Packers' Matt LaFleur applauds 'savant' Jonathan Gannon after beating Panthers appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Green Bay Packers survived the late rally of the Carolina Panthers to notch a 27-19 victory at Lambeau Field on Thursday.
Jordan Love went 30-of-41 for 288 yards and three touchdowns, while Josh Jacobs scored two touchdowns on 21 carries and six receptions. The defense played a huge part in crunch time, including sacking Bryce Young in the last 20 seconds to seal the hard-earned win.
Coach Matt LaFleur credited the defense, finding the perfect word for defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, as reported by Sports Illustrated's Bill Huber.
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#matt #jonathan #sports #defense

The Green Bay Packers (5-3) overcame an ugly start and an unnecessarily stressful finish by dominating the Carolina Panthers (3-4) for the rest of the contest, and Jordan Love's three touchdown passes allowed Matt LaFleur's team to escape with a 27-19 win on "Thursday Night Football" to open Week 8.
Instant ***** ysis of the Packers' win over the Panthers on TNF:
It was over when...
Christian Watson, who missed time while getting precautionary tests at a local hospital, moved the chains on third down late in the fourth quarter, allowing the Packers to kill off most of the remaining clock and end any chances of a final comeback attempt.
WR Christian Watson: His 10 targets created eight catches and 113 yards, including a 53-yarder that sparked a scoring drive. He had a scary injury coming down with the deep ball, had to go to the hospital for testing and still returned to make an impact in the second half.

#carolina #jordan

The Green Bay Packers have won three straight games, but their running game is still waiting to catch up. Now, Matt LaFleur believes the return of Josh Jacobs could help change that.
Green Bay defeated the Dallas Cowboys 23-13 on Sunday night, improving to 4-2 despite gaining just 57 rushing yards on 26 attempts. Even against a Dallas defense that entered the game ranked last in the NFL against the run, the Packers struggled to move the ball on the ground.
Jacobs is eligible to return next week against the Detroit Lions, and LaFleur is optimistic about what the veteran could bring. He isn't promising an immediate turnaround, though.
After Sunday's victory, LaFleur was asked whether Jacobs can help revive Green Bay's struggling ground attack. His answer carried both optimism and a degree of caution.
"Time will tell. But I do have a lot of confidence that he can provide a spark," LaFleur said, via The Leap's Jason B. Hirschhorn.

#jacobs #Help #ground #matt

Packers' Zaire Franklin shares a subtle warning about Green Bay's defense appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Green Bay is 4-2 on the season heading into Week 7 in Detroit after a 23-13 home win over the Cowboys that included a blunt postgame ****** sment from coach Matt LaFleur. LaFleur wants his team to focus on the details, something Jordan Love did well and linebacker Zaire Franklin's defense also excelled at in Week 6.
Franklin spoke to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic after the game during which he gave a warning on the Packers' hungry defense.
"I think it's just a credit to who we can be…Obviously we've got a lot of things we can clean up but I feel like we are a defense on the rise, every week we continue to get better and better…We got some stuff to clean up but I think the ceiling is extremely high."
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#franklin #warning

Packers' Matt LaFleur laments shortcomings in SNF win vs. Cowboys appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Green Bay Packers improved to 4-2 on the season with a 23-13 home win over Dak Prescott's Cowboys that shed light on an NFL record the home team set. A worrisome Tucker Kraft injury put a damper on the win one week before a crucial road trip to play the Detroit Lions at Ford Field.
Afterward, Zach Kruse of the Packers Wire laid out what LaFleur thought of his team's missed opportunities in what could have been a more decisive win.
"We left a lot out there. We had opportunities to put our foot on their throat…Had penalties, drops. We have to play cleaner football," LaFleur said.
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#lafleur #matt #preferred

