Jordan Love leads the Packers on a comeback for the ages to defeat the Saints, plus quick takeaways
GREEN BAY − Almost 80,000 fans arrived for this, Jordan Love’s first career start inside Lambeau Field, and they were ready to witness history.
Before kickoff, they made that loud and clear. Love was announced last among the Green Bay Packers starters on offense. Before he even ran onto the field, the big video screen showing him in the tunnel, the crowd gave its loudest roar of the morning.
Love took some time to deliver, but he didn’t miss his shot when the opportunity came.
A week after failing on a potential fourth-quarter comeback, Love led a 17-point comeback in Sunday’s fourth quarter, leading the Packers to an 18-17 win. Love rushed for one touchdown and threw a second to Romeo Doubs. By the end, Love had completed 22 of 44 passes for 259 yards and an interception.
The New Orleans Saints drove on their final possession, but kicker Blake Grupe was wide right from 46 yards with a little more than a minute left, sealing the Packers victory.
Here are some quick observations from Sunday’s win:
No more rust for Rashan Gary
With Jaire Alexander inactive, it was incumbent on the other superstar of this Packers defense to have a big day. Rashan Gary delivered. The top pass rusher had three sacks Sunday, looking every bit like his usual self. There were signs through the first two weeks of Gary rounding into form after missing the second half of last season with a torn ACL. Gary had only a half-sack in the first two games, but he was consistently beating tackles across him on the edge. Three games in, it appears the rust has officially knocked off.
Special teams are not-so-special, again
Last week, it was the field goal unit taking a delay-of-game penalty on the opening possession in Atlanta because it couldn’t line up in time, turning a 51-yard attempt into a punt. Special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia took the blame after that mishap. The Packers special teams had another game-changing blunder Sunday, this one much worse. Young punter Daniel Whelan hit a wobbler off his foot in the first half, a low punt that traveled only 40 yards and begged for a big return. Saints returner Rashied Shaheed didn’t have much trouble, getting a running start and taking it 76 yards for a touchdown and 14-0 lead. That put Love and the Packers offense in a deep hole. Bisaccia might not have the same blame as last week, but it’s been a poor start to the season for his special teams units.
AJ Dillon’s decline continues
Aaron Jones’ absence was always going to diminish the Packers offense. He’s one of the NFL’s best running backs, a playmaker whether he’s running the football or running passing routes out of the backfield. The Packers surely couldn’t have envisioned a Jones injury would take this much out of their offense, though. The past two games, they’ve simply had no running game without Jones on the field, not the way they’re designed to operate with AJ Dillon still in the backfield. Dillon has rushed for 88 the past two weeks, including 11 carries for 33 yards Sunday. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Packers had four cracks to get a touchdown from the 2-yard line. Dillon was on the sideline all four plays. The Packers need more from their former second-round draft pick. Although, at this point, what they really need is Jones’ left hamstring to heal.
Keisean Nixon debuts on offense
After being selected first-team All-Pro as a kick returner last year, opponents haven’t been giving Keisean Nixon a chance to beat them early this season. Nixon had just one kickoff return Sunday. He took it 24 yards, but the kickoff was 6 yards deep in the end zone, giving the Packers possession at their own 18. The other two were touchbacks. Nixon is a weapon with the football in his hands, as he showed last year leading the NFL in return yardage, including a touchdown late in the season. Packers coach Matt LaFleur clearly is searching for ways for Nixon to get more involved, getting him in on offense where Nixon gained 11 yards on an end-around toss. In the fourth quarter, he dropped Nixon deep to field a punt, hoping to get a spark from their special teams. With so many starters absent because of injuries, it might be time to build a package in their offense for Nixon.
Matt LaFleur plays smart football
LaFleur played the analytics game in Sunday’s fourth quarter. Down 17-3, LaFleur decided to go for a 2-point conversion after the Packers first touchdown. The thinking was they could have two chances to convert a 2-point conversion, needing to convert one of them for a tie. Instead, the Packers converted the first, making the score 17-11. They needed only an extra point for the win. It was the type of decision that wouldn’t have been made a decade ago, when kicking the extra point and playing traditional football would have been expected. LaFleur showed Sunday he’s evolved with the league’s acceptance of analytics, and his team had an easier finish because of it.