Packers Report Card: Grades From Victory Over Rams

The Green Bay Packers’ offense sputtered too often and the run defense was typically soft, but they made enough big plays to beat the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) meets with fans following the victory against the Rams at SoFi Stadium. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

What a swing of emotions.

In their 24-19 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, the Green Bay Packers shot themselves in the foot throughout a clunky first half that led to a frustrating 13-10 halftime deficit.

Mistakes included the usual penalties that have accompanied every game this season.

That was joined by Jordan Love’s ill-advised, off-balance throw from his own end zone that resulted in a pick-six.

The second half looked like it could be more of the same as the Rams were in Green Bay territory to open the third quarter when Kingsley Enagbare changed the game.

A forced fumble recovered by Xavier McKinney led to a 66-yard touchdown by Tucker Kraft.

Kraft scored again after Xavier McKinney’s fifth interception in five games. The Packers led 24-13, and that would be just enough as a late rally from Matthew Stafford fell short.

A complicated game leads to a complicated report card.

Here are our grades for a victory that improved the Packers’ record to 3-2.

Rush Offense

For the first time as a Packer, Josh Jacobs found the end zone. Following a deep completion from Jordan Love to Jayden Reed, Jacobs made a couple of moves in the backfield and outran everyone to the pylon.

The Packers got away from their run game, perhaps inexplicably in the first half, and didn’t lean on it enough on their final possession of the game.

After two weeks of splitting carries nearly evenly, Jacobs pulled away from Emanuel Wilson. Jacobs finished with 19 carries for 73 yards. Emanuel Wilson had six for 24.

Overall, they finished the day with 30 carries for 126 yards. Not great, and more was expected against a Rams defense that was at the bottom of the NFL in run defense.

Call Sunday’s performance solid, but unspectacular.

Grade: B

Pass Offense

Jordan Love got away with a throw into triple coverage to Jayden Reed on Green Bay’s first scoring drive. It was a poor decision, but one in which the Packers were thrilled by the results.

His next poor decision was baffling.

With the Packers backed up near their own goal line, they blew a protection on a rolling pocket in which Love held onto the ball too long.

He escaped a sack but threw a ball up for grabs as he was trying to gain his balance. The result was an easy interception that was returned for a touchdown.

“I was falling and I didn’t really have balance,” he explained. “I was just trying to get it out of bounds and it’s tough. I’m falling and I don't have enough power, but honestly, just throw it to the ground.”

Love has not been awful to start the season, but he has turned the ball over at least once in all three of his starts.

Ultimately, he did bounce back, completing his next nine passes, including two touchdowns to Tucker Kraft.

His final numbers on the day were 15-of-26 for 224 yards for two touchdowns and the aforementioned pick-six, good for a passer rating of 95.7.

His accuracy was spotty again, and his receivers did not do him any favors.

Dontayvion Wicks had another drop and misjudged a ball that was a little underthrown on Love’s final pass of the game that could have put it on ice. Reed had a third-down drop, as well.

The potential is there. The Packers make more big plays than anyone in football. They need to find consistency and make more easy plays.

If they can do that, the sky is the limit.

Grade: C

Rush Defense

Another day, another poor performance from Green Bay’s run defense. Kyren Williams is one of the league’s best backs, but the Rams’ game plan was obvious coming into the day.

Receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua were missing, as were two starting offensive linemen and their top tight end.

For most of the first half, the Packers were getting pushed around by the Rams’ makeshift offensive line.

Williams and Blake Corum averaged more than 5 yards per carry in the first half.

They had a chance to finish the day with an exclamation point. With the Rams facing fourth-and-1 just after the 2-minute warning, they ran right at Quay Walker. Walker diagnosed, read the play and shot his gap, but ultimately missed the tackle. Walker wasn’t alone in missteps against the run today, but that sums up the day for this group.

The Rams finished with 28 carries for 134 yards.

They’ll face a dynamic rushing team next week with Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals coming to town.

Grade: D

Pass Defense

The final numbers weren’t awful. Matthew Stafford finished 29-of-45 passing for 260 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

The pass rush was largely quiet until the end of the game, but did sack Stafford three times, including a big one on the final drive of the game that was shared by Preston Smith and Karl Brooks and included a good push by Colby Wooden, as well.

Xavier McKinney picked off another pass, his fifth in five games, becoming the first player to do that since 1970.

With Jaire Alexander inactive, the Packers spent much of the game with Eric Stokes and Keisean Nixon as the corners, safety Javon Bullard moved into the slot and Evan Williams inserted at safety. Williams broke up two passes, including on fourth down to clinch the win.

Given the Rams’ injuries, this was set up to be a dominant performance from Green Bay’s defense.

It was not, which makes the results a little more disappointing than they might normally be.

Grade: C

Special Teams

As much criticism as Brayden Narveson has deserved through the first four weeks of the season, he was money in the bank on Sunday.

His struggles entering the game earned him the nickname “Nervous Narveson” from CBS broadcaster Jim Nantz. But Narveson responded by making the 46-yard field goal on the final play of the first half, and he drilled all three extra points, as well.

Punter Daniel Whelan, a usual bright spot for this unit, struggled. His last punt checked up around the Rams’ 30, giving them good field position as they attempted to mount a final comeback.

He did, however, make a spectacular catch on a punt in his own endzone. The play was blown dead, but it was impressive for a punter to make a catch like that.

As usual, Green Bay’s kickoff return didn’t get any return opportunities. The kickoff coverage allowed four returns and the Packers tackled them inside the 30 on them all.

Ultimately, it was a good performance from the third phase of the game. The Packers had to be thrilled with it.

Grade: B-plus

Coaching

Give Matt LaFleur credit Navigating the week while having to suspend one of your veteran players has to be difficult.

He handled it well last year with Jaire Alexander. He’s handled it well this year with Romeo Doubs.

Now, he has to figure out how to get his team to start playing more consistently. The pre-snap penalties and self-induced errors are going to prove to be too much against better competition.

Jeff Hafley’s defense may not have done well on a play-to-play basis, but it made three of the biggest plays of the game.

High marks are given to Hafley for staying aggressive late in the game. With Stafford on the other side of the line of scrimmage, some coaches would have been timid. Hafley sent pressure, including the final play of the game, which forced Stafford to rush his final pass that fell incomplete.

The Packers need to be more consistent in all phases. They need to stop shooting themselves in the foot. They need to do a better job of getting their best players on the field.

It does feel like, however, they have the right men in those positions.

Grade: B 

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The #Packers' offense remains a feast-or-famine unit. It ate just enough to beat the Rams today. ⬇️https://t.co/UhTDUnoeY6

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) October 7, 2024

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