The overall performance certainly wasn't perfect, but the Green Bay Packers still rolled to a two-score win over the visiting Dallas Cowboys on "Sunday Night Football" from Lambeau Field in Week 6. Brian Schottenheimer's team was well-rested after playing on Thursday night in Week 5 and not lacking motivation after a humbling home defeat in primetime, but the Packers still raced out to a 17-0 lead and ended up leading the game by two scores for most of the night. Matt LaFleur's team has won three straight games and is 4-2 overall, an acceptable record given the ups and downs of the early season.
Three big things from the Packers' win over the Cowboys:
Facing Dak Prescott, Javonte Williams, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens without Micah Parsons, Edgerrin Cooper and Javon Hargrave provided a big test for Jonathan Gannon's defense, and the group passed it with flying colors. The Cowboys managed only 13 points, of which seven came in garbage time, and Gannon continually had Prescott under pressure and making rushed and confused decisions against the blitz or the pre-snap appearance of a blitz. Prescott averaged only 4.8 yards per attempt, and the Packers got a pair of interceptions inside their own 30-yard line and a pair of fourth down stops on pass attempts in the fourth quarter. More and more, the home opener disaster against the Atlanta Falcons is looking like a blip on the radar. The Packers have allowed fewer than 14 points in three straight games since.
The Packers offensive line took several steps forward in games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears, largely due to the settling of performances at both guard spots. But Sunday night represented a step in the wrong direction and provided evidence that the problems along the offensive line aren't solved quite yet. Jordan Love was under pressure on 45.5 percent of his pass attempts, his highest percentage since Week 1. And the run game accomplished next to nothing, averaging only 2.2 yards per attempt overall and 1.8 yards on runs by Pierre Strong Jr., MarShawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson. The Packers got by because Love was excellent under pressure early, and the defense made enough stops so that the struggles moving the ball in the second half didn't matter. The inconsistency of the offensive line, drops in big spots and untimely penalties still look like the Packers' biggest hurdles.
Rookie kicker Trey Smack calmed fears of any prolonged struggles by making all five of his kicks, including all three field goals. Even on a breezy night inside Lambeau Field, Smack enjoyed a bounce-back performance -- even if only one of his five kicks was from over 40 yards (a 44-yard field goal). More importantly, Smack didn't let last week's issues bleed into a new opportunity. Against the Bears, his three misses cost the Packers seven points. On Sunday night, Smack's five converted kicks created 11 points in a 10-point win.

#field

The Green Bay Packers got a pair of first half touchdowns from Jordan Love to take a commanding lead, and Jonathan Gannon's aggressive defense confounded Dak Prescott the rest of the way, leading Matt LaFleur's team to a 23-13 win over the Dallas Cowboys on "Sunday Night Football" in Week 6. The Packers have now won three straight games since a 1-2 start.
Highlighting the good, the bad and the ugly coming out of the Packers' primetime win over the Cowboys:
The start on offense, and finish on defense: Jordan Love was picked off on Green Bay's second possession, but the Packers offense scored on three of the four first-half drives, all gaining at least 70 yards. The long, time-consuming drives helped the Packers keep the Dallas offense on the sideline and build a 17-0 lead at the half. But when the Packers offense sputtered over the final 30 minutes, Jonathan Gannon's defense had answers, producing a pair of stops on fourth down in the fourth quarter. The garbage time touchdown meant little. The Packers ended up holding the Cowboys to only 13 points, a winning performance 10 times out of 10.
Love under pressure: Jordan Love's passer rating finished at 74.8, a pedestrian number in today's NFL, but drops drastically affected his final stat line, and Love was excellent when pressured. He found completions on 11 pressured dropbacks. Many of his best throws came on third down against pressure. The Packers started the game converting nine of the first 10 opportunities on third down.
The offensive line: Sunday night was a step backwards for the offensive line, which allowed Jordan Love to be pressured on 45.5 percent of his dropbacks, per Next Gen Stats, and paved the way for a lifeless run game that averaged 2.2 yards per carry. Love was sacked three times, and the Cowboys were credited with eight quarterback hits. In the run game, the Packers didn't have a designed run over six yards, and the three running backs combined to rush 20 times for 36 yards. Matt LaFleur wants to build continuity up front, but it's probably time to see what Kevin Zeitler can do at right guard, and there will be a decision to make on who starts at left guard between Laken Tomlinson and Aaron Banks next week.

