The good, the bad and the ugly from the Packers’ win over the Dolphins

Bring on Detroit!

The Green Bay Packers had a great Thanksgiving feast, defeating the Miami Dolphins 30-17 in warm weather, on a night where the temperature was 27 degrees during the game and dropped throughout.

Now the Packers have a chance to make the NFC North — and the entire NFC — far more interesting.

Green Bay improved to 9-3 with its third straight win and will face NFC leader Detroit (11-1) on Dec. 5 for one of the league’s biggest games of the year.

If the Packers can upset a Detroit team that has won 10 straight games, they still have a chance to compete for the division title and the No. 1 seed in the conference. A loss means Green Bay will almost certainly be a wild card team.

When the two teams met last month, the Lions dominated from start to finish, winning 24-14.

“Obviously they got us the first game,” Packers quarterback Jordan Love said. “So we look at everything, watch all the film and, you know, put our game plan together.

“But … I think just the rhythm that we’re finding on offense right now, the way the defense is playing, I think we’re in a good position.”

Here’s the good, bad and ugly of Green Bay’s solid win over Miami.

THE GOOD

LOVE STORY: Packers quarterback Jordan Love heated up in the second half of the 2023 season. Now Love appears to be doing the same in 2024.

Love was extremely steady, completing 21 of 28 passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns. Love finished the game with a passer rating of 129.2 and did not throw an interception for the second straight game.

In the final eight games of 2023, Love threw 18 touchdowns, one interception and had a passer rating of at least 108.5 seven times. If he comes close to those numbers this year, big things could be in store for the Packers.

“I think he’s playing his best ball right now. I really do,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said of Love. “I think he did a great job of taking in what was there, doing the check-ups when they were there, or taking the shots when they were there. He moves really well in the pocket. I think our sideline does a pretty good job, but when things aren’t perfect up front, he can buy time or get out of danger and get rid of the football, and that’s crucial for us.”

PACKER WEATHER: The game temperature was 27 degrees, which was certainly beneficial for Green Bay.

The Packers improved to 7-4 at home during the Matt LaFleur era when kickoff temperatures were 32 degrees or colder.

Miami, on the other hand, continued to struggle with the cold.

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is now 0-8 in games with a reported temperature of 45 degrees or lower at kickoff.

“It’s one of those things we practice every day,” Love said. “So, you know, I think we’re ready for it.”

Packers safety Xavier McKinney wasn’t so sure the Dolphins were ready for the frigid night.

“I think it affected their entire team,” McKinney said. “Obviously they’re from Miami, it’s hot there, and then when you come here and play in the cold weather, it affects you. So I think it affected everyone on this team.”

JAYDEN REED: Green Bay’s dynamic second-year wideout had two touchdown receptions. This was the third time in 27 career games that Reed had two touchdowns.

Reed had a 3-yard TD reception just three minutes into the game to give Green Bay a 7-0 lead. He added a 12-yard TD reception late in the first half as the Packers extended their lead to 21-3.

OPERATING POINT OF VIEW: Trailing 27-11 early in the fourth quarter, Miami had a second-and-goal from Green Bay’s 1-yard line.

On second down, Packers defensive end Rashan Gary dropped running back De’Von Achane for no gain. On third down, cornerback Kesiean Nixon intercepted a pass intended for tight end Jonnu Smith.

Then linebacker Quay Walker sacked Tagovailoa on fourth-and-final for a loss of six yards.

“They had a second-and-goal at the 1-yard line and being able to keep them out of the end zone there was a pivotal moment in the game,” LaFleur said.

TRUCKER POWER: Packers tight end Tucker Kraft tied his career high with six receiving yards, while his 78 receiving yards were the second-most of his young career.

Kraft also continued to dish out more penalties than he received, rushing several Miami defenders after collecting passes.

“My style of play, I think the YAC brings the juice,” Kraft said. “If someone sees me run someone over or break a tackle and keep going, everyone is jumping up and down on the sideline. This brings energy and also moves the sticks. On the positive side, I would say my greatest attribute as a tight end is my ability to move with the ball after the catch. And I like doing it.”

