Your Weekly Packers News Update

We’ve sorted through dozens of articles about the Packers’ latest news, game results, rosters, rumors and other info that’s important to the team and to you. Check it out! 

By AtoZ SPORTS
Wendell Ferreira

Packers passed a valuable test in win over Seahawks, and it could pay off later this season

The first half was certainly more effective and stress-free than the second, but the Green Bay Packers beat the Seattle Seahawks 30-13 at Lumen Field, improving to 10-4 and basically clinching a playoff spot in the NFC — even though it’s not mathematically secured yet.

Tough environment, good test

Right before the game, NBC’s analyst Cris Collinsworth shared an excellent point. The Packers will make the playoffs, but it will be as a wild card team. To win the Super Bowl, they will have to win multiple road games. So it’s huge for them to get used to these tough places like Lumen Field.

And that’s exactly what the Packers did on Sunday night. The atmosphere of the game made it really look like a playoff game, and the young roster was unfazed for most of the time.

Overall, the offense slowed down in the second half. Part of that was because Mike Macdonald had some good adjustments to stop the run, which the Seahawks did much more effectively after halftime, and part was because Matt LaFleur was extremely conservative with his decision-making.

But the Packers had some big plays late on both sides of the ball to put the game away.

Josh Jacobs’ insane volume

The Packers signed Josh Jacobs in March because they wanted to give their starting running back volume. Well, Sunday Night Football was a big example of that. On the opening drive alone, Jacobs had nine touches (seven carries and two receptions), with 44 scrimmage yards, and a touchdown. He finished the first half with 17 touches and 111 scrimmage yards, which included an average of 5.2 yards per carry, impressively high for this volume.

And they were not doing it because they were forcing anything. It was working very well. The Packers had solid and explosive drives, finishing the first half with two touchdowns and two field goals — and the second field goal could have been another touchdown, had the Packers managed the clock better or had they been more aggressive at the end.

The Seahawks had allowed 17, 6, 21, and 18 points in their previous four games. The Packers scored 20 in a half.

The first bad play by Jacobs only came in the fourth quarter, when he suffered a fumble, recovered by the Seahawks. It was his first fumble since Week 2.

Jacobs had time to rest in the final minutes of the game, but still finished it with 30 touches for 136 scrimmage yards.

Edgerrin Cooper is back

During the week, head coach Matt LaFleur said Edgerrin Cooper added another element to the defense with his speed and athleticism. That might actually be an understatement. He changes the complexity of the unit.

Returning from a hamstring injury, Cooper killed the Seahawks opening drive with a sack on third down. He was always active, and it becomes much harder to throw in the middle of the Packers’ defense when he’s there.

But the Packers were trying to hold him a little bit. Whether it’s because he was coming back or it’s just because that has been the approach all season, Eric Wilson and Isaiah McDuffie were playing more snaps than Cooper, even after Quay Walker left the game with an ankle injury.

When Cooper was on the field, it seemed like he was always making impactful plays. He pressured and hit Geno Smith on the play the quarterback unfortunately got hurt, and then pressured backup Sam Howell on third down to finish the drive.

In the fourth quarter, he nearly picked off Howell and was able to break up his pass. And the interception came later, when the Packers needed it the most. The Seahawks were slowly getting back into the game, and the linebacker picked Howell off in the middle of the field.

In the final seconds, there was still time for a tackle for loss to close the game for good.

Your Weekly Packers News Update

We’ve sorted through dozens of articles about the Packers’ latest news, game results, rosters, rumors and other info that’s important to the team and to you. Check it out! 

By AtoZ SPORTS
Wendell Ferreira

Latest playoff update shows what the Packers are fighting for over the last four weeks of the season

The Green Bay Packers’ loss to the Detroit Lions didn’t affect the team’s chances of getting to the playoffs that much. According to The New York Times’ projections, the Packers now have a 98% chance, down from 99% last week. If the Packers go 1-3 over the last four weeks of the regular season, the chances are around 80% to 90%. Even if Green Bay loses out, there would still be a 23% chance of going to the postseason anyway.

