The Green Bay Packers wrapped up their preseason with a crazy 42-38 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Friday night. Seriously, what a game to close things out! It was also the first time Matt LaFleur faced his brother Mike as NFL coaches. You know Matt’s got the bragging rights locked down for the next family dinner, and honestly, you gotta love that kind of family rivalry. With most starters chilling on the sidelines, this finale was all about the guys fighting tooth and nail for a roster spot before final cuts hit Sunday at 5:00 p.m. CT. And man, did some players deliver.
Edge Rushers Came to Play
You want to make an impression? Take a look at Green Bay’s edge rushers. Dani Dennis-Sutton, their fourth-round pick, missed the first two preseason games with a heat-related illness, but he showed up huge on his very first defensive drive. The Cardinals’ offensive line completely blew a stunt, and Dennis-Sutton sliced right through the right tackle and guard to sack Gardner Minshew for a 10-yard loss. That play absolutely forced Arizona into a long third down, making them settle for a field goal a few plays later. He didn’t stop there either, tying for the team-high with four pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. Talk about making up for lost time!
But the real showstopper? Nyjalik Kelly. The dude had a pick, a sack, and three tackles for loss. He picked off Kedon Slovis after defensive tackle Jaden Crumedy brought immediate pressure, giving the offense a short field to tie the game 17-17 in the second quarter. Later, he beat the left tackle for another sack on Slovis, forcing a third-and-16. Oh, and he also took down running back Tre Stewart for a loss of six yards behind the line of scrimmage. This was an epic encore after his three pressures and a sack last week against the Broncos. Kelly is the highest-paid undrafted free agent in team history, and after that performance, he’s a top candidate to extend Green Bay’s wild 21-year streak of keeping at least one undrafted rookie on the initial roster.
Offensive Fireworks and Roster Locks
The offense had its moments too, especially with quarterback Kyle McCord playing the entire game. That’s a pretty strong hint Tyrod Taylor is definitely the backup quarterback. But McCord made it interesting, completing 65.2 percent of his passes for 447 yards and four touchdowns throughout the preseason. What’s wild is that 226 of those yards and 100 percent of his touchdowns came Friday night against Arizona! If he doesn’t get snatched up by another team, he’s exactly the kind of guy you want as your practice squad QB.
Then there’s J. Michael Sturdivant. The undrafted rookie wide receiver from Florida absolutely lit it up, finishing with a game-high 112 yards on six receptions. He orchestrated a rapid two-play, 65-yard scoring drive in the second quarter, hauling in a 36-yard catch over the middle, immediately followed by a 29-yard touchdown catch downfield. In a game where backup wide receivers were trying to outshine each other, Sturdivant was easily the best of the bunch.
What a way to end the preseason! With roster cuts due incredibly soon, these guys laid it all out on the field. Every single play counted, every tackle, every catch. These performances weren’t just about winning a preseason game, they were about earning a job. Now, we wait to see who made the cut, and who gets a shot to prove themselves in the regular season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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