Packers: Analysis from third preseason game against Raiders

Running notes and scribblings as the third preseason game of the 2018 season was played between the visiting Green Bay Packers and the Oakland Raiders.

On the first possession of the game, Reggie White Gilbert Brown (93) stopped the Raiders in the red zone with a sack and forced fumble, causing Oakland to settle for a field goal.

Mason Crosby then tied it up with a field goal of his own.

Soon thereafter Kentrell Brice bent the Oakland quarterback in half when he came on a blitz and was unblocked, causing the Raiders to punt.

Back-to-back penalties on the Packers’ linemen brought an end to the Packers’ next possession. Uninspired play by the Packers, with a got-up-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-bed feel to it.

It’s obvious that the Packers haven’t game-planned, especially on defense. I imagine this was for two main reasons: (1) to just let the young whippersnappers and bubble men show what they could do while “winging it” and using their instincts and athleticism in a “backyard” style of play, and (2) so as not to tip their hand on what tactics they will use when the games really count…

After all, you got to know when to hold your cards close to the vest.

The first really exciting play (for the Packers, anyway) was a sky-hawking interception by Jaire Alexander the Great, saving a likely touchdown.

Again the offense was unable to capitalize, though.

Midway through the second quarter, there have been more penalties than points – not exactly the recipe for must-see football.

Even worse than the ho-hum nature of the game was a first-quarter foot injury suffered by Ty Montgomery…tough break for a tough guy who is solid muscle but seems to get injured fairly often. Lineman Byron Bell also limped off the field near the end of the first half.

Good punt by JK “Great” Scott – 47 yards total and net.

Rookie cornerback Josh Jackson momentarily had a pick-six near the end of the first half, but it was called back due to a holding penalty on Herb Waters.

At the end of the first half: 10 penalties, six points.

After Hundley was munched, crunched, and creamed on a sack and fumbled, JK Scott got off another good punt, which ended up traveling 61 yards.

Second half

Starts ignominiously with a fumble on the opening kickoff. Fortunately, the Packers were able to retain possession via a heads-up play by J’Mon Moore, knocking the bounding ball out of play.

DeShone Kizer takes over at quarterback in the second half, after Brett Hundley played the entire first half (Aaron Rodgers didn’t play at all).

Third sack by the Raiders, who have harassed the Packers quarterbacks all night. But the Packers defense seems a little more energized now. Sack by Ahmad Thomas after a bad snap, giving the Packers decent field position after a Raiders punt.

Another overthrow by Kizer. The Packers haven’t broken off any long runs. Another sack of Kizer. Only a 36-yard punt by Scott this time, but lots of hang time, so no return.

Jermaine Whitehead causes a fumble, which is recovered by Greer Martini. Thirteen-yard completion for a first down to Emanuel Byrd. Another Byrd catch to the three.

Byrd is interfered with in the end zone, but it’s not called…how was it not called?!? The defender was holding Byrd’s left wing down against his side.

Packers go for it on fourth down…

After a touchdown is called back for a chop block on Dillon Day, Mason Crosby doubles the Packers’ score with another field goal.

The Raiders just got a 24-yard “pickup,” according to the sportscasters, but 24 yards is no mere pickup, it’s more like an 18-wheeler. Nugent hits a field goal to tie the game at six for one and half a dozen for the other.

First down pass from Kizer to J’Mon Moore.

At least 100 penalties against the Raiders so far (“perception is reality”).

Crummy punt by Scott…he may have “heard footsteps”.

James Looney gets called for roughing the passer, resulting in a 15-yard penalty, but I think it should have been called, if at all, against someone else (couldn’t see who it might have been, though, in the crowd of big bodies around the quarterback).

Raiders score the first touchdown of the game, on the ground, to take the lead 13-6 and now have scored 10 unanswered points.

J’Mon Moore comes up (and down) with a great catch, holding on even after getting head-hunted by the Oakland defender. The sportscasters asserted it was a bad call, even though the sound of the helmet-to-helmet hit was clearly audible, and I’ll be surprised if Moore doesn’t suffer a concussion as a result.

Even if the hit wasn’t intentionally helmet-on-helmet, it was. The intent may be unknown, but the actuality was obvious…the purpose of the rule is not to make the defenders nicer people, necessarily — it’s to make the game safer…so the call should (and did) stand.

Raiders get their fifth sack as the Packers go for it on fourth down, and the Raiders get the ball back with 1:49 left. Conor Sheehy leads the defensive front on a third-and-1 stop.

Game ends with an incompletion by Kizer, with the Raiders winning 13-6.

Sloppy, somewhat lackluster game.