With games against the Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings, and Chicago Bears left, it’s unimaginable that the Packers will miss the playoffs. The NFC North is out of reach, so there’s not much to fight for over the last four games.

What they need

The Packers’ first goal, obviously, is to secure the playoff spot. But beyond that, the biggest fight over the final month of the season is to make sure they don’t lose the sixth seed to the Washington Commanders.

Being fifth or sixth in the NFC won’t be a big difference, but moving down to the seventh seed would be hugely negative for the Packers.

And that’s because being fifth or sixth, the Packers will face the Champion of the South or West in the wild card round — Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks are ahead, with the Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals right behind them.

Going down to the seventh seed, though, would mean an early matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles or Detroit Lions, whoever ends up with the second seed.

Last year, the Packers finished as seventh seed and beat the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs, but it’s certainly a scenario they would like to avoid in 2024 — the 2023 Packers are the only seventh seed to win a playoff game since the postseason was expanded in 2020.

Packers vs Commanders

Right now, the Packers are 9-4 and the Commanders are 8-5. As aforementioned, Green Bay plays the Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings, and Chicago Bears.

Washington plays the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, and Dallas Cowboys.

If both the Packers and Commanders finish with the same record, Washington will have the tie-breaking advantage based on its conference record.

This means that, over the last four weeks of the regular season, the Packers must keep at least the same record as the Commanders to keep the sixth seed.

The Packers can still take the fifth seed out of the Minnesota Vikings, but that seems unlikely (and not that important) at this point.

Playoff chances in the NFC (teams with more than 1%)

• Detroit Lions 100%
• Philadelphia Eagles >99%
• Minnesota Vikings >99% (92% via WC)
• Green Bay Packers 98% (98% via WC)
• Washington Commanders 85% (84% via WC)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers 68% (6% via WC)
• Arizona Cardinals 42% (1% via WC)
• Atlanta Falcons 41% (3% via WC)
• Seattle Seahawks 34% (3% via WC)
• Los Angeles Rams 28% (1% via WC)
• San Francisco 49ers 2% (0% via WC)

Your Weekly Packers News Update

We’ve sorted through dozens of articles about the Packers’ latest news, game results, rosters, rumors and other info that’s important to the team and to you. Check it out! 

By PACKERSWIRE
Zach Kruse

Packers playing their best football ahead of matchup with mighty Lions

The Green Bay Packers played what could be considered their two best games of the season in back-to-back weeks ahead of Thursday night’s showdown with the mighty Detroit Lions at Ford Field.

By no means are “grades” from Pro Football Focus the be-all, end-all when it comes to evaluating performance, but the Packers received their highest overall grades of the season as a team during a 38-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers and 30-17 win over the Miami Dolphins over the last two weeks. Most importantly, the grades match the eye test.

In both games, the Packers dominated the line of scrimmage on offense, defended the run well and tackled well. The passing game was more efficient and wasted fewer opportunities in the red zone. Most of the lingering issues preventing the Packers from ascending from good to great finally smoothed over.

After needing to escape with last-second wins over the Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears, the Packers won comfortably against two talented teams in the span of five days.

“We’re being physical in every phase of football,” coach Matt LaFleur said following the Thanksgiving Night win over the Dolphins.

The challenge now will be keeping momentum going against arguably the NFL’s premier team in 2024. The Lions got a pick-six and cruised past the Packers in their first meeting at Lambeau Field. Dan Campbell’s team is now an NFL-best 11-1 after winning 10 straight games.

Again, PFF grades aren’t everything. But the Lions are entering Week 14 with the top overall grade and the No. 2 overall grade on offense and defense. This is an elite team.

