Winners and Losers as Chiefs Down Packers in Preseason Finale
It’s finally over. A lackluster preseason comes to a lackluster end, as the Green Bay Packers fall to the Kansas City Chiefs, 17-7.
The game and the outcome are the least important thing here, though. That was clear when the Packers rolled out with all backups on offense on their first series.
The Packers played more of their regulars on defense, including Damarious Randall, Nick Perry, Quinten Rollins, Blake Martinez, Micah Hyde, Sam Barrington and Jake Ryan.
That inside linebacker rotation of Barrington, Ryan and Martinez suggests the Packers haven’t decided who will start there or play when. We had already handed the starting spots to Barrington and Martinez. Ryan showed why he shouldn’t start on the Chiefs’ first touchdown when he took a terrible angle (reminiscent of my hero, A.J. Hawk), allowing Knile Davis an easy lane to the end zone.
Also notable on the defense is undrafted rookie Kentrell Brice started at safety alongside Hyde. He’s had a roster spot for a while in our minds, but that would seem to confirm it.
Here’s what else and who else I noted.
It was hard not to notice Jacob Schum because, hey! The Packers have a new punter. Schum, who we have already taken to calling Bum, punted a lot. Schum put three inside the 20 and would have had a fourth if the coverage unit knew what they were doing. According to NFL.com, he averaged just 41.3 per kick with a long of 57. According to ESPN, Schum averaged a distinctly better 45.5. What do we have here? Possibly an improvement over Tim Masthay, but this was just one preseason game.
The one guy I believe earned a roster spot on Thursday night was cornerback Josh Hawkins, another undrafted rookie. Hawkins repeatedly had tight coverage on his man and came up with his second pick of the preseason. In my mind, the Packers have a choice between Hawkins and Robertson Daniel. Both of those guys have outperformed Demetri Goodson. Daniel certainly wasn’t bad either, but Hawkins looks like a future playmaker.
On the flip side, the guy I think cost himself a roster spot was running back Brandon Burks. Forget Burks terrible 2.6 yards per carry average on the night. The offensive line was terrible in all aspects, but especially in the running game. What is going to cost him is the fumble at the end of the third quarter. On my roster, the Packers keep only two running backs and fullback. That turnover likely made Burks a practice squad guy.
The veteran who impressed most was Badger great Jared Abbrederis. Obviously, there was the spectacular 40-yard over-the-shoulder catch, but that wasn’t it. The Packers were atrocious on punt returns in 2015. Abbrederis demonstrated that he might be the answer there in 2016. Abbrederis averaged 14 yards per return, thanks largely to a 42-yarder. Abbrederis has big-play ability regardless of where he is on the field.
The receiver position seemed a little clearer as the game started. The Packers ran out Abberderis, Trevor Davis and Davante Adams first. That tells us those guys are ahead of Ty Montgomery and undrafted rookie Geronimo Allison. Then Davis injured his shoulder. He didn’t return. Perhaps that injury will help decide the roster spots here. If it doesn’t, Allison is clearly out (and likely is anyway) and Montgomery might be in danger.
Lastly, I’ll note a couple linebackers we’ll end up seeing very little of in the regular season (barring injury). Rookie outside linebacker Kyler Fackrell had himself a monster night. He racked up 10 tackles and spent most of his evening in the Chiefs’ backfield. ESPN credited him with six tackles for loss. The Packers could be just fine getting rid of Jayrone Elliott. Fackrell seems to improve from week to week. Second, is inside linebacker Carl Bradford. The former fourth-round pick finally looks like an NFL player and has earned a roster spot in our estimation. The only question is, will the Packers keep four or five inside backers? If four, Bradford gets the spot over Joe Thomas — who’s also had a hell of a preseason, but hasn’t been healthy the past two games.
First come cuts and then we can finally turn our attention to Jacksonville.
Looks like we had some players looking good against another teams scrubs. The problem with pre season…..is that i can’t wait until it starts, then once it starts, i can’t wait until it’s over…lol.
FINALLY.
Anybody see Rodgers go nuts after that holding penalty? Seems to be pretty fired up this preseason. Hhmm
What I noticed most over anything else were the linemen ( O and D ). They were atrocious! Especially the O line! Both playing against KC’s backups who dominated the LOS most of the night. The D had a half dozen nice showing’s at the line, but overall were beaten quite easily throughout the game. Where do you start with the O line? For one, Murphy is a turnstile! They fucking suck! All we have been hearing about throughout the Packer preseason is the O line depth! Where in the fuck is it? It is not on this years team. Callahan and Williams were running for their lives the whole evening against second and third stringers . . . That is NOT good O line depth period. Once again the Packer press may have filled us full of bullshit, time will tell . . . Adams still sucks, as does Ryan. Goodson may have played himself out of a roster spot. On a positive note; Abbrederis looked good. Evans is a sure tackler, and Fackrell made a few explosive plays. I actually felt that the punter performed well. That one touchback was not on him.
Nice to see someone else besides me, pays attention when watching the games.
There is room on the team for both Daniel and Hawkins at corner. Montgomery is not in trouble of making team with the blocked punt and good kickoff returns. Not sure if Burks has a problem in practice with holding onto the ball, if he has he is not staying on 53. In fact No player has shown that they deserve to be the #3 running back. Maybe the team would look at using Montgomery and Cobb as Third down backs in clear passing downs. The team has done it before. It would be a bit of a concern going into an NFL game with only 2 true running backs and 1 fullback dressed. That second team O line was out matched by the Chiefs last night. The O line group to me looked like the biggest losers last night.
Yep, Montgomery has showed a lot of upside. He missed most of camp, but i would be disapointed if he didnt make the 53.
I’ve been pulling for Burks, but almost everytime he gets the ball with some room to work, he seems like he doesn’t have enough quickness to elude the 1st tackle. That and he always seems to never shed the 1st tackler.
When did Ted become a mouth breather? I watched the game when I got home from work, @ 9:05 left in the first quarter, after Schum had punted for the 2nd time, Ted just stared at the guy as he ran off the field with his mouth open. Didn’t say a word just stared at him as he ran by. Almost every shot of Ted, he had his mouth open, it was very odd.
Fackrell looked better as the game went on, agree Elliot might be a casualty. Adams looks like he did last season. I thought the fumble by Burks cost him as well. Tyler Kuder reminds me of John Jurkovic in some respects although I doubt he is even in consideration for the practice squad. I wonder if the biggest surprise from all this is Mathsay getting cut when all is said and done. Should be an interesting weekend.
I saw that also, and laughed. But i’ve seen that before from him. I’m not sure how he breathes when he finally does close his mouth. Ted seems to be “odd” in everything and especially when he talks sometimes. He speaks coming out of left field, and that has to make people think…wtf is with this dude? Even people that like him.