Review: Family Night Scrimmage

Rain shortened practice and kept attendance down for Family Night, but nearly 35,000 fans did brave the elements to watch the Packers take another step toward the start of the 2021 season. The following is a look at all 49 plays, along with 10 takeaways from the evening:


PLAY-BY-PLAY

—Aaron Rodgers incomplete to Randall Cobb (tight coverage by Chandon Sullivan)
—Rodgers complete to Cobb (short pass)
—Dexter Williams run up the middle
—Williams run up the middle
—Jordan Love incomplete (bad throw)

—Love complete to Devin Funchess (poor coverage by Stanford Samuels)
—Patrick Taylor run up the middle
—Kylin Hill run up the middle
—Kurt Benkert incomplete to Malik Taylor (poor throw)
—Benkert incomplete to Taylor (nice coverage by Kabion Ento)
—Rodgers incomplete to Davante Adams (good coverage by Jaire Alexander)
—Rodgers complete to Funchess (short pass)
—Rodgers complete to Adams (tight coverage by Eric Stokes)
—Rodgers complete to Aaron Jones (short pass)
—Love complete to Isaac Nauta (short pass)
—Love complete to Funchess (nice throw)
—Benkert incomplete to Nauta (poor throw)
—Benkert incomplete to De’Andre Thompkins (throw a little high)
—Benkert scrambles up the middle

2-MINUTE DRILL

—Rodgers complete to Jones (swing pass)
—Rodgers complete to Adams (Stokes playing far off)
—Jones short run up the middle
—Rodgers complete to Robert Tonyan (nice gain down the seam)
—Rodgers complete to Adams (Stokes again playing way off)
—Rodgers incomplete (throwaway)
—Rodgers complete to Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Josh Jackson can’t stay close)
—Rodgers incomplete to Adams (forced throw on 4th down)
—Taylor short run up the middle
—Love complete to Jace Sternberger (short pass)
—Taylor short run up the middle
—Love complete to Thompkins (short pass)
—Love incomplete to Reggie Begelton (nice deep throw/Begelton couldn’t come up with catch)
—Hill short run up the middle
—Love complete to Sternberger (short pass)
—False start by Zack Johnson on 4th down
—Rodgers incomplete (under pressure)
—Jones short run up the middle
—Rodgers complete to Tonyan (uncovered on bootleg)
—Jones nice cutback run
—Rodgers intercepted by Darnell Savage (Adams bobbled a catchable pass)
—Love fumbles snap from Jacob Capra
—Taylor short run off tackle
—Love complete to Taylor (screen pass)
—Hill bounces run outside for a nice gain (quick feet)
—Love fumbles snap from Capra (again)

LIVE TACKLING

—Thompkins picks up good yardage on a reverse
—Taylor short run up the middle
—Benkert incomplete to Bronson Kaufusi (nice throw)
—Benkert incomplete to Thompkins (bad drop)
—Benkert scrambles for nice yardage
—Benkert incomplete on 4th down

END OF PRACTICE


10 TAKEAWAYS

1) Third-round pick Amari Rodgers is going to be a busy man this season if last night was any indication. Not only did the former Clemson star get some work with the No. 1 offense, but he was also first in line for both kickoffs and punts.

2) Despite one really bad drop late in practice, wide receiver DeAndre Thompkins had a nice night. The former Nittany Lion caught a pass, showed some real explosiveness on a reverse, and downed a punt inside the 2-yard line.

3) It’s not exactly Ali vs. Frazier or even Tyson vs. Holyfield, but Ben Braden vs. Jon Runyan is shaping up to be a good heavyweight battle at left guard. Braden opened with the starters, but Runyan got his chance with the 1s as well.

4) It’s next to impossible to evaluate a running back in a non-contact practice on a wet field, but Kylin Hill’s quick feet are impressive no matter the situation. The seventh-round pick is going to be tough to keep off the 53-man roster.

5) Devin Funchess‘ use of a racial slur in the post-practice press conference marred what had been a good night for the veteran wide receiver until that point. He later apologized for what was an ugly and incredibly ignorant remark.

 

 

6) Street free agent Isaac Nauta is making a spirited run at a spot on the 53. The third-year tight end and former Lion made a couple of plays in the passing game and threw a nice block during the brief live tackling portion of practice.

