Packers 30, Dolphins 17: Game Balls / Lame Calls
Green Bay carves up Miami with a complete Thanksgiving night performance.
The sacks are back. It took several weeks, but Green Bay’s defense rediscovered the ability to seriously pressure the opposing quarterback, getting to Tua Tagovailoa for five sacks and several servings of additional harassment, leading the Packers to a 30-17 win at Lambeau.
It’s an important win, and not just because it was the team’s most complete, dominating performance of the season in all three phases. Over the past two games the Packers have looked more like they did in the second half of last year, which ought to have Dan Campbell and Kevin O’Connell looking worriedly over their shoulders. LaFleur is in a play-calling groove, Jordan Love has settled into a rhythm, the defense out-muscled the opposition and Brandon McManus is money.
Granted, Miami — like San Francisco last Sunday — was playing without some key contributors, as it seemed like a Dolphin got injured every third play. But the Packers demonstrated they are simply the better, more physical team, and they took care of business as they should have.
GAME BALLS
Isaiah McDuffie — There was a good chance that McDuffie — nursing a sore ankle — wasn’t going to suit up against the Dolphins. Instead he was all over the field, wrecking them with a team leading 10 tackles (seven solo, one for a loss) and solid pass coverage. With Edgerrin Cooper out, McDuffie made the most of the opportunity to show he can be a difference maker who deserves more playing time. 🏈 🏈 🏈 🏈 🏈
Jayden Reed — Reed had been relatively quiet the past few weeks, as the run game and Josh Jacobs took center stage. This week Reed grabbed the spotlight with two TD receptions and a jet sweep run for 23 yards. With Romeo Doubs out, Love spread the ball around, with Tucker Kraft and Reed getting targets in big spots. What makes Reed special are his burst and run-after-catch ability. Defenses can’t treat him as just another receiver. 🏈 🏈 🏈 🏈 🏈
The D line — Up and down the roster of defensive linemen, guys stepped up. Kenny Clark, Brenton Cox, Lukas Van Ness and Kingsley Enagbare had sacks. Arron Mosby had a tackle for loss, Van Ness had two, and Rashan Gary was constantly in Tua’s kitchen. And late in the fourth quarter, the line came up with a big goal-line stand that killed Miami's comeback chances. 🏈 🏈 🏈 🏈
UNSUNG HERO
Robert Rochell — A sub for Corey Ballantine when he went down, Rochell recovered the muffed punt after the Packers’ first drive, and the resulting touchdown set the tone for the game. Add in Keisean Nixon’s long, opening kickoff return and McManus’ stone-cold reliability and it was a good day for special teams.
LAME CALLS
Not much to call out in this game. After shaky play and strange game-planning the past few weeks, the defense finally showed the pressure-based, aggressive approach that Jeff Hafley has been promising. Tua is a challenging customer, getting the ball out more quickly than any QB in the league, and by the last several minutes of the third quarter he started carving up the Packers in the middle of the field. But Hafley started dialing up pressure much earlier, enabling the Packers slow the Dolphins’ speed/ YAC centric offense. It wasn’t perfect, and I still think the linebackers line up a few yards too deep, but Hafley’s plan was sound against the strengths and weaknesses of Mike McDaniel’s quick-throw scheme.
Elgton Jenkins — Jenkins has had too many uncharacteristic mental lapses in recent weeks for such a good player, and the unnecessary roughness flag he earned in the fourth quarter Thursday night was inexcusable. He really earned it, too, dragging the opposing lineman around on the ground and turning what would have been fourth and inches at Miami’s goal line into fourth and 15, leading to a field goal instead of a likely touchdown that would have iced the game.
FINAL WHISTLES
With Detroit next up in a week, the Packers can’t take much time to savor this win. The important thing is that they’ve put together two solid performances in a row and are now showing definite progress from game to game. Everyone stepped up against Miami, from Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks to Christian Watson and Quay Walker. The offensive line continued their solid play, Josh Jacobs had his usual good game and the safety group helped neutralize threats from Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and OBJ.
