Keep in mind it was an afternoon for evaluation as the New York Jets defeated the Green Bay Packers 23-14 before an announced crowd of 73,628 on a muggy, 84 degree day at Lambeau Field.
All that being said, the Packers have a third string quarterback who looks like a number two, one wide receiver emerged from the crowd at the tail end of the depth chart and there’s a rookie who is starting to make a habit of scoring touchdowns.
Head Coach Matt LaFleur and the medical staff sat down 32 players for the second dress rehearsal, 19 of them probable starters when the season opens in New Orleans in three weeks. So this was another day for the backups to step up and the three players who did were quarterback Kurt Benkert, receiver Malik Taylor and running back Kylin Hill.
New York got out to a 3-0 lead as their quarterback of the future, second overall draft pick Zach Wilson leaned on former Tennessee Titan veteran Corey Davis on the opening drive. Working against this year’s number one Packer draft choice Eric Stokes, Davis beat him inside for 24 yards but Stokes rebounded with a third down breakup on the sideline that led to a solid, 54 yard field goal from Matt Ammendola.
Benkert’s first pass attempt came on the run and he found Taylor up the sideline for 23 yards but he was called out of bounds. LaFleur threw the challenge flag and got a reversal and that got the offense rolling. After struggling for just 49 yards rushing last week against Houston, the offensive line responded opening holes for 40 rushing yards on the drive. A.J. Dillon had 4 carries for 28 in his only series of the day and it was the Pack’s seventh round pick, Hill who finished the drive with a 12 yard touchdown run. Hill sped around the right side, got the sideline and crashed into a defender at the goal line for his second TD in as many games.
A scrambling secondary allowed the Jets to reclaim the lead early in the second quarter. There was coverage confusion pre-snap and Wilson found tight end Tyler Kroft over the middle for an 18 yard score and a 10-7 lead.
Then came one of the strangest drives in a while. On first down from the 30, Benkert stumbled getting the snap and lost three yards. On second down, he tripped on center Lucas Patrick’s foot but got back up and scooted for five yards. On third and 8, he found Taylor for 9 with a smart throw and route. The offense overcame a Patrick holding penalty and converted a 4th and 2 play with Reggie Begelton catching an 11 yard slant. A pretty back shoulder throw to Taylor gained 21. Another Patrick hold pushed the offense out of the red zone but Patrick Taylor found a hole on a draw for 12, gained four more yards inside and on third and 4 from the five, Benkert floated a pretty ball to the right corner of the end zone, just over the hands of corner Bryce Hall that Jace Sternberger reeled in for the score. The go ahead drive covered 19 plays, 81 yards and took 10:14.
The special teams made it all for naught as Corey Ballentine took the ensuing kickoff back 73 yards through an over-pursuing cover unit. Three plays later, Wilson and Kroft connected again for an 18 yard touchdown. Kroft motioned left and ran away from Kamal Martin and then cut inside Kabion Ento inside the five to give the Jets a 17-14 lead at halftime.
On the first snap of the third quarter, Taylor coughed up the ball and the Jets recovered at the 35 but the defense got a sack from rookie T.J. Slaton which forced another Ammendola field goal from 46 yards out.
A three and out with a 21 yard J.K. Scott punt that angled out of bounds way too soon gave the Jets half a field to work with but only managed a third Ammendola field goal to close out the scoring.
The next Packer possession ended when Benkert and Taylor were on the wrong page of a Texas route and the ball sailed behind the running back into the arms of Brandin Echols. Green Bay again drove into New York territory but were denied on a 4th and 1 carry that Dexter Williams and the line couldn’t convert.
The game finished with former Ashwaubenon Jaguar star James Morgan getting to play at Lambeau for the first time. He handled the final two series for the Jets going 1 for 3. And Jake Dolegala, re-signed late this week with Jordan Love still nursing a sore shoulder, got one pass attempt but a deep ball to Begelton was intercepted by Lamar Jackson. Morgan then got to kneel it out against his childhood team.
The Packers outgained the Jets 278 to 268 and looked much cleaner offensively in the first half as the backups made plays against the New York starters. Benkert finished 18 of 25 or 151 yards with a touch and a pick for a passer rating of 83.9. Green Bay wound up with 135 yards rushing, led by Taylor with 48 yards on 8 carries but with that costly turnover. Taylor caught 4 balls for 66 yards and stepped to the front of the line for perhaps the number six spot on the depth chart. Henry Black and Innis Gaines each would up with six tackles. Other notable plays came from Begelton who returned a punt 28 yards, Christian Uphoff made a fine tackle in punt coverage and Dexter Williams had a 32 yard kickoff return.
Green Bay escaped significant injury but the same can’t be said for the Jets who wound up having a devastating week in Titletown. Losing Carl Lawson to a torn achilles and Zane Lewis to a ruptured patella tendon at Thursday’s practice, free agent linebacker Jarrad Davis had to be helped off the field and offensive lineman Conor McDermott had to be carted off with a serious leg injury.
In the media auditorium after the game, LaFleur discussed the performance of Benkert and the offense.
Here’s the list of players who did not dress for the Pack:
Jordan Love, Devin Funchess, Aaron Rodgers, Allen Lazard, Chris Blair, Davante Adams, Randall Cobb, Equanimeous St. Brown, Kevin King, Jaire Alexander, Darnell Savage, Adrian Amos, Aaron Jones, Vernon Scott, Chandon Sullivan, Dominique Dafney, Rashan Gary, Za’Darius Smith, De’Vondre Campbell, David Bakhtiari, Elgton Jenkins, Billy Turner, Dennis Kelly, Josiah Deguara, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Robert Tonyan, Juwann Winfree, Marcedes Lewis, Preston Smith, Dean Lowry, Tyler Lancaster and Kenny Clark.
The Packers also made a roster move on Saturday, waiving defensive back Dominique Martin and signing WR Damon Hazelton a rookie from Missouri.
Despite the loss, LaFleur said it was a valuable week having the Jets in for the joint practices and the game and it also gave him a rare chance to spend time with his brother Mike, Robert Saleh’s offensive coordinator.
A week two, pre-season loss doesn’t compare.
Next up, Green Bay wraps up the exhibition schedule in Buffalo against the Bills next Saturday afternoon.
