Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love had an impressive preseason opener Friday night.
When we last saw the Green Bay Packers, they were melting down in their biggest game of the year.
Aaron Rodgers was dreadful, the defense folded and Detroit defeated the Packers, 20-16, with a playoff berth on the line in the 2022 season finale.
After an eventful seven months, Green Bay was back at it Friday night and put together an extremely impressive performance. Quarterback Jordan Love excelled, the defense didn’t allow a touchdown and the Packers rolled past host Cincinnati, 36-19, in a game where the Bengals rested their starters.
Here’s the good, bad and ugly from Green Bay’s win:
THE GOOD
AARON WHO?: All eyes were on Jordan Love, and rightfully so.
The Aaron Rodgers Show has moved to the Big Apple. And in the NFL’s smallest city, Green Bay has turned the page to Love.
After a shaky start Friday, Love shined.
Love opened the game just 2-of-5 and Green Bay’s first drive died when he missed a wide open Luke Musgrave on a crossing route. Love connected on his next five throws, though, including a gorgeous 9-yard touchdown pass to Romeo Doubs to give the Packers an early 7-0 lead.
Love finished 7-of-10 for 46 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and a 112.9 passer rating.
“That was the one I wish I could get back, that throw over the middle to Luke,” Love said. “Man, just missed him. That’s an easy throw, routine throw, just couldn’t come up with it.
“But other than that, I thought we played well. I thought all the pass game was in stride. I think those two series that I had, obviously came up with the touchdown at the end, so I was happy about that.”
VALENTINES DAY: Rookie seventh round cornerback Carrington Valentine attended nearby Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati. Valentine had a happy homecoming with a second quarter interception.
Cincinnati quarterback Jake Browning threw high for wideout Shedrick Jackson, and when the ball bounced off Jackson’s hands, Valentine showed quick reflexes and picked off Browning.
Valentine finished with three passes defensed, four tackles and a tackle for loss.
“I’m not scared to run, I’m not scared to tackle, I’m not scared how big you are, I’m going to go out and I’m going to go after you, regardless,” Valentine said. “It’s just who I am.”
SEAN CLIFFORD: Green Bay’s rookie quarterback, taken in the fifth round, did more good than bad during a roller coaster night.
Clifford completed 20-of-26 passes including a 47-yarder to rookie Dontayvion Wicks and a 28-yarder to Samori Toure. Clifford also threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Davis, ran for 27 yards on two carries and had a passer rating of 80.3.
Clifford had a pair of costly interceptions, as well, including one that was returned for a touchdown. But he guided the Packers to 23 points on nine possessions and led Green Bay on a touchdown drive immediately after his pick-six.
“I do love the fact that he had to battle through some adversity, throwing the two picks, and then coming back and leading us on a 2-minute (drive),” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “So I thought just to see him not be fazed by those situations, I thought it showed something.
“You can’t coach that. You can talk about it all you want, but that is intrinsic and he possesses that and just happy that he was able to battle through that and overcome it.”
KEISEAN NIXON: Green Bay’s standout return man is currently the frontrunner to win the slot cornerback job. And Nixon might have locked that position up with a terrific performance in a short time Friday.
On the Bengals’ first snap, Nixon chased quarterback Jake Browning out of the pocket and dumped him for an 8-yard sack. Then on third-and-15, Nixon had terrific coverage on Stanley Morgan and broke up a pass intended for the Bengals’ veteran.
“I understand what I’m doing,” Nixon said. “I got a feel for the guys. I feel comfortable because I understand what the defense is. I understand my job.”
MAKING HIS MARK: Few Packer fans knew who running back Emanuel Wilson was before Friday. Wilson had a huge night, though, with six carries for 111 yards and two touchdowns and suddenly is a candidate for the No. 3 running back job.
Wilson, an undrafted free agent out of Division 2 Fort Valley State, began the night deep down the depth chart. But he showed tremendous vision and speed on an 80-yard, fourth quarter touchdown run and also had an 11-yard TD late in the third quarter.
“I mean, that was by far the best I would say he’s looked,” LaFleur said of Wilson. “Any time you rip off an 80-yarder, that’s a pretty good deal. It was a big night for him. Fourteen years ago he lost his father, so I was really happy for him.”
THIS AND THAT: Green Bay outgained Cincinnati, 270-136, in the first half and had 15 first downs vs. just five for the Bengals. The Packers finished with a 437-282 edge in total yards. … Brenton Cox had a tipped pass that led to a Dallin Leavitt interception in the third quarter. … Colby Wooden did a terrific job reading a screen pass, then dropping into coverage. Jake Browning’s pass hit Wooden in the hands, but the rookie defensive end dropped it. … Samori Toure had a 44-yard kickoff return in the third quarter.
THE BAD
ANDERS CARLSON: Green Bay’s rookie kicker was off to a good start, making his first three extra points and a 45-yard field goal. That was quickly forgotten, though, when Carlson missed his final two extra points.
Free agent Mason Crosby — Green Bay’s all-time leading scorer — has made 332 of 348 extra points (95.4%) since 2015 when extra points were moved from 20 yards to 33 yards. On Friday, Carlson made just 3-of-5 extra points (60.0%).
Crosby, who kicked in Green Bay from 2007-2022, remains a free agent. And each time Carlson struggles, Packer Nation will clamor for their previous kicker.
“I don’t want to look too far into it,” LaFleur said of Carlson’s struggles. “It’s one game, but as long as you learn from it and get better and make the necessary adjustments, then a lot of times you come back stronger from it.”
FROM THE INFIRMARY: The Packers took some lumps in the injury department, most notably veteran tight end Tyler Davis who hobbled off the field with a knee injury. Afterwards, LaFleur made it sound like Davis will be lost for the season.
“My heart hurts for him,” LaFleur said of Davis. “He’s been a key contributor to our success over the last couple years, whether it’s on (special) teams or carving out a role in our offense and he’s the consummate professional. He’s a great teammate, just a great human and we’re going to miss him.”
Tackle Luke Tenuta (ankle), cornerback Corey Ballentine (stinger), tackle Caleb Jones (ankle) and running back Tyler Goodson (shoulder) all left the game and didn’t return.
Green Bay also held out cornerbacks Eric Stokes and Jaire Alexander, defensive tackle Kenny Clark, linebacker Rashan Gary, left tackle David Bakhtiari, tight end/fullback Josiah Deguara, wideout Grant Dubose, running back Lew Nichols, safety Innis Gaines, and center/guard Jake Hanson.
THIS AND THAT: Samori Toure dropped a kickoff late in the second quarter and should have stayed in the endzone. Instead, Toure opted to come out and was dumped at the 9-yard line. … Offensive guard Royce Newman, in a fight to make the team, was called for two holding penalties. … Second year inside linebacker Tariq Carpenter was hit with a roughing the passer penalty in the third quarter that helped lead to a Bengals field goal. … Quarterback Alex McGough, fighting for a job, lost a fumble in the fourth quarter.
THE UGLY
PICK SIX: Cincinnati’s only touchdown of the night came midway through the second quarter when Tycen Anderson intercepted Sean Clifford and returned the pick 43 yards for a touchdown.
Clifford stared down Dontayvion Wicks on a crossing route, Anderson jumped the pass and was off to the races.
“That was a pretty good disguise,” LaFleur said of the Bengals’ defense. “The safety dropped down and he also had pressure in his face. That makes it a pretty difficult play.
“I’d rather see (Clifford) obviously take the sack than throw a pick six, but I think that’s something that he’ll learn from. He’s a smart guy and those mistakes are only fatal if you don’t learn from them.”