Yet no team wants to peak too early. The regular season is a marathon, and teams want to hit full speed in December and January. The Packers limped at times through the early part of the season, in part due to injuries at the quarterback position, but wins over the 49ers and Dolphins are examples of the Packers gaining steam and nearing cruising altitude with an important part of the schedule approaching.

With a win over the Lions, the Packers can not only virtually guarantee a playoff spot but also jump back into the NFC North race. And next week, the Packers will go to Seattle to face the NFC West-leading Seahawks in primetime. The season concludes with division games against the Minnesota Vikings and Bears.

The Lions are dealing with injuries on both sides of the football, and Campbell’s team just needed a dramatic escape against the reeling Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving. The Packers just played their best two games of the season. Is this an opportunity for LaFleur’s team to keep rolling against a Super Bowl contender?

Your Weekly Packers News Update

We’ve sorted through dozens of articles about the Packers’ latest news, game results, rosters, rumors and other info that’s important to the team and to you. Check it out! 

By PACKERSWIRE
Zach Kruse

Josh Jacobs, takeaways power commanding win for Packers over 49ers

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs scored three 1-yard touchdown runs and Jeff Hafley’s defense produced three takeaways in a commanding 38-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday at Lambeau Field.

Jacobs, who dealt with cramping in the second half, rushed 26 times for 106 yards and three scores. The Packers scored 21 points off three takeaways, including another interception from Xavier McKinney.

Matt LaFleur’s team dominated for most of the game against a 49ers team without Brock Purdy and Nick Bosa. Green Bay held a 17-0 lead in the first half, took a 24-7 lead in the second half and then closed out the win with back-to-back touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

Quarterback Jordan Love threw two touchdown passes and should have had a third but Christian Watson dropped what would have been a 49-yard touchdown pass to end the first half.

The Packers finished with significant advantages in plays, total yards, first downs, rushing yards and time of possession.

The win improved the Packers to 8-3 with the win and dropped the 49ers to 5-6, significantly strengthening Green Bay’s playoff positioning while severely damaging San Francisco’s.

The Packers will welcome the Miami Dolphins to Lambeau Field on Thanksgiving Night in Week 13.

Your Weekly Packers News Update

We’ve sorted through dozens of articles about the Packers’ latest news, game results, rosters, rumors and other info that’s important to the team and to you. Check it out! 

By PRO FOOTBALL TALK
Josh Alper

ST coordinator Rich Bisaccia told Packers they would block a kick this week

The Bears could have tried to get a little closer before attempting a field goal to win their game against the Packers on Sunday, but a 46-yard attempt is hardly outside the range of an NFL kicker in 2024.

Cairo Santos’s try got blocked by defensive lineman Karl Brooks, however, and the Packers held on for a 20-19 win. It’s an unusual way to win a game, but it’s one that Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia saw coming.

Head coach Matt LaFleur said in his postgame press conference that Bisaccia told the team that he would “not understand if we come out of this game without a block” and Brooks sent the same message.

“Rich challenged us to get a block, so I took it personally,” Brooks said, via the team’s website. “I wanted to go out there and get that block. I wanted to do that for Coach Rich.”

Bisaccia identified an opportunity coming into the game and the Packers exploited it at the right moment. That made for a perfect meeting of planning and execution in a win the Packers needed to keep pace in the NFC.

Your Weekly Packers News Update

We’ve sorted through dozens of articles about the Packers’ latest news, game results, rosters, rumors and other info that’s important to the team and to you. Check it out! 

By AtoZ SPORTS
Wendell Ferreira

5 bold predictions for the Packers in the second half of the 2024 season

The Green Bay Packers were 3-6 after nine games last season. Eventually, the team grew together, finishing the year with a 6-2 stretch, and the 9-8 record was enough to get them to the playoffs. Now, the situation is certainly more comfortable at 6-3.

But there is still room to grow, and the Packers still are the youngest team in football. If they can take a similar step forward, there’s an argument to be made that Green Bay has one of the highest ceilings in the NFL.

