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ReFo: Raiders @ Packers, Preseason Week 3

REFO-PREWK3-OAK@GBThis game may have ended up a 10-point game but, in truth, when the starters were in for the first half, we saw a clear gulf in quality between the two sides. The Packers under Aaron Rodgers looked like a team tooling up for a season of contention while the Raiders under Matt Schaub looked rudderless and just trying to survive.

Green Bay managed to put three scores on the board in the first half and were so happy with the progress of their starters they were able to give Matt Flynn a shot at some situational football just before the half. Only a couple of late scores by Matt McGloin in the fourth quarter put some gloss on what was otherwise a worrying portent for the season for Oakland.

Let’s take a look at some of the most noteworthy performances from both sides:

Oakland Raiders — Performances of Note

Matt Schaub, QB, -3.5

Breakdown: It might be time for the Raiders to admit their mistake already when it comes to Matt Schaub. The tape last season in Houston was ugly and for a quarterback-needy team taking a gamble that he could be reborn in a new environment was perhaps a dice worth rolling, but he has struggled as badly in Oakland so far this preseason and a -3.5 grade against the Green Bay starters was ugly.

Signature Play: At the 2:12 mark in the first quarter looking to his right on a slant, Schaub saw his receiver slip in his break, pulling the ball down before electing to throw it anyway, right into harm’s way. It ended up being broken up but could well have been even worse. Typified poor decision-making.

Matt McGloin, QB, +4.3

Breakdown: If we needed the poor play of Schaub being thrust into sharp focus, we got to see some genuinely impressive play from McGloin with the backups later in the game. His familiarity with the system was apparent and he led the team to scoring drives looking far more capable of making something happen.

Signature Stat: Had a passer rating of 156.3 while under pressure, two points away from perfect and more than 100 points better than Schaub.

Khalil Mack, OLB, +1.2

Breakdown: A far more composed performance from Mack that flashed the talent we all know he has. Made a couple of nice plays in the run game in addition to the pass he picked off, but was still conspicuously anonymous in his 17 pass rushing snaps.

Signature Play: With 58 seconds left in the second quarter, Mack read the intent of the quarterback well before cutting off the pass to the running back, picking it off when it should have been an easy completion on a play out of the backfield.

Green Bay Packers — Performances of Note

Davon House, CB, +4.5

Breakdown: House is a player who has been pressed into starting in the past for the Packers and his NFL career so far is a tale of inconsistency. When he is good, he is very good, but he hasn’t been able to sustain that for a long period. This game was one of those highs, however, and he was pretty much lockdown during his 25 snaps.

Signature Stat: Was thrown at seven times in the game, allowing just three catches for 15 yards. Of those four incompletions he broke up three of them, notching pass defenses.

T.J. Lang, RG, +4.3

Breakdown: Josh Sitton is the household name (as much as guards are ever household names) among the guards in Green Bay, but it was Lang who played like the All-Pro in this game, thoroughly outperforming his teammate and setting the standard for the Packers on the line.

Signature Play: With 8:39 left in the first quarterLang had been beating DT Pat Sims all day, and here was a perfect example, controlling the big man, exploiting his width and driving him away from the point of attack with ease.

Mike Pennel, NT, +0.6

Breakdown: With B.J. Raji down for the year with a torn biceps injury, the undrafted rookie suddenly has a shot to make something of himself in a hurry in Green Bay, and he certainly flashed the ability to be a force on the nose in this game, even if it wasn’t consistent dominance.

Signature Play: At the 3:25 mark in the third quarter on a run moving to the right, Pennel crushed a double team, blowing veteran C Kevin Boothe into the running lane and made the stop himself. This is the kind of play the Packers need in the absence of Raji.

PFF Game Ball

There were a few standout performers in this game, especially when the backups came into the game, but none were better than T.J. Lang who had pretty much a perfect game for the Pack with the starters.

 

Follow Sam on Twitter: @PFF_Sam

 

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