The final preseason game is in the books, so I’m working to get into regular season shape by doing what I love doing the most: breaking down plays. It’s never quite as interesting in the preseason because the focus of the offense isn’t on sequencing in the same way we see in the regular season. We don’t get to see how a particular play is built-up over the course of several games. But we got a really fun play this week that we’ll likely see as a pay-off at least once during the regular season. It also
involves my preseason crush, J. Michael Sturdivant (who I may have written about once or twice), so, legally, I have to write about it.
So, today, we’re looking at the 29 yard TD pass from Kyle McCord to J. Michael Sturdivant.
The Packers are in 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WR). They start in a 2×2 formation, but Will Sheppard [82] shifts before the snap, putting them in a Nub formation (three receivers to one side and the TE in-line as the only receiving option on the other side).
Kyle McCord [18] gives a play action flash-fake to Jaden Nixon [35], then turns left and pumps to the flat. To that side of the field, Isaiah Neyor [80] releases vertically on a post route, J. Michael Sturdivant [87] is showing a stalk-block and Sheppard is releasing to the flat underneath Sturdivant.
That action from Sturdivant and Sheppard triggers a response from Quinton Newsome [30]. Newsome is over Sturdivant in the slot, but the combination of stalk-block and flat release makes this look like a WR screen to the outside.
Instead, Sturdivant is running a stalk-and-go: fake the stalk block, then release vertically up the sideline.
Newsome plays this by splitting the difference. He’s playing on Sturdivant’s inside shoulder and trying to carry him on the route, while putting himself in position to drive down on Sheppard on the screen. With the boundary defender carrying Neyor on the post, Sturdivant easily gets past Newsome and McCord lays a beautiful ball up the sideline before the boundary defender can get back over to defend it.
McCord puts his whole body into this throw, man. And it’s a good one. Steps back away from pressure to buy the little extra time, then puts this on a line before the defender can get over the top.
This works because it plays off that common WR screen look. The Packers certainly aren’t the only team that runs it, but they run it enough for teams to react to it. It’s something that feels familiar, right up until it’s not.
Ultimately, this play helped both McCord and Sturdivant get jobs on active NFL rosters to start the 2026 regular season. Sturdivant made the Packers’ 53 as the 6th wide receiver (with Savion Williams going on injured reserve), while McCord found himself headed to Green Bay south after the Packers traded him to the Miami Dolphins for a future draft pick.
Albums listened to: Interpol – This Mirror Weighs a Ton; DMA’S – DMA’S