Kraft’s teammates probably like it too.

“It’s great to see,” Love said of Kraft running over defenders. “I think it gives juice to everyone.

“It’s no fun for a defender to attack in cold weather. So when I see Tuck, he’s another guy who loves that contact and loves running over people. So… it gives everyone a little juice when you do that.”

ROCHELL, ROCHELL: Miami’s Malik Washington fumbled the Packers’ first punt of the night and Green Bay’s Robert Rochell recovered it at the Dolphins’ 9-yard line. Rochell was only in the game because Corey Ballentine – Green Bay’s usual shooter – was injured on the opening kickoff.

Three plays later, Packers quarterback Jordan Love hit Jayden Reed for a 3-yard touchdown to give Green Bay an early 7-0 lead.

“Coaches harp on about it all the time, complementary football, complementing each other in each phase, having the game for the next phase, and just to be able to create a turnover, the offense is going to capitalize right away,” Rochell said. “That’s what it’s all about. So it was definitely a great feeling to be able to come through for my team in that situation.”

OWNERS OF AFC: The Packers finished the year a perfect 5-0 in the AFC after defeating Miami.

Green Bay defeated every team in the AFC South earlier this year – Indianapolis, Tennessee, Houston and Jacksonville. The Packers then extended their winning streak over AFC teams to seven games in a row by defeating Miami.

TAG TEAM: Green Bay defensive players Lukas Van Ness and Kingsley Enagbare had consecutive sacks in the second quarter that killed a Miami drive.

Van Ness dropped his man as Tua Tagovailoa was forced to step into the pocket and drop the Dolphins’ quarterback. One play later, Enagbare flew over the edge, hit left tackle Terron Armstead and sacked Tagovailoa.

BREAKTHROUGH: Keisean Nixon averaged 27.3 yards per yard and 37 long returns on his nine kick returns this season.

However, on the first kickoff, Nixon found a big hole on the right side and returned the kick 43 yards.

THIS AND THAT: Green Bay finished the year with five sacks, their second-most of the year. “I think they did a good job,” LaFleur said. “But you’re only as good as your last game and we’ve got to keep pushing.”…The Packers improved their record in Thanksgiving games to 16-20-2. … Brandon McManus has made all three of his field goal attempts and is now 10 of 11 (90.9%) since signing with Green Bay on Oct. 16. … Josh Jacobs caught four passes for 74 yards, including a 49-yarder.

THE BAD

EXCEPT: Miami finished the game with just 17 points, but Tagovailoa outscored second-place Green Bay most of the night.

Miami’s quarterback completed a whopping 37 of 46 passes for 365 yards and had a passer rating of 114.2. Tagovailoa threw two touchdowns and had no interceptions.

LOSING HIS COOL: Green Bay would have scored a four-and-goal from Miami’s 6-inch line with 5 minutes left. But Packers guard Elgton Jenkins was picked off 15 yards for unnecessary roughness on Miami defensive lineman Zach Sieler, forcing Green Bay back 15 yards and forcing it to settle for a field goal.

THIS AND THAT: Green Bay’s first drive was partially negated by a false start penalty against tight end Tucker Kraft. … Rashan Gary was offside on a play that resulted in both Gary and Kingsley Enagbare Tagovailoa sacking.

THE UGLY

DONTAYVION WICKS: The Packers’ second-year wideout dropped the first ball thrown his way and now has eight drops this season – the second-most in the NFL.

Wicks also has a 15.7% drop rate, which is second-worst in the NFL, behind only Buffalo’s Amari Cooper (17.5%).

Wicks has been targeted 51 times this year and faced just 21 balls – a catch rate of just 41.2%, which is the worst in the league among players with at least 50 targets.

Over the last 15 years, the only players with catch rates lower than Wicks with at least 50 targets were Oakland’s Louis Murphy (35.4% in 2009), St. Louis’ Chris Givens (41.0% in 2013) and Mohammad Massaquoi from Cleveland (35.8%). in 2009 and 41.9% in 2011).