On a shortened field in Canada as the Green Bay Packers lost to the Raiders in Preseason Week 3, who were the big-time performers for Matt LaFleur’s team?
The NFL’s first trip to Canada since 2013 was supposed to be great fun as the Green Bay Packers and Oakland Raiders faced off in Winnipeg. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a bit of a debacle. Poor field conditions in the end zone led to the two teams playing their Week 3 preseason contest on a truncated 80-yard field and making everything seem a bit wonky overall.
Also due to the field conditions, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur decided to rest 33 players against the Raiders, including all of their starters. That most likely contributed to the 22-21 loss that Green Bay suffered.
Unfortunately, the Packers depth took some hits due to injury in this game. Rashan Gary, Curtis Bolton and Equanimeous St. Brown all left the game hurt and the latter seems to have suffered a serious ankle injury. That’s not what you want to see at this point of the preseason, especially to guys that could be key contributors.
Despite those circumstances, though, several players still showed up big against the Raiders. These are the three standout performers for the Green Bay Packers in Week 3 of the preseason — but first, some players that just missed out.
Notable Omissions
Darrius Shepherd continued his strong preseason effort on Thursday night. The wide receiver that has been a standout for most of camp and the exhibition games to this point notched three receptions for 40 yards and had a nice 15-yard punt return. His stock continues to rise.
It was a nice night at the office for second-year cornerback Josh Jackson. The 2018 second-round pick was strong in coverage throughout the night, breaking up a couple of passes in coverage and generally being a nuisance to the Raiders offense.
While none of the running backs that played were particularly great, Tra Carson out-performed Dexter Williams on Thursday as he had nine carries for 32 yards and a touchdown. The battle for the third running back spot stays tightly contested after Carson’s performance, which is notable.