7) Cornerback Kabion Ento wasn’t perfect, but he did enough positive things in coverage to intrigue for the third straight summer. The key now is staying healthy – something the former receiver wasn’t able to do in his first two camps.

8) Newly-signed nose tackle Josh Avery is a big man with pretty good movement skills. How he’ll perform against experienced offensive linemen when the tackling begins remains to be seen, but at least he made a positive first impression.

9) The only thing I learned about Jordan Love last night is that he stinks in the drill where the QBs try to throw balls into a net. It’s a good thing he won’t be throwing to inanimate objects in games (now that Jimmy Graham is gone).

10) Ryan Winslow had a beautiful punt late in practice. He’ll need a lot more of those if he’s to unseat JK Scott. The incumbent has a stronger leg, but he hasn’t been consistent enough since being drafted in the fifth round in 2018.

photos courtesy of packers.com

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Michael Rodney

Packers Notes is the creation of Michael Rodney, who has been writing about the Green Bay Packers for over 30 years. His first blog, Packer Update, hit the internet in 2004. Before becoming a public educator, Rodney worked as a journalist for a couple of newspapers in his home state of New Jersey and covered the Philadelphia Eagles for WTXF-TV. He's had numerous articles on the Packers published, and he's been featured on both television and radio over the years.

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Eric
Eric
August 8, 2021 2:32 pm

Super helpful, Michael. Way more content here than anything I’ve seen elsewhere – thanks!

Tom M
Tom M
August 8, 2021 5:58 pm

If Amari Rodgers is going to be a busy man in this offense, where does that leave Randall Cobb? On the bench? No need to get excited for Thompkins or Winfee. Both will be cut in favor of 31 yr old Randall Cobb. If it’s between Braden and Runyan. They’ll give it to Runyan. He’s a late round draft pick. Devin Funchess made a mistake. He apologized. Let’s move on. No need to crucify him for it. While it may be true Jordan Love can’t throw it into a net. I’m quite confident he can run it into the end zone from 8 yards out. Something 37 yr old Aaron Rodgers couldn’t do in the NFCC game. Love already throws a pretty, deep ball. If that were MVS instead of Begelton, another WR to be cut, that’s probably at TD.

STEVEN SCHUMER
STEVEN SCHUMER
August 8, 2021 6:03 pm

Incredibly detailed and thorough analysis. Great job as always Michael, much appreciated.

Steve
Steve
August 8, 2021 9:53 pm

Thank you much appreciated

Jared
Jared
August 9, 2021 1:25 pm

Thanks for the great review. It’s disappointing the team’s website doesn’t stream Family Night so out-of-town fans can watch.

Eric
Eric
August 9, 2021 1:36 pm

Seems to be from this analysis and others that this is the deepest Packers’ team we’ve seen in years. Just incredibly depth at OL, WR, TE, QB, CB, RB, S, heck even FB. As much as Gutey has struggled in mid to late rounds, he’s nailed the top of the draft and finding both some gems and great depth on waiver wire.

Jon P
Jon P
Reply to  Eric
August 9, 2021 2:11 pm

I agree for the most part about the depth, although I’m not so sure I’d include CB. Right now, I count only one quality player. Hopefully, Stokes will become a good starter at some point soon. Looking at the roster, DL and ILB seem to be the positions with the least amount of talent and depth. It feels like that’s been the case for quite a while now.

Eroc
Eroc
Reply to  Jon P
August 9, 2021 5:56 pm

With the addition of Stokes and Jean-Charles, they’re deeper at CB than in years. Alexander is arguably the best corner in the league. King is an average to above average starter. They have three other young, ascendant players with Stokes, Jean-Charles, and Ento. Sounds like Jackson may be having his best camp so far. Not holding my breath but he could emerge.

As for the DL, while the talent isn’t amazing, they’re deeper than they have been: I expect Keke to be a legit starter in Year 3, Lowry isn’t bad, and then you have the addition of Slaton, who has possibility. And ILB, again not elite talent, to be sure, but Barnes will be better, Campbell should be better than the veterans they’ve brought in the past few years (Kirksey, et. al) and Summers, so Michael says, shouldn’t be counted out.

Just sayin’, this is the most talented team in a decade. No GM has found equal depth and talent at every position. But Gutey, overall, should get a good grade. Of course, it all rides on the Love pick, but this could be a special year.

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