Packer Central

Four Downs: Packers’ Best Players in Ugly Loss at Broncos

The Denver Broncos played their starters. The Green Bay Packers did not. It did not get much better when it became backups vs. backups as the Packers finished a disappointing week with a 27-2 preseason loss at Denver.

Jacob Westendorf

Packers coach Matt LaFleur runs off the field at halftime of their loss at the Denver Broncos.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur runs off the field at halftime of their loss at the Denver Broncos. / Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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The Green Bay Packers took the field for Sunday night's preseason game at the Denver Broncos after what was, by all accounts, a poor performance in Friday’s joint practice.

Coach Matt LaFleur called it a wakeup call.

Despite the poor showing, LaFleur’s plan did not change. In a 27-2 loss at Denver, Jordan Love did not play. A majority of the starters did not play, either.

A preseason game was treated the way that they had been in the recent past when Aaron Rodgers was the quarterback.

The game was used as an opportunity to evaluate the young players with 31 players - mostly starters - held out of the action.

The Broncos played their starters, and it looked like starters against backups for the better part of a quarter and a half.

If you want any indication for how the first half went, the Broncos had more penalty yards (75) than the Packers had total yards (69).

At halftime, LaFleur was not happy.

"Bottom line is it wasn't good enough." LaFleur said.

He lamented the mistakes that his reserves made on what he called "Day 1 installs."

Whether Sunday's result causes the Packers to change their plans for next week’s preseason finale against the Baltimore Ravens remains to be seen.

Against the Broncos, Sean Clifford started at quarterback and struggled. Michael Pratt took over for the final drive of the second quarter and finished the game. Their only points came on a safety, and the Packers are likely happy to just see the clock hit zeroes on this one.

With only one week left in the preseason, here are our standouts from Sunday's game.

RB AJ Dillon

OK, the first one is cheating, but Dillon’s absence from the game was notable. The Packers rested almost all of their key players. Dillon was among them.

Dillon had a tough week last week against the Cleveland Browns, with four carries only resulting in 2 yards.

Dillon’s performance drew the ire of the fanbase, and evidently got to him at some point. Dillon spoke about some of the criticism facing him after Tuesday’s practice.

"There's nowhere you're going to go there in those certain situations,” Dillon said to Fox 11’s Cody Krupp. “But, in all honesty, if you don't live inside my house, your opinion to me is so secondary that I couldn't be bothered with it. To anybody on Twitter, you can't do what we're doing. Just enjoy, just watch."

Dillon’s absence from the lineup indicates the Packers view him as a core player to the roster. In addition, none of Dillon’s theoretical replacements did much with their extended opportunities.

That stands out, as it should put any conversation about the Packers letting Dillon go to rest.

OT Andre Dillard

Dillard is in the midst of two separate battles. The first of which is the swing tackle battle, which was between him, Caleb Jones and Kadeem Telfort. Dillard is trying to win the job against those two. In addition, he’s trying to stay on the roster, and perhaps the NFL as a whole.

That’s a scary proposition for any player when he’s fighting for his NFL life, but that is the position Dillard is in.

With Rasheed Walker on the bench, Dillard started at left tackle. Anyone who started tonight got a good opportunity to be pitted against Denver’s starters.

Dillard acquitted himself well as the left tackle, a position he is much more familiar and comfortable playing.  

It was tough sledding for Green Bay’s second offense against Denver’s defensive starters.

It’s tough to say there's a definitive winner in the race to be the team’s swing tackle, but if a bet had to be placed right now, the smart money is on the veteran, Dillard.

WR Malik Heath

In a first half in which the Packers struggled to get anything going, Heath was one of the few bright spots.

His blocking in the run game is usually superb, but in order to make the back half of the receiver room, he may need to make more plays in the passing game than he has during his brief career.

Grant DuBose is charging hard for a roster spot, and improved his blocking in the run game last week.

DuBose is a more gifted player in the passing game, which could give the coaches and front office an interesting choice.

Do they keep a player used to being a role player, or roll with the upside in the passing game?

Heath can help make some of that decision for himself by making more plays in the passing game. He caught three of his four targets in the first half for 22 yards.

Meanwhile, DuBose had a tough drop. One play is not going to decide a roster battle, but Heath will take all the positive plays he can get.

Heath is likely going to need a big performance in next week’s preseason finale to give him the best chance at tine final roster spot.

DE Brenton Cox

Brenton Cox made the team last year based on his talent. His season was, in essence, a redshirt season. Cox played four snaps on defense with an additional nine coming on special teams.

His performance last week agaisnt the Browns was not a good one. He missed a sack late in the game, which is something roster bubble players can ill afford.

Early in the third quarter, Cox found redemption. He beat Denver's right tackle, Frank Crum, with some nifty work with his hands.

He buried Broncos' reserve quarterback Jarrett Stidham for one of those splash plays that he has been searching for throughout camp.

Cox feels like a likely bet to make the roster, but will need to put together another good week with the Baltimore Ravens coming to town.

Bonus: LB Kristian Welch

A bonus standout since the first one was essentially cheating. The Packers' defense came to life in the third quarter. Shortly after Cox's sack, Arron Mosby was not about to let him have all of the spotlight for the second half.

Mosby was in the backfield on back-to-back plays, the second of which led to a pass batted in the air.

When the ball came down, Kristian Welch was waiting for it.

The Wisconsin native found his way to the roster based on his special teams prowess a year ago, but with the Packers playing a 4-3 defense this year, they might need to go heavier at his more traditional linebacker spot.

Welch proving he could play more at linebacker would help him make a case for a roster spot. A splash play doesn't hurt, either..

More Green Bay Packers Training Camp News

Packers-Broncos: Packers lost 27-2 | Live Updates | Roster Lock-O-Meter before game | How to watch Sunday’s game | Practice highlights | Jordan Love part of scuffle | Four players who need good weekend | Quarterbacks take center stage

Latest news and analysis: Bo Melton looking to rebound |  Jalen Wayne’s famous cousin | Biggest roster battles | Grant DuBose plays with right mentality | New Packers LB Chris Russell | New Packers RB Nate McCrary | Quarterback battle | 53-man roster projection (Westendorf) | Waiting game: Love vs. Williams | No. 1 receivers and vomit | 53-man projection (Huber) 

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Jacob Westendorf
JACOB WESTENDORF