“We want to grow together,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said last week. “I’m excited to see what they can do in the second half (of the season).”

Below, let’s discuss some potential scenarios for the next eight games, and how it can impact the outcome of the Packers’ season.

Josh Jacobs will reach 1,800 scrimmage yards

Right now, running back Josh Jacobs has 762 rushing yards and 128 receiving yards. He’s on pace for 1,681 scrimmage yards, which would already be the highest number for a Packers player since 2003. That being said, Green Bay has some easier games coming up, and presumably they can run the ball more to finish them — especially if Jordan Love stays healthy and reduces the unsustainably high number of turnovers. In this case, Jacobs could become the third player in Packers franchise history with a 1,800-scrimmage yard season, after Ahman Green (2001, 2003) and Dorsey Levens (1997).

That doesn’t sound bad, does it?

Jayden Reed, the first since Davante Adams

In 2021, Davante Adams had an absurd amount of yards, 1,553 — the highest of his career. That was his last year in Green Bay, and the last time a Packers player reached 1,000 receiving yards in a season. That might very well happen again in 2024, though.

In 2022, Allen Lazard led the team with 788 receiving yards, and last year, Jayden Reed did it with 793 yards. This season, Reed is on pace for 1,171 receiving yards.

Sure enough, it’s hard to predict Reed’s final numbers because he has some monster games (138 against the Philadelphia Eagles, 139 against the Minnesota Vikings, 113 against the Detroit Lions) and some weak performances (9 against the Indianapolis Colts, 10 against the Houston Texans, 28 against the Arizona Cardinals). His role is pretty much matchup-based, and that naturally creates some variance.

But Reed is explosive enough and has enough ability to create after the catch to be the first player since Davante Adams with a 1,100-receiving yard season for the Packers.

Xavier McKinney will get to 10 INTs

Just once in Packers history a player reached 10 interceptions in a season. That was Irv Comp, in 1943. Several got nine, including Darren Sharper in 2000 and Charles Woodson in 2009. This year, though, safety Xavier McKinney can realistically break that wild mark.

Right now, he is on pace for 11.3 interceptions, which would be a franchise record. It’s hard to keep that pace because he started the season with five interceptions in five games, and had only one over the last four — mostly because opposing quarterbacks are avoiding him. But the Packers have eight games to go, and McKinney would need one pick every two games to get there.

Based on how well he has played, it’s certainly not impossible.

Edge rusher 2

Through the first nine games of the season, Kingsley Enagbare played 42.78% of the Packers’ defensive snaps, against 41.02% for Lukas Van Ness. While there is a perception that Van Ness will be the starter after Preston Smith got traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the most likely scenario is that the former fifth-rounder will have the nod alongside Rashan Gary.

On Tuesday, hours after trading Smith, Brian Gutekunst let that intention somewhat clear, citing Enagbare by name (or nickname).

“For that entire group, we need more from those guys as we move forward into the second half of the season,” Gutekunst said. “As the last few games, the snaps have gone towards what they’re gonna be probably, with JJ (Kingsley Enagbare) and those guys. I like that group, I like the way they work. They have to continue to keep pushing and some guys getting more snaps will help them.”

More than the snaps, Enagbare has also been the more productive option. He has needed 13.4 pass rush snaps to generate a pressure, while Van Ness needs 23.5. Enagbare is lighter, which seems to be a better fit for what defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has run, and he will finish the season as the second starting edge.

Malik Willis will start again, but for a good reason

The Packers are very likely to make the playoffs. Ten wins will most likely get them there — maybe even nine, but 10 is the magic number. Since the playoffs expanded to 14 teams in 2020, only the 2020 Miami Dolphins missed the postseason with double-digit wins. Most of the time, some teams with nine wins make it, just like the Packers in 2023.

Right now, Green Bay has six wins. That means they need four more to basically secure a playoff spot.

