The Green Bay Packers end their four-game skid with a 20-3 win over the Los Angeles Rams. For most of the game, they were sloppy but were able to string enough plays together to get the win. The defense stepped up and played its best game of the year. Regardless of who is at quarterback for the other team, a win is a win.
Here are this week’s studs and duds.
Green Bay Packers Studs
Running Back Aaron Jones
You could tell that Aaron Jones was healthy. He ran the ball hard. Outside of the one fumble, he played a great game. Jones had 20 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown. Additionally, he had four receptions for 26 yards on the day. The Packers needed him back, and he delivered.
Safety Jonathan Owens
The Packers started Jonathan Owens and rookie Anthony Johnson Jr. They needed them to step up today, and they did just that. Owens stood out with eight tackles, five solo, and a sack. The Packers secondary, as a whole, had a great day. They elevated their play in the absence of Rasul Douglas.
Cornerback Carrington Valentine
The preseason standout had the best game of his young career. Rookie Carrington Valentine started opposite of Jaire Alexander, replacing Rasul Douglas. He had three passes defended on the day and brought the energy. If he can build off this game, the Packers might have something with him.
Packers Defensive Line
Kenny Clark exited the game early due to an injury. The defensive line had second-year Devonte Wyatt and T.J. Slaton as the veterans. Karl Brooks had two pass deflections, and Lukas Van Ness made numerous plays. The Rams offensive line isn’t great, but the play of the young guys was promising. The Rams rushed the ball 26 times for 68 yards, only 2.6 yards per carry.
Green Bay Packers Duds
Kicker Anders Carlson
Anders Carlson missed a 48-yard field goal at the end of the first half. Carlson has the leg; we now have seen some inconsistencies with his accuracy. If he can get more consistent, he should be in line for a long career.
Team Discipline
The Green Bay Packers, the most penalized team in the league, had another poor day. They had eight penalties for a total of 57 yards. The team is not good enough to overcome these penalties week after week. The two fourth downs that were converted but penalized were questionable calls. Regardless, the team has to clean it up if they want to string some wins together.
Final Thoughts
The Green Bay Packers came out with the energy that is needed. The defense led the way and dominated the game from the start. They had a lot of missed opportunities that could have blown this game wide open, though.
This game should be the blueprint for how the Packers run their offense. Jones and Dillon combined for 29 carries and 113 yards. By establishing the run, they could take pressure off Love and sustain longer drives. Rookies Donatyvion Wicks and Luke Musgrave stepped up and had a nice day. This offense has great potential when not shooting themselves in the foot.
Brett Rypien is no Matthew Stafford, but the defense played well. Isaiah McDuffie had a good day while filling in for Quay Walker. He had seven tackles, two for a loss. The corners played with aggressiveness and attitude. The defense forced two turnovers as well. Overall, it was a really good day for the defense.
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