In the overtime win against the Jets many would give the defensive team a lot of credit for how the Packers were able to come out of the game with a win. Specifically the 2023 first round draft pick Lukas Van Ness was a standout in this game and continues to prove himself after a quiet couple of years.
Last game Van Ness totalled up ten total tackles, 1.5 sacks, three tackles for loss, and four hits on the quarterback. This gained a lot of attention from a lot of coaches especially head coach Matt Lafleur who said this might be one of the best games he's seen out of him.
“He’s really coming into his own,” LaFleur said in a post game press conference. “We’ve seen it all offseason, we’ve even seen it last year he was just injured so much. He can be a very impactful player for us.”
The coaches weren't the only ones that were impressed with Van Ness’s game. Jordan Love couldn’t help but see how good Van Ness played and how it helped the offense get in better field position.
“He made some huge plays, obviously some sacks,” Love said. “He’s flying all over the field…they’re the reason they kept us in the game.”
After the game Van Ness spoke with the media about the game and how it felt to win.
“I laid it all out there for the team,” Van Ness said. “More than anything I just had a lot of fun today. It feels good to get rewarded with that W.”
During the offseason the Packers gave Van Ness a fifth-year option, a contractual deal that is given to the first-rounders that allows the team to extend the usual four-year contract to five. Having quiet first three seasons the Packers fans were wanting to see more from him.
“I’ve always maintained belief in myself, I know what I’m capable of,” Van Ness said about the pressure he’s felt. “All I care about is the people in the locker room and the building, and just continue to progress every single day.”
During the offseason he spoke to the media about how he wants to get back to having fun playing football and how he was starting to feel that again.
“My goal for this year is just getting back to really having fun with football and just enjoying it,” Van Ness said. “Im just having a lot of fun, you saw a little bit of that today.”
And it is obvious that after two good games Van Ness is definitely feeling good out there. He currently is tied 6th for sacks this year and seems to be on a good path to do even better things for the Packers.
