The Packers and Saints squared off in Week 2 of the preseason on Friday night in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers beat the Saints, 20-10. Below are the notes I took, observations I made and several video highlights from the game, in chronological order from start to finish.
Quick Hitters
- Jordan Love is so much improved from a year ago. His final stat line was 12-24, 113 yards and a Touchdown but he played better than the stats would indicate. Was he perfect? No. Does it look like he belongs in this league? Yes. Love made several pin point throws on Friday night (some of them caught, some of them dropped). He avoided any costly mistakes and by and large made good decisions.
- Rookie WR Romeo Doubs had some really nice moments. He dropped a beautiful drop-in-the-bucket throw by Love early in the game that would’ve resulted in a big completion but rebounded with an exceptional touchdown grab later on. It’s clear the Packers 4th round rookie can play.
- Packers LB Isaiah McDuffie was all over the field. He had a really strong showing.
- Packers DT Chris Slayton might belong on the 53 man roster.
- Packers CB Kiondre Thomas had a nice outing.
- Packers Safety Micah Abernathy had a beautiful interception and also blew up a screen pass later in the game. He made some splash plays.
- It looks like Kingsley Enagbare belongs on this team, the Packers backup OLB.
- Juwann Winfree has been a steady presence for Jordan Love in the first two preseason games.
- Packers TE Tyler Davis had another costly mistake, the second game in a row he’s been the cause of an offensive turnover.
- The Packers might have a player in undrafted RB Tyler Goodson. RB Patrick Taylor played well, too.
- Amari Rodgers continues to be improved, yet still too up and down.
*Note – a big Thank You to Twitter Account Packers Nation and Joe Kipp for many of the video clips*
First Quarter: Start of Game
*Packers receive the opening kickoff, touchback. Amari Rodgers was back to receive.
*Royce Newman at Right Tackle, Yosh Nijman at Left Tackle. Jon Runyan (LG), Josh Myers (C) and Jake Hanson (RG) round out the starters up front.
*First play of game. Love from the shotgun, goes through several progressions, doesn’t see anything he likes. Does a nice job staying poised in the pocket and runs up the middle for about 12 yards and a first down.
*Patrick Taylor is the starting RB tonight. Packers already getting better push on the ground game than they did early last week. Two consecutive carries from Taylor sets up 3rd and 3.
*Packers go empty out of the shotgun. Love goes through several progressions, goes deep to Romeo Doubs towards the right sideline. The throw was there – Doubs needs to find a way to catch that. Would’ve been a gain of about 35 yards. Instead, Packers have to punt.
*Devonte Wyatt is playing tonight for the Packers. He’s involved in the first tackle of the game for Green Bay – he did a nice job clogging the middle on a Saints run.
*Isaiah McDuffie with some pressure on 2nd and 5. Incomplete throw by Ian Book. The Packers were getting pressure consistently on the Saints during their joint practices earlier in the week.
*Tipa Galeai had nice pressure on 3rd and 5. Book got rid of it quickly and a ticky-tack PI was called on Shemar Jean-Charles. Didn’t see much there. First down Saints.
*Isaiah McDuffie is sniffing the football on seemingly every play. Great start for him.
*And just as I type that, on 3rd and 12, Ian Book rolls to his right and tries to run. Who is there to stop Book in his tracks? Isaiah McDuffie.
*Fair catch called on the punt by Amari Rodgers.
*3 yard run by Patrick Taylor. TE Tyler Davis did a good job moving from left to right and taking care of his man – even though it was insignificant towards the play.
*3rd and 4 for the Packers. Love out of the shotgun. Delivers a perfect crosser to Juwann Winfree for a 15 yard catch and run. Saints brought pressure, Patrick Taylor with a nice pickup on the ILB. Love showed nice poise and found the open man.
*Love with a perfect throw to Doubs on a corner route. There was 2 Saints defenders right on Doubs but the throw was perfect and Doubs hung on. 16 yard gain. Pressure was in Love’s grill but he still delivered an accurate ball.
*End-around to Amari Rodgers from right to left, he gets around the Saints linebacker to reach the edge and picks up 8 yards.
*First down Packers on a run by Patrick Taylor. They are driving, at the Saints 30 yard line.
*Love with a bootleg to his left and hits Josiah Deguara in the flat. Easy pitch and catch. He got face masked but no call. Pickup of 10 and another first down.
*Tyler Goodson gets the carry, his first of the game. Undrafted RB from University of Iowa. Pickup of 2.
*Love quick out route to Winfree, who was lined up on the far left side. Sets up a 3rd and 2.
