the field and be disruptive. I just think with my get-off and how I am, I think it’s going to suit me well.”
Every NFL defense talks about attacking and being aggressive. Nevertheless, there is a vast difference from one team to another in terms of how the defensive line – the interior linemen especially – are taught to play at the snap.
Jason Rebrovich, the defensive line coach, is a holdover from the previous staff. It speaks to Hafley’s respect for Rebrovich that he retained him. In turn, Rebrovich is happy to be here.
“It’s an attack front,” he told reporters.
“It’s about TFLs (tackles for loss) and sacks. We’re going to create havoc in the backfield. Every down, we’re looking to penetrate and make something big happen. Offensive linemen, not moving so fast laterally, which is why they’re going to have to stay on the line of scrimmage a little bit longer with the movements and the ability for us to get in the backfield.”
Last season under Barry it was a lot of “read first” and “react second.”
Under Hafley it’s more of an “attack first” and “read as you go” approach.
It plays well to the style of Karl Brooks and Colby Wooden, and T.J. Slaton returns to anchor the interior along with Clark. First-round pick Devonte Wyatt also is looking to take a massive leap.
The linebackers also should be able to cut loose.
Now the unit has the speed to do it.
Quay Walker, a physical freak, returns as one inside linebacker. Veteran Isaiah McDuffie also returns as the would-be middle linebacker and primary play caller on early downs. Rookie second-round draft pick Edgerrin Cooper, the fastest linebacker in the draft, would also be there.
The upgrade should be eye-popping at the outset.
Rashan Gary, Preston Smith and Lukas Van Ness should provide the pass rush along with Kingsley Enagbare. Second-year pro Brenton Cox Jr. also should figure in the mix.
In the secondary, the Packers spent big money on safety Xavier McKinney, who is eerily similar to Hafley’s description of “the ideal safety” in his scheme when he was initially hired.
Rookie second-round pick Javon Bullard joins McKinney and Anthony Johnson Jr. as the top safeties.
Jaire Alexander leads a cornerback group that should be better for the healthy return of Stokes, along with Carrington Valentine, Keisean Nixon, rookie Kalen King and the rest.
McKinney – like Stokes – is excited about Hafley and the defense.
“I think we could be really special,” McKinney said.
Training camp opens Monday. It won’t be long before the Packers and their fans find out just how special.
Love’s strong Year 1
elevates expectations
By Chris Havel
Special to The FAN
GREEN BAY, Wis. – A year ago, the Packers went into the season needing to know if Jordan Love had what it takes to someday develop into a franchise quarterback capable of winning in the playoffs.
A year later, that “someday” is today.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur’s confidence in Love is so high that the quarterback position has gone from being the team’s greatest unknown to one of the top reasons for fans to dream big.
Love, 25, is the Packers’ franchise quarterback.
It’s all over but the signing.
His impending contract is going to be valued among the NFL’s highest for a quarterback. That’s not a bad thing. It means Love has done enough to prove to GM Brian Gutekunst that he’s worth every penny.
If the eye test didn’t tell you, the numbers don’t lie.
Love started 17 regular season games and two postseason games.
He stayed healthy, made steady progress and stacked successes from one week to the next. His unflappable demeanor served him well. If he was stressing out between snaps it didn’t show.
He threw for 37 touchdowns to 13 interceptions in his 19 games. That included an amazing stretch during the final seven regular season games and the wild-card game in which he threw 23 touchdowns to one pick.
“He had a hell of a year,” LaFleur said of Love. “Just to see the growth … obviously, the results speak for themselves, but the growth of him as just the commander out there, he’s an extension of us, and I thought the ownership that he showed, the leadership that he showed, was a great sign for us.”
Love completed 409 of 634 passes (64.5%) for 4,625 yards and finished with a 98.5 passer rating. By comparison, Aaron Rodgers threw 28 touchdowns and 13 interceptions during his first year as a starter in 2008 and finished with a 93.8 passer rating.
Love had to work through some rough going early in the season.
Through nine games Love had 14 touchdown passes to 10 interceptions. It was decent, but it wasn’t enough for Gutekunst to commit to him when he held his mid-season news conference.
At that time, around Halloween, Gutekunst took a “wait-and-see” approach in regards to making grand declarations regarding Love’s play.
Coincidentally or otherwise, Love’s season began to soar in the coming weeks. He posted a passer rating of at least 108 in eight of the final 10 games, and exceeded 125 in four of them.
As the young receivers began to emerge, and the tight ends started to find their way, the Packers got Aaron Jones back from injury. With the offensive line playing at a high level – it allowed only seven sacks in the final nine games, including none in the two playoff games – and Jones recapturing his form the offense flourished.
