Packer Central

Stock Report: Packers Start Fast, Pull Away From Dolphins

A fast start in Green Bay on the back of Jayden Reed gave way to the finishing touches being put on by Tucker Kraft, as the Packers powered past the Miami Dolphins in a Thanksgiving clash.

Jacob Westendorf

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (11) celebrates with a Lambeau Leap after scoring a touchdown against the Dolphins.
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (11) celebrates with a Lambeau Leap after scoring a touchdown against the Dolphins. / Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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GREEN BAY, Wis. – Thanksgiving’s tradition of having the NFL occupy most of the day made its way to Green Bay for an evening showdown between the Green Bay Packers and Miami Dolphins.

The Packers, starting the day at 8-3 needed a win to keep pace with the 11-1 Detroit Lions, who had already secured a win on the day.

The game started with a bang, with Keisean Nixon returning the opening kickoff to the Packers’ 46 yardline.

From there, the Packers were a dominant force, building a 24-3 lead in the first half behind a dominant defensive performance, and timely playmaking from Jayden Reed.

The Packers will now head to Detroit next week, needing to beat the Lions to have any chance of winning the NFC North.

For today, however, the Packers were dominant in their window for Thanksgiving Day, and move to 9-3 before heading to Detroit next week.

The stocks, as you can imagine, are rising significantly.

Rising

Robert Rochell

The first big play of the game came from Green Bay’s special teams unit.

After a dreadful start on offense which led to a three-and-out, the Packers lined up to punt.

A booming kick from Daniel Whelan was muffed by Miam’s return man Malik Washington, and recovered by Rochell to give the Packers the ball deep in Miami territory.

Special teams has certainly been up-and-down for Green Bay this year, but this was about as good of a start on that side of the ball as they could have hoped for.

Lukas Van Ness

Perhaps the second-year defensive end is gaining some confidence. Van Ness now has a sack in each of the last two games after he tallied one in the second quarter, along with a tackle for loss in the first quarter.

This comes after a strip sack that all but ended the game last week against the San Francisco 49ers.

“I’ve been waiting for a big play like that and I’ve kept my head down,” said Lukas Van Ness on Tuesday. “Even going back to that game, I think a lot of it is you gotta take your shot and be willing to go out there and make a difference.”

Van Ness has made a difference in consecutive weeks, and helped make a big one with the Dolphins threatening to make a game out of Thursday night’s perceived blowout.

The Dolphins facing fourth-and-goal from the Packers’ 1, elected to have Tagovailoa drop back to pass.

The pass rush affected Tagovailoa on the play. Pressure from Van Ness, which eventually resulted in a sack for Quay Walker.

That play make have ensured that the game did not become a nail biter.

Jayden Reed

Reed was part of helping the Packers start fast. After Jordan Love missed him on a deep ball on the team’s opening possession, it did not take long for Love to find Reed again.

Malik Washington’s muffed punt set the Packers up deep in Miami territory, and Reed provided the first third down conversion of the game.

It was a frozen rope from Jordan Love that Reed caught for the game’s first touchdown.

Later in the game, Reed would go back for seconds, this time on a run-pass option from Jordan Love.

Two great blocks from Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks allowed Reed to find his way into the end zone to give the Packers a 21-3 lead.

Not to rest on his laurels, Reed made a spectacular one-handed grab on a third down pass from Jordan Love in the middle of the third quarter.

That led to a short field goal from Brandon McManus to extend Green Bay’s lead to 27-3.

Reed was the player who emerged down the stretch last season, perhaps his big night will be the start of a similar run to close this season.

Tucker Kraft

With the absence of Doubs, the other player to step up in the passing game was their human car crash, Tucker Kraft.

Kraft did what he always does, making plays after the ball was in his hands, and bulldozing opposing defenders.

Kraft finished the night with six catches for 78 yards, and was the team’s leading receiver in the absence of Romeo Doubs.

Kraft is quickly becoming a fan favorite in Green Bay, and his willingness to put his body on the line every week is a big reason why.

Falling

Dontayvion Wicks

With Romeo Doubs sidelined, Dontayvion Wicks had a big opportunity in front of him to make right on what has been a disappointing season for him.

Instead, it was more of the same for Wicks. A first quarter pass from Jordan Love hit Wicks in the breadbasket, and Wicks did what he’s done too many times this season.

He dropped the ball.

The ball was batted in the air and nearly intercepted, if not for the heads up play from Christian Watson to help knock the ball out of the air.

Wicks, to his credit, still was a willing blocker, helping spring Jayden Reed for his second touchdown of the night.

He did some nice things as a receiver as well.

The reality is the drops have become a recurring issue, and it’s something that needs to resolve itself, or it could rear its ugly head in a big moment.

Offsides Penalties

The Packers lined up offsides at the snap twice last week against San Francisco.

Rashan Gary did so in the first quarter, which wiped out a sack.

TJ Slaton jumped offsides on a field goal attempt in the second quarter, which gave the Dolphins a second life on a possession.

Kingsley Enagbare lined up in the neutral zone in the second quarter when Miami’s offense was backed up deep in their own territory. That’s his fourth offsides penalty of the season.

Devonte Wyatt was also flagged for encroachment.

These are the types of mistakes which are just as mental as they are physical.

That drive ultimately ended in a field goal thanks to a big tackle for loss by Arron Mosby, but those are penalties that a better team will take advantage of as the season winds to a close.

Elgton Jenkins

Typically, offensive linemen are at their best if they’re going unnoticed.

Late in the fourth quarter, Elgton Jenkins got himself noticed.

Dontayvion Wicks caught a short pass on third down and got himself within mere inches of scoring a touchdown.

Unfortunately, Jenkins was tagged with a personal foul penalty that pushed his team back.

Ultimately, the penalty was inconsequential as Brandon McManus made a 33-yard field goal, but it made things more difficult than they had to be.

Matt LaFleur has also said he takes personal foul penalties personal, so chances are Jenkins earned himself a stern conversation with LaFleur during the week.

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Jacob Westendorf
JACOB WESTENDORF