Packers close preseason by beating Ravens 30-7 as both teams rest their top players

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers’ kicking competition is going down to the wire.

Greg Joseph improved his chances of unseating incumbent Anders Carlson by making a 55-yard field goal and a 36-yarder Saturday and the Packers beat the Baltimore Ravens 30-7 in a preseason finale without most of the starters from either team.

Carlson made a 54-yarder in the first quarter but pushed a 32-yarder wide right in the final period.

“We’ll wait and see,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said about the kicking competition after the game.

After Carlson struggled as a rookie last season, the Packers brought in Joseph to compete with him. Joseph has played for the Cleveland Browns (2018), Tennessee Titans (2019) and Minnesota Vikings (2021-23).

“I’ve controlled what I can control,” Joseph said. “Anything further, it’s no point in losing sleep over because it’s out of my control.”

Both teams rested their top players to make sure they stayed as healthy as possible for the start of the regular season. The Ravens still got some bad luck with running back Owen Wright breaking his foot and center Nick Samac also getting carted off the field.

Not PARSE.LY: Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens looked better defensively last week, but now Roquan Smith’s injury is a concern

 

Ravens’ Jackson, Chargers’ Herbert will take center stage once Harbaugh Bowl kicks off Monday night

 

AFC standouts meet when Herbert, Chargers host Jackson’s Ravens on Monday night

 

Samac, a rookie seventh-round pick from Michigan State, had been getting some first-team reps in camp while 2023 Pro Bowler Tyler Linderbaum deals with a neck issue.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh expressed confidence after the game that Linderbaum and tight end Mark Andrews, who got hurt in a car accident last week, will be ready for the start of the regular season.

With most starters staying on the sidelines, this final exhibition game was a showcase for players attempting to win jobs. NFL teams are required to cut their rosters to 53 players by Tuesday.

Green Bay’s Arron Mosby made a case for himself by getting a strip-sack that resulted in a touchdown and intercepting a pass on consecutive series. Kristian Welch intercepted a pass for a second straight week. Ellis Merriweather, Nate McCrary and Emanuel Wilson combined for 190 yards rushing.

The Packers could need one of those running backs to contribute early on behind Josh Jacobs because AJ Dillon is dealing with a stinger and rookie third-round pick MarShawn Lloyd has a hamstring injury, leaving their status uncertain for the start of the season.

In the competition to back up Green Bay starting quarterback Jordan Love, Sean Clifford went 6 of 14 for 53 yards with a touchdown to Malik Heath. Rookie seventh-round pick Michael Pratt was 8 of 12 for 80 yards with a touchdown to Bo Melton and a pass that Baltimore’s Trenton Simpson intercepted.

“I think it’s similar to the kicking competition in terms of there were some really good moments and then there were some things we absolutely have to do better, and then we’ll evaluate everything that’s out there for us,” LaFleur said.

With reigning MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson resting, Baltimore’s Josh Johnson was 5 of 7 for 71 yards with a 48-yard touchdown completion to Tylan Wallace. Rookie sixth-round selection Devin Leary went 6 of 13 for 34 yards with two interceptions and a fumble.

Baltimore did play some potential starters on an offensive line that has undergone plenty of upheaval, with Andrew Vorhees at left guard, Daniel Faalele at right guard and Roger Rosengarten at right tackle. The Ravens lost guards Kevin Zeitler to the Detroit Lions and John Simpson to the New York Jets in free agency, and they traded right tackle Morgan Moses to the Jets.

The Ravens also started rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins, a first-round pick who had hurt his shoulder in Baltimore’s preseason opener and didn’t play against the Atlanta Falcons last week.

“He’s had a heck of a camp,” Harbaugh said. “He’s definitely everything we thought he was. Not that he can’t get better, because he can and I’m sure he will, because he works at it. He’s going to be counted on heavily this year for us.”

But the biggest plays were delivered by guys battling for those final roster spots.

Mosby, whose only three games of NFL experience came with Carolina in 2022, made the biggest play when he sacked Leary and knocked the ball backward. Anthony Johnson Jr. recovered the fumble at the Baltimore 24 — 28 yards behind the line of scrimmage — and raced into the end zone.

On Baltimore’s next series, Mosby intercepted Leary’s pass.

Now he waits to see if he did enough to make the team.

“You never know how these 72 hours go,” Mosby said. “If it’s here or somewhere else, you’ve always got to be ready.”

UP NEXT

Ravens: Open the regular season Sept. 5 with a Thursday night game at Kansas City.

Packers: Begin the regular season Sept. 6 with a Friday game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Sao Paulo, Brazil.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl