The Week 18 loss to the Lions: Best and Worst Players
Two turnovers and two severe penalties were a disappointing performance by the offense. doomed The Green Bay Packers at Lambeau field in Sunday’s season finale. Matt LaFleur’s team scored just 16 points and lost to the Detroit Lions in a game in which a win would have clinched a playoff spot.
These are the best and most successful players from Pro Football Focus based on their grades. Packers’ Week 18 loss to the Lions:
Top 5 offenses
1. WR Christian Watson: 88.2
2. TE Tyler Davis: 68.8
3. RB A.J. Dillon: 65.9
4. TE Robert Tonyan: 63.9
5. WR Allen Lazard: 62.7
Watson caught five targets for 104 yards. He also created 35 yards after the catch. Watson averaged 3.71 yards per route and produced five first downs. There was one contested catch. Over eight snaps, Davis was a solid blocker. Dillon ran for three first downs and averaged 3.2 yards following contact. He also ran for three first-downs. However, he also dropped one pass. Tonyan made a terrific contested catch for 20 yards. Lazard also had a contested catch, and he scored the Packers’ only touchdown, but he got dinged for a drop.
Top 5 defense
1. DL Devonte Wyatt: 91.1
2. LB Krys Barnes: 78.9
3. DL Kenny Clark: 76.4
4. LB De’Vondre Campbell: 73.0
5. CB Jaire Alexander: 72.3
Wyatt played 32 minutes and earned an elite passrush grade after producing both a sack, and forced fumble. Barnes made two stops in seven snaps. Clark produced two pressures, one of which was a quarterback hit and the other a stop. Campbell was able to make two stops and one pressure. He also had eight total tackles, without making a mistake. Alexander allowed only three completions of 12 yards.
Top 5 offenses
1. WR Romeo Doubs 34.3
2. RT Yosh Nijman: 35.4
3. LG Elgton Jenkins: 52.4
4. C Josh Myers: 54.1
5. Randall Cobb: 55.5
Doubs dropped two passes and didn’t have a catch on 12 routes run. Nijman committed a penalty of over 24 snaps after he gave up three pressures (two tackles) and had to give up three pressures. Jenkins was only allowed one pressure, but received a low run-blocking score. The same applies to Myers. Cobb averaged 0.85 yards per route run (11 yard on 13 routes).
Bottom 5 defense
1. S Innis Gaines: 37.3
2. LB Quay Walker: 46.4
3. Justin Hollins, OLB: 49.0
4. Preston Smith OLB: 51.1
5. CB Rasul Douglas 51.2
Gaines surrendered two completions and made one stop over 13 snaps, 10 of which were from the slot. Walker missed a tackle and gave up four completions to four targets in his coverage. He was also penalized/ejected in the fourth quarter. Hollins didn’t have a tackle, stop or pressure over 17 snaps. Smith missed more tackles (22) than pressures (11) and stops (0) over 57 empty snaps. Douglas was penalized 15 yards for a three-point completion.
Special teams
Isaiah McDuffie, who had two special teams tackles as well as the highest overall special forces grade, led the charge. Eric Wilson and Corey Ballentine also had tackles. Keisean Nixon averaged 19.8 yards per kickoff returned and almost fumbled a punt. Mason Crosby hit the crossbar from 53 yards, and Pat O’Donnell’s only punt traveled 37 yards.
Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers: 56.0
Rodgers was terrible under pressure. He completed just four of nine passes for fifty yards and he also made an interception on twelve dropbacks. From clean pockets, Rodgers was otherwise excellent (13 of 18, touchdown, 155 yards). Rodgers had three “big-time throws” and three “turnover-worthy plays,” and all six plays came on throws over 20 yards. His adjusted completion percentage was over 80.0, due to four drops.