*Patrick Taylor up the middle on 3rd and 2, out of the Shotgun. Deguara did a nice job getting to his man. Packers pick up the first down by an inch after an official measurement. 1st and Goal from the 10.
*Josh Myers did a good job on the 1st and Goal run. Taylor picks up 3.
*2nd and Goal from the 7. Packers run Love bootleg to the left again – he missed Josiah Deguara in the flat, slight overthrow.
*3rd and Goal from the 7. Love stood in the pocket, didn’t find anyone, escaped to the left, extended the play, bought as much time as he could, threw to the left sideline of the end zone and it falls incomplete.
*Packers settle for a field goal attempt and it’s good. Ramiz Ahmed knocks it through, who was signed by the Packers earlier this week. Mason Crosby is still recovering from an injury. 3-0 Packers with 2:20 remaining in the 1st Quarter.
*Big kick-return by the Saints. It was the Kicker, Ahmed, who knocked the returner out in Packers territory. The Saints will start at the Packers 43 yard line.
*TJ Slaton (I think) draws a holding penalty on 1st and 10. He was a menace in the middle on that play. Saints backed up, 1st and 20.
*Jonathan Garvin was screaming through the line on the ensuing run play. TJ Slaton involved with the stop. 2nd and 19 for the Saints.
*TJ Slaton is having himself a nice series. He beat his man, bursted through the middle and nearly sacked Ian Book. Quay Walker made the tackle on a scrambling Book. 3rd and 16.
*Quick screen to the right side for the Saints. Isaiah McDuffie hustling his butt off and makes the tackle. Sets up a 4th and 8 for New Orleans.
*Saints trying a 59 yard field goal. It’s up and it is perfect. Heck of a kick by the Saints Kicker, Will Lutz. 3-3 is the score at the end of the 1st Quarter.
Start of 2nd Quarter:
*Rico Gafford is the man who returns the ensuing Kickoff. He caught it at the 1 and took it to the 20. That’s where Jordan Love and the Packers will start. Zach Tom is the new RT and Royce Newman is at RG. Jake Hanson is at Center and Cole Van Lanen is at LG.
*1st and 10 play fake. Love surveys the field and hits Romeo Doubs on a crosser from right to left. Ball was good, slightly behind Doubs but he held on. Unfortunately, a holding call on Tyler Davis brings it back. 1st and 20.
*Love out of the shotgun. Couldn’t find an open man. He takes off to run but is sacked by the Saints for a small loss. It’ll be 2nd and 22.
*Love out of the shotgun again on 2nd and 22. He couldn’t find anyone down the field, pressure incoming. He picks up 3 yards on a scramble.
*Love throws deep down the right sideline on 3rd and 19. The pass falls incomplete to Romeo Doubs. However, a roughing the passer penalty is called on the Saints. Gives the Packers an automatic 1st down.
*Tyler Goodson with a 3 yard run to the right. 2nd and 7 from the 29 yard line.
*Goodson shows great patience on a left side zone and cuts back to the right for a nice gain and a first down. Pickup of 9.
*Back to back nice runs by Tyler Goodson, to the left side again. Good job by Zach Tom and Royce Newman. Another pickup of 9.
*Play action on 2nd and 1 and Love delivers an absolute perfect pass to Juwann Winfree to the left sideline. A 21 yard completion. Gorgeous.
*1st and 10 for the Packers and Love throws incomplete to Romeo Doubs on a short cross.
*2nd and 10, Love quickly recognizes Goodson open in the flat and delivers a perfect ball. Had some nice zip. Goodson is able to run after the catch for a 1st down.
*1st and 10, quick WR screen to the left to Doubs, he couldn’t do much with the football. Pickup of 3 yards. Packers are driving again, at the Saints 19 yard line.
*Goodson run to the left with plenty of room. A nice spin move at the end to pick up a couple more yards. Excellent blocking by Royce Nemwan. A 15 yard gain and a first down.
*1st and Goal for the Packers, Love goes up top to Romeo Doubs on a quick fade and it’s brought in for a touchdown! What a catch by Doubs and Love put the football in a perfect spot.
*11 plays, 80 yards, 6:56 off the clock results in a Packers touchdown. Extra point is good. 10-3 Packers lead.
*Saints start at the Packers 27 yard line. Ian Book, off a play-action throws to the left and Krys Barnes is right on the receiver with a great tackle. Gain of 1.
*2nd and 9, Book throws quickly to the right. The ball was almost picked by Barnes and should’ve been picked by Rico Gafford. Went right through his hands. Barnes may have blocked his view for a second and caused Gafford to drop the pick.