If the Packers beat the Chicago Bears, the Miami Dolphins, the Seattle Seahawks, and the New Orleans Saints, they would get there by Week 16. That scenario includes losses to the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions. And it doesn’t count the Week 17 game against the Minnesota Vikings.

It all means that the Packers have a really solid chance of getting to Week 18 with a playoff spot in their hands. At the same time, the Lions are 1.5 games ahead of the Packers, and they would be 2 or 3 ahead if they win their second head-to-head matchup in Week 14 — plus the tie-breaking advantage.

The Packers can certainly get to the last week of the regular season with a secured wild card spot, and at the same time with no shot to win the division. At that point, it would be smart to sit their starters in Week 18 against the Chicago Bears.

Playing the backups is rough when the team has a bye week in the playoffs, because that creates a three-week period without games for the players. But when there’s no playoff rest, sitting the most important players in a meaningless Week 18 game makes all the sense in the world.

So Malik Willis, who has started two games (and played the second half of another) this season because of a Jordan Love injury, could play again — but for a much more positive reason.

Your Weekly Packers News Update

We’ve sorted through dozens of articles about the Packers’ latest news, game results, rosters, rumors and other info that’s important to the team and to you. Check it out! 

By FANRECAP

Brady’s On-Air Comments About NFC North Coach Leave Internet Speechless

Tom Brady’s stint in the broadcast booth took an unexpected turn during Sunday’s matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions. The legendary former quarterback, known for his sharp reads on the field, turned his keen eye to Packers’ head coach Matt LaFleur, leaving fans both amused and puzzled.

During an analysis right before a crucial third-and-three play, Brady strayed from football talk, instead opting to comment on LaFleur’s grooming. “Look at that perfect little moustache, goatee that he’s got,” Brady remarked, admiringly.

“We can’t see his hair today. But I was so impressed when I saw him in the tunnel, such a handsome guy.

He said he spends $100 a week to keep himself looking like that.” Kevin Burkhardt, his co-commentator, summed up the awkwardness with a simple “Wow.”

As you might expect, social media lit up with reactions to Brady’s unexpected comments. Fans were quick with the jokes, with one pondering, “Does Tom Brady want to date Matt LaFleur?”

Another viewer humorously observed, “Tom Brady on the broadcast talking about how beautiful Matt LaFleur is… the f**k? 😭”

Someone else chimed in, capturing the bewilderment that many fans felt: “Naw dude, Tom Brady legitimately be saying anything in the booth. Bro said Matt LaFleur is handsome.” The banter didn’t stop there, as another fan noted the comedic timing of Burkhardt’s “Wow,” saying it was enough to leave them in stitches.

While Brady’s offbeat commentary might not have been on FOX Sports’ playbook, it certainly sparked a wave of conversation and laughter across the fanbase. Only time will tell if his future broadcasts will feature similar diversions or if he’ll stick to more traditional game insights. Either way, Brady’s presence in the booth is shaping up to be as unpredictable as his legendary career on the field.

Your Weekly Packers News Update

We’ve sorted through dozens of articles about the Packers’ latest news, game results, rosters, rumors and other info that’s important to the team and to you. Check it out! 

By PACKERSWIRE

By Zach Kruse

How the Packers found the perfect play to beat the Jaguars

The 51-yard connection from Malik Willis to Jayden Reed that won Sunday’s back-and-forth showdown with the Jacksonville Jaguars was the result of both an in-game adjustment from the coaching staff and the right timing from Willis and Matt LaFleur.

LaFleur said the Packers called the play — which wasn’t in the game plan and wasn’t practiced during the week — when passing game coordinator Jason Vrable spotted something in the way the Jaguars were reacting to a similarly run play. While Willis had to wait until the defense gave him the right look pre-snap on the final drive, he executed the “can” at the right time and caught the Jaguars completely off guard.

