GREEN BAY − The NFL’s fine report brought a little clarity to one Packers hit and a little surprise to another.
Edge Lukas Van Ness was docked $17,911, but not for the play most people would have circled from Week 1. The league fined him for a “blow to the head or neck” on backup Carson Wentz in the third quarter of the Packers’ 39-22 loss at U.S. Bank Stadium, not for the collision involving Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray.
That earlier sequence came in the first quarter, when Murray scrambled, cut near the sideline and went to the ground without a legs-first slide. Packers nickel slot Javon Bullard was flagged for unnecessary roughness after coming in low from the front, dropping his shoulder and colliding with the side of Murray’s head.
Van Ness was also involved, chasing from behind and slapping Murray on the side of the head as he reached out to make the tackle. Murray’s helmet came off on the play before Bullard made contact.
The fine, though, landed on the later hit. According to the NFL’s report, Van Ness was penalized for a hit on the quarterback at 11 minutes, 13 seconds of the third quarter.
He did make contact with Wentz’s helmet, but the play did not appear as severe as the earlier Murray collision. The league still assessed the full amount for the head contact.
The Packers had another player fined, too. Safety Evan Williams was hit with a $7,087 fine for unnecessary roughness after striking the back of wide receiver Justin Jefferson. The league could have taken the fine up to $17,911 for a hit on a defenseless player, but did not.
Defensive tackle Chris McClellan avoided a fine for his hit on Wentz. On the field, McClellan was ruled to have roughing the passer for landing with all his weight on the quarterback, but replay showed he braced himself on the way down, which likely kept the league from adding a financial penalty.
These were the first two fines the Packers have received since the start of the exhibition season.
In Other News...
Packers Suddenly Have An Early Problem Fans Cant Ignore
Week 1 gave the Packers an early snapshot that was hard to shrug off. In a broader look at several opening-week performances around the NFL, Green Bays offense drew attention for the wrong reasons, with the offensive line and running game both showing issues that could quickly become more than a one-week annoyance if they linger.
For a team that expected to come out of September with some clarity on who it is offensively, the concern is less about overreacting to one Sunday and more about how the pieces fit together from here. Opening-week concerns can fade, but when the front five and the ground game both look out of sync, it leaves the Packers with an early problem fans cannot ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Get Reassuring News On Rookie Corner Before Jets Game
Brandon Cisses week got a lot calmer after a shaky opening night. The Packers rookie cornerback is off the injury report now after dealing with cramps that forced him out of the season opener, a notable development for a secondary that could use all the stability it can get heading into Week 2 against the Jets.
Cisse was back for a full practice and is expected to have a significant role on Sunday after starting last game and playing 49 defensive snaps before leaving. For Green Bay, the encouraging part is not just that he seems ready to go, but that the rookie who was already trusted in the starting lineup appears set to resume that responsibility without any lingering concern. [Read more 🡒]
Packers History Makes One No. 74 Choice Feel Impossible To Debate
Green Bays history with No. 74 is deeper than most jersey numbers, but one name rises to the top almost immediately. Henry Jordan wore it while anchoring the defensive line during the Vince Lombardi era, and his rsum with the Packers is about as decorated as it gets: five NFL championships, multiple Pro Bowl nods and First-Team All-Pro recognition. For a franchise that has leaned so heavily on legacy, that kind of resume gives No. 74 a clear standard to live up to.
Aaron Kampman and Roger Zatkoff also left their mark in the number, giving the jersey a broader lineage than just one era. Kampman brought production and consistency to a later generation, while Zatkoff added his own place in the Packers old-school history. Even so, when the conversation turns to the best player ever to wear 74 in Green Bay, the weight of what Jordan accomplished makes the choice feel awfully hard to argue with. [Read more 🡒]