Packers protection smothers Commanders, Jayden Daniels in 27-18 win: Key takeaways – The New York Occasions

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By Matt Moret, Nicki Jhabvala, Matt Schneidman and Saad Yousuf
The Inexperienced Bay Packers protection all however shut down the Washington Commanders’ offense within the NFL’s first “Thursday Evening Soccer” sport of the season, happening to win the bruising matchup 27-18. Inexperienced Bay mixed for 404 yards, whereas Washington totaled simply 230 yards in a sport that left all sides with accidents.
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Packers quarterback Jordan Love had an ideal displaying, racking up 292 yards and two touchdowns, together with a move to Romeo Doubs that opened the scoring with 4 and a half minutes left within the first quarter. Operating again Josh Jacobs additionally recorded 84 dashing yards and a landing that made him the primary Packer to attain a dashing landing in 10 consecutive video games.
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels completed the primary half with simply 49 passing yards, which he boosted to 200 by the top of the sport.
Each groups misplaced key gamers to harm through the first half.
Jayden Reed, a standout receiver for the Packers who had three catches for 45 yards and a landing in opposition to the Detroit Lions final week, left the competition lower than 5 minutes into the primary quarter. The crew later dominated out Reed, 25, with a shoulder injury after he struggled to stroll down the Lambeau Discipline tunnel whereas clutching his collarbone. Coach Matt LaFleur stated postgame Reed fractured his collarbone and is headed to the IR. He’s out for the foreseeable future, however the crew expects him to return some level this season.
Commanders defensive finish Deatrich Clever Jr. was carted off the sphere within the second quarter with a quad injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the sport. Clever’s harm occurred throughout an extra-point try following the Packers’ second landing. Packers deal with Anthony Belton fell again on Clever’s proper leg through the play, and all the Commanders bench gathered across the 31-year-old as he left the sphere.
Veteran Commanders operating again Austin Ekeler additionally left the sport with 5 and a half minutes left within the fourth quarter following a non-contact harm. Medical workers assisted him to the sideline as he hopped to the bench on one foot. He was carted again to the locker room and dominated out with an Achilles harm.
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Washington by no means acquired its operating sport going, with rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Ekeler and Daniels combining for 51 yards.
Inexperienced Bay held onto a double-digit lead all through the primary half. The rating hole closed briefly after Daniels made a 20-yard move to Zach Ertz for the Commanders’ first TD of the night time, however Love prolonged the Packers’ lead on the subsequent drive, hitting tight finish Tucker Kraft in the long run zone with an 8-yard move.
Daniels related with free-agency acquisition Deebo Samuel for a 10-yard landing with beneath 4 minutes left within the sport. The Commanders efficiently made a two-point conversion after the play, with Daniels firing a fast shot to Luke McCaffrey at the back of the top zone.
Brandon McManus, the Packers’ Twelfth-year kicker, missed his first attempt of the sport when his kick hit the left upright, however he rebounded to make his subsequent two field-goal makes an attempt, one from 22 yards out and one other from 56 yards. Commanders kicker Matt Homosexual likewise made two of his three field-goal makes an attempt.
Think about Thursday night time Kraft’s popping out occasion. The third-year tight finish had a semi-breakout season in 2024 however turned in the most effective sport of his profession in opposition to the Commanders to the tune of six catches for 124 yards and a landing. In accordance with the Amazon Prime broadcast, Kraft’s receiving yards have been probably the most by a Packers tight finish since Richard Rodgers in 2015. On Kraft’s essential landing catch to place the Packers up 14 with lower than 9 minutes remaining, Kraft completely offered the block earlier than releasing into the top zone, the place Love discovered him large open. It’s nights like these that present why Kraft may be one of many NFL’s greatest tight ends this season.
For the second consecutive sport to begin his Packers profession, Micah Parsons’ affect might be felt past simply the field rating. Parsons solely had two tackles and half a sack to associate with three quarterback hits, however he’s much more of a difference-maker on the sphere. He drew a hands-to-the-face penalty on proper guard Nick Allegretti to pressure a third-and-17 that preceded a punt, drew a false begin on left deal with Laremy Tunsil earlier than chasing down a dump-off on second down and pressuring Daniels into an incompletion on third down.
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Within the second half, Parsons drew a maintain on proper deal with Josh Conerly Jr. however nonetheless shared a sack of Daniels with linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and later break up Conerly and operating again Jeremy McNichols to strain Daniels right into a 1-yard scramble. To this point, he’s been value each penny of the record-breaking $188 million deal he signed with the Packers.
Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon advised The Athletic earlier than the season that he sees all of the damaging issues followers say about him, and there have gave the impression to be so much in recent times. Nonetheless, the Packers entrusted him as their No. 1 cornerback after the discharge of Jaire Alexander, and Nixon confirmed why on Thursday. Nixon had by no means damaged up greater than two passes in a sport since getting into the league in 2019 — he didn’t turn out to be a full-time defensive participant till 2023 — till he broke up 5 in opposition to the Commanders.
— Matt Schneidman in Inexperienced Bay
The Commanders haven’t seemed this unhealthy since not less than 2023. Possibly earlier. The offense couldn’t generate a lot of something in opposition to the Packers’ entrance, which dominated with its velocity and energy. The fitting facet of Washington’s offensive line, with Conerly Jr., a rookie, and Allegretti, struggled probably the most, leaving Daniels beneath duress for a lot of the sport.
Making issues worse, Washington’s receivers couldn’t get open, and in crucial stretches, together with a fourth-and-4 within the fourth quarter, Terry McLaurin was oddly not on the sphere. It’s baffling that the rating was as shut because it was for a lot of the sport.
The Commanders’ protection was worse, permitting the Packers to choose aside the center of the sphere. There have been busted coverages, missed tackles and dear penalties (two holding calls on cornerback Marshon Lattimore).
Accidents piled up for Washington. The crew later misplaced star blocking tight finish John Bates and receiver Noah Brown to groin accidents. It was with out rookie cornerback Trey Amos and left guard Brandon Coleman for stretches due to shoulder accidents, although each later returned. With Bates, Brown, Ekeler and Clever all taking place, Washington misplaced 4 starters to accidents. Brutal.
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If there have been vibrant spots for the Commanders, they have been their punt and kickoff groups. They gave Washington good area place, however the offense couldn’t do something with it. Samuel returned two kicks for 78 whole yards, and rookie Jaylin Lane picked up 50 yards on three punt returns. In protection, safeties Percy Butler, Jeremy Reaves and Tyler Owens all made large stops to pin the Packers deep in their very own territory.
— Nicki Jhabvala in Inexperienced Bay
(Photograph of Packers’ Rashan Gary and Devonte Wyatt tackling Commanders’ Jayden Daniels: Patrick McDermott / Getty Photographs)
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