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Packers hold off late charging Seahawks to advance to NFC Championship

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Aaron Rodgers File Photo UPI/Bill Greenblatt

Aaron Rodgers played one of his best games of the season, helping the Green Bay Packers beat the Seattle Seahawks 28-23 in the NFC Divisional playoffs and securing a rematch with the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game.

Rodgers and Davante Adams put the Packers on their backs, connecting eight times for 160 yards and two touchdowns.  The 160 receiving yards for Adams is a Green Bay Packers playoff-franchise record.

When the Packers needed a big play, Rodgers was there to deliver a series of pinpoint accurate passes, helping his team to a season best 9-of-14 on third downs (69%).  That is the best third down accuracy rate for the Packers since the 2016 season.

Rodgers sealed the victory with a pair of third-down passes, a 32-yard pass to Adams on a third-and-8 [Read more…]

Cephus declares for the NFL Draft

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Quintez Cephus

Wisconsin junior wide receiver Quintez Cephus announced Monday that he has declared for the 2020 NFL Draft.  Cephus made the announcement with a video posted to his Twitter and Instagram accounts @QoDeep 87.

Cephus had 93 receptions for 1,496 yards and 13 touchdowns in his three seasons with the Badgers.

“I’m excited to put my name in for the draft and to have a chance to play at the highest level,” Cephus said.  “I want to thank Coach (Paul) Chryst and Coach (Ted) Gilmore for everything they’ve done for me and for always having my back.  They’ve helped me grow as a football player and as a man.  The same for my teammates.  Their support has meant everything.  They’re brothers to me, and to be able to play this season with them and for them has been a blessing.”

Returning to the field after not playing in 2018, Cephus made 59 catches for 901 yards and seven touchdowns this season, setting career highs and leading the Badgers in all three categories.

“Q has meant a lot to this team,” UW head coach Paul Chryst said.  “He is incredibly selfless and truly cares about all of his teammates.  He has an infectious personality.  He loves playing the game of football and you can see that joy when he is on the field.  I am excited for his future and wish him all the best as he takes this step.”

Cephus looks to become the first Wisconsin receiver drafted since Jared Abbrederis was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

Butler named a finalist for Pro Football Hall of Fame

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LeRoy Butler

Former Green Bay Packers safety LeRoy Butler was named one of 15 modern-era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020.  As many as five of those players will be voted into the Hall on Super Bowl weekend in Miami.

This is the first year that Butler has advanced to the final 15 after being named a semifinalist (final 25) the previous two years.

Butler played his entire career with the Packers, from 1990 through 2001.  He is one of seven first-time finalists this year and one of four safeties among the 15.

Joining Butler are safeties Troy Polamalu, Steve Atwater and John Lynch.

Butler played on Packers teams in the 1990’s that won a Super Bowl and played in another.  He was [Read more…]

Packers to give newcomer Ervin a shot on return units

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The Green Bay Packers are wasting no time in giving newly acquired running back and returner Tyler Ervin a shot on both kick and punt returns this week against Washington.  Packers coach Matt LaFleur indicated that would likely be the case when speaking with reporters on Wednesday.

The Packers claimed Ervin off waivers from Jacksonville on Monday and threw him right into the mix when practice resumed on Wednesday.

Ervin is listed as a running back and gives the Packers some depth there, but has just five carries and 14 receptions during his brief NFL career.  Ervin has primarily been used as a return specialist since being drafted by Houston in the fourth round out of San Jose State in 2016. [Read more…]

Packers suffer first loss under LaFleur

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Davante Adams

Nigel Bradham intercepted a tipped Aaron Rodgers pass in the end zone in the final minute as the Philadelphia Eagles held off the Green Bay Packers comeback attempt 34-27 at Lambeau Field.

Carson Wentz threw for 160 yards and three touchdowns to help the Eagles even their record at 2-2.  Jordan Howard led the Eagles ground attack with 87 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns.  He also caught a touchdown pass.

