It wasn’t easy, and it went far afield in a lot of ways, but the Green Bay Packers will savor their victory Monday.
The Packers left EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville Sunday afternoon with a 30-27 win over the Jaguars and for the second straight week, they punctuated their win with a game-winning field goal from Packers kicker Brandon McManus.
What they didn’t celebrate was how Jordan Love had to leave the Packers’ win midway through the third quarter due to a groin injury. Love noticeably tweaked his groin midway through the first quarter and it was clear as the game wore on that he was not able to do the very things and throws that Love makes routinely. He left the game after completing 14 of his 22 passes, throwing for 196 yards, an interception and had a 73.3 passer rating.
Rushed into relief for the Packers’ star quarterback — as he did earlier in the year — was Malik Willis. Willis entered the game at the 11:41 mark of the third quarter and with the Packers leading 13-10. When it came time for Willis’ first full drive under center, the Packers trailed the Jaguars 17-13 after Jacksonville marched down the field and stringing together big plays.
With their backs against the wall, the Packers trusted Josh Jacobs, who finished the day with 25 carries, 127 rushing yards and two touchdowns. It was fitting that the Packers’ workhorse after Love went down started the drive by getting multiple touches over this game-changing drive. And Jacobs knew how to end by rattling off a 38-yard rushing touchdown — his second of the day — that helped put the Packers back up in front with a 20-17 lead late in the third quarter.
Green Bay’s defense answered the call in their own three plays into the Jaguars’ next drive. Rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper burst through Jaguars’ pass protection on a 3rd and 7 to sack and force a fumble out of Trevor Lawrence that De’Vonte Wyatt promptly recovered on the Jaguars’ 5-yard line. Two plays later, Willis connected with Tucker Kraft to put the Packers up 27-17 nearly a minute into the fourth quarter.
Despite the 10-point deficit, Jacksonville still roared back to put the pressure back on the Packers.
They eventually answered with a 47-yard field goal with 5:36 left to go in the fourth. After the Packers followed that up with a three-and-out, the Jaguars put together their best drive of the day by spreading the Packers’ defense too thin. A drive with five plays of over 10-plus yards culminated in an athletic grab from Evan Engram for a 14-yard receiving touchdown to tie the game at 27 with 1:48 left in the game.
For the second straight week, the Packers were thrust into two-minute drill time. Only this time, it was Malik Willis under center, rather than Love. And the Packers backup delivered by connecting to Jayden Reed on a 51-yard pass that put the Packers firmly in a field goal range. All that was left was to burn off most of the final minute of clock before McManus’ 24-yard field goal sealed the win for Green Bay.
For much more, listen to my solo pod going through everything that stood out over the Packers’ win over the Jaguars!
Green Bay Packers roll on, seal comeback win over Jaguars