GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Finding a reliable kicker was one of the Green Bay Packers’ main objectives throughout training camp.
Four weeks into the season, that remains an issue.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur says he continues to believe in rookie Brayden Narveson, who already has missed four field-goal attempts. That doesn’t include a missed 48-yarder against Tennessee that got nullified by a penalty.
Narveson missed both his field-goal tries Sunday in a 31-29 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. He bounced a 37-yard attempt off the right upright and sent a 49-yarder wide right as Green Bay fell behind 28-0 in the first half.
“It hurts,” Narveson said. “But I’ve just got to look (at) myself in the mirror, go back to the drawing board and be better.”
The Packers (2-2) had one of the most stable kicking situations for a generation with Mason Crosby, a 2007 sixth-round draft pick who held the job until 2022 and set the franchise scoring record.
Green Bay moved on from the aging Crosby a year ago by drafting Anders Carlson out of Auburn in the sixth round. After Carlson capped an inconsistent rookie season by missing a 41-yard field goal in a playoff loss at San Francisco, the Packers opened up the kicking competition.
Carlson competed with veteran Greg Joseph throughout training camp. The Packers decided against keeping either and instead claimed Narveson off waivers from Tennessee after he went 6 of 7 on field-goal attempts with a long of 59 in the preseason for the Titans.
Narveson has made 69.2% of his field-goal attempts without having a single try from 50 yards or beyond. He is only 3 of 6 from at least 40 yards away.
In the meantime, Joseph has gone 5 of 6 in two games with the New York Giants, including a 5-of-5 performance last week in a 20-15 loss to Dallas.
LaFleur maintained his confidence in Narveson after Sunday's game by saying he “won’t blink if we have to put him out there in another situation.” LaFleur said Monday that Narveson's practice performance provides reason for that optimism.
“I get it, though," LaFleur added. “You've got to perform, and we expect him to make those kicks as well. We’ve got to make sure that we get that production and make sure that his routine is right, and he’s got to be able to self-correct as well. If you miss one, you’ve got to make sure that you don’t make the same mistake twice."
What’s working
The Packers continue to force turnovers at a remarkable rate. They had three more takeaways on Sunday to increase their season total to an NFL-leading 12.
The Packers clearly have a productive downfield passing attack when Jordan Love is healthy. Love has thrown for 649 yards and six touchdowns in his two starts and had a career-high 389 yards Sunday.
Green Bay’s 465 total yards represented a season high.
What needs work
The Packers committed four turnovers Sunday after totaling just two in their first three games. Love has thrown four interceptions in his two games.
Green Bay’s defense allowed the Vikings to score touchdowns on each of their first three possessions.
The Packers committed eight penalties Sunday and are averaging 8 1/2 per game. Only Houston, Baltimore and Miami are getting penalized more often.
Stock up
Safety Xavier McKinney has intercepted a pass in each of his four games as a Packers player. According to Elias Sports Bureau, the only other players since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger to intercept passes in each of their first four games with a team are Buffalo’s Ken Lee (1972), the New York Giants’ Terry Jackson (1978) and the New York Jets’ Otis Smith (1995).
Wide receiver Jayden Reed had seven catches on eight targets for 139 yards and a touchdown. He has 17 catches for 336 yards with three total touchdowns (2 receiving, 1 rushing) this season.
Punter Daniel Whelan averaged 60 yards on his three punts, including a career-long 74-yarder. That’s the best single-game average with at least three punts by any Packers player since Boyd Dowler averaged 62 yards against San Francisco in 1963. Whelan had a net punting average of 56.7, the best by any NFL punter with at least three attempts since Seattle’s Michael Dickson averaged 57.5 on six punts against Denver in 2018.
Stock down
Narveson’s two misses proved critical in a two-point loss.
Cornerbacks Eric Stokes and Corey Ballentine both struggled early in the game as the Packers played without injured CBs Jaire Alexander and Carrington Valentine.
Injuries
Wide receiver Christian Walker and defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt left with ankle injuries. LaFleur said Monday that “I would assume (Watson) would be probably be out most likely at least a week or so.”
Key number
4 — McKinney is one of only four players since 2000 to have an interception in each of his first four games in a season. The others were Minnesota’s Brian Russell in 2003, New England’s Devin McCourty in 2019 and Dallas’ Trevon Diggs in 2021.
Next steps
The Packers visit the Los Angeles Rams (1-3) on Sunday. This will be the fourth straight year they face off in the regular season, and the Packers have won each of the previous three meetings.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Steve Megargee, The Associated Press
