From First Down to Third Down to Touchdown for Kraft

DETROIT – On second-and-2 from the Lions’ 10-yard line, Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur called what he thought was a successful running play to AJ Dillon.

Instead, Dillon was marked down at the 9. LaFleur was fuming. He ran all the way down the sideline to the 10 to talk to the official.

“That was an interesting dynamic,” LaFleur explained. “So, I was told that we got the first down. And, obviously, they said they marked him short.”

LaFleur had already called a play for first-and-goal at the 8. He decided to stick with it on third-and-1 from the 9.

“I was confident with it as a third-down call, as well,” he said. “It was one of those deals where if I didn’t like the play-call, you would have to use a timeout in that situation. But I felt comfortable with the call and those guys, they made it work.”

Rookie tight end Tucker Kraft really made it work.

He lined up on the right side of the formation against the Lions’ best defender, Aidan Hutchinson. Kraft initially engaged Hutchinson as if it was a running play. After perhaps a half-second of run blocking, Kraft pulled Hutchinson past him and slipped into the route.

He was all alone at the 5 for an easy touchdown.

For Kraft, the third-round pick who got the start with Luke Musgrave on injured reserve with a kidney injury, it was his first career touchdown.

“I was very excited,” Kraft said. “As soon as the play was over, though, I was getting back to three-point stance, blocking gap scheme [for the extra point]. Next-play mentality, take care of business, one snap at a time. That’s kind of my mentality moving forward is just play in the present, don’t wait on the next play, don’t worry about the past play, be where my feet are.”

That mindset persisted after the game.