#packers #jordan

Mike LaFleur is now 2-0 at SoFi Stadium in the 2026 season, his first leading the Arizona Cardinals.
The 18-16 victory of the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday didn't come by easy, but LaFleur got the best of Sean McVay by the time the clock hit zero.
Read more on what the Cardinals' head coach had to say in regards to the end of the game below.
The Cardinals were in control of the game for a large portion of the day.
However, the Rams' offense found life on their final drive. Quarterback Matthew Stafford was comfortable for the first time during the game. Wide receiver Puka Nacua found much of his production on the day here as well.

#lafleur #Rams #sofi

Packers news: Green Bay signs long-time WR to active roster appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Green Bay Packers made a move to bolster their wide receiver room on Monday, bringing up a familiar face from coach Matt LaFleur's team's practice squad. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Green Bay has called up receiver Bo Melton to the team's active 53-man roster. Melton has experimented at cornerback in the past and will join the Packers as a wide receiver.
Melton was drafted in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks and was briefly compared to Jaguars star Travis Hunter for his two-way play. He was signed off the Seahawks' practice squad in 2022 and has stuck with Green Bay as a backup. Melton had his best season that year with 16 catches for 218 yards and a touchdown. He has 29 receptions for 426 yards and two touchdowns in his Packers career.
Melton will join a team that is still reeling from a 39-22 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1. Green Bay failed to live up to LaFleur's standards against the Vikings and will soon look to rebound in a road game on September 20 against the New York Jets. LaFleur is squarely on the hot seat in some circles, and a loss to the Jets would start to make it feel even more uncomfortable.
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#green #packers #clutchpoints #live

The NFL, perhaps more than any other professional sports league, is built by its little moments — the numerous individual tiles inside the mosaic of 60 minutes of Sunday football.
The little moment that might have stood out the brightest from the Arizona Cardinals' 26-14 upset win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday wasn't necessarily Jeremiyah Love's or Trey McBride's first touchdowns of the year.
It might not have even been the sight of new head coach Mike LaFleur, fighting off emotion on the sideline while calling for victory formation, as he became the first non-interim Cardinals coach to win his first game since Don Coryell did so in 1973.
It was a moment following a poor play in the fourth quarter. With under five minutes to play, a third-and-short pass play saw QB Jacoby Brissett run out of both time and room, forcing him out of bounds behind the line of scrimmage.
As Brissett walked off the field, LaFleur — animatedly — took responsibility, offering a "my bad" to his quarterback.

#sunday #cardinals #brissett

Matt LaFleur spent his entire offseason promising Green Bay Packers would finally learn how to finish games. Sunday in Minneapolis put that promise to the test immediately. The Packers built a healthy second-half lead, the same type of cushion that slipped away repeatedly last season, and it vanished again. What happened next, both on the field and in the press conference that followed, left fans furious.
Green Bay looked in control for most of Sunday's opener at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Packers led 22-10 in the third quarter behind Jordan Love, who threw for 387 yards and two touchdowns. Then everything unraveled. Minnesota Vikings scored 29 unanswered points in the second half, turning a comfortable lead into a 39-22 defeat.
The turning point came in the fourth quarter. With Green Bay up 25-17 after a penalty wiped a Vikings field goal off the board, LaFleur chose to go for it on fourth-and-1 instead of taking the points. Love was stopped on a quarterback sneak, and Minnesota took over on downs. The Vikings never let go from there.
Sep 12, 2021; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur during the first half against the New Orleans Saints at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Love was sacked four times after halftime, lost a fumble and threw a tipped interception during the fourth-quarter collapse. Twelve Packers penalties for 98 yards, several on Minnesota's go-ahead drive, compounded the damage.

#lafleur #half

Packers news: Will Jordan Love survive Green Bay's o-line? Dan Orlovsky has concerns appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
After allowing 22 unanswered points in the fourth quarter on Sunday, the Green Bay Packers suffered a 39-22 Week 1 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. While there were some bright spots throughout the contest, one notable weakness was the pass protection. It was so poor that former quarterback turned NFL ***** yst Dan Orlovsky revealed he's concerned about Jordan Love for the rest of the season.
During ESPN's pregame show for "Monday Night Football," Orlovsky implored that the Packers' offensive line has to improve. If not, the club's 27-year-old signal-caller may not survive the 2026-27 campaign.
"He won't survive," Orlovsky said. "This offensive line, if they don't get better, [Jordan Love] won't survive. The only reason it's even a game is because he was sensational early on. I mean, just unbelievable throw after unbelievable throw… I think the most concerning thing is it was, overall, team-wise, [a] very undisciplined performance… [A] divisional opponent that [Matt] LaFleur and them should know better.
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#green #clutchpoints

Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur says he's open to making changes to an offensive line that had no answers for Minnesota's furious pass rush during another fourth-quarter collapse.
But he noted the importance of settling on a starting five soon to build cohesiveness. Green Bay's offensive line was a major concern throughout training camp, in part because injuries prevented the projected starters from working together very often.
"Whatever we do, we need to make sure that we find continuity as quickly as possible," LaFleur said Monday, a day after the Packers' 39-22 loss to the Vikings. "I think that's part of the problem, is we've had a lot of guys in and out of the lineup. I'm not making excuses. It is what it is. You've got to find a way to get it done.
"But I do think the more guys play together, typically the better they play together."
The offensive line's failings played a major role in Green Bay blowing a 22-10 lead, continuing a habit that haunted the Packers last season.

#making

The Seattle Seahawks are 1-0, so it's time to start scouting their next opponent.
The Arizona Cardinals shocked the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1 with a 26-14 win in which Mike LaFleur became the franchise's first non-interim head coach to win their first game in charge. The matchup was projected as one of the opening week's most lopsided in favor of Jim Harbaugh and Los Angeles, who were coming off an 11-6 record in 2025. Los Angeles made the playoffs and lost to the eventual AFC champion New England Patriots in the Wild Card round, albeit without either of their starting offensive tackles—Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt—who were both expected to boost the offense upon their return this season. Arizona's defense had other ideas, and became one of the biggest surprises of any unit across Week 1's Sunday slate, while their offense simply looked more talented and outplayed LA with complementary football. That's what the Seahawks will be looking for in Week 2.
The Cardinals defense played with an energy that stifled Justin Herbert and new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, who only held the ball for 51 plays and 22:29. Arizona ran 21 more plays and had the ball for 15:02 more of the game (more than an entire quarter?!) When watching this game, the attitude from Arizona's defense seemed to disregard the stature of its opponent. LaFleur retained defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, who Phoenix-based sports radio host John Gambadoro credits for helping set the temperature.
It's easy to see Rallis' results. The intensity of the defense that showed up on tape is just as evident on paper. His Cardinals defense ranks second to last in blitz rate so far this season, yet they held McDaniel and Herbert to a measly 2-for-8 on third downs and 0-for-3 on fourth downs. Their front seven was far more formidable than the Chargers on the day, producing 17 pressures on 55 snaps while LA could only muster 12 on 75 opportunities. On the flipside, the Cardinals' offensive line has been projected as their downfall this season. The Seahawks have a clear opportunity to establish their presence as a physically dominant team if they kill the Cardinals momentum. This will be the game for elite run blockers like AJ Barner and run stoppers like Uchenna Nwosu to put the new age film community on watch.
Offensive talent is far from the problem in Arizona. Trey McBride is the best tight end in football. They've got two running backs in Jeremiyah Love and Tyler Allgeier who can both be a problem for any team. Marvin Harrison Jr. was a matchup nightmare against the Seahawks last season. In Week 3, he had one of the best battles against Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen of any wide receiver all year. When partnered with a seasoned veteran quarterback with a quick release, they were able to make life easy on their OL. Jacoby Brissett looked like at least an average starting QB, completing 27/37 passes for a respectable 73.0% completion rate while taking only 1 sack on 39 dropbacks. Loo

GREEN BAY – Even before he took 3 points off the board for a fourth-and-1 attempt in the fourth quarter, Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur was antsy about how much he was using rookie kicker Trey Smack.
The modern NFL has provided touchdowns over field goals. In a road environment, LaFleur was acutely aware of how much his offense was settling for field goals.
"Anytime in this league, if you kick enough field goals," LaFleur said, "you're able to get beat. That's essentially what happened. We kicked too many field goals when we had opportunities. We didn't take advantage of short fields at times."
By the fourth quarter, the Packers twice had settled for a field goal after reaching the red zone. That doesn't include a drive before halftime that started on Minnesota's 36-yard line that resulted in no points, mostly because of penalties.
When Smack connected on a 40-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, his fourth of the game, the Packers had only an 8-point lead. Smack's missed extra point after the Packers' opening touchdown in the first quarter in part prevented the field goal from making it a two-possession lead, but so did the lack of red zone efficiency.

