Week one of NFL football is one of the most exciting weeks of football for NFL fans. If you are a Green Bay Packers fan, things got a little bit more exciting after their 38-20 victory over longtime rival Chicago Bears. The anticipated debut as the full-time starter for Jordan Love went exactly how fans could’ve wanted. The Love era was in full effect on Sunday, and the Green Bay Packers just looked like they came with a different energy.
Week One Green Bay Packers Slay and Bomb
While it took the offense a while to get going, the defense stood tall for most of the game against former coach Luke Getsy’s offense. The defense was able to get pressure off and looked the part against Fields and Co. Along with the performance, some players left their mark more than others. Here are some studs and duds from the Green Bay Packers week one performance.
Slay
Jordan Love – Quarterback
Packers QB Jordan Love (10) – Jamie Sabau/USA Today Sports Images
This was an easy one right here. The player everyone was focused on coming into this game was Jordan Love and he definitely showed out. While he wasn’t perfect, he passed the eye test and put up a performance that you can build off of. His numbers on paper also looked good, and overall, Love looked poised and made the right reads.
Love finished 15/27 to go along with 245 passing yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions. He also had a passer rating of 123.2. While it was just one game, Green Bay Packers fans should be excited for this season and for what Love has to offer.
Aaron Jones – Running back
Packers RB Aaron Jones (33) – Michael Reaves/GettyImages
Jones finished the game as the Green Bay Packers leading rusher and receiver. He looked very effective on the first drive but, for some reason, disappeared from the team’s game plan after that. It wasn’t until the second half when Green Bay utilized Jones and realized he was the missing piece to get the offense going.
He finished with 41 yards on nine carries and a touchdown, paired up with two receptions for 86 yards and a receiving score. His 51-yard screen really showed how he could impact the game and showed his star ability. Jones did exit the game with a hamstring injury, but he appears to be fine and should be a crucial player for Green Bay for the rest of the season.
Devonte Wyatt – Defensive Line
Packers DL Devonte Wyatt (95) – Quinn Harris/Getty Images
A player who Green Bay was hoping to have a breakout season is second-year man Devonte Wyatt. Week one was a great start for him as Wyatt racked up a couple of tackles and 1.5 sacks. He also led the team with six quarterback pressures and just looked the part. This was the progress the Packers were hoping for with Wyatt, who was a first-round draft pick just last year.
His 82.3 PFF grade was third best on the defense showing how effective he was when he was on the field trailing just Quay Walker and Rashan Gary. If Wyatt can continue this play, then things are looking great for this defensive line.
Quay Walker – Linebacker
Packers LB Quay Walker (7) – Dan Powers/USA TODAY Sports
To round out this week’s slay, it’s no other than Quay Walker. After having an up-and-down rookie season, Walker had an amazing start to his sophomore season. Walker picked up four tackles to go along with a major pick-six, where he broke numerous tackles. He also finished with a defensive-high 92.1 PFF rating, leading Green Bay’s defense.
On Walker’s interception, he dropped back and looked poised, watching Justin Fields’ eyes and reading the play. While his tackle numbers weren’t high, they didn’t need to be as he produced for the team, and the Green Bay Packers should be excited about the development of last year’s first-round pick.
Bomb
AJ Dillon – Running back
Packers RB AJ Dillon (28) – Todd Rosenberg/GettyImages
The Green Bay Packers were expecting a lot more this season from AJ Dillon after a less-than-impressive year. They did not get that from him in his week one performance. He had 13 carries for 19 yards, averaging 1.5 yards per carry. That isn’t very effective, considering he was also outgained by Patrick Taylor, who only carried the ball five times.
For the Green Bay Packers offense to be complete, they need production from both Jones and Dillon. Dillon also outcarried Jones, which was confusing considering how much more effective Jones was. Hopefully, Dillon doesn’t have more of these duds.
Keisean Nixon – Cornerback
Packers CB Keisean Nixon (25) – Michael Reaves/Getty Images
It wasn’t a pretty game for Keisean Nixon. The all-pro kick returner is currently starting in place for the injured Eric Stokes and struggled a bit. Nixon missed a pair of tackles as well as allowing a team-high seven catches for 60 yards and a touchdown. While he’s proven his reliability on special teams, he must also show it on defense.
He had the worst defensive PFF grade for the Green Bay Packers, finishing with a 49.3. He’s expected to retain his role at slot corner until Stokes returns to action. Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers must be able to rely on Nixon to clean up his play on defense.
