Acme Packing Company
A high-scoring overtime tie means that the Green Bay Packers played a lot of snaps on Sunday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys. Beyond the 79 offensive snaps and 67 defensive snaps, excluding penalties, the Packers also played 33 special teams snaps. That’s right, the special teams were on the field about half the rate as the defense in this one.
It was a weird game. Only made weirder by the blocked PAT and the changes to special teams that happened as a reaction to that play. Due to the high volume of special teams plays, only 11 of the 48 gameday players for the Packers didn’t contribute in the kicking game.
Let’s dive into who got on the field versus the Cowboys.
In the first two weeks of the season, the Packers leaned on running back Chris Brooks as a pass protector. Since then, they’ve swung toward playing Emanuel Wilson as the RB2, one who has actually carried the ball for the team. It’ll be interesting to see what they do with Brooks and Wilson once MarShawn Lloyd returns to the 53-man roster, which very well could be next game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 6.
This is about what we’ve expected from the team since Jayden Reed dropped out with collarbone and foot injuries. Savion Williams remains a gadget player and returner on special teams. The fact that Malik Heath can’t get on the field, especially on the kick return unit, on teams means that his job is gonna be at risk whenever Christian Watson (knee) comes off the physically unable to perform list.
For three weeks, John FitzPatrick slowly chipped away at Luke Musgrave’s playing time. For whatever reason, this ended in Week 4, with Musgrave taking over as the true TE2 for the first time this year. He had one reception for six yards and allowed a blocked PAT that ultimately decided the game.
For the first time this year, the Packers’ starting five offensive linemen actually played a full game. Thank God, too, because none of Jennings, Banks or Smith has ever taken a regular-season snap for...
