The Green Bay Packers gave up a pair of touchdown passes to Matt Bushman and lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the preseason finale by a final score of 17-10 on Thursday night at Arrowhead Stadium.
It was over when…
… Danny Etling’s fourth-down pass to Samori Toure fell incomplete from the Kansas City 19-yard line and the Packers down seven points with under a minute left.
Game balls
– WR Amari Rodgers: He turned a busted kickoff return into a good play by forcing a missed tackle, and his seven touches on offense gained 56 yards.
– LB Quay Walker: The Packers’ top pick was all over the field in the first quarter. His size and speed can be a terrifyingly effective combination while pursuing plays sideline to sideline.
– P Pat O’Donnell: He averaged 56.3 yards over his six punts, with a long of 69. It’s possible he outkicked his coverage on a few of the longer returns.
Key stat
19.7: The Chiefs averaged a staggering 19.7 yards per punt return over six returns. The Packers returned one punt for zero yards.
Best play
.@tgood1110 finished with the spin! 🌪️
📺 Packers TV Network + @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/Gv5Do2X1wm
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 26, 2022
Quick takes
– Rookie Quay Walker was in on five tackles over the first two defensive series, including an impressive third-down stop forcing a punt. He was flying around the field and looked comfortable in pass coverage.
– Undrafted rookie Tyler Goodson started at running back and was an equal mix of up and down. He burst through a hole and spun around a tackler for a 24-yard touchdown and caught a 13-yard pass out of the backfield, but he also dropped a kickoff return and looked a little shaky in pass pro. Goodson’s talent is obvious, but the Packers want someone they can count on in the third phase and the passing game.
– Jordan Love was up and down. He was a little shaky to start but eventually settled in, leading scoring drives of 83 yards and 75 yards. For a stretch, he was decisive and accurate. But Love also had issues throwing downfield, missing a handful of big plays and throwing an interception.
– The Packers found easy ways to get the ball to Amari Rodgers, who produced an 11-yard run on a handoff from the backfield and a 15-yard catch to convert on third down. He rushed three times for 17 yards and caught four passes for 39 yards. He’ll probably be the No. 1 returner and have gadget value in the Packers offense.
– Rookie Samori Toure caught six passes for a team-high 83 yards, including a 19-yarder and 23-yarder from Love on a scoring drive and a 22-yarder from Danny Etling. He’s made a strong push for a roster spot.
– Tariq Carpenter can really hit and tackle but he looks lost in coverage. Maybe his best spot moving forward is at linebacker. The rookie was completely out of position on the Chiefs’ first touchdown.
– The special teams averaged 14.0 yards per kickoff return while also giving up a kickoff return of 45 yards and punt returns of 35, 20 and 17 yards. The third phase, despite new coaches and assistants, wasn’t good enough this preseason.
What’s next
Summer is over, and the football that counts nears. The Packers have final roster cuts coming up on Tuesday, and then the regular season at Minnesota against the Vikings arrives on Sunday, Sept. 11.
