Packers topple Titans in preseason opener
By Evan Siegel
The Green Bay Packers defeated the visiting Tennessee Titans 31-17 to get their first win of the preseason.
The Packers showcased a variety of young, promising players en route to their 14-point win over the Titans. Brett Hundley, DeShone Kizer and Tim Boyle all saw significant time under center while Aaron Rodgers sat out. He is expected to see some time next week against the visiting Steelers.
The Packers trotted out all three of their rookie wide receivers that they selected in this year’s draft. J’Mon Moore, Equanimeous St. Brown and Marquez Valdez-Scantling all saw the field for an extended period of time. Rookies Josh Jackson, Oren Burks, and Kendall Donnerson also saw significant snaps.
Valdez-Scantling stole the show with a 101-yard receiving day on five catches including a touchdown. The Packers are extremely hopeful that one of their young receivers can blossom into being a consistent contributor for a unit that will be without Jordy Nelson for the first time in years. Tight end Jimmy Graham did not play.
The Packers were hoping to see what they had in their backup quarterbacks, who mostly did a good job under center. Brett Hundley started the game and went 9/14 for 108 yards and a touchdown as well as an interception off of a tipped pass. DeShone Kizer stepped in and went 9/18 for 134 yards.
Fourth-stringer Tim Boyle is looking to latch onto someone’s practice squad somewhere, and did a decent job in his NFL debut. Boyle showed off his strong arm and completed 7/15 for 130 yards and two touchdowns.
Greer Martini and Kendall Donnerson each had solid debuts for the Packers. Martini made some effective plays on special teams while Donnerson forced a fumble in the second half. Both of those developments will go a long way towards giving Martini and Donnerson a legitimate shot at making the roster.
Next. Packers 53-man roster predictions. dark
The Packers have a long way to go, but after one preseason game, they look like they have some backups who might be able to step in should injuries occur. The team’s next preseason game is next Thursday against the Steelers.