#packers #fourth #goals #green

Whatever could go wrong, did go wrong for the Packers late in Sunday's collapse against the Minnesota Vikings, as defensive coordinator Brian Flores exploited every possible weakness in Green Bay's offensive line in a fourth quarter barrage of pressure.
While it was Flores' cacophony of exotic blitz concepts executed by Vikings edge rushers that flew to the football, and Packers quarterback Jordan Love that torpedoed Matt LaFleur's squad, Green Bay can take some solace to build on from a dismal 39-22 loss.
Sep 13, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (9) reacts after the loss against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
The Packers entered this season banking on Christian Watson and Matthew Golden each making substantial leaps at the top of the depth chart at wide reciever, and the duo did exactly that on Sunday in Minneapolis.
Watson led the charge for the Packers' offense, catching six passes for 147 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while Golden pulled down six of his 12 targets for 95 yards.

#minnesota

As you know, football fans from every team, whether they're emotionally stable after a game or not, can grab a keyboard or camera and share their feelings with the world. That's bad news this Monday, after the first Sunday of the NFL season, for Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and the officials who called the Vikings-Packers stunner in Minneapolis.
The Vikings trailed 22-10 before scoring 29 unanswered points in a 39-22 victory. LaFleur is getting torched by the fan base because second-half collapses have become a trend since last December, and the officials are taking heat after calling 13 penalties on the Packers and only three on the Vikings.
The purpose of this article isn't to break down whether the refs got it right or wrong. We did that right here. We're just here today to showcase some of the most unhinged Packers fan reactions. Enjoy!
Annie Agar, one of the more famous Packers fans, wants everyone fired and the refs "thrown in jail." It's satire, of course, but her angry reaction reflects how most Packers fans feel.
"Without the freak turnovers and terrible reffing – which might have been intentional punishment for knocking out Kyler Murray, this team smokes the Vikings 99 times out of 100," a Reddit user who goes by DrLuny wrote.

#packers #Vikings #fans #right

Coming into the season, everyone thought the NFC West would be a dogfight. With the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams, the division features the defending Super Bowl champions and the current favorites to win it all. The San Francisco 49ers are also legitimate contenders, especially after dominating the Rams in Week 1.
What few people expected was the Rams being in last place after the first week of the season. With their 27-7 loss to the 49ers, paired with wins by the Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals, the Rams are the only winless team in the division.
The Cardinals' double-digit win over the Chargers was particularly shocking, as former Rams OC Mike LaFleur led his new team to a 26-14 win on the road over Los Angeles. Perhaps the Cardinals won't be the easy out many people thought they would be.
It's only one week, but this certainly wasn't the way the Rams expected to start the season, sitting in the basement of the West.
49ers: 1-0

#west #division

Happy Monday, everyone!
The Cardinals overcame being a 8.5-point underdog to stun the Chargers at home 26-14 on Sunday afternoon. All three phases of the team outplayed their Los Angeles counterparts and it all ended in a huge first win for head coach Mike LaFleur.
With that said, let's continue the good vibes in the comments below! Let us know how you're feeling after the win and go ahead and share any and all remaining thoughts from yesterday's big victory!
Recapping the Cardinals' improbable win over the Chargers (AZCardinals.com)
Josh Sweat got the last laugh in the end (AZCardinals.com)

