“I would say it was pretty vanilla tonight,” Matt LaFleur said about the Packers’ Family Night practice at Lambeau Field. But vanilla doesn’t mean boring; it just means you have to look a little closer to taste the substance. Sure, the playbook was stripped of all its bells and whistles, but what unfolded was a telling showcase. From crisp execution to critical errors, the night felt less like a scripted rehearsal and more like a soft spotlight on the guy steering the offense. And yes, there’s a particular #10 everyone’s keeping their eyes on.
Jordan Love started with a clean 5-of-5, including a sharp third-down strike to Luke Musgrave. Then came another situational drill from deep in their own territory; Love delivered again, with a 3-of-4 rhythm. But just when it felt like momentum was building, the two-minute drill revealed the fine line between aggression and error. A deep shot to Matthew Golden looked promising until Carrington Valentine laid out for an impressive interception. One play can flip the vibe, and that one did.
As NFL reporter Bill Huber put it, “Jordan Love didn’t get the No. 1 offense into the end zone, which isn’t good. On the other hand, he was 17-of-25 passing, which isn’t bad.” The offense got a do-over against the backups—and Love took it. Starting at the 35, he went 10 yards to Golden, kept it moving with short passes to Malik Heath, then hit Romeo Doubs for 18. After a couple of misfires, he found Golden again to set up a 29-yard field goal.
Syndication: Green Bay Press-Gazette, Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and quarterback Jordan Love 10 participate in Packers training camp on Wednesday, July 27, 2022, at Ray Nitschke Field in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin. Samantha Madar/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis Gpg Green Bay Packers Training Camp Day 1 07272022 0007, 27.07.2022 14:49:02, 18753191, Jordan Love, Matt LaFleur, Ray Nitschke Field, USATNSYNDICATION, Ashwaubenon, Green Bay Packers, Player, Football player, Green Bay Packers NFL, Georgia Bulldogs PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xSamanthaxMadar/USAxTODAYxNETWORK-Wisconsinx 18753191
As you know, Jordan Love isn’t known for running, but he probably should be. His 75 career rushes rank him 23rd among QBs, not elite level, but still an impressive ranking. As Bill Huber has mentioned recently, Love isn’t Lamar Jackson-fast or Jalen Hurts-strong, but that doesn’t mean he should stay anchored in the pocket. He’s athletic enough to make defenses pay when lanes open up. And in the NFL, it’s a necessity, especially when pressure collapses the play design.
Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich has also recently made it clear that Love should run more. It’s not about turning him into a sprinter; it’s about using what’s already in the toolbox. Stenavich called it “a huge weapon” and said the team encourages it. It’s a simple adjustment that could add real value, especially when plays break down. The coaching staff has made their point. Now it’s on Love to act on it. Still, small on-field changes can’t fully distract from what’s happening off it.
Packers show fire on the field, but Matt LaFleur fails to spark fans
The energy just isn’t what it used to be. Green Bay’s annual Family Night once drew crowds that filled Lambeau with almost playoff-level noise. This year? Not quite. Attendance dipped again, falling to 59,175, down from 60,887 last year and 65,222 in 2023. Sure, those are still solid numbers, but the trend is clear: the buzz around Matt LaFleur’s team isn’t what it was. For a fanbase that treats August like January, that slow fade in interest raises eyebrows.
And yet, Saturday’s practice had the tempo of a team in midseason prep mode. Omar Brown showed out, grabbing three interceptions and making his case as the day’s standout. On offense, Malik Willis delivered the highlight of the night with a deep strike to Heath, who overpowered rookie corner Micah Robinson for the touchdown. But even as the fireworks popped in moments, the vibe didn’t fully catch on.
The defense, meanwhile, came in swinging. Kenny Clark was a brick wall early, shutting down the run game with back-to-back stops. Lukas Van Ness also got home with a sack on Jordan Love’s second drop-back, and Warren Brinson made his presence felt in the trenches. The impressive plays were there. The effort was real. But even with flashes and fireworks on the field, something about this Packers camp just isn’t pulling fans the way it used to fill up the stadiums.
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