Packers Stock Report: Risers, Fallers After Come-From-Behind Win at Steelers

The Aaron Rodgers Bowl is in the books.

Matt LaFleur would not call it that all week, stating the Green Bay Packers were playing the Pittsburgh Steelers, who happened to have Aaron Rodgers.

He was right, but every single piece of promotion knew what this game was about.

The two quarterbacks.

Jordan Love, the apprentice and man who was drafted to replace a living legend, facing off against Aaron Rodgers, arguably the greatest player in the history of the franchise. Love outdueled Rodgers in the second half as Green Bay rallied for a 35-25 win at Pittsburgh.

Here is who is rising, and falling, starting with the winner of the quarterback battle everyone was looking forward to.

Rising: QB Jordan Love

Green Bay’s players and coaches downplayed it all week.

This game was not about going against Aaron Rodgers.

You can choose to believe that, but there are human beings involved in these games. Jordan Love knows the storylines about him. He was called the worst draft pick ever, among other things.

Love had to have wanted to make a statement in a game like this one against his predecessor. Love was nearly perfect in the first half, going 13-of-18 with a touchdown pass. That includes three drops, two from Romeo Doubs and one from Tucker Kraft.

In the second half, with his team trailing 16-7, Love took over. He completed 20 consecutive passes against Pittsburgh’s hapless defense, including touchdown passes to Savion Williams and Kraft. The streak tied a franchise record set by Brett Favre against the Detroit Lions in November 2007.

Most importantly, it led to points. A lot of them. The Packers did not punt in the second half. They scored 28 points, and it was largely on the shoulders of Love.

Love was excellent in the second half last week, even if there were not gaudy numbers to show for it. This week, the level of play, and the numbers, were there.

Love finished the game with 360 passing yards and three touchdown passes. His passer rating was 134.2. He was excellent in every way possible.

On a night when he faced off against his former master, the apprentice was the better player.

Rising: DEs Micah Parsons/Rashan Gary

The Packers took a 22-19 lead, and it was time to hand the ball to their closer.

That was Micah Parsons, who had not had a sack for the duration of the night. The first play of the ensuing drive was a 10-yard sack in which Parsons beat three separate blockers, if you include a chip from a Steelers tight end.

An incompletion followed, thanks to another pressure from Parsons. A short completion followed, and the drive was over. A drive completely ruined by Parsons alone.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) scrambles against Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons. | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Green Bay’s ensuing offensive drive went for a touchdown thanks to more magic from Jordan Love to Tucker Kraft, but it was all set up by Parsons wrecking a Steelers possession on the previous drive.

Gary had a sack in the first half that ended a Steelers drive, but his big contribution came in the second half.

The Packers want to get a lead and get after opposing quarterbacks.

As great as Rodgers is, he’s not nearly as mobile as he was in his prime, and Gary found that out in the fourth quarter. On third-and-17, the Steelers were starting to get desperate after a personal foul penalty was called on receiver DK Metcalf. Gary wouldn’t allow it, sacking Rodgers, to end the drive.

The dynamic duo finished with three sacks, and all of them were impactful in one way or another.

Rising: CB Carrington Valentine

The Packers were loud and bold about their faith in Nate Hobbs this week at the podium.

They insisted that he’d bounce back after a tough performance last week against the Arizona Cardinals.

Was it all just for show?

It sure seems that way. Carrington Valentine was the starting cornerback opposite Keisean Nixon to start the game and did not waste much time making an impact.

With the Packers’ defense facing a third-and-3, Aaron Rodgers loaded up for his best receiver, DK Metcalf, looking to score a touchdown to give the Steelers a lead.

Rodgers put the ball in Metcalf’s hands in a trademark beautiful throw up the left sideline, only for Valentine to knock the ball out of his hands at the last second, preserving Green Bay’s first quarter lead.

After the Packers scored a touchdown to pull within 16-14, Rodgers had the Steelers driving when a third down pass to DK Metcalf sailed over his head.

Valentine was in coverage on the play and stuck in Metcalf’s hip pocket.

Even the touchdown he gave up, Valentine contested the ball, only to have a pass breakup overturned by replay assist.

Valentine has made plays when given opportunities, the question has just been whether or not he would receive those opportunities. On Sunday, he did and made the most of them. With the struggles that have plagued the rest of this position group, there should be more of them coming his way.

Rising: TE Tucker Kraft

Was there ever any doubt that Tucker Kraft was going to make a play on National Tight Ends Day? Kraft was the power on two of Green Bay’s first three drives.

One play was a short pass form Jordan Love that turned into a 16-yard touchdown thanks to a nice block from Christian Watson on the boundary. The other big reception was a 33-yard pass on a crossing route in which Kraft showed off his ability to make plays after the ball is in his hands.

Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft scores a touchdown against Steelers safeties Chuck Clark (21) and Juan Thornhill. — Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (85) scores a touchdown against Steelers safeties Chuck Clark (21) and Juan Thornhill. | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Kraft’s last target in the first half was a costly drop that forced Green Bay to punt, but he more than made up with that on his first target in the second half. Jordan Love was under pressure and threw a ball that felt like it was destined to be intercepted as it floated in the air.

Instead, Kraft made a play on the ball, and turned what could have been a turnover or punt, into a 59-yard reception to put the Packers in business. Not to be outdone, he converted a fourth down on that series which ended in a Packers’ touchdown to Savion Williams.

He would later convert another third down with a 24-yard touchdown to give the Packers a 29-19 lead.

It wasn’t known at the time, but the game was over once the offense could hand a lead over to its vaunted pass rush.

Kraft was the catalyst for Green Bay’s comeback victory over the Cardinals and is proving worthy of being someone that Matt LaFleur builds his gameplan around on a weekly basis.

His 143 yards receiving and two touchdowns made him a worthy Robin to Jordan Love’s Batman on this night.

Rising: LB Edgerrin Cooper

Cooper was off to a great start this season as a big part of the defense that shut down the Detroit Lions’ dynamic running back tandem to start the year.

Since that night, however, the big plays have been few and far between. Cooper did not take long to make his presence known at Pittsburgh.

One play in particular stood out, with Rodgers finding Jaylen Warren on a checkdown attempting to put the Steelers in a manageable third-down situation. Warren is tough to tackle, which makes him a tough player to deal with in that phase of the game.

Cooper made the tackle with relative ease, and the Steelers series for all intents and purposes was over as they faced a third and long.

On a series the Packers forced a punt, Cooper nearly had the biggest play of his young career. Rodgers faded away on a pass to one of his tight ends and Cooper broke on the ball. He got his hands on the ball, but was unable to pull in the interception, having to settle for a pass breakup.

After coming close to getting a turnover, Cooper rang the bell in the fourth quarter. Cooper came up with the team’s second forced fumble in as many weeks as the Steelers were attempting to put together a desperation drive to get back in the game.

Cooper’s forced fumble was recovered by Javon Bullard, and the Packers piled on from there.

Falling: CB Nate Hobbs

Nate Hobbs has not had it easy since coming to Green Bay. Acclimating to a new team is always difficult.

Then he missed most of camp with a knee injury that required surgery.

He’s been on the injury report for most of the year with various ailments, and his performance has suffered as a result.

Last week he was picked on mercilessly by Jacoby Brissett and Arizona’s passing game.

On Sunday, he was benched to start the game.

We covered everything when discussing Valentine earlier, but Green Bay clearly is not getting the most of its $48 million investment it made this offseason.

Hobbs will get another opportunity. Ultimately, the Packers will have no choice at some point but he has to start playing better, and perhaps tonight’s benching was with the intent to send that message.

Falling: CB Keisean Nixon

Keisean Nixon said last offseason he was done as a returner, wanting to focus on being the team’s top cornerback.

With the punt return game continuing to scuffle, the Packers made a noticeable change in the first half. Nixon was given punt return duties, and his return to that phase of the game nearly ended in disaster.

Nixon has been a gifted kick returner in his career but has rarely looked comfortable catching punts. Pittsburgh’s first punt of the night was no exception as Nixon looked ginger trying to catch the punt and he muffed it. Luckily for Nixon, it was recovered by Zayne Anderson and the Packers retained possession.

On defense, Nixon was a big part of Pittsburgh’s first field goal drive. Nixon appeared to lose track of the ball or was fooled by Aaron Rodgers throwing a no-look pass to receiver Roman Wilson. Regardless, the result was a 45-yard completion that resulted in a field goal.

Pittsburgh’s third field-goal drive was also aided by a holding penalty from Nixon that negated an excellent pass breakup by Evan Williams.

To end the first half, Rodgers threw a go-ball to Calvin Austin after immediate pressure from Edgerrin Cooper. Rodgers was under duress and fading away from the throw, in theory that should be an incompletion. Instead, Nixon failed to locate the ball and ran through Austin. The pass was incomplete but showered in flags.

The Steelers scored a touchdown on that drive, on a touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to D.K. Metcalf against Nixon. It is difficult to play cornerback in the NFL these days, but Nixon has struggled each of the last two weeks.

Falling: K Brandon McManus

Green Bay Packers place kicker Brandon McManus (17) reacts after missing a field goal against the Pittsburgh Steelers. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Should Brandon McManus have played?

That’s a question that can only be answered by the medical staff and McManus himself. The reality is he was on the field, and once you’re between the chalk, you’re expected to perform.

McManus missed two field goals.

On a different night when the quarterback does not have an elite showing, those six points he kicked away would have mattered.

It does not help McManus that he was replacing Lucas Havrisik fresh off a franchise-record 61-yard field goal a week ago.

There is no kicker controversy in Green Bay. McManus has earned an opportunity. He is the same guy who saved Green Bay’s kicking situation a season ago, but if he’s not healthy, the Packers do have Havrisik in reserve, the only question is for how much longer?