Recap of the Packers’ 30-17 win over the Dolphins in Week 13

The Green Bay Packers improved to 9-3 and won their seventh game in eight tries with a 30-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Thanksgiving Night from Lambeau Field.

The Packers led 14-0 in the first quarter, 24-3 at halftime and 27-3 early in the second half. The Dolphins threatened to rally between the third and fourth quarters, but the Packers made a crucial fourth-down stop to ensure there would be no holiday comeback from Miami.

Here’s what went right, what went wrong, and what it means for the Packers’ future:

What went well

— Special teams made an immediate impact. Keisean Nixon scored a 43-yard kickoff return to open the game, and Robert Rochell’s defense of a deflected punt inside the 10-yard line provided the opening score. The special teams were solid all night long – Brandon McManus made all six of his kicks, Daniel Whelan placed three punts inside the 20 and Malik Washington barely made an impact as a returner for Miami.

– The Packers converted their first three trips to the red zone into touchdowns. Jordan Love and Jayden Reed scored for touchdowns on two different third downs inside the 20-minute line, and Josh Jacobs added another 1-yard touchdown run. In the second half, a negative play and a penalty prevented two chances in the red zone, but a one-handed catch by Reed and a great shot by Dontayvion Wicks almost got the job done.

– Jacobs and Tucker Kraft led the way offensively, converting 29 touches into 195 yards. The Dolphins struggled to attack both players all night. While Jacobs was limited on the ground, he managed 74 yards as a receiver. Kraft made all six of his catches through the tackles.

– The Packers had a total of five sacks and nine tackles for loss. As the Dolphins continued to pile up yards in the second half, Jeff Hafley’s defense made enough disruptive plays to survive. The sack of Quay Walker on fourth down from the 1-yard line was a great play.

— After starting 0-for-2, Love got hot and was almost automatic. At one point he hit 11 passes in a row. He completed 21 of 28 passes, but there were at least three missed throws and one incompletion that should have resulted in a penalty. The love was sharp – decisive and precise.

– The Packers stuffed the Dolphins’ running game. Miami had runs of 12 and 13 yards, but finished with just 39 total rushing yards on 14 carries.

– Jacobs, Reed, Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks all had an explosive run of at least 10 yards. While Jacobs only managed 43 yards on 19 carries, the Packers still managed 114 rushing yards.

– A week after dropping a deep ball, Christian Watson hit Storm Duck down the other sideline and hauled in a 46-yarder from Love for the score. He also fought through a pass interference penalty and made a 21-yard catch on 1st-and-15 on a first-half touchdown drive. He made a crucial block on Reed’s second touchdown and likely would have drawn another interference penalty on a late deep throw in the fourth quarter.

– Linebacker Isaiah McDuffie, who was unable to play due to an ankle injury, posted 10 tackles, including a tackle for loss, and a crunching pass breakup.

– Wicks had a bad drop, but he recovered and caught his next four passes for 30 yards. More importantly, he blocked effectively all night long. With Romeo Doubs out, Wicks was a plus in a larger role.

What went wrong?

– The Packers had four offside or encroachment penalties on defense (including one that negated a sack) and two false starts on offense.

— Although the Dolphins only scored 17 points, there could have been, and probably should have been, more. Tua Tagovailoa missed a few open throws in the first half, and when he started hitting in-breakers outside of play in the second half, the Dolphins’ passing game began to falter. He finished with 37 completions for 365 yards.

– Josh Jacobs had an 11-yard run early but struggled to find space over 19 carries. He had to fight for many of his 43 yards. The Dolphins clearly placed an emphasis on limiting the Packers on the ground.

– Dontayvion Wicks had a drop. This was also the case for Jayden Reed with a pass into the flat. Jordan Love passed Reed on a likely touchdown on the first drive and was a little late when he threw a deep ball to Christian Watson in the fourth quarter. The passing game was very good, but still allowed for a few yards and big plays.

– Elgton Jenkins had an unnecessary roughness penalty called in the red zone, ruining the Packers’ chance to try it from the 1-yard line on fourth down.

What it means

The Packers won their second game in five days and set up a big NFC North showdown with the Detroit Lions next Thursday night at Ford Field. For the second week in a row, the Packers started fast and controlled the game from start to finish against a playoff qualifier from last year. At 9-3, the Packers practically have a chance to reach the postseason. Can they compete for the NFC North title in the final five games? It has to start with a win over the Lions next week.

Highlights

What’s next?

The biggest game of the season so far. The Packers will travel to Ford Field next Thursday night in prime time to play the 11-1 Detroit Lions. If the Packers get to 10-3, winning the NFC North would be a real possibility. If the Packers fall, it’s wild card time – that means a road game against a division winner to start the playoffs. Expect an electric, playoff-like atmosphere at Ford Field next Thursday night.