The Lions started Thanksgiving with some injuries to a couple of key players, and got more banged up playing the Bears, so the Packers will be catching them at a good time. But these Lions are never a good time, with the deepest and most talented roster in the game and a coach on a mission. It will take a similar effort that we saw against Miami — and more — to tame them. GPG.
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Jonathan Krim grew up in New York but got hooked on the Packers — and on hating the Cowboys — watching the Ice Bowl as a young child. He blames bouts of unhappiness in his late teens on Dan Devine. A journalist for several decades who now lives in California, he enjoys trafficking in obscure cultural references, lame dad jokes and occasionally preposterous takes. Jonathan is a Packers shareholder, and insists on kraut with his brats. You can follow Jonathan on twitter at @Jkrim.
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Comments (17)
Guam
November 29, 2024 at 08:23 am
I would add a game ball for Tucker Kraft. He had several important catches and bowled over a couple of Dolphin defenders on his way to being a YAC monster. Kraft is becoming a significant part of this offense with both his blocking and receiving.
And an honorable mention to the entire D-line that bottled up the Dolphin rushing attack all game long and got pressure on Tua as well. No individual standouts, just solid play from all of them.
Coldworld
November 29, 2024 at 09:14 am
Well said!
Kraft needs to be a more foundational piece of our offensive plans. He’s not only good after the catch, but using him adds a short and intermediate range option that helps to keep Love in rhythm and helps the run game by giving an option that isn’t a run up the middle or a near lateral. Just balances our O in a number of ways.
Guam
November 29, 2024 at 09:49 am
Thanks CW.
A really good TE can diversify an offense (Gronk, Kelce, Kittle, etc.) and the Packers haven't had a good one for a number of years. Hopefully MLF remembers Kraft and makes him a more consistent part of the offense.
greengold
November 29, 2024 at 10:11 am
Tucker Kraft is indeed one helluva complete TE. Kraft was ranked by Athlon's as the #18 Overall Prospect in their Draft Preview for 2023, ahead of Lukas Van Ness at #20 and Luke Musgrave at #23.
He came into this NFL as a supersized receiver (6-5 259) and an eager blocker. His physicality with the ball in his hands set him apart. While stocky, Kraft has great flexibility and balance, along with very reliable hands as a receiver. He's also got the speed to win vertical seams with plus adjustments. As we've seen, he tramples DBs.
He's got it all, which is a welcome sight here in GB. Tenacious blocker, which we are beginning to realize now that's he's found a comfort zone in this league, both in-line and out in space. Super tough player for the Packers.
I agree, Guam. Kraft deserved a game ball.
Here's an odd stat I wasn't expecting: Heading into the MIA game Tucker Kraft lead all TEs in Offensive Snaps with 664.
Kraft also ranked #13 in receiving yds amongst TEs with 402, #2 in TDs with 6, #2 in YAC amongst all NFL TEs with 353 yds, #3 in YAC/REC with a 9.8 yd average, #9 in Passer Rating when Targeted with 132.8, #2 with a Long of 67 yds, and #1 Overall in Missed Tackles Forced with 13.
Now, add this into the equations above: Tucker Kraft has had a 13% or lower Target Share for the 6 weeks prior to last night's game vs. MIA...
That is some MAJOR production.
jannesbjornson
November 29, 2024 at 03:14 pm
playing at a Pro Bowl level. Feed him the ball.
Tundraboy
November 29, 2024 at 07:12 pm
Yes. Short and to the point!
Doug_In_Sandpoint
November 29, 2024 at 08:25 am
Not much lame here, but I’ll dig a bit. I don’t mind an offside penalty when the D is trying to get a jump on the ball. I’m also sure that there are twitches that we can’t even see that would make someone jump. However, when our linemen line up offsides it drives me crazy. LVN was looking at the ball and way off Sunday. Again, last night we had a few guys line up offsides. SO that, and the fact that CHTV is loading soooo slowly on mobile for the last two weeks. Anybody else?
