Saints @ Packers
Final Score: Packers 20, Saints 10
Writer: Chuck Steele (@ChuckSteele_T2T on Twitter)
The New Orleans Saints hosted the Green Bay Packers for their 2nd matchup of the preseason. The Packers came out to take care of business, preseason or not, and came away with the win. This game wasn’t one that was going to keep you on your feet. With little to no starters playing for each team, it was primarily another game of back-ups looking to secure roster spots.
New Orleans Saints
| Preseason Week 1 |
Quarterback
Ian Book: 16/18, 113 yards, TD, INT, 2 Sacks | 7 carries, 49 yards
This one was all Ian Book today, and it wasn’t a book I’d recommend. Ian Book was running for his life most of the time while throwing mainly screens and dump-offs, and even a first-half INT. Though not all was horrible. Book was able to find rookie 1st-round pick Chris Olave for a 20-yard touchdown pass right before halftime. With constant pressure, Book was able to find some running room, with his biggest run being for 27 yards, avoiding pressure, and making a nice move to get past a defender in the open field. Other than that, it was a book much rather left closed.
Book with the juke stick ⛸
📺 @FOX8NOLA
📻 @WWLAMFM pic.twitter.com/hOD0GeUYFf— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) August 20, 2022
Running Back
Tony Jones Jr: 4 carries, 14 yards | 3 targets, 3 receptions, 20 yards
Abram Smith: 9 carries, 25 yards | 4 targets, 3 receptions, 5 yards
Devine Ozigbo: 7 carries, 40 yards| 3 targets, 2 receptions, 7 yards
Tony Jones Jr. got the start tonight. He and the other backs saw work rushing and receiving with Ian Book throwing dump-offs and designed screen plays. Tony Jones looked the best but had the least amount of work. On his biggest play of the night, Tony Jones had his linemen pushed into him after a 20-yard catch and run, knocking Jones down and ending what could have been an even bigger play. Though there was heavy volume for Abram Smith and Devine Ozigbo, nothing outside of Jones was impressive from the Saints backfield. Ozigbo was cut the following Sunday.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Chris Olave: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 28 yards, TD
Kevin White: 1 target, 1 reception, 18 yards
Kawaan Baker: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 13 yards
Deonte Harty: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 12 yards
Taysom Hill: 2 targets, 1 reception, 10 yards
The Saints primarily dink-and-dunked most of the night, with their running backs having most of the receptions. However, it was nice to see that their best, and most meaningful position player in the game make something positive happen. Rookie Chris Olave caught a pass right before the pylon and was able to turn it in for a 20-yard touchdown! The first and only touchdown for the Saints on the night. No wideout saw more than 2 receptions on the night.
First @NFL TD for @chrisolave_ 👏
20-yd TD strike from @Ian_Book12 #Saints | @OhioStateFB
📺: @FOX8NOLA
📻: @WWLAMFM pic.twitter.com/dTGCaA1ray— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) August 20, 2022
Green Bay Packers
| Preseason Week 1 |
Quarterback
Jordon Love: 12/24, 113 yards, TD, Sack | 3 carries, 13 yards
Danny Etling: 1/1, 0 yards | 4 carries, 48 yards, TD
Let’s face it, Aaron Rodgers just doesn’t need any practice reps for the season, so this game was mainly all Jordon Love. Love didn’t do anything too spectacular or too terrible today. Like last week, Love was again hit or miss with his accuracy. He was either hitting his receivers in stride or just leading them too far. On his second drive of the game, Love drove the Packers down the field and just missed his receivers on two straight plays where there was room to score after the catch. What Love did show was great awareness In the pocket. Love has been getting a good feel for the pressure in the pocket. Play after play, Love kept plays alive, including avoiding a safety and turning the play for a net worth of 3 yards. Love made it through the game without committing any turnovers, while finding his favorite target, Romeo Doubs, once again for his only score of the game halfway through the 2nd quarter.
Worth another look 👀@RomeoDoubs | #GoPackGo
📺: #NOvsGB on Packers TV Network pic.twitter.com/JETq75QBRy
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 20, 2022
Danny Etling eventually relieved Love from the game with Love playing most of the game. Etling only attempted and completed one pass for no yards, however, he did manage to rip off a 51-yard touchdown run when he decided to keep the ball on an option play. The 51-yard play was more yards rushing than he ended up having in total, only finishing with 48 yards on 4 carries.
51-yard run to the HOUSE for Danny Etling & @AaronRodgers12 is loving it!
TOUCHDOWN! 🙌#GoPackGo
📺: #NOvsGB on Packers TV Network pic.twitter.com/7c87kTNh74
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 20, 2022
Running Back
Tyler Goodson: 10 carries, 42 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 10 yards
Patrick Tyler: 8 carries, 27 yards
Dexter Williams: 5 carries, 28 yards
With Aaron Jones and A.J Dillon taking the night off, Tyler Goodson led the backfield for the Packers. Goodson puts in a claim to be a valuable RB3 behind Jones and Dillion. He’s shown his patience to find the holes, an ability for a quick burst through, and the agility to make the cut. He had solid plays of 10 and 15 yards while showing his receiving ability out of the backfield with one reception for 10 yards. Patrick Taylor Jr. saw the most work behind Goodson. With 8 opportunities he did not show as much as we saw from Goodson while only averaging 3.4 yards on 8 carries. Dexter Williams contributed 5 carries for 24 yards, after having a 24-yard play last week. Amari Rodgers saw a pair of end-arounds from the wideout position, but only tallied a total of 15 yards.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Juwann Winfree: 6 targets, 3 receptions, 41 yards
Romeo Doubs: 5 targets, 24 receptions, 24 yards, TD
Sal Canellea: 1 target, 1 reception, 13 yards
Josiah Deguara: 2 targets, 1 reception, 11 yards
Tyler Davis: 1 target, 1 reception, 7 yards
Amari Rodgers: 5 targets, 2 receptions, 5 yards | 2 carries, 15 yards
In the receiving department, there wasn’t much going on besides Juwann Winfree and training camp standout, Romeo Doubs. Each receiver posted solid games, with three receptions each. Winfree was running crisp routes, beating defenders, and making for an easy open target for his QB. On a 2nd-and-1, Winfree hauled in a beautiful pass from Love for 21 yards with the defender a step behind and had another catch on 3rd and 4, being wide-open and getting the first down with his yards after the catch. He eventually finished with 3 catches for 41 yards. Romeo Doubs had another performance to raise his stock. He wasn’t as electric as last week but hauled in a catch by out-jumping and reaching over the defender for a 4-yard touchdown. All other receivers and tight ends finished with one reception besides Amari Rodgers who had 2 catches for a minimal 5 yards.