*3rd and 9, Ian Book hits an open man for a 1st down on a curl route. 1st down Saints.
*The Packers stone wall the Saints on 1st and 10. Excellent run defense. Loss of 1.
*2nd and 11, Ian Book had time. Krys Barnes is making plays as he executes a beautiful pass breakup. 3rd and 11 for the Saints.
*Book with a clean pocket and hits Kevin White on a crosser from right to left. He was wide open. A pickup of 18 for the Saints and a 1st down. Isaiah McDuffie was in the middle zone but that’s a mis-match. He tried to pick up White over the middle but it was too late.
*La’Darius Hamilton was unblocked on a PA boot to the right but Book hit his man quickly in the flat. Pickup of 5 and a 1st down.
*1st and 10 for the Saints at the Packers 32 yard line. False start on the Saints backs them up 5 yards. It’ll be 1st and 15 from the 37.
*Ian Book fumbled the snap under center and the Packers pick up the loose football. Safety Shawn Davis scooped it up and ran it back about 30 yards into Saints territory.
*1st and 10 from the Saints 32 yard line is where the Packers start. Patrick Taylor gets the hand off from Shotgun and picks up 5 yards to the left.
*Love incomplete on a quick slant to Juwann Winfree. Solid coverage by the Saints.
*3rd and 5, Love out of the shotgun. Quick throw to the right on an out-route to Amari Rodgers and the pass was low and under thrown. Incomplete, sets up a 4th and 5 and Packers Field Goal attempt.
*Ahmed nails a 45 yard field goal, right down the middle. The Packers lead 13-3 late in the 2nd Quarter.
*The Saints elect to return the ensuing kickoff out of the end zone. Patrick Taylor made a very nice tackle on Special Teams. The Saints will start at the Packers 24 yard line.
*1st and 10, Saints run to the left. Jack Heflin and Isaiah McDuffie involved in the stop. 4 yard pickup.
*2nd and 6, Saints run a RB Screen to the left. Pickup of 20. Isaiah McDuffie actually made the tackle down field by shoving the Saints offensive lineman, who was blocking, into the RB, which knocked him over.
*Packers Safety Vernon Scott appears to be in some pain on the sideline during the two minute warning. He tried to make a tackle on the previous screen pass mentioned above.
*The Saints pickup a 1st down on 2nd and 4. Krys Barnes with the tackle.
*1st and 10 for the Saints from the Packers 40 yard line. Kingsley Enagbare absolutely screamed off the edge and forced Book to step up in the pocket immediately. He scrambled up the middle for a 4 yard run.
*Penalty on the Saints backs them up 5 yards. 2nd and 11.
*Ian Book throws to the left, his receiver fell down and Packers Safety Micah Abernathy comes up with a stellar interception. He was signed last week.
*1st and 10 for the Packers from the Saints 30 yard line with 54 seconds to play in the first half. Love out of the Shotgun, pressure right in his face, the pass falls incomplete to Winfree. The protection wasn’t good on that one.
*2nd and 10, Love with a quick throw to Tyler Davis. He caught the ball but fumbled. Saints recover in Packers territory. Not good.
*1st and 10 for the Saints from the Packers 37 yard line. Ray Wilborn with the tackle on an 8 yard run.
*Saints pickup a 1st down on a 9 yard run. Chris Slayton was moved out of the way. The Saints spike the ball at the Packers 20 yard line with 18 seconds to go.
*2nd and 10, Ian Book rolls right and finds Chris Olave, the Saints 1st round pick out of Ohio State for a touchdown. Tipa Galeai (??) was in coverage. It appeared to be zone defense. Nonetheless, that’s a matchup the Saints will win 100 out of 100 times. A 20 yard TD pass from Book to Olave.
*The Saints make the extra point. The Packers lead 13-10 with 12 seconds to play in the 1st Half.
*Jordan Love take a knee and that likely wraps up his night as we go to halftime.
Start of 3rd Quarter:
*It is wet in Green Bay with the rain.
*Saints receive the opening kickoff. They run it out to about the Packers 35 yard line, however 2 penalties on the Saints takes the ball back to the 11 yard line.
*Ian Book is still the Saints Quarterback. On first and 10, the Saints run to the right. La’Darius Hamilton was involved with the tackle. Kiondre Thomas did a great job containing the edge.
*Saints with a 3 yard run. Sets up 3rd and 3.
*The Saints run on 3rd and 3 and Chris Slayton said absolutely not. Heck of a play by the Packers DT exploding through the line and blowing up the run. The Saints will punt.