I really nice victory turns me into a picker of nits…
Unsung game balls for the past two games to the 2nd and 3rd RBs. Brooks and Wilson always seem to be helping advance the ball down the field.
bjkdad44
November 30, 2024 at 10:04 pm
Sometimes I have to do cheesehead tv oin a browser… the app isn’t loading at all all of a sudden
splitpea1
November 29, 2024 at 10:22 am
More Game Balls:
Jordan Love's decision making was excellent and he had a fine game. Kraft. The backup RBs. McManus for his consistency and lack of drama.
The defense: All Miami did was fill up the stat sheet as the defense kept almost everything in front of them. And they came up big at the 1-yard line at the beginning of the fourth quarter on successive plays. Once again, run defense was outstanding.
The only lame call I'll add is that Wicks needs to catch with his hands (palms out!) instead of his forearms. He's a great talent, but he needs to put the drops behind him.
murf7777
November 29, 2024 at 10:26 am
The only Lame about this game was the players lining up off sides….I just don’t get it
Starrbrite
November 29, 2024 at 10:39 am
To piggyback on what many of you have mentioned—lining up in the neutral zone is unacceptable—should never happen.
…more screen passes please—I have lobbied for this since the preseason.
How do the officials miss the PI against Watson; Officiate correctly or get the hell out of the way.
I firmly believe we match up extremely well with the Lions and I believe they fear us more than any other NFC contender.
Maybe—just maybe, our defense has turned the corner. I do however prefer more blitzing —we do it well imo.
Now pound the Lions.
Go Packers!!!
NFLfan
November 29, 2024 at 10:53 am
Love was smooth and in control. I watched him pull back from throwing a riskier ball in favor of a safer check-down. He does listen and is coachable. If he somehow became available, 31 teams would fall all over themselves to sign him. His character is also topnotch-kudos to his parents.
Really thrilled with the urgency and intensity of the Defense. Mosby and Cox got sacks! LVN has emerged, MacDuffie and Enagbare were everywhere creating havoc. Nixon is a dog, Quay was good. All I want to see is heart and urgency. Even Clark seemed to want to get into the action-lol.
Kraft and Reed are my absolute favorites. My blood pressure drops as I know they can handle the big moments.
McManus is another big moment guy.
Hats off to Hafley.
jvole
November 29, 2024 at 03:58 pm
I would add Hafley because I think he found a role for Quay that he can excel at. Delayed blitz between the tackles. I wondered a couple of weeks ago if Quay should be turned into an edge lineman since he didn't seem to have great instincts for middle linebacker. IDK, he seemed to do well as a blitzer.
Houndog
November 29, 2024 at 11:01 am
A reasonably complete game, and a really nice game and a big win for the Pack.
Brandon McManus is money, and its a great relief to have him. But, I,m not sure I can agree with Jonathan about LaFleur being 'in a play-calling groove'. He's been better!
To me it seems that the passing game in the close-in Red Zone offense, and the short and mid-field game that destroyed the Cowboys and nearly beat the 9ers in the playoffs has been diminished with the emergence of Josh Jacobs. Too many times, on 3rd and 3 or 4, they throw a 40 yard pass, incomplete! Don't get me wrong, I love Jacobs' game, but I found it easy to guess on numerous occasions during the past two games on what was coming next, the days of "3 yards and a cloud of dust" are long obsolete. With the Packers' receivers (I think) he needs to mix it up a little more, do the unexpected, it nearly got us to the Superbowl a year ago!
stockholder
November 29, 2024 at 11:49 am
I don't see Jenkins penalty as inexcusable.
He wasn't playing soft.
Fight Fight Fight!
He was protecting his QB!
Zero Sacks!!
The assumption of a TD is just that.
Major Snafu
November 29, 2024 at 01:59 pm
Game ball to the whole dam team. They played well, totally dominated Miami. Ya they found a weakness in the middle of our pass D and other teams have learned something but we stopped a formidable run game and teared up their defense. Bottom line, Miami is a 5 and 7 team, they deserve their record.
This was just a complete game on both sides the ball. Well done.
Rory P Scrotem
November 30, 2024 at 06:17 am
Attention NFLfan -
"(Love) topnotch-kudos to his parents."
Above comment made regarding his character.
You need to read more about his challenging upbringing re: father/single-mother widow/family.
Jordan's story makes his high level character even more impressive.