LaFleur was asked if Love’s growth will continue in 2024.
“We all know how resilient he is and one of the things I think he’s done such an unbelievable job with is every situation he’s been in he’s learned from it,” LaFleur said. “So I would fully expect that to be the case.”
Jones had the finest five-game run of his seven-year stay in Green Bay to close out his career. He is now with the Vikings while free agent Josh Jacobs will replace him in Green Bay.
Jacobs led the NFL in rushing in 2022. After a down season in which he averaged just 3.5 yards per carry, some teams cooled on Jacobs.
Not the Packers.
Gutekunst and LaFleur jumped at the chance to sign him in similar fashion to their aggressive approach to acquiring safety Xavier McKinney.
Jacobs is a decent receiver out of the backfield and exceedingly capable in blitz pickup. His strength is his ability to either run over or simply make the first would-be tackler whiff.
The Packers’ goal-line and short-yardage situations should be much improved. As great as Jones was there were times when it appeared LaFleur didn’t know how to best utilize his talents.
Jacobs is a tough runner between the tackles who also possesses enough elusiveness to take it outside.
Third-round draft pick Marshawn Loyd is penciled in to be the primary backup. Loyd possesses breakaway speed. Some draft experts believed he was one of the top running backs in the entire draft.
A.J. Dillon returns on a bargain-basement contract. He’ll be highly motivated to prove his worth and increase his value to the team. He has had some shining moments, but how it’s make-or-break time for Dillon.
Emanuel Wilson also returns and it’s not beyond the realm to think he could supplant Dillon as the No. 3 back.
The receivers are wonderful. Top to bottom, from Christian Watson to Malik Heath, promise and potential abounds.
The thought of Watson staying healthy for an entire season could lead to a “breakout” season. Watson is the most explosive big-play weapon on the roster. He’ll either beat defenses or demand maximum attention, which should allow Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks and Bo Melton plenty of room to operate.
There isn’t a weak link in the group.
The tight end position is well-stocked for the next several seasons.
Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft developed into the players they were reputed to be coming out of college. Musgrave has legit big-play potential in the passing game and he’ll only improve as a blocker.
Kraft may be the more complete player right now. He also has excellent hands, runs crisp routes and attacks would-be tacklers with a vengeance.
Ben Sims and Tyler Davis are quality special teams players and reliable backups if either Musgrave or Kraft is injured.
The offensive line added depth and youth in the draft. First-round pick Jordan Morgan looks to be the sixth-best offensive lineman entering training camp. Right now it appears Rasheed Walker will hold down the left tackle job until further notice.
Elgton Jenkins will be back at left guard with Josh Myers at center. If Jenkins recaptures his Pro Bowl form, and Myers continues to play at the level he did in the second half last season, the line should excel.
Sean Rhyan will be first up at right guard with Zach Tom at right tackle. A pec injury to Tom might be the opening Morgan needs to crack the lineup until Tom is healthy. Projections are less than certain that Tom will be ready in time for the season-opener in Brazil.
Brewers end skid with
9-2 Dodgers drubbing
By Chris Havel
Special to The FAN
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Brewers blew away the Dodgers and the cloud of negativity hovering above Chavez Ravine entering Sunday’s finale of their three-game series at Dodger Stadium.
Milwaukee’s 9-2 win snapped a seven-game slide at Dodger Stadium and enabled it to dodge its first four-game losing streak of the season. The Brewers, Phillies and Guardians – all division leaders – are MLB’s only teams whose longest losing streaks are just three games.
Milwaukee’s most recent “stopper” came in the form of a crafty lefty.
Veteran starter Dallas Keuchel couldn’t keep the Dodgers off the bases, but he did keep them off the scoreboard with 4 1/3 scoreless innings. He had five walks, zero strikeouts and a ton of soft contact.
“The reason we picked him up,” said Brewers’ manager Pat Murphy, “is because of his experience. He’s not going to give in. He gave us a huge lift today. He did what was needed.”
As All-Star Christian Yelich said of Keuchel, “He finds a way.”
Yelich is right about Keuchel. The 2015 Cy Young Award winner has “found a way” to replace a once-dazzling arsenal by mixing experience and ingenuity with just enough stuff to keep hitters off-balance.
Of course, Yelich could’ve been referring to the entire team. Or, for that matter, he could’ve been referring to himself.
Yelich had three hits, three RBI and a home run to highlight the Brewers’ impressive win Sunday. He has “found a way” back to his NL MVP form of 2018 and 2019 when he belted 63 doubles, nine triples and 80 home runs with a .327 average in a wondrous two-year span.