*The Saints Punter records an 81 (!) yard punt that took Amari Rodgers way, way back. It still went over his head and bounced into the end zone for a touchback.
*Jordan Love is still in the game. 1st and 10 run goes nowhere.
*Rookie Caleb Jones, from University of Indiana, is in at Left Tackle.
*Love with a quick throw to TE Nate Becker to the right for a pickup of 2 yards.
*On 3rd and 8, Love throws a bullet to Juwann Winfree down the right sideline that wasn’t close. I’m not sure if there was miscommunication – that’s my best guess. It wasn’t anywhere close to a completion. The Packers will punt.
*Pat O’Donnell with a nice punt and a Saints penalty tacks on another 10 yards. The field is flipped and the Saints will start on their own 8 yard line.
*Nice play by Ray Wilborn on 1st and 10. The Saints ran right and Wilborn was in the mix quickly. Pickup of 1.
*The Saints run on 2nd and 9 and pick up a 1st down. Ty Summers couldn’t fill his gap quite in time.
*1st and 10 for the Saints, they run to the left and pick up 6. Summers with the tackle.
*Designed roll-out to the right on 2nd and 4 for Ian Book. His pass is low on a quick out and falls incomplete.
*A quick completion to an open man over the middle results in a 7 yard completion and a Saints first down.
*1st and 10 run goes no where for New Orleans. La’Darius Hamilton made a nice play to make the stop.
*Saints run a PA screen to the left and Micah Abernathy blew it up. Another excellent play by the Packers Safety.
*3rd and 15 for the Saints and La’Darius Hamilton got quick pressure to force a hurried throw by Book. Incomplete and the Saints will punt.
*Packers flagged for 12 men on the field before the Punt. It turns 4th and 15 to 4th and 10.
*The Saints punter booms one to the 3 yard line and Amari Rodgers decides to catch the ball instead of letting it bounce into the end zone. That was a bad decision. Packers are also flagged on the return, which Rodgers took to about the 11 yard line.
*The Packers start at their own 2 yard line.
*Packers RB Dexter Williams is in the game. He takes it up the middle for 4 yards.
*Dexter Williams for 4 yards. Sets up 3rd and 2.
*Dexter Williams gets the carry from Love out of shotgun on 3rd and 2. He picks up the first down. He may have fumbled at the end of the carry (knee may have been down?) but he recovered it anyways.
*Williams run to the right, pickup of 1.
*Love with a quick throw to Dexter Williams in the flat. There was nothing there even if the ball was accurate, the corner back was sitting in the flat. It was high and went off Williams’ hands. Incomplete.
*Love incomplete on an out route to Ishmael Hyman on 3rd and 9. Illegal contact called on the Saints, gives the Packers a first down.
*Love with a play-action fake, rolls to his left on 1st and 10. He threw a dot to Samori Toure deep down the left sideline, probably 45-50 yards. It would’ve been an exceptional catch as Toure would’ve had to maintain control and stay in bounds. It falls incomplete.
*Amari Rodgers on a WR screen to the left for a 5 yard gain. It’ll be 3rd and 5 for the Packers on their own 27 yard line.
*Love rips a perfect throw to Amari Rodgers down the seam for an 18 yard completion. An absolute seed by 10 with elite ball placement. However, the Saints are challenging the ruling on the field of a catch. The ball came out when Rodgers was driven to the ground on the tackle. I think it’ll be overturned.
*The call is overturned. Incomplete and the Packers will punt. That’s a tough one that kills the drive.
*Saints start on their own 32 yard line. Packers DT Jonathan Ford timed the snap well and got penetration in the backfield. Pickup of 1.
*Saints quick throw to the left for a gain of 6. It sets up 3rd and 3.
*Ian Book throws a swing pass to his RB and there was nothing there. Ty Summers finished the play with a sound tackle. The Saints will punt.
*Amari Rodgers catches the punt from the 11 yard line and returns it 9 yards. 1st and 10 from the 20.
*Tyler Goodson with a run of 5 yards to the right side.
*Amari Rodgers on a jet-sweep to the right. He picks up 7 yards and a 1st down. Nice blocking by the Packers on the boundary by Samori Toure and TE Alize Mack.
*That’s the end of the 3rd quarter. The Packers lead 13-10.
*Jordan Love is currently 11-22 for 100 yards passing and a touchdown. He’s played better than the stat line would indicate, especially given the 3rd quarter has largely been with 3rd/4th string players and the wet conditions.