#sunday

Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride will play with a refined passion in 2026. With the 2025 season in his rearview mirror and the Los Angeles Chargers ahead, McBride is hoping that his passion and premier pass-catching can spark the beginning of a new chapter for the franchise.
The Chargers lost defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who moved on to a head coaching position with the Baltimore Ravens. Still, Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. is on the roster and his skillset poses a significant opposition for McBride. Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur still has plans on making McBride the focus of the team offense and it'll come down to pure will to determine whether or not McBride can muscle up.
The Cardinals seem to have a competent offensive personnel group at the skills positions but time will tell how their offensive line fares in 2026. Play-action and the quick passing game are both strategies where LaFleur and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett are likely to call on McBride's jersey number. McBride is quick and physical, plus his route running makes him a mismatch for most opposing linebackers and safeties.
Ultimately, if the Cardinals are to stand a chance on Sunday, they will rely on their passing attack to propel the offense and that'll mean that McBride must be exceptionally magnificent. The Chargers allowed just 19.8 points per game in 2025, but without the mastermind of Minter, McBride might locate a few breaches that can be exploited.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple Podcasts.

#play #passion #coordinator

All signs appear to be pointing up for Jeremiyah Love ahead of Week 1.
The Arizona Cardinals rookie running back has participated in all three practice sessions this week, as he is now four weeks removed from suffering a high-ankle sprain on his left leg against the Las Vegas Raiders in preseason.
While Love was officially listed as limited on the first two days of practice this week, he did not appear to have any restrictions during the portions open to media. During those sessions, Love was able to cut off his injured ankle at speed, and participated in full-team jog-throughs, alternating with veteran running back Tyler Allgeier.
When asked before practice on Friday, Sept. 11, head coach Mike LaFleur did not commit to Love's status for Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
"Still got another good day of work today to figure that out," LaFleur said. "But he's trending well."

#love #lafleur #back

Packers running back Josh Jacobs will miss the first game of the season, and likely at least five more, after pleading no contest to misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property. His head coach remains in his corner.
Asked on Friday if the development changes his opinion of Jacobs, coach Matt LaFleur said it does not.
"Well, yeah, because I know the guy, and I know the character of the guy, so I've said it many times," LaFleur told reporters. "And unfortunately, situations occur in life and it's just an unfortunate situation."
LaFleur then was asked about the rationale for keeping Jacobs on the roster, given his plea.
"Yeah, I'm not, guys — I'm not gonna get into any of this until the league completes their investigation," LaFleur said.

#lafleur #yeah #packers #Friday

The chances of Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love making his NFL debut against the Chargers on Sunday are looking pretty strong.
Head coach Mike LaFleur said at a press conference that Love is "trending well" ahead of the team's final practice of the week. Love injured his ankle in the team's first preseason game and has been a limited participant in practice this week. The Cardinals will issue their last injury report after Friday's practice.
Love said on Thursday that he will "fight my hardest to be out there every game this season," but said he did not know where that would happen this weekend.
The Cardinals made Love the third overall pick in this year's draft. He'll share running back duties with Tyler Allgeier to kick off his time in the league.

#game #chargers

Packers news: What Matt LaFleur said about Josh Jacobs case after latest development appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
With Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs pleading no contest to his misdemeanor charges, the focus now is on the discipline he will receive from the NFL. As the football world wonders how the NFL will discipline the Packers running back in Jacobs, Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur spoke about his player regarding the recent developments.
Speaking to the media on Friday, LaFleur was asked if his opinion on Jacobs has changed after he took full responsibility for his actions, leading the coach to say "No" without hesitation. When asked a follow-up about why he feels that way, LaFleur would speak on knowing the "character" of Jacobs.
"Because I know the guy and I know the character of the guy, so I've said it many times, and unfortunately situations occur in life, and it's just an unfortunate situation," LaFleur said.
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#clutchpoints

The Green Bay Packers have become the NFC's Baltimore Ravens under head coach Matt LaFleur. They've found a way to stack winning regular seasons around an electric quarterback. Then, they crumble into powder in the postseason.
LaFleur is 76-40-1 in Weeks 1-18 and 3-6 in win-or-go-home playoff games. Jordan Love has advanced beyond the Wild Card round only once. His most recent postseason start saw a 21-3 halftime lead become a 31-27 Chicago Bears victory.
That leaves plenty to prove in 2026 and a roster loaded with holes. Wideouts Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks have departed. Josh Jacobs is on the exempt list as the league sorts out the domestic violence charges against him. Micah Parsons will miss at least the first four weeks of the season as he recovers from a torn ACL.
This year's Packers look like a diminished version of the one that stalked the NFC North in years past. What comes next?
Several new additions will have larger roles for the Packers, including linebacker Zaire Franklin and second round rookie cornerback Brandon Cisse. None may be able to provide more peace of mind than Smack if he can live up to his draft status.