Rodgers threw for 422 yards, two scores and his first pick of the season.  He completed 34 of 53 but lost a fumble and threw the pick at the end.  Davante Adams caught 10 passes for 180 yards in defeat, but left the game late with a toe injury.

Adams isn’t the only starter that left early.  Running back Jamaal Williams was carted off on a stretcher on [Read more…]

Defense dominates in Packers 10-3 season opening win

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Mike Pettine and his defense was the star of the night

Players and coaches weren’t willing to concede that no playing time in the preseason is the reason why offenses struggled on opening night, but the defenses dominated and the Green Bay Packers did just enough to pull out a 10-3 win on Thursday night at Soldiers Field.

The hope was that Mike Pettine’s second year defense, along with a number of key free agent acquisitions, would be much improved.  Last night, the Packers defense was bordering greatness in the season opener.

It might take the Packers offense a while to figure things out in Matt LaFleur’s new system, but based on Thursday night’s defensive effort, there’ll be a little margin for error.

But one has to wonder how much of last night’s defensive display had to do with the defense itself, as compared to a terrible night for Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who went 26-45 for 228 yards, an [Read more…]

Packers pick up 2020 option on Clark

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Kenny Clark

The Green Bay Packers have picked up the fifth-year option on defensive tackle Kenny Clark, keeping him in Green Bay through the 2020 season.  It keeps Clark in a Packers uniform for the next two seasons and it’s likely that the Packers will sign him to an extension before his current deal expires.

Despite suffering an elbow injury late last season, Clark still played in 13 games and recorded a career-best six sacks and eight tackles for loss.

Clark was the 27th overall pick in the 2016 draft and has already turned into one of the top interior lineman in the NFL.

 

Packers’ 2019 Preseason Schedule is out

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The Green Bay Packers will open the 2019 exhibition season at Lambeau Field Aug. 8-12, facing J.J. Watt and the Houston Texans.  The Packers will also hold joint practices with the Texans leading up to the exhibition opener.  It’s the first time the Packers will face the Texans in the preseason.

The Packers will go on the road for their second preseason game, traveling to Baltimore to face the Ravens.  The two teams also played one preseason game against the Ravens in Baltimore in 1996.

Preseason game number three will also be played on the road, against the Oakland Raiders, with the location yet to be determined.  Discussions have taken place about a meeting between the two teams in Canada and it would be a Raiders home game.

The Packers will close out the preseason against Kansas City at Lambeau Field.  It’s the second straight year that the two teams will wrap up the preseason and the eighth meeting since 2010.

 

Lang announces retirement from the NFL

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#70 T.J. Lang

Pro Bowl guard T.J. Lang has decided to retire after ten NFL seasons, eight of those ten came with the Green Bay Packers.

The 31-year-old Lang spent the last two seasons with the Detroit Lions after signing a free agent deal prior to the start of the 2017 season.

The Lions released Lang three weeks ago, having dealt with a number of injuries during his career.  A neck injury forced Lang to finish the 2018 season on injured reserve.

Lang spent his first eight NFL seasons with the Packers after they drafted him in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL draft out of Eastern Michigan.  He was a reserve on the 2010 Green Bay Super Bowl team.

 

Packers plan to hold joint practices in training camp

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Matt LaFleur

New head coach Matt LaFleur’s first training camp as the Green Bay Packers new head coach will include holding joint practices with a preseason opponent in Green Bay.

LaFleur told Pete Dougherty-Packers News at the NFL owners meeting today that the Packers opponent in their preseason opener would be the team expected to practice with the Packers.

LaFleur said his teams of the last two years, the Rams and the Titans, practiced against another team in camp for a couple of days.  He said he found it to be a good way to get starters working against starters without wearing his own players down.

The last time the Packers held joint practices was 2005, when former coach Mike Sherman brought the Buffalo Bills to Green Bay.