“Not only was it a ‘can’ play, but it was a play we didn’t even have up in the game plan,” LaFleur said post-game. “We ran the keeper earlier in the game, and Vrable suggested it, he’s like, ‘Hey, it looks like the play is there.’ So we put it in there on the sidelines. No reps in practice. That’s a big time credit to our guys to go out there and execute it.”

A “can” play is when there are two plays called in the huddle, typically a run and a pass. The quarterback has the opportunity to “can” to the second play based on what he sees pre-snap. The Jaguars finally gave Willis the right look, and he pounced.

The playcall is dressed up like a run, with Tucker Kraft pulling from left to right and Reed inserted tight into the formation to the right side — a look the Packers often use to block up run plays. In fact, the Packers called the same formation earlier on the final drive but stuck with the run based on the defensive look. But this time it wasn’t a run — Willis canned to the pass and then pulled the ball on the play-action fake, and Reed worked through the traffic near the line of scrimmage and sprung wide open on a leak route.

“We ran a play earlier that kind of countered it a little bit and we just seen the opening, so we ran it,” Reed said, via the team’s official site. “I already knew I was gonna be open before the play was even called.”

Jaguars safety Andre Cisco was responsible for covering Reed. It was cleverly designed, with Reed disguised as a blocker within the mass of bodies along the line of scrimmage. By the time Cisco realized what was happening, Reed was at top speed and running behind him, and when he slipped down trying to transition into coverage, the explosive play was on for the Packers.

Willis calmly made the throw, and Reed made the catch near the Jaguars’ 45-yard line and sprinted inside the 20-yard line with just over a minute to go.

Game, set, match. A few plays later, Brandon McManus came on and knocked through a 24-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Packers a second straight walk-off winner and a 30-27 victory.

“That was a pretty cool one, probably one I’ll never forget,” LaFleur said.

Your Weekly Packers News Update

We’ve sorted through dozens of articles about the Packers’ latest news, game results, rosters, rumors and other info that’s important to the team and to you. Check it out! 

By PACKERSWIRE

By Brandon Carwile

8 standouts from Packers’ Week 7 win over Texans

On Wednesday, the Green Bay Packers signed veteran Brandon McManus to help solve their kicking woes. On Sunday, McManus booted the game-winning field goal as time expired to defeat the Houston Texans 24-22.

While many expected this game to feature two high-powered offenses, it was more of a defensive showcase. The Texans forced three turnovers in the first half and took a 19-14 lead into halftime.

Meanwhile, Green Bay’s defense did an excellent job against Houston’s top-5 passing offense led by a talented young quarterback in CJ Stroud. Stroud failed to get anything going Sunday afternoon, resulting in his worst game of the season and possibly his NFL career. He was 10-for-21 on the day and threw for only 86 yards without a touchdown.

The Texans were forced to rely on running back Joe Mixon, who rushed for 115 yards on 25 attempts and scored twice. Still, the Packers’ defense deserves a lot of credit. Houston scored only three points in the second half and were 4-for-13 on third down. Overall, there were a lot of encouraging takeaways from Jeff Hafley’s defense, which proved it doesn’t have to rely on turnovers to win games.

Green Bay has some things to clean up offensively and on special teams, but should be pleased with a quality win in Week 7 against a playoff team. Here are the standouts who helped make it happen:

S Xavier McKinney

Despite not forcing any turnovers on Sunday, the Packers still lead the NFL with 17 takeaways. McKinney has played a big part in that thanks to his incredible run of five interceptions through the first five games. This week, he showed he is more than just a ball hawk. During the first quarter, McKinney broke into the sack column after he was sent on a safety blitz on third down. An unblocked McKinney delivered a blindside sack to Stroud for a loss of eight to force a punt. Green Bay keeps finding new ways to utilize its playmaking safety.

