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The best and worst players since beating the Rams in Week 5

The best and worst players since beating the Rams in Week 5

An elite performance from Xavier McKinney and Tucker Kraft lifted the Green Bay Packers past the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday at Sofi Stadium. McKinney and Kraft turned the game around in the second half when Kraft converted two takeaways from McKinney into passing touchdowns.

The Packers were able to overcome an overall poor performance in the passing game and improve to 3-2 after five weeks.

Based on Pro Football Focus' grades, here are the best and worst players from the Packers' Week 5 win over the Rams:

Top 5 offenses

1. RB Josh Jacobs: 78.3
2. TE Tucker Kraft: 75.3
3. RB Emanuel Wilson: 71.8
4. WR Jayden Reed: 71.6
5. LT Rasheed Walker: 68.1

Jacobs gained 68 yards after initial contact, forced two missed tackles, had two runs for 10 yards and a 21-yard catch. Kraft caught four of six targets for 88 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 3.83 yards per route run, gained 69 yards after the catch and forced three missed tackles. Wilson forced two missed tackles and had 25 yards after initial contact. Reed caught four passes for 78 yards, made two contested catches and had an 11-yard run, but he had a third-down drop. Walker gave up just one pressure in 30 pass-blocking snaps and was the highest-graded run blocker along the offensive line.

Top 5 defense

1. DL TJ Slaton: 89.3
2. S Xavier McKinney: 88.3
3. LB Edgerrin Cooper: 85.5
4. DE Kingsley Enagbare: 84.4
5. S Evan Williams: 81.9

Slaton had two pressures, including a QB hit, and he was effective against the run on 27 total snaps. McKinney fumbled a fumble, intercepted a pass, broke up two more passes, made four tackles without a missed shot and did not allow a completion into his coverage. Cooper had two pressures, including a sack, and gave up just one catch in coverage while playing a total of 30 snaps. Kingsley Enagbare forced a fumble, had a quarterback hit and a top mark against the run. Williams missed two tackles but also broke up two passes.

Below 5 attack

1. C Josh Myers: 38.5
2. QB Jordan Love: 51.1
3. WR Malik Heath: 51.1
4. RT Zach Tom: 52.1
5. RG Sean Rhyan: 53.3

Myers gave up two pressures in the passing game and received a very poor run blocking grade. Love threw a terrible interception and struggled overall under pressure. Heath was penalized twice – one for holding, another for false starts – and he only managed 14 receiving yards on 21 runs. Tom had a false start and allowed four pressures, including a sack. Rhyan gave up two sacks. Neither Tom nor Rhyan performed well in the running game.

Defending the bottom 5

1. DL Karl Brooks: 38.6
2. CB Eric Stokes: 41.7
3. DB Javon Bullard: 45.2
4. CB Carrington Valentine: 51.2
5. DL Colby Wooden: 52.0

Brooks had four pressures, including two key sacks, but his run defense grade lowered his overall grade. In his coverage, Stokes allowed seven completions and a touchdown pass on ten targets and missed a tackle. Bullard missed a tackle and allowed five catches on eight targets in coverage while playing mostly in the slot. Valentine missed two tackles and was penalized once. Wooden was pressured twice but missed a tackle and struggled against the run.

Special teams

Corey Ballentine had a tackle, a forced fair catch and the highest special teams mark of the week. Javon Bullard, Zayne Anderson and Arron Mosby also had tackles involving kickoffs or punts. Robert Rochell was reported for his stopping but also received a penalty for his stopping. Evan Williams and Eric Wilson missed tackles. Brayden Narveson hit all three extra points and a 46-yard field goal. Daniel Whelan averaged just 37.2 net yards per punt but forced three fair catches. His average hang time was just 4.40 seconds, a season low.

Quarterback game

Jordan Love: 51.1

Love had a great throw (53-yard bomb to Jayden Reed) and a turnover-worthy play (pick-six from the end zone). He completed three of six passes under pressure, but made the big mistake under pressure – the interception. Three completions outside of play-action resulted in 122 yards and a touchdown. Love completed just 2 of 6 passes thrown for 10 yards in the air, but they managed 119 yards and a touchdown. While understandable given the error, it's clear that Love's pick-six and fumble – on a pass thrown backwards under pressure – significantly lowered his final grade.

Stat knowing

Dontayvion Wicks only caught 2 of 6 targets. Jordan Love missed it twice in the opening game. It had a drip when opened. And he failed on a contested catch in the third round. It's looking more and more like one of the keys to consistency in the Packers' passing game is getting the Love-to-Wicks connection to finally get going.

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