Several Green Bay Packers received positive marks in Pro Football Focus’ Week 1 player grades, while others failed miserably. PFF grades don’t always tell the entire story, but they offer important insight into each individual player’s performance.
Below is a breakdown of the good and the bad from the Packers’ 39-22 loss vs. the Minnesota Vikings.
The Good: WR Christian Watson Leads the Way
Christian Watson: 87.1 Offensive Grade
Watson earned the top PFF offensive grade on the Packers, playing the role of No. 1 wideout to a tee on Sunday, catching six of eight targets for 147 yards (24.5 YPC) and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, he recorded five first downs and a 116.7 passer rating when targeted.
CB Keisean Nixon: 78.4 Defensive Grade
The much-maligned cornerback received the highest defensive grade on the Packers in Week 1, recording four tackles, two pressures, a sack, and an interception against the Vikings. Meanwhile, Nixon posted the highest rush-defense grade (83.4) and second-highest coverage grade (68.3) on the Green Bay defense.
Tucker Kraft: 76.6 Offensive Grade
Kraft played only 22 passing snaps in his first game back from an ACL injury sustained last season, but was effective nevertheless. The star tight end was targeted six times, catching three passes (all for first downs) for 65 yards (21.7 YPC), while registering an 88.9 passer rating when targeted.
SS Evan Williams: 73.5 Defensive Grade
Williams was solid on Sunday, earning the second-highest defensive grade on the Packers. He finished with six tackles and wasn’t targeted in the pass game, earning the team’s top coverage grade (71.9).
The Bad: Offensive Line Woes Tell the Story of Sunday’s Loss
MLB Zaire Franklin: 36.4 Defensive Grade
Franklin had a rough Week 1, finishing as the worst-graded defender for Green Bay. He allowed three receptions off four targets for 26 yards and a touchdown, while earning a 36.6 rush-defense grade, the lowest on the Packers.
LG Donovan Jennings: 39.3 Offensive Grade
Jennings was easily the worst-graded offensive lineman on Sunday after getting the last-minute start at left guard over Jager Burton. He allowed two pressures and earned the worst run-blocking grade (47.7) and second-worst pass-blocking grade (40.0).
RG Jacob Monk: 54.9 Offensive Grade
Monk earned the starting right guard job in training camp, but didn’t impress in his first career start at the position, allowing four pressures, three quarterback hits, two hurries, and a sack in Week 1. He earned the second-worst pass-blocking grade (48.2) and run-blocking grade (56.1) among the Packers’ starting line.
FS Xavier McKinney: 41.3 Defensive Grade
McKinney’s grade is more the product of circumstance rather than actual output, as the Packers offense put the defensive unit in almost impossible positions to succeed late in Sunday’s matchup. While he was on the wrong end of a 16-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, which played a part in a dismal 36.9 coverage grade, he was solid otherwise, earning a 70.8 rush-defense grade and a 78.1 tackling grade.
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