The Green Bay Packers bounced back from last week’s poor performance and defeated the Baltimore Ravens 30-7 to close out the preseason with a 2-1 record. The defense forced four turnovers, and the running game returned to life in the win. There were several players fighting for roster spots who made a strong final impression on Matt LaFleur and the coaching staff before cuts will be made on Tuesday. Here are 10 quick takeaways from the Packers victory over the Ravens.
Ten Quick Takeaways from the Packers 30-7 Win Over the Ravens, Number One: The Packers Rested Their Starters Again
After a strong joint practice with the Ravens on Thursday, LaFleur decided to rest his starters. A total of 38 players did not dress for this game including nearly all the key players on both offense and defense. Still, unlike last week, the players on the field provided a spirited performance against Baltimore and were ready to play from the opening kickoff.
Number Two: Which Backup Quarterback Stood Out?
The battle for the backup quarterback spot between Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt continued on Saturday. Pratt looked strong early but struggled later in the game. Clifford started slowly but improved as the game went on.
Clifford completed 6-of-14 passes for 53 yards and a touchdown. Those numbers came after a 1-for-7 start. Meanwhile, Pratt completed 8-of-12 passes for one touchdown and threw one interception. He was shaken up trying to make the tackle on that play but just had the wind knocked out of him. Both quarterbacks had nearly identical quarterback ratings with Pratt finishing with a 78.5 and Clifford 77.4.
After the game, LaFleur said he still hasn’t decided on the backup quarterback for the initial 53-man roster. It may come down to which player they feel they can pass through waivers more easily to stash them on the practice squad.
Ten Quick Takeaways from the Packers 30-7 Win Over the Ravens, Number Three: The Receivers Made Their Cases to Stay on the Roster
The Packers had three wide receivers allegedly competing for two roster spots and all three had their final opportunity to impress the coaches.
Malik Heath led all Packers receivers with four catches on five targets for 39 yards and a touchdown. He was the best of the bunch in this game.
Bo Melton had one catch, but it was an impressive 18-yard touchdown catch that saw him turn for a ball that was slightly behind him while he was in between two defenders.
Grant DuBose didn’t play as often and was held without a catch on one target. Was his strong play up till now enough to get him on the roster? This is another tough decision for LaFleur and GM Brian Gutekunst.
Number Four: The Run Blocking Was Stronger
While the backups and third stringers started and played most of the game, the offensive line did a great job of opening holes for the running backs. The starters were Kadeem Telfort at left tackle, Lecitus Smith at left guard, rookie Jacob Monk at center, Royce Newman and right guard and Travis Glover at right tackle.
The run blocking was strong and none of the three running backs averaged less than 4.6-yards per attempt. As a team, the Packers gained 193 yards on the ground on 39 carries, a 4.9-yard average.
The quarterbacks were not sacked either, which also bodes well for the play of these linemen who are fighting for jobs on the roster and practice squads.
Ten Quick Takeaways from the Packers 30-7 Win Over the Ravens, Number Five: The Kicking Battle Got More Interesting
At first, it seemed Anders Carlson all but locked up the kicking job when he connected on a 54-yard field goal on the first drive of the game. But he later shanked a 32-yard chip shot which certainly didn’t help his cause.
Greg Joseph made both of his field goal tries. The first was from 36 yards out in the second quarter. Then he hit a 55-yard kick in the third quarter. Neither kicker missed an extra point.
Again, LaFleur and Gutekunst have some tough choices to make when it comes to kicker. They may see who’s let go and add another kicker after the initial cuts are made.
Number Six: The Defense Created Turnovers
Unlike a week ago, the Packers defense caused four turnovers which were a major reason why the team won so easily.
Anthony Johnson Jr. recovered a fumble and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown.
The team intercepted two passes and recovered two fumbles. When you finish the game with a plus-three turnover differential, you usually win.
Ten Quick Takeaways from the Packers 30-7 Win Over the Ravens, Number Seven: Key Players Made Big Plays On D
Linebacker Kristian Welch continued to make his case to stay on the roster. He intercepted a pass for the second straight game, broke up two passes and tied for the team lead with five total tackles.
Rookie Ty’Ron Hopper had another strong performance, also making five total tackles and one tackle for loss.
Meanwhile, Arron Mosby had a sack that forced a fumble, made an interception, and broke up a pass in this game. Mosby came into the game with long odds to make the 53-man roster, but he made things tougher for the decision makers with his strong play.
Number Eight: Run Defense Improved
The Packers run defense has been a weakness in recent seasons and struggled last week. They looked better against the Ravens. Granted, this was backups against backups, but the Pack held the Ravens to 98 yards rushing on 29 carries, a 3.4-yard average. They allowed only one run of more than 10 yards and kept the Ravens one dimensional until the game was out of reach.
Playing with a lead was certainly helpful to the run defense. The tackling looked better as the players on the field did a better job of swarming to the ball carrier.
Ten Quick Takeaways from the Packers 30-7 Win Over the Ravens, Number Nine: Cuts Await
The team is done practicing until Wednesday, which means that the players won’t have any more opportunities to convince the coaching staff that they should make the team.
On Tuesday, the Packers have to reduce the roster from 90 to 53. Then, 24 hours later, they can start signing players to the practice squad. The Pack will have 16 spots on the practice squad plus an extra spot for kicker Alex Hale who will be their International Player Pathway program player. That will allow the Pack to keep 17 players on the practice squad.
Needless to say, there will be some difficult roster decisions ahead for the Packers.
Number Ten: The Regular Season Is Fast Approaching
The Pack ended the preseason on a high note and a 2-1 record. The team was pleased with their play against the Ravens both in the joint practice and the game.
Now, the team has a little less than two weeks to prepare for the season opener in Brazil on Friday, September 6th against the Philadelphia Eagles.
When the team reconvenes on Wednesday, they will be preparing for games that count. Let the 2024 Packers season begin.
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