Murphy had a dugout seat to Yelich’s tremendous two-year run as the Brewers’ bench coach. Now as the Brewers’ manager he is seeing the veteran outfielder recapture his place among baseball’s finest hitters.
“I’ve seen this,” Murphy said. “I’m not going to get giddy, but he’s had an incredible year.”
“More than that,” he added, “he’s having an incredible impact on the team, an incredible impact on the team, an incredible impact on young guys like (Blake) Perkins to not get down after getting picked off in a 2-0 game. A senseless pickoff (but) he kept himself going.
“After that Perkins responded.”
Perkins responded, as Murphy noted, with three hits, three RBI and a home run to back Yelich’s big day.
Although Perkins’ playing time has dwindled significantly since Garrett Mitchell’s return after missing all of the season with a fractured finger, he kept his head in the game.
Then he helped the Brewers win despite his own base-running blunder.
“Yelich rose to the occasion when we needed him,” Murphy said. “Perkins was unbelievable too. (It was) a great effort by our guys.”
Backup catcher Eric Haase, who is one of the guys giving great effort, had two hits including a two-run home run to stake Milwaukee to a 4-0 lead before the Dodgers’ Chris Taylor homered to make it 4-2.
After that it was all Brewers, all the time.
Yelich, 32, is on a tear right now. He hit .393 (11 for 28) with three home runs and five RBI during the Brewers’ six-game road trip. He is hitting .329 for the season with 11 doubles, three triples and 11 homers.
Yelich isn’t a stats watcher.
“I have no idea what any of my stats are,” he said. “The home runs are probably the only one I know. I don’t look at (stats) because they change so much throughout the year. You just try to keep contributing to wins and stack them.”
The Brewers (53-38) maintained their five-game lead over St. Louis in the NL Central. The Pirates, Reds and Cubs are all 10-plus games back.
The victory also kept Milwaukee just two games behind the Dodgers (55-36) in the race for the NL’s No. 2 playoff seed. The No. 2 seed gets a first-round bye. The No. 3 seed gets a matchup with the No. 6 seed in a best-of-three wild-card series at the higher seeded team’s ballpark.
The Dodgers face the Brewers in a four-game series Aug. 12-15 at American Family Field. It’s their only other regular-season series.
The Dodgers travel to Philadelphia (58-32) for a three-game series against the NL’s top team. The Phillies are 33-14 at home.
Milwaukee headed home for a three-game series against the Pirates beginning Monday night at American Family Field, where the Brewers are a dazzling 27-13 this season.
Right-hander Colin Rea (8-2, 3.34) will start Monday’s series opener. Rea is 5-0 in his last eight games as he continues to be the Brewers’ most dependable of the 15 starters deployed.
“It’s good to win, especially on ‘getaway day,’ ” Yelich said. “We had two tough losses.”
The Brewers lost Friday night’s series opener 8-5 despite it being tied at 5-5 entering the eighth inning. That’s when the normally reliable Hoby Milner, in relief of Elvis Peguero, yielded three runs before recording a single out to take the loss.
On Saturday, the Brewer and Dodgers were knotted at 3-3 entering the bottom of the eighth. That’s when the typically unhittable Bryan Hudson allowed home runs to light-hitting second baseman Miguel Vargas and the incomparable Shohei Ohtani in the 5-3 loss.
Despite the disappointing outcomes of both games, the Brewers went pitch-for-pitch with the mighty Dodgers and had a chance to win each of the first two games of the series.
The Brewers reminded fans that they have what it takes to compete with baseball’s best teams. Even if that means using an MLB-high 15 different starting pitchers this season – the most in franchise history for an entire season – to do the job.
Yelich lent perspective.
“Whenever you go through a stretch when the outside perspective is that it’s the end of the world and the sky is falling to us it’s like, ‘We know that there’s going to be tough streaks in the year. Keep going. Keep trying to play well,’ ” he said. “Then, when you get on the good side of it, you try to build momentum again.”
Packers’ MVP hopes?
Love is poised to win
By Chris Havel
Special to The FAN
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Packers open training camp in 17 days.
The season arrives with great expectations for the NFL’s youngest team. The Packers are coming off a 9-8 season capped by a wild-card rout of the Cowboys in Dallas and a narrow divisional round loss to the eventual Super Bowl runner-up 49ers at San Francisco.
So what will the Packers do for an encore?
To a person, from the front office to the field, the football folks at 1265 Lombardi Ave. believe the sky’s the limit. Reclaiming the NFC North from the talented Lions won’t be easy, especially while trying to fend off the much-improved Bears and the explosive Vikings.