DE Rashan Gary

Even though he didn’t have to work very hard for it, Gary recorded his first sack since Week 1. On the same drive McKinney would eventually claim his sack, Texans right tackle Tytus Howard slipped in pass protection, which allowed Gary to get a free rush against Stroud. His lone sack on the day may have been a gift, but Gary also had multiple pressures that led to incompletions. Overall, it was a solid day for Green Bay’s top edge rusher, who hasn’t quite lived up to the hype surrounding him in Year 6.

S Evan Williams

The rookie safety continues to make plays. Williams has now enjoyed a productive last few weeks since becoming a mainstay in the secondary. In the first half, he had great coverage on a shifty receiver Tank Dell to force an incomplete pass on third down. Then, Williams made an impressive open-field tackle to stop Mixon on a two-point conversion attempt that prevented Houston from taking a touchdown lead in the second quarter. For the second time in three weeks, he led the team with nine tackles. The Packers have been keeping Williams on the field of late and it is paying off.

WR Romeo Doubs

There weren’t a whole lot of positives to come out of Green Bay’s passing attack this week outside of Doubs. The third-year receiver served as Jordan Love’s security blanket for most of the day, catching a handful of passes in big moments. Six of his eight catches went for first downs, as Doubs led all receivers with 95 receiving yards. He had two key catches on the final drive, including one on second and long to help set up the game-winning field goal. The team has to be pleased with how Doubs has responded since his one-game suspension. He had two touchdowns last week, followed by his best game of the year against a tough opponent.

LB Eric Wilson

When Quay Walker left the game with a concussion during the second quarter, Wilson stepped up in his absence. He had a nice tackle for loss on a pass to Mixon, and then he got things started in the second half when he blitzed up the middle and wrapped up Stroud for a sack on third down. And yet, Wilson still wasn’t done making his presence felt. He would later get the defense off the field two more times by breaking up a third-down pass intended for tight end Dalton Schultz and then making the most of another blitz for a second third-down sack on Stroud. Wilson finished with an impressive stat line of six tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks, and a pass breakup. Perhaps the core special teamer should have a larger role on defense.

RB Josh Jacobs

Jacobs was happy to see one of his streaks come to an end against Houston. After not scoring a single touchdown on his first 211 career receptions, his 212th proved to be the lucky number. Jacobs capped off the team’s first offensive drive of the second half with an 8-yard touchdown catch from Love to give the Packers a 21-19 lead. Jacobs was much more efficient on the ground than he was through the air, with five receptions for 16 yards. In my pre-game prediction, I said this game could come down to the rushing of Josh Jacobs against a vulnerable Texans defense. Well, Jacobs was a major contributor to an uninspiring offensive outing, totaling 76 yards on just 12 attempts.

K Brandon McManus

This time last week, McManus wasn’t sure if he would ever kick in the NFL again following a 2023 incident as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars that led to a sexual assault lawsuit. However, desperate for a kicker, Green Bay conducted a background check and was comfortable with signing McManus to replace a struggling Brayden Narveson. He returned the favor by making all three of his extra points in his Packers debut and then the 45-yard game-winner. Houston even tried to ice McManus, but his previous nine years of NFL experience paid off. He celebrated by being embraced by fans during a well-deserved Lambeau Leap.

P Daniel Whelan

As good as the kick was from McManus, it wasn’t possible without Whelan. The snap was super low, but Whelan handled it nicely to get the ball down quickly for his kicker. Whelan also had an excellent day punting the ball, totaling 284 yards on five punts, with a long of 66. His 56.8-yard gross average was the team’s best single-game punting average since 1945. Of course, no team wants their punter to have a good day, but Whalen did a nice job flipping the field when called upon and was an integral part of the walk-off field goal.

Your Weekly Packers News Update

We’ve sorted through dozens of articles about the Packers’ latest news, game results, rosters, rumors and other info that’s important to the team and to you. Check it out! 

