Three Overreactions From Packers’ Victory Over Cardinals

The Green Bay Packers dominated the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Here are this week’s key takeaways, with one in each phase of the game.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love celebrates as he walks off the field after a victory over the Cardinals on Sunday. / Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers made short work of the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. It’s never over until it’s over, but it was 24-0 about 20 minutes into the game, and the Packers cruised to a 34-13 victory over a team that looked horrendous but was good enough to upset the 49ers last week.

Here are three overreactions from Green Bay’s second consecutive win.

1. Jordan Love Finds MVP Form

Packers quarterback Jordan Love is not going to win NFL MVP. But it looks like he’s rounding into that sort of form.

To be sure, the Cardinals’ pass defense is not good. They were among the worst in the NFL entering Sunday in terms of opponent completion percentage and yards per attempt.

Still, in his third start following a knee injury, Love was masterful on a dreary and soggy Sunday. He completed 22-of-32 passes for 258 yards and four touchdowns. After failing to reach even 60 percent in his first three starts, Love completed 68.8 percent of his passes.

It was Love’s 15th consecutive game with at least 200 passing yards and one passing touchdown, four off Aaron Rodgers’ franchise record. His eight consecutive games with at least two touchdown passes is the second-longest streak in franchise history behind Rodgers (13 games, 2011) and tied with Joe Flacco for the longest current streak in the NFL.

Two things stand out.

One, Love really wasn’t close to making a big mistake. After living recklessly in throwing three interceptions in his return to the lineup against Minnesota and tossing an inexcusable pick-six last week against the Rams, his lone interception vs. the Cardinals came when receiver Bo Melton slipped to the turf. He wasn’t sacked. He didn’t fumble.

Two, as Love’s knee history recedes in the rearview mirror, the offense is looking more like what coach Matt LaFleur wants. That means runs that set up passes. On play action, Love was 7-of-10 for 112 yards and one touchdown, according to PFF. As his knee gets stronger, he should be able to play more under-center snaps, which will increase the play-action opportunities.

Love was happy with how he played but also seemed to be well aware of what’s next: a showdown against the powerhouse Houston Texans at Lambeau next week.

“I felt good today,” Love said. “But, obviously, every week is a new test. We’re going to enjoy this one, we’re going to go back and do what we do every week – watch film, learn and grow from it, and get back to it next week. Every week’s a different test, different opponent. So, got to go out there and handle business next week.”

2. Rookie Takeover, The Sequel

Last year, the play of rookie receivers Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks and rookie tight ends Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft helped the Packers to an unexpected playoff berth.

Is a defensive sequel under way?

In Week 1 against the Eagles, second-round safety Javon Bullard played every snap but second-round linebacker Edgerrin Cooper played just 11 snaps (fourth-most at the position) and fourth-round safety Evan Williams was relegated to special teams.

On Sunday, the Packers played 58 defensive snaps. The tallies:

- Bullard, 54 snaps.

- Cooper, career-high 38 (second-most at the position).

- Williams, 38 (after playing all 78 last week).

They aren’t just playing snaps because somebody’s got to play snaps. They’re playing snaps because they deserve to play snaps. In fact, they probably deserve to be playing more snaps, with Cooper trending that way after surpassing Isaiah McDuffie for the first time and the overall depth in the secondary limiting Bullard and Williams.

Bullard hasn’t made any SportsCenter-style plays but he’s been fast and physical in every game. Cooper continues to play more and more because of his superb speed, whether it’s in run defense or as a blitzer. Williams, no different than in training camp, continues to make big plays.

Bullard had seven tackles against the Cardinals and was a key factor in limiting Kyler Murray to 14 rushing yards. Same with Cooper, who also had seven tackles. Among his four tackles, Williams had an enormous third-down stop against Murray and produced a takeaway when he forced a fumble.

“I don’t know how to answer that other than it’s my job to be around the ball,” Williams said. “It’s definitely something I take pride in. I feel like when you run to the ball, good things happen.

“We have a saying that, our linebackers coach, his name’s (Anthony) Campanile, so we say, ‘Campy 3:16 is God loves those who run to the ball.’ That’s something we definitely carry. I feel like safeties, you’re in a good spot up high to see the whole picture. When you run to the ball, good things happen. I’ll give it up to the scheme for me being in good spots to make plays.”

If the Packers get to the playoffs and make an extended run, these three rookie defenders will be at the forefront.

3. Keep Him Off the Plane

A couple weeks ago, the Packers had kicker Chad Ryland in for a tryout. A spot on the practice squad might have been on the table but the Cardinals needed a kicker to replace injured Matt Prater, so Ryland signed to Arizona’s practice squad and kicked the last two weeks.

There’s little doubt about the best kicker on Sunday. While rookie Brayden Narveson missed another field goal, Ryland was good from 38 and 40 yards and made his only extra point.

LaFleur, no doubt getting tired of the questions about his struggling kicker, said he “absolutely” has confidence to keep sending Narveson onto the field.

“We did it later and he responded and made his kick,” LaFleur said.

This season, 25 kickers have attempted at least 10 field goals. At 12-of-17, Narveson is last at 70.6 percent. Next-to-last is Greg Joseph, whom the Packers released in order to sign Narveson after final cuts.

Ryland will revert back to the Cardinals’ practice squad. He’s 5-of-6 in two games, with the lone miss being a block. With Prater set to return – potentially this coming week – Ryland will be available.

To say they shouldn’t have allowed him on the plane back to Arizona wouldn’t just be an exaggeration. It would have been against the rules. Nonetheless, a championship-contending team can’t leave points on the field. Well, you’d think they can’t leave points on the field, but the Packers did it throughout the final two-thirds of last season with Anders Carlson.

Whether it’s Ryland (who was terrible as a fourth-round rookie for the Patriots last year but perhaps has things figured out) or someone like veteran like Riley Patterson (88.1 in 39 career games), the time to experiment needs to come to an end. Narveson might very well have a long and successful career. The Packers, however, are in no position to wait.

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The #Packers (due to tiebreakers) are in last place in the NFC North. They'd be at least tied for first in five other divisions.

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— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) October 14, 2024

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