Nevertheless, it is a lofty yet attainable goal. Beyond that everything is in play, including a Super Bowl berth.
Those are terrific team goals for an incredibly unselfish squad.
But what about the Packers winning individual awards in 2024?
Hardware has been tough to come by lately.
Matt LaFleur knows it firsthand.
The Packers hired LaFleur in 2019 for a job numerous NFL “experts” called “a bad job.” They thought the roster was in a shambles, the defense was in disarray and the future Hall of Fame quarterback was in decline and going to be difficult to work with.
LaFleur merely led the Packers to a 13-3 record and the NFC’s No. 2 seed. Green Bay defeated Seattle 28-23 in the NFC divisional round before falling to the eventual Super Bowl champion 49ers 37-20.
He got Rodgers’ career back on track and proved the naysayers wrong. It turns out the Packers’ job wasn’t bad. It just needed the right person running the show.
A strong argument could’ve been made for LaFleur being the NFL’s “Coach of the Year” in 2019. Instead, he finished a distant third to Baltimore’s John Harbaugh and San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan.
LaFleur didn’t get much credit for Rodgers’ rebirth. Rather, it hurt his chances for “Coach of the Year” because the prevailing notion was “He couldn’t have done it without Rodgers.”
No one bothered to ask, “Could Harbaugh have done it without Lamar Jackson?” It wasn’t asked because the answer was all too obvious.
So what about 2024?
Again, LaFleur could be his own worst enemy.
While he is widely praised for developing Jordan Love during a 3 ½ year span that blossomed in the final seven regular-season games and two playoff games last season.
If the Packers reach or exceed expectations the narrative could be, “Jordan Love was the reason. LaFleur was just along for the ride.”
It’s ridiculous rationale but it isn’t unprecedented.
LaFleur has the fifth-best odds to win “Coach of the Year.” The Bears’ Matt Eberflus and the Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh lead the pack. The Jets’ Robert Saleh (because of Rodgers), and the Texans’ DeMeco Ryan – last year’s runner-up – also are ahead of LaFleur.
The Packers’ head coach will trade personal honors for the Lombardi Trophy every day of the week and twice on Super Bowl Sundays.
If LaFleur isn’t “Coach of the Year,” but the Packers still forge a double-digit win season and playoff magic, Love should be the heavy favorite to win the NFL’s MVP Award.
Love, like his coach, has the fifth-best odds … to be MVP.
The Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes (hard to argue), the Bills’ Josh Allen (I don’t see it), the Texans’ C.J. Stroud (he’s the real deal) and the Bengals’ Joe Burrow (he’ll have a big season) are ranked ahead of Love.
So are the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, the 49ers’ Brock Purdy and ex-Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Love’s cool persona, charisma and undeniable talent should thrust him into the forefront of MVP discussions by the season’s midpoint. The rest is up to Love, his coaches and teammates, and – alas – the voters.
The NFL’s “Offensive Player of the Year” award isn’t likely to find its way into a Packers’ hands.
Josh Jacobs has the best odds at plus-12,000.
The receivers are so far back it isn’t worth listing the odds.
The NFL “Defensive Player of the Year” does have a decent chance to wind up on Rashan Gary’s fireplace mantle or Xavier McKinney’s.
Gary, with the 14th-best odds, could explode for a huge sack season. With a bolstered run defense, a creative coordinator and a top-notch safety on the back end, Gary is in line for 12-plus sacks.
McKinney, who isn’t listed among “Defensive Player of the Year” candidates, is another strong choice.
If the Packers’ defense excels it will mean McKinney is running the show with aplomb. If he has multiple multi-interception games, including a “pick six” or two, he’ll immediately become a top contender.
None of that is farfetched, either.
McKinney is that good. It’s just that the rest of the NFL doesn’t understand how good he will be in the heart of the Packers’ reconstituted defense.
Interestingly, the Packers are in the hunt for a “Defensive Rookie of the Year” award winner with linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and safety Javon Bullard coming aboard in the second round of the 2024 draft.
Cooper has a chance to run and hit with the best of them. It doesn’t hurt that he’ll have Quay Walker next to him in addition to savvy veteran Isaiah McDuffie.
Bullard’s talent is off the charts. If offenses elect to avoid McKinney and attack Bullard it could lead to plenty of opportunities for the rookie from Georgia.
Finally, do the Packers have any candidates for “Comeback Player of the Year?”
No one even made the list. The Packers are so young they aren’t in a position to make comebacks. They’re still on the rise.
By the way, the NFL’s best bet to win “Comeback of the Year” honors?
