For the second week in a row in prime time, the Green Bay Packers started rapid, led strongly in the first half, overcame a narrow second-half break and cruised to a comfortable victory – this time in the final 34-0 over the short-handed New Orleans Saints at Lambeau Field on Monday night .
The Packers scored more than 30 points for the fifth straight game to clinch the NFL’s first shutout of the 2024 season.
Matt LaFleur’s team jumped out to a 21-0 lead after scoring touchdowns on three consecutive possessions to open the game, and Jeff Hafley’s defense resulted in two tackles and seven other stops in a dominant performance against a Saints team that was missing its top quarterback, running back and receiver.
The Packers are 11-4 and have secured their spot in the playoffs.
Here’s what went right, what went wrong and what it means for the Packers going forward:
Which went well
— The Packers started the game over, driving 63 yards in 10 plays and scoring a touchdown, capitalizing on four passes from Jordan Love and a total of 40 yards from Josh Jacobs for a quick 7-0 lead. The offense set the tone early in the games.
— The Packers defense gave up under 200 yards, three sacks and two turnovers. The Saints never entered the red zone, and both takeaways came when the Saints were inside the 30-yard line. Devonte Wyatt’s sack slow in the first half denied him another scoring opportunity.
— Running back Josh Jacobs turned 17 touchdowns into 107 yards and a touchdown. Early in the game, he had a 20-yard run for a touchdown, caught four passes for 38 yards and once again scored from beyond the 5-yard line.
-Brenton Cox Jr. he had a sack, two quarterback hits and a team-high six total pressures (per Next Gen Stats). He was disturbing all night long. It was the same with Lukas Van Ness, Rashan Gary and Devonte Wyatt. The pass rush put pressure on rookie Spencer Rattler, who had a 52.6% fail rate. The emergence of Cox and Van Ness is particularly encouraging for the present and future of the pass rush.
— Tucker Kraft and Jayden Reed each had two catches with at least 30 yards receiving.
— Brandon McManus rushed for 55 yards all season, easily scored 46 and made all four extra points. He had no problems on a December night at Lambeau Field.
— The Packers rushed for 188 yards, didn’t give up a single sack and mostly dominated the line of scrimmage. Nine different competitors made a quick attempt. Jacobs ran robust early, Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks combined for 75 rushing yards and two scores, and receivers Christian Watson, Bo Melton and Jayden Reed added 42 rushing yards. The Packers are a energetic and versatile rushing team.
— Tucker Kraft and Jordan Love took advantage of first downs in sneakers. The Packers are now 3-for-3 when Kraft creeps.
— The Packers were 3-for-3 on fourth down. The Saints were 0 for 2. The Packers also scored four touchdowns on four trips to the red zone.
— Zayne Anderson recorded his first career interception in his first career start.
What went wrong
— Jordan Love had a tough time early in the second half. He completed just two of his first seven passes for six yards after halftime, but he hit Jayden Reed in the fourth quarter and found the back of the net on third down.
— Christian Watson left with a knee injury. The Packers will be holding their breath this week waiting for the results. Since his farewell, he has played a key role in breaking down the attack.
— The Packers assessed two special teams penalties, including one that supported a second drive to the 10-yard line and another (a tripping penalty on Lukas Van Ness) that turned into a 26-yard penalty after a missed punt by Daniel Whelan.
— The Packers also received two penalties, giving the Saints their first loss. Brenton Cox Jr. was called for questionable mitigation of the passer’s penalty, and Kingsley Enagbare was faced on third down. Colby Wooden was penalized for unnecessary roughness on fourth down.
What does it mean
The Packers are officially close to the playoffs. Matt LaFleur’s team is currently 11-4 and has a real chance at 13 wins. While an NFC North title is no longer possible, the Packers could finish as high as fifth in the standings, which would mean playing the winner of the NFC West or NFC South on the road to open the postseason. First of all, it looks like the Packers are playing their best football as January approaches. Green Bay is 5-1 since the bye and currently ranks in the top 10 in both scoring offense (No. 7) and scoring defense (No. 6). This is a complete, well-balanced football team whose postseason is rapid approaching.
Overview of the most crucial events
What’s next?
I’m going on the road this Sunday to play the Minnesota Vikings at US Bank Stadium. The game – which has been moved to 3:25 p.m. ET – will decide whether the Packers have a chance to clinch fifth place in the standings. The Vikings have won eight straight games and are 13-2, competing for the NFC North and fighting for the No. 1 seed.
