Packer Central

Stock Report: Packers Clinch Playoff Berth, Dominate Saints

The Green Bay Packers have punched their ticket to the playoffs. A fast start led to a dominant performance at home against the New Orleans Saints

Jacob Westendorf

Dec 23, 2024; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) stiff arms New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu (32) during the first quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Dec 23, 2024; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) stiff arms New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu (32) during the first quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
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GREEN BAY, Wis. – The mission was simple for the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Monday Night Football.

Beat the New Orleans Saints, and they would clinch a playoff berth.

Much like last week’s 30-13 win over the Seattle Seahawks, Josh Jacobs set the tone early with 29 yards on four carries on the opening drive.

That included a vicious stiff-arm of New Orleans’ star safety Tyrann Mathieu. The Packers finished off the drive with a 2-yard pass to Dontayvion Wicks to take a 7-0 lead.

Against an undermanned Saints team that could have been thinking about their upcoming flights to Cancun, that might have been enough.

Ultimately, Green Bay did what it was supposed to do.

The Packers rolled an inferior team that was missing four starters.  The only drama in this one was whether the defense could preserve a shutout. They did, winning 34-0 over the Saints.

Here is our weekly stock report, starting with Green Bay’s best player.

Rising

Josh Jacobs

He’s become a fixture on this list, and for good reason.

Jacobs was a focal point in Green Bay’s fast start, which was highlighted with a stiff-arm of Tyrann Mathieu.

Jacobs would not score on the opening drive, but did not wait long to find his way into the end zone.

Jacobs’ 10th touchdown in his last six games gave the Packers a 14-0 lead.

Jacobs leads the NFL in touchdowns since Week 11.

He’s a violent runner. He breaks tackles. He makes plays in the passing game.

He’s a true complete back that the Packers have not had since the days of Ahman Green.

Edgerrin Cooper

Frosty the linebacker is a difference maker for Green Bay’s defense.

A week after his big performance against Seattle, Cooper started fast tonight against the Saints.

He made a play in the backfield on a toss to Kendre Miller, which caused the home crowd to break out in a chant of, “Cooooooop.”

Anytime the crowd chants your name that has to be a good thing, right?

What’s also good, is just the speed that Cooper brings to Green Bay’s defense. He is everything that the Packers were hoping Quay Walker was when they drafted him in the first round in 2022.

His presence continued to be all over the field in the second half. He looks every bit like a potential star at linebacker.

That’s something the Packers have not had since the days of Nick Barnett roaming the middle of the field.

Tucker Kraft

Tucker Kraft may not be there yet, but he will soon have an argument to be Green Bay’s best tight end since Jermichael Finley was running the seam for the Mike McCarthy-led Green Bay Packers.

Kraft had a big conversion on a 4th down that set up the Packers’ second touchdown drive to give them a 14-0 lead.

On their third touchdown drive, Kraft had a 30-yard-reception that helped set up another touchdown to give the Packers a 21-0 lead.

He is big, physical, and makes plays after the ball in his hands.

In essence, the former third-round pick is a perfect fit for Matt LaFleur’s offense that wants to tie everything to their run game.

Kraft has the look of a player who is not fun to tackle in any climate. That was especially true in tonight’s game where wind chill temperatures were below freezing at kickoff

Zayne Anderson

Zayne Anderson was pressed into spot duty with Evan Williams and Javon Bullard both sidelined with lower body injuries.

Anderson had not played much defense at all before this season, but made the most of his opportunity on Monday night.

With the Saints driving deep into Green Bay territory late in the third quarter, Rattler tried to throw another big punch down the left sideline.

Instead of hitting his intended target, Anderson was there for the interception. The defense’s second takeaway of the night.

A big play from a backup is almost all you can ask for in the situation that he was put into.

Keisean Nixon

With Jaire Alexander out, Keisean Nixon might be Green Bay’s best cover cornerback.

On Monday night against the Saints, Nixon was an all-around difference maker.

He made tackles near the line of scrimmage, and one big splash play as well.

His strip sack of Rattler was Green Bay’s first takeaway of the night, and took at least three points off the board for the Saints.

Falling

Brenton Cox Jr.

It’s hard to find much to gripe about during a dominant win like the one the Packers had on Monday night.

One of those gripes certainly lays at the feet of Brenton Cox.

While trying to rush Spencer Rattler late in the first half, Cox hit Rattler after the ball had left his hands and was tagged for a personal foul.

Perhaps the argument could be made that it was a soft call, but that’s like in today’s NFL.

The pass was ruled incomplete after replay review, which means the penalty wiped out a third down stop for Green Bay’s defense.

He made up for it later with a sack of Spencer Rattler and a consistent amount of pressure late in the game as well.

Devonte Wyatt

The search for consistency continues for Devonte Wyatt.

The highs include a sack of Spencer Rattler late in the first half that essentially ended the hopes New Orleans had of getting points before halftime.

The lows? They can be just as ugly.

Wyatt looked to be in position to make a tackle on a draw play that came on a 3rd-and-long.

Instead of making the tackle, Wyatt simply punched at the ball.

He missed both the ball, and the tackle, which allowed the play to result in a first down.

A tough grade? Maybe.

But those are the types of plays that will matter against teams that are not starting Spencer Rattler.

Lukas Van Ness

A quiet night again for the former 13th overall pick. Lukas Van Ness has had some nice moments since the trade of Preston Smith, but he’s been outplayed by all of the other edge defenders.

He coupled a quiet night on defense with a tripping penalty that cost the Packers field position on a punt late In the third quarter.

Van Ness is someone the Packers came into the season relying on, but he has not lived up to his billing.

He has two regular season games to help turn that around, but there is little question that this has been a disappointing season for the former Iowa Hawkeye.

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Jacob Westendorf
JACOB WESTENDORF