Start of 4th Quarter:
*A toss to the left opens the quarter and Goodson picks up 5. However off-setting penalties replays the down. Caleb Jones pancaked his man on the run. Alize Mack was flagged for the Packers.
*A replay of 1st down and 10 is an end-around to Ishmael Hyman from left to right and he picks up 11 yards and a first down.
*The Packers try a jet-sweep to Samori Toure on 1st and 10 and he is stuffed for a loss of 2.
*Love with a quick throw to the right to TE Sal Cannella, he did a good job hanging on to the ball and an even better job with yards after the catch as he eluded a tackle and picked up a 1st down.
*Goodson with a loss of 1 on the run. 2nd and 11 coming.
*Goodson to the left on a run and the Saints bottled it up. No gain on the play. Sets up 3rd and 11.
*3rd and 11 from the Saints 47 yard line, Love out of the shotgun. He throws right to Amari Rodgers on a square out and the pass is broken up. I think Love should’ve put a little more zip on the pass. Packers punt coming.
*The Saints pick up 5 yards on a 1st and 10 run.
*Ian Book is forced to the right and scrambles for no gain on 2nd and 5.
*3rd and 5, Ian Book throws deep down the left sideline. Packers CB Kabion Ento was beat but the pass was slightly overthrown. It’ll be another punt.
*Ishmael Hyman returns the punt for about 11 yards. He had a ton of room, probably could’ve been a bigger return if he read the punt coverage better.
*Danny Etling is in the game at Quarterback.
*Dexter Williams runs up the middle for a 9 yard gain.
*Etling with a quick pass to the right to Amari Rodgers for a half-yard gain. I think it was a run play and Etling decided to throw it hot.
*Danny Etling with a QB Option on 3rd and inches. He keeps it and shows off his excellent speed and takes it 51 yards down the right sideline for a Packers touchdown.
*Extra point is good and the Packers have a 20-10 lead in the 4th quarter with 8:20 to play.
*1st and 10 for the Saints from the 20 yard line. Ian Book’s pass is accurate but falls incomplete, really nice coverage by Kiondre Thomas on the play.
*Ian Book with a 27 yard scramble on 2nd and 10. Chauncey Manac (LB) got nice pressure on the play but that was simply an exquisite play by Book.
*Book with another scramble because of Packers pressure, this time it was Chris Slayton. He picks up 4 yards to set up 2nd and 6 from the Packers 44 yard line.
*Book scrambles for the third consecutive play and runs for a first down.
*2nd and 4 for the Saints at the Packers 31 yard line, Book is sacked by Chris Slayton. However, the Packers are flagged with an illegal use to the hands to the face penalty. It’s on Jack Heflin. That gives the Saints a first down. John Kuhn, the Packers color commentator, disagrees with the call.
*Saints run a HB Draw and they pick up 9. Chris Slayton got through in the middle quickly.
*Kingsley Enagbare with quick pressure on Ian Book on 2nd and 1 but he eludes him and picks up a half yard, setting up 3rd and inches.
*Chris Slayton is in the mix again on 3rd and inches, immediately in the backfield. However the Saints pick up the first down.
*Quick throw to the RB in the flat by Book but De’Vante Cross is right there to make the tackle. Nice play by Cross, one of their safeties who was signed 3 days ago.
*2nd and 10. Chris Slayton is dominating and almost sacks Book. Enagbare, in an effort to make a play, horse-collars Book and the Saints will get a first down.
*1st and Goal for the Saints out of the 2 minute warning. The Saints try a back corner pass to the end-zone, it falls incomplete. Good coverage by Kiondre Thomas.
*Book zips a touchdown, however the Saints player that caught the touchdown pushed off on Kiondre Thomas and offensive PI is called. I’m not sure about that call but nonetheless, the touchdown is off the board.
*Book goes down the right sideline, in the end zone again, targeting Kiondre Thomas in coverage and the pass is incomplete.
*3rd and goal for the Saints. Chris Slayton and Kingsley Enagbare chased Ian Book to the right sideline and he threw it away. Field Goal attempt coming for the Saints.
*The Saints Field Goal is no good. The Packers lead 20-10 with 1:32 remaining in the 4th quarter.
*The Packers are kneeing the ball and the Saints aren’t using their timeouts. The Packers beat the Saints, 20-10, to improve to 1-1 on the preseason campaign.
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Alex grew up in a family of Chicago Bears fans in the suburbs of Chicago but was always a Packers guy. Alex\'s AIM name when he was in elementary/middle school was PackerAlex. He now lives in Nashville, Tennessee and you can follow him on twitter at @Alex_Mayer93.
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