The Green Bay Packers started brisk, took a quick halftime lead, broke through in the second half and then closed out the game with two huge plays overdue in the game for a 30-13 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night at Lumen Field.
Four straight points to open the game helped the Packers take a 20-3 halftime lead, and Geno Smith’s injury in the third quarter ensured there would be no comeback miracle. The Packers dominated with backup Sam Howell, and Romeo Doubs’ touchdown pass slammed the door with about five minutes left.
The Packers are currently 10-4 and in a mighty position in the NFC Wild Card race.
Here’s what went right, what went wrong and what it means for the Packers going forward:
Which went well
— The Packers won the coin toss, got the ball and immediately went down the field, scoring and leading 7-0. Josh Jacobs completed nine of ten pass touches and scored another touchdown from one yard out. It was a punishing and tone-setting start to the contest for the Packers.
— The Packers defense was very disruptive. Geno Smith was effective at times early in the game, but he also took a sack on third down and threw an interception into the end zone, and the Seahawks only had three points when he left. Jeff Hafley’s team finished the game with seven sacks, two interceptions, 10 tackles for loss and 12 quarterback hits.
— The pass rush came alive. The Packers kept the pressure on with four-man attacks, acrobatics and blitzes. Six different players were sacked and nine hit the quarterback. It was an encouraging defensive performance with the playoffs approaching.
— Carrington Valentine’s first career interception overdue in the first half turned a 17-10 score into a scoring opportunity before halftime, and that’s exactly what the Packers did – with a point-blank field goal. The takeaway and ensuing play provided at least a six-point lead at the end of the first half.
— Edgerrin Cooper’s first career interception sealed the deal. He clipped Sam Howell’s throw over the middle and returned the pick to Seattle’s 30-yard line, and Jordan Love hit Romeo Doubs with a dagger three plays later. Cooper had a pick, a close pick, a sack, two tackles for loss and two quarterback hits. He was a monster.
—Speaking of Love and Doubs, the two combined for a pair of touchdowns. Love was effective, completing 20 of 27 passes without a turnover against a team that had been great against the pass in the last four games. After returning from the concussion, Doubs made two key plays. This connection is extremely vital to the Packers offense.
— The Packers averaged 6.0 yards per play. Seahawks? Only 3.7.
— The Packers had the ball in Jayden Reed’s hands eight times. He caught five passes for 34 yards and carried three times for 27 yards. The Packers need to find a way to unlock Reed as a downfield attacker, but he had an impact on this game.
— Brandon McManus made all six kicks on a icy but mostly peaceful December night in Seattle.
— After Sam Howell entered the game, the Packers missed only three passes to the net. Howell completed 5 of 14 passes for 24 yards and four sacks for a loss of 21 yards. Backup dominance.
— The Packers drew two pass interference penalties, one from Romeo Doubs setting up a field goal before halftime and the other from Christian Watson in the second half.
— Watson caught three passes for a team-best 56 yards, including another one of more than 30 yards. Adding a forced field goal, Watson had 95 yards of offense and several scores.
What went wrong
— The Packers had to settle for three field goals, including two in the red zone. One was the result of indigent script management at the end of the half, which Matt LaFleur took the blame for after the game. The next one came on 4th and 1 from beyond the 5-yard line, and the three-pointer gave the Packers a three-point lead.
— Josh Jacobs fumbled in the fourth quarter, setting up Seattle’s only touchdown. This was a earnest mistake in this situation. The only thing that could get Howell’s Seahawks back into the game was a prize. Zach Charbonnet provided the Seahawks’ only explosive run of the night with a well-blocked drive that resulted in a 24-yard touchdown shortly after Jacobs fumbled.
— The Packers gained 73 rushing yards in the first half at over 5.0 yards per rush from Josh Jacobs, but their run blocking and overall efficiency were lacking in the second half.
– Several opportunities were missed in the passing game. Jordan Love threw behind Romeo Doubs one play before Jacobs fouled, Jayden Reed slipped on a third-down play, and Christian Watson was unable to make an off-plan throw on third down.
— Love was a little imprecise in pushing the ball downfield, but throwing a few balls in front of the goal actually resulted in pass interference penalties. The Packers would probably prefer these plays to be completions rather than penalties.
— The Packers extended their lead to 23-6 and forced a quick three-out in the third quarter. However, from that point on, four opportunities to completely end the match were wasted. The Packers missed three-pointers twice, Jacobs fumbled near midfield, and Jacobs was stuffed on fourth down in the 40s. This tiny break made things fascinating at the end. It could have been very fascinating if Geno Smith appeared in the game.
What does it mean
The Packers took a huge step toward a postseason streak and showed they can do business on the road and against a good team. At 10-4, the Packers likely needed just one more score to clinch a playoff berth. In fact, a win next week should be enough. And now the Packers have the internal confidence that they can be “road warriors,” as Matt LaFleur put it after Sunday’s game. The Packers will likely go on the road to face the division winner in the first round. A return trip to Seattle is possible. The Packers will be confident in their ability to win on the road to open the postseason.
Overview of the most vital events
What’s next?
Next Monday night is a home game against the New Orleans Saints. The Saints are 5-9, but they almost came back and beat the Washington Commanders on Sunday. Who will start as quarterback? Derek Carr is injured but Spencer Rattler looked good in the second half. A win over the Saints and the Packers could clinch a playoff berth.
