Three Overreactions From Packers’ Victory Over Dolphins

The Green Bay Packers made short work of the Miami Dolphins on Thursday. Next Thursday, they’ll face a much bigger challenge against the Detroit Lions. Are the Packers ready?

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) pushes his way into the endzone for a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins. / Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers are peaking at the right time.

After getting manhandled by the Detroit Lions before the bye, they have won three in a row headed into next week’s matchup at Ford Field. On Thursday night, they crushed the Miami Dolphins, who had won three in a row in making a push to the playoffs.

Here are the weekly Overreactions.

1. Packers Are Ready for Primetime

The Packers were trounced by the Lions in their first matchup at Lambeau Field. The final score was 24-14, but it might as well have been 42-14. Jordan Love threw a pick-six before halftime and the Lions scored to open the second half to lead 24-3.

Much like Miami’s comeback on Thanksgiving, everything that happened thereafter was putting green and gold lipstick on a pig. Green Bay was 3-of-12 on third down, 1-of-4 in the red zone and minus-1 in turnovers.

After its bye, Green Bay has won three consecutive games against the Bears, 49ers and Dolphins. The win at Chicago was as ugly as a manure pile on a sweltering summer afternoon, but the Packers the last two games are 11-of-24 on third down, 8-of-10 in the red zone and 4-0 in turnovers.

“Yeah, I’d say so,” coach Matt LaFleur said when asked if the Packers are playing their best ball of the season.

The Lions play a physical style. So do these Packers.

Running back Josh Jacobs – and LaFleur’s reliance on Jacobs – has changed the offensive mentality. Jacobs couldn’t find an inch of daylight for most of the final three quarters, but LaFleur kept giving it to him, anyway.

Tight end Tucker Kraft is an “animal” after the catch, LaFleur said. And Green Bay’s run defense, which had been on Charmin packaging for the first five years of LaFleur’s tenure, demolished the Dolphins’ explosive run game.

“The one thing that stands out to me is we’re being physical in every phase of football, and I think that’s going to do us well,” LaFleur said.

When’s the last time a Packers coach could say that with an ounce of credibility?

“I think that gives you a chance each and every week,” LaFleur continued, “and it shows up all over the tape, whether it’s our linebackers hitting people, whether it’s up front, our receivers blocking.”

LaFleur singled out receiver Dontayvion Wicks for his blocking. He had a key block on Jayden Reed’s big run, and blocked like a tight end on a couple of Jacobs’ red-zone carries. Christian Watson had a pancake on Reed’s second touchdown catch.

“When you get it from the skill positions, it changes the complexion of your team,” LaFleur continued. “Obviously, Josh Jacobs has been huge. He just continues to run really hard. Tucker Kraft, I can’t say enough great things about him, his ability to get downhill. He’s a tough guy to tackle.

“Really in every phase of the game, I think our guys are being extremely physical, and that’s something we can hang our hat on.”

2. Jordan Love, Running It Back?

Jordan Love parlayed an Aaron Rodgers-style second half of last season into a monumental contract extension this offseason.

Then, for the first half of this season, he reverted to first-half-of-2023 Love.

Love’s aforementioned pick-six against Detroit was the type of play made by losing quarterbacks. The bye week got Love healthy and gave him time to reflect and reset.

The last three games?

Chicago: 13-of-17, 261 yards, one touchdown, zero interceptions, 113.0 passer rating.

San Francisco: 13-of-23, 163 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions, 107.7 passer rating.

Miami: 21-of-28, 274 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions, 129.2 passer rating.

When Love led the Packers to the playoffs down the stretch last year, he threw 18 touchdowns and one interception and was second in the NFL with a 112.7 passer rating.

The last three games? A fourth-ranked 120.8.

“I think we’re building a good thing on offense right now,” Love said.

Really, just about any quarterback can deliver from a clean pocket. But how about when pressured?

Love was a disaster against Detroit. Due in part to a groin injury, he was 6-of-13 for 58 yards with the pick-six when pressured and 2-of-9 for 10 yards and the interception when blitzed, according to PFF.

The last three games?

Chicago: 8-of-8 for 185 yards when pressured and 2-of-3 for 68 yards when blitzed.

San Francisco: 3-of-8 for 51 yards and one touchdown when pressured and 4-of-6 for 40 yards and one touchdown when blitzed.

Miami: 6-of-10 for 55 yards and one touchdown when pressured and 9-of-11 for 86 yards and one touchdown when blitzed.

Because his defensive front has been decimated by injuries, it stands to reason that esteemed Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is going to attack Love.

Playing his best this season, Love seems poised to respond.

3. Enjoy Jeff Hafley

This isn’t the first time we’ve written this, but enjoy Jeff Hafley while he remains Green Bay’s defensive coordinator.

He’s young. He’s got charisma. He’s got head-coaching experience. Whether it’s this coaching cycle or next, the next step in his football career is obvious.

How do you stop Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Tua Tagovailoa with Jaire Alexander inactive, slot cornerback Keisean Nixon playing on the perimeter, Eric Stokes and Carrington Valentine time-sharing the other corner and rookie Javon Bullard manning the slot?

By bending and not breaking.

Tagovailoa threw for a million yards – well, it was 365, but close enough – and it was mostly meaningless.

The Packers didn’t allow a completion of longer than 16 yards until the fourth quarter. The run defense – worst in the NFL by yards per carry during LaFleur’s first five seasons – held the Dolphins to 39 yards on 14 tries. It was Miami’s worst rushing performance since 2022 and Green Bay’s fourth-best day defending the run during the LaFleur era.

Miami was 4-of-14 on third down and 0-for-2 in goal-to-go situations. Tagovailoa, sacked nine times the previous five games, was sacked five times.

“I think we're playing good, man,” safety Xavier McKinney said. “I think we just continue to find ways to get better. But I think we’re playing well, man. We've grown and we’re going to continue to grow and just build these relationships with each other. But I think we're pretty tight.

“We play tight, we go out there and you can tell by how our effort, like, for instance, last week the Keisean play [when Nixon stripped the ball from Christian McCaffrey] – running all the way from backside and making the play. So, little things, different things that you can see. We’re all close to each other, and I think we are continuing to be that defense that we want to be.”

Playing in Detroit will be an entirely different challenge. The crowd and the weather won’t be in their favor. The Lions’ offensive line is better. And they are mentally tougher.

But to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best. Now’s as good a time as any.

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