The Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots suspended play with the score 21-17 following a brutal injury to Patriots rookie linebacker Isaiah Bolden. After being carted off the field, he spent the night at a Green Bay hospital and was released from care this morning.
Fortunately, he is alright. That is truly the most important thing anyone can say about this game.
Green Bay Packers Top 5 PFF Grades on Offense
That being said, the Packers got over three quarters of football in and there were plenty of players who performed well, especially on offense. There are many familiar names on PFF’s top five grades for Green Bay’s offensive players, and one Wisconsin native that has become a favorite in the locker room.
- Romeo Doubs- 91.0
- Jon Runyan Jr.- 87.0
- Jordan Love- 86.9
- Malik Heath- 83.0
- Cody Chrest- 82.6
It is no surprise to see Doubs top this list. He had two catches (on two targets) for 52 yards. It may be too early, but Packers fans could expect to see Doubs at the top of this list nearly every week. He and quarterback Jordan Love have built strong chemistry this offseason, and early returns are promising.
Jon Runyan Jr. might be the first offensive lineman not named David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins to have secured his job in 2023. Going into the offseason, Matt LaFleur said the center position and the entire right side were all up for grabs. If Runyan keeps playing like he did against New England, he will not only earn that spot in 2023 but perhaps even another contract.
Love, of course, played well yet again after completing five of eight passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. Most notably, he shook up a botched snap by center Josh Myers and a short second drive to march his team 93 yards down the field for a touchdown on the third drive he led.
Malik Heath may force the Packers to make some really hard decisions come cut-down days. The undrafted free agent has been turning heads since OTA’s, and quite literally caught everything thrown his way in the game against the Patriots. He had five receptions (on five targets) for a team-leading 75 yards.
Cody Chrest is a Wisconsin native who was signed back in July. Prior to trying out for the Packers, the Harvard and Sam Houston State product also spent time with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts. Now, he only played four snaps against the Patriots, but they made an impact. His six-yard reception for a first down had all of his teammates slapping his helmet and jumping on the sideline. One can tell that he is a well-liked player in that locker room.
Green Bay Packers Lowest 5 PFF Grades on Defense
As is with every game, there were players who struggled in this game. It is important to note, though, that most of them were not used as much or in the same way that they may be used in the regular season:
- Zach Tom- 39.2
- Elgton Jenkins- 44.8
- Austin Allen- 46.0
- Tucker Kraft- 49.7
- Samori Toure- 51.3
Now the thing about PFF grades is that they can be deceiving. Tom will likely be a starter on the offensive line this year and Jenkins is cemented at left guard. As such, they only played 17 snaps apiece. Interestingly, they both had high pass blocking grades (70.6 for Tom and 81.9 for Jenkins).
The same thing is true for the next two players: Allen and Kraft. Both are tight ends, with Allen getting more looks with Tyler Davis being out for the year. Both Allen and Kraft had much better pass blocking grade than their overall grades (70.2 for each).
As for Toure, he is a favorite to make the roster, but he already has Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Jayden Reed ahead of him on the depth chart. He may be fighting for playing time with Dontayvion Wicks and Malik Heath (and maybe Grant DuBose).
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