Packers PFF grades: Best, worst players from preseason win over Broncos

The Green Bay Packers bounced back from a preseason-opening loss in Pittsburgh with a convincing 33-13 win over the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High on Friday night.

Who played well and who struggled for Matt LaFleur's team in Denver?

Based on grades from Pro Football Focus, here are the best and worst players from the Packers’ preseason win over the Broncos:

• OL Josh Gesky: 94.3
• WR Matthew Golden: 82.6
• QB Jordan Love: 81.7
• OL Travis Glover: 79.2
• RB MarShawn Lloyd: 75.3

Gesky made the most of his 13 snaps at right guard, producing an elite run block grade of 91.5 while allowing zero pressures. Golden caught his only pass, a conversion on fourth down in traffic, and he drew a pass interference penalty. Love efficiently led a touchdown drive to open the game (more on his performance later). Glover gave up a pressure, but he was excellent in the run game, earning a 82.9 run block grade. Lloyd caught an 11-yard touchdown pass on third down, and he forced two missed tackles while gaining 17 yards after first contact, including a third down run where he went through a tackler to get to the sticks.

• DL Jonathan Ford: 92.5
• LB Nick Niemann: 91.6
• S Mark Perry: 84.5
• LB Kristian Welch: 82.0
• EDGE Brenton Cox Jr.: 80.2

Ford produced three hurries over nine pass-rushing snaps, earning an elite 93.9 pass-rushing grade. Niemann made three tackles, including a stop, and earned a 85.1 grade against the run. Perry had an interception, the highlight play for the defense. Welch was in on five tackles without a miss, and he produced a pressure. Cox had a pressure and a run stop over 15 snaps.

• OL Brant Banks: 39.8
• OL Donovan Jennings: 41.3
• WR Kisean Johnson: 43.4
• QB Tyrod Taylor: 44.9
• OL Anthony Belton: 49.3

Banks gave up a third down sack and struggled as a run blocker. Jennings gave up two pressures, including a quarterback hit, and like Banks, struggled blocking in the run game. Johnson had a drop, and his 15 routes run resulted in two targets and 0 receiving yards. Taylor struggled under pressure and completed only four passes for 17 yards. Belton gave up a hurry and wasn't effective in the run game over 46 snaps, all at right tackle.

• EDGE Arden Walker: 37.3
• S Xavier McKinney: 42.1
• LB Edgerrin Cooper: 45.1
• DL Nazir Stackhouse: 49.7
• CB Jaylin Simpson: 50.4

Walker had a hurry and a missed tackle over 12 snaps in his Packers debut. McKinney was charged with giving up Jaylen Waddle's 35-yard catch on the opening drive. Cooper gave up a 21-yard touchdown pass to a running back on the opening drive. Stackhouse did little against the run and didn't have a pressure over 12 pass-rushing snaps. Simpson earned a poor run defense grade while also giving up two completions.

Nick Niemann earned a near elite special teams grade of 87.4; he didn't have a tackle but was in on several important blocks on returns. Kristian Welch had a tackle and an assist. TJ Quinn and Arron Mosby both made two tackles covering kicks or punts. Ty'Ron Hopper had a penalty. Trey Smack made all seven of his kicks, including two field goals over 50 yards, although he did have two touchbacks on kickoffs. The Packers earned an excellent special teams grade of 81.7 overall.

• Jordan Love: 81.7
• Tyrod Taylor: 44.9
• Kyle McCord: 66.5

Love led a scoring drive by completing 5-of-7 passes, including a fourth down conversion and a third down touchdown pass to MarShawn Lloyd. Taylor's nine dropbacks included a touchdown pass, but he managed only 17 passing yards while under heavy pressure. McCord was solid and efficient again, completing 12 of 19 passes, and he had a big-time throw. Packers receivers dropped three of his passes, so his adjusted completion percentage was 83.3.

One week after getting shredded by the Steelers backup quarterbacks, the Packers second- and third-stringers fared far better against Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger, allowing only 11 completions for 93 yards to the duo. Mark Perry intercepted Stidham before halftime, and Stidham and Ehlinger were under pressure on nine of 23 dropbacks.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers PFF grades: Best, worst players from preseason win over Broncos