Acme Packing Company
Finally, the Green Bay Packers managed to win comfortably in a game that they were expected to do so. Playing without Josh Jacobs and a somewhat limited Jordan Love, the Packers cruised against the Minnesota Vikings, harassing quarterback J.J. McCarthy frequently en route to a 23-6 victory.
Emanuel Wilson was the star offensively for the Packers, running for more than 100 yards and two touchdowns as he took over the starting duties from Jacobs. Defensively, the Packers got big days from Micah Parsons and Devonte Wyatt, who each recorded a pair of sacks. Linebacker Isaiah McDuffie started on Sunday for the injured Quay Walker, and he also had a big game, posting 9 total tackles, a half-sack, and an interception.
Jordan Love’s workload was limited, likely due to both the game plan and thanks to the Packers’ run game doing a decent job picking up chunks of yards. Although the efficiency does not look great at the end — they averaged less than four yards per carry — they had a handful of chunk plays on the ground. Love finished just 14-for-21 for 139 yards, but a few of those completions were huge plays on third downs as he helped Green Bay go 50% on third downs.
The Packers move up to 7-3-1 on the season ahead of their trip to Detroit on Thanksgiving Day this Thursday.
Minnesota started with the football and drove for a long field goal to start the game. A long run for Aaron Jones and a 15-yard reception by Justin Jefferson pushed the Vikings to the edge of field goal range, and the Packers defense stiffened, holding them to a 52-yarder from Will Reichard.
On their first drive, the Packers got a 12-yard catch from Christian Watson to convert an early third down, then a 24-yard pass interference penalty on Josh Metellus in coverage against Luke Musgrave up the left sideline set them up near the red zone. Dontayvion Wicks picked up 18 with some great shifty moves after the catch to set up a one-yard run from Emanuel Wilson, who ran over linebacker Blake Cashman at the goal line to punch in the game’s first touchdown and a 7-3 Packers lead.
The Vikings’ second drive ended in a punt after getting behind the sticks. A fumbled exchange on first down and a short run by Jones set up a 3rd-and-9, when Isaiah McDuffie sniffed out a checkdown to T.J. Hockenson and laid a big hit on the tight end well short of a first down. Minnesota dropped their punt perfectly, however, setting up the Packers at their own 2.
Green Bay was unable to sustain a long drive, but they were able to get out of the shadow of their own end zone with a pair of first downs. After a third-down sack at the 24, Daniel Whelan flipped the field with a 63-yard bomb of a punt, netting 52 yards after a return and setting Minnesota up at their own 24.
The Packers’...