By PACKERSWIRE

By Zach Kruse

3 takeaways from Packers’ win over Cardinals

The Green Bay Packers did what all good teams must do: take care of business against an overmatched opponent in an impressive way at home. Matt LaFleur’s team raced out to a 24-0 lead in the first half and then used three different takeaways in the second half to secure a comfortable 34-13 win over the visiting Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at Lambeau Field.

Since losing to the Vikings, the Packers have navigated a tricky road game and cruised to a comfortable victory at home against NFC West opponents. Now 4-2, the Packers are playing their best football entering a three-game stretch before the bye that includes showdowns with the Houston Texans and Detroit Lions.

Here are three takeaways from the Packers’ win over the Cardinals:

1. Complementary football sparks blowout

Playing complementary football helped the Packers race out to a big advantage and slam the door shut late. How’s this for complementary? After the Packers’ first drive stalled, Daniel Whelan pinned the Cardinals at the 8-yard line with a well-placed punt. The Packers defense then forced a quick three-and-out, and the Cardinals punted from their own end zone. Jayden Reed’s 8-yard return and a 15-yard face mask penalty put the Packers at the Arizona 44-yard line. After an explosive run from Josh Jacobs (14 yards) and Bo Melton (16 yards), Jordan Love finished the drive with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Reed on 3rd-and-goal. Great punt, quick stop, field position flip, quick scoring drive. That’s how a team uses all three phases to create a touchdown. The Packers forced punts on four straight drives and scored on four straight drives to build a 24-0 lead in the first half. Then the defense produced three straight takeaways and the offense hammered the final nail with the run game in the second half. Sunday was the perfect game script for the Packers.

2. Rallying around Romeo

The moment said it all: Right after Romeo Doubs made a 10-yard touchdown catch in the first half, Christian Watson and Jayden Reed and then the whole offense huddled around Doubs to celebrate the score in his return from a one-game suspension. It was a special moment, both for Doubs, who is moving forward following a tough week off the field, and the Packers offense in general, who all rallied around him. Doubs finished with three catches and a pair of scores, including a 20-yarder on a 50/50 ball from Jordan Love in the second half. The Packers still trust him, and Doubs paid off the trust in a few big spots on Sunday. This passing game is better with Doubs in a featured role.

3. Rookie defenders shine

Evan Williams, Javon Bullard and Edgerrin Cooper all played big parts in the Packers limiting the Cardinals to 13 points. Williams had a tackle for loss on Kyler Murray and a punch-out forced fumble, creating a turnover. Bullard had eight tackles and was active against the run and in preventing scramble opportunities from Murray on extended plays. Several times, his closing speed forced Murray to turn out of bounds in the open field. Cooper was all over the field, especially against the run and as a blitzer. He made several impressive solo tackles. The Packers are ascending on defense in large part because they are trusting their talented rookie trio more and more. Williams is looking more and more like a full-time deep safety, Bullard is excellent playing near the line of scrimmage and in the slot and Cooper is inching closer and closer to a full-time player at linebacker. Rookies will go through ups and downs, but the true potential of the Packers defense is being elevated by Williams, Bullard and Cooper.

Other tidbits

In the Melton Bowl, Packers receiver Bo Melton rushed two times for 27 yards and caught one pass for six yards, but he also slipped down on an interception in the first half. Max Melton had four tackles…the Packers had four players with a rushing attempt gain 10 or more yards and nine different players catch a pass…tight end Tucker Kraft successfully executed a quarterback sneak after motioning under center…Love threw four touchdown passes, becoming the first Packers quarterback to throw four or more touchdown passes in back-to-back games at Lambeau Field since Brett Favre in 1995…the Packers finished with only one quarterback hit, but Kyler Murray never looked comfortable in the pocket and finished with only 14 rushing yards on seven attempts…tight end Ben Sims had his first explosive play of the season, a 28-yard catch on a wheel route…Dontayvion Wicks left with a shoulder injury and didn’t return…Keisean Nixon had a 39-yard punt return and a 37-yard kickoff return, showcasing his field-flipping return ability.