The Green Bay Packers will need to regroup and move on after a disappointing few days against the Broncos in Denver. The issues with the offense and defense on the first team carried over into Sunday’s preseason game, in which the Packers’ backups were dominated by the Broncos in a 27-2 loss at EmPower Field at Mile High.
There were few radiant spots. In an overall discouraging effort, the assessment revealed a collective failure rather than a plate of individual disasters.
Here are the stars, stars and underdogs from the Packers’ preseason loss to the Broncos:
Stars
Defensive Line Leader Kristian Welch: The Wisconsin native played with an urgency that the backups lacked. On one rushing touchdown, he tackled a tight end in the hole, flattened a block attempt and made a tackle on the running back. He then identified the run, moved right and made a tackle on a tiny gain. According to PFF, his average depth of attack on three run stops was 1.3 yards. His interception — on a diving pass after a deflected pass — was the only interception. A primary special teams player, Welch also played in 13 third-down plays.
Pegs
FROM Brenton Cox Jr.: The pass rusher’s talent continues to shine. On his sack, Cox Jr. won a handoff at the point of attack and beat the right quarterback around the corner. He later broke a double team with a spin move to the middle, creating pressure and a rushing throw. Cox needs to develop against the run, but his pass rusher skills — he now has eight pressures in two preseason games — should keep him in the 53rd spot.
WR Malik Heath: What could have been. On the first series, Heath was wide open and Sean Clifford missed him by inches. The pass would have been either 1st-and-goal inside the 5-yard line or a walk-in touchdown. Think of the story if the Packers’ backups had started the game with a touchdown against the Broncos’ defense. Michael Pratt also passed Heath deep in the second half. Unfortunately, Heath finished with three catches for 22 yards, including a third-down conversion.
RB Emanuel Wilson: The sophomore quarterback made two of the biggest plays of the offense — a 15-yard run in the second half and an 11-yard catch on third down. In between, Wilson had a couple of impressive pass pro reps, including two in which he identified and blocked a blitzer. PFF credited Wilson with breaking up four tackles, and he gained 43 yards after contact. His one catch was an impressive catch of a lobbed pass on a screen play.
Duds
CB Kalen King: The seventh-round pick fumbled and was tackled on defense. On third-and-17, King fumbled center fielder Greg Dulcich for the conversion. He later got lost in the crowd while covering Tim Patrick near the goal line and returned an simple touchdown. He was tackled in the second half on a breakaway route and then fumbled, allowing the Broncos to convert another third down on a massive play.
TE Tyler Davis: His 13 snaps were a run-blocking disaster. By our count, he missed or misfired on five different run-blocking snaps and also received a holding penalty. His line snaps were particularly penniless.
Quarterback Sean Clifford: The backup quarterback fumbled the opening drive, didn’t pass to Malik Heath, threw an interception in opponent’s territory, held the ball and was tackled on third down, and didn’t do well under pressure. Overall, Clifford was 0-of-3 on passes of 10 or more yards downfield.
OL Royce Newman: He played all 59 snaps, a good sign that he’s on the roster bubble. Newman had a third-down pressure on the first series and another pressure on the second series that resulted in a sack. He also got blown up on Emanuel Wilson’s screen and didn’t provide any pressure on a failed fourth-down run. It was typical Newman’s game: mostly good in pass protection, with a few glaring miscues and little in the running game.
K Greg Joseph: The veteran kicker took his first and only kick and squandered his opportunity, sending his 47-yard attempt wide right. A 47-yard attempt is not tough in Denver. Joseph’s attempt never stood a chance.
DE Lukas Van Ness: The 2023 first-round pick had 12 pass-rushing reps against the Broncos offensive line and didn’t accomplish much. Veteran left tackle Garrett Boiles quietly handled all the power moves Van Ness tried.
