Packers Snaps, Stud and Duds From Painful Loss at Broncos

Here’s our weekly analysis of the snap counts and some of the noteworthy performances from the Green Bay Packers’ season-changing loss at the Denver Broncos.

Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney (29) deflects a pass intended for Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers lost a lot more than a game when they fell 34-26 to the Denver Broncos on Sunday. While they remain very much in the hunt for an NFC North title, their Super Bowl hopes were dealt a crushing blow on one of the worst days in franchise history.

Here’s our weekly analysis of the snap counts, along with one stud and two duds.

Packers Snaps on Offense

The Packers played 66 snaps on offense.

Quarterbacks: Jordan Love played every snap for the 12th time in 14 games. Malik Willis was the only player on the roster who did not get any action.

Love had an incredible first half in torching one of the best defenses in the NFL, but he couldn’t rescue the team when it all fell apart. So good in late-game situations this season, he had three chances to potentially tie the game but got just one first down.

Running backs: Josh Jacobs was questionable on the final injury report but played through a knee injury. The Packers lightened the load, keeping him on the field for 36 snaps. He had 12 carries and two catches, turning those 14 touches into 14 points.

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) catches a touchdown pass against Broncos linebacker Dre Greenlaw. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Chris Brooks played more snaps than Emanuel Wilson, 17 to 13, because of, A, Brooks’ pass protection and, B, Wilson’s illness. Brooks had one strong run and two tackles on special teams.

Receivers: Romeo Doubs led the way with 50 snaps. He had two catches, including a 26-yarder. In his second game back following a broken collarbone, Jayden Reed went from 25 snaps to 43 and caught five passes for 55 yards.

Dontayvion Wicks, who barely played last week due to an ankle injury, played 28. He caught 1-of-2 passes for 6 yards. Late in the game, Love threw behind him for a deflection and interception. Christian Watson, who was injured early in the third quarter with what the team called a chest injury but was really a shoulder injury that might not keep him out long, played 27.

Matthew Golden played 23 snaps after being inactive in Week 12 and 13 and playing only five snaps in Week 14 against Chicago. Finally past his shoulder and wrist issues, he caught three passes for 55 yards. Bo Melton played nine.

Tight ends: John FitzPatrick played a career-high 46 snaps because of his blocking and the concussion that limited Josh Whyle to two snaps. Luke Musgrave played 34 snaps and had his best day since his rookie season with four catches for 52 yards, including a diving 26-yarder.

Offensive line: Left tackle Rasheed Walker, left guard Aaron Banks, center Sean Rhyan and right guard Anthony Belton played all 66 snaps. PFF charged Banks with one sack and a team-high five pressures, Belton with one sack and three pressures and Walker was penalized four times.

A knee injury sustained by right tackle Zach Tom on Love’s touchdown pass to Jacobs ended his day after 27 snaps. Darian Kinnard finished the game at right tackle. Along with his snaps as an extra tight end, he played 41. PFF charged him with one sack and four pressures.

Packers Snaps on Defense

The Packers played 68 snaps on defense.

Defensive ends: Micah Parsons isn’t a marvel just because of his production. It’s because of his ability to handle an incredible workload. Last week against Chicago, for instance, he played 61 snaps. So, the Packers will have to navigate their way around Parsons’ playing time, as well.

Against Denver, Rashan Gary played 41 snaps, Parsons played 40 and Kingsley Enagbare played 39. Parsons led the team with five pressures, according to Next Gen Stats, followed by three by Enagbare and three by Gary.

Lukas Van Ness, after playing six snaps in the last eight games (inactive for seven), played 22 in his return to the lineup. Special teams ace Arron Mosby got two snaps on defense and a team-high 20 on special teams.

The likely transaction this week will be placing Parsons on injured reserve and activating Brenton Cox off IR following his Week 1 groin injury.

Defensive tackles: The team will have to adapt to life without Parsons, just like it’s had to adapt to life without Devonte Wyatt

Karl Brooks led the way with 51 snaps and Colby Wooden played 45. Rookie Warren Brinson played 22 snaps and Jordon Riley, who was active over Nazir Stackhouse and Quinton Bohanna, played 16. Wooden led the unit with three tackles.

Linebackers: Edgerrin Cooper went the distance and Quay Walker, who briefly left the game, played 64. Walker had a team-high nine tackles and Cooper had eight tackles and a team-high two tackles for losses.

Isaiah McDuffie played 26 snaps on defense and tied Mosby with 20 on special teams. TyRon Hopper played one snap on defense and 16 on special teams, where he had two tackles, and Kristian Welch played one snap on defense and 14 on special teams.

Cornerbacks: Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine played 67 snaps apiece. They were torched. More on that in a moment. In the slot, Javon Bullard played 32 snaps and also gave up a touchdown, and 10 were given to Nate Hobbs.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) catches a pass against Green Bay Packers cornerback Carrington Valentine. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Safeties: Xavier McKinney played every snap. He had a chance for two interceptions and finished the day with seven tackles and three breakups. A knee injury knocked out Evan Williams after 47 snaps. Rather than moving Bullard to safety, the team went with Zayne Anderson for 20 snaps in addition to his 16 on special teams. Kitan Oladapo played 15 on special teams.

Packers Stud vs. Broncos

Josh Jacobs was questionable with a knee injury but had 92 total yards and two touchdowns. His 40-yard touchdown run came on an expertly blocked play. He looked like a receiver on his 14-yard touchdown catch against linebacker Dre Greenlaw.

Jacobs became the fifth player since 2000 with at least 1,100 scrimmage yards in each of his first seven seasons, joining Matt Forte, Alvin Kamara, Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson and future Hall of Famer Adrian Peterson.

“Yeah, I thought he did a hell of a job,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “Obviously, that touchdown reception was huge (and he) broke off a 40-yard run. Probably should have given more opportunities, when you look back in hindsight.”

Perhaps true, but Saturday’s game at Chicago was always the most important of these two road games. He should be in good shape for a short week.

Packers Dud vs. Broncos

With the Packers’ pass rush going from dangerous to nuisance following Micah Parsons’ knee injury, it’s going to be up to the cornerbacks to deal with the likes of Caleb Williams, Lamar Jackson and whoever might be on the other side of the field in the playoffs.

On Sunday, Green Bay’s corners were incinerated by Bo Nix and his nondescript set of receivers.

Next Gen Stats had Carrington Valentine giving up 8-of-9 passing for 99 yards and two touchdowns and Keisean Nixon for 5-of-6 passing for 79 yards and one touchdown. Valentine broke up one pass and was an eyelash from a pick-six.

Denver receivers Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin caught 13-of-16 targets for 198 yards and two touchdowns. Lil’Jordan Humphrey, who spent the first half of the season on the Giants’ practice squad, and Michael Bandy, who was elevated from the practice squad for Sunday’s game, each scored a touchdown.  

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