#packers #become #postseason

The Los Angeles Rams were blown out by the San Francisco 49ers by a score of 27-7, losing in the NFL's first-ever game in Melbourne, Australia. Here are five observations from the embarrassing defeat.
One has to hope that the reason why the Rams played as awfully as they did was the travel. I do not share that hope. Sean McVay and Chris Shula got outclassed by Kyle Shanahan and Raheem Morris. Shanahan relied on his usual tactics of targeting the Rams' underbelly with the pass, while softening up their interior with the run. After enough times, Shanahan pulled the defense in to take the top off.
Morris knows McVay like the back of his championship hand. It was the second straight year that Morris outmaneuvered every attack McVay threw at him. It's not surprising that Morris is behind the Rams' two ugliest losses in recent memory.
This is a third straight year that Shanahan has run the same thing against Shula and succeeded. When both sides are at full strength, the Rams lose, and relying on a battle of attrition to beat the 49ers over the course of the season isn't exactly an awful move, but it's one that reeks of defeatism. The Rams were defeated decisively. Aaron Donald isn't fixing this.
LaFleur left for Arizona, and it appears he took the Rams' short passing attack with him. The offense could not move the ball through the air at all, and despite the addition of Kliff Kingsbury and the elevation of Nate Scheelhaase, the McVay offense was pedestrian.

#shula

PHOENIX – Despite finishing with a 4-13 record after the 2023 season, the Arizona Cardinals took a silver lining into the offseason, one that had the potential to set the foundation for a new era.
General manager Monti Ossenfort and then-head coach Jonathan Gannon had 11 draft picks to work with entering the 2024 NFL draft, and when all was said and done, the team came away with 12 total selections.
Two years later, that draft class is still trying to provide significant returns on the investment under first-year head coach Mike LaFleur.
Each member is also facing the scrutiny of being a third-year player, which is widely viewed as a make-or-break opportunity. Under the NFL collective bargaining agreement, decisions regarding fifth-year options for first-round picks, impending contract expiration for non-first-round picks and long-term contract extensions can not be made until after a player's third season.
Seven of the Cardinals' 2024 draft picks fell inside the first three rounds. Here is a breakdown of how each one has fared after two seasons, along with their status heading into the 2026 season, which begins Sunday in Los Angeles against the Chargers.

#draft #season #head

After examining the biggest causes for concern in the 2026 season, let's spin positive and discuss the reasons to be optimistic about the Green Bay Packers this year as they look to mount a Super Bowl bid.
Here are the five most important factors that should give fans confidence entering the new season:
Matt LaFleur said it best when asked for the umpteenth time this year what Love can do to take 'the next step' in 2026.
He replied with more than a hint of frustration: "I get so confused by that question every time because I think he's an elite player, so I don't know. I'll let you guys figure out what the next step is."
Green Bay's head coach said he knew Love was in that top tier of quarterbacks in the second half of 2023, which is certainly when it all seemed to click for him. After an injury-riddled 2024, Love set the benchmark for which his future seasons will be measured by in 2025.

#season #bowl

The Arizona Cardinals will play the Los Angeles Chargers this weekend to open the season. One big question facing them is whether rookie Jeremiyah Love will be able to play, as he has been dealing with a high ankle sprain.
There was good news on Monday.
Head coach Mike LaFleur expressed optimism that Love would be able to play, saying, "I feel good," when asked if he was optimistic that Love has a chance to play.
LaFleur tempered expectations a little, though.
"He was out there moving around today," he said. "We'll see on Wednesday. I will have a better idea for all those guys that I know you guys are going to ask about on Wednesday."

#guys #arizona #cardinals #angeles

The Arizona Cardinals start their 2026 regular season this week. They have selected new captains.
Head coach Mike LaFleur announced the team's 2026 captains, as voted on by the players.
The Cardinals have five captains — two on offense, two on defense and one on special teams.
QB Jacoby Brissett
C Hjalte Froholdt

#captains #jacoby