It came down to the final play of the game, but the Green Bay Packers were able to defend a snowy Lambeau Field from a talented Carolina Panthers team.
Talented young quarterback Kyle Allen made some big throws on the Carolina Panthers’ final drive. Still, the Green Bay Packers upgraded pass rush did just enough clock-burning to help the NFC North powerhouse hold onto a 24-16 win at a snowy Lambeau Field.
The lasting image of the game will be MVP candidate Christian McCaffrey being stopped at the goal line as time expired, but don’t overlook the plays the Packers made defensively in the moments prior.
Aaron Rodgers is still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but he didn’t have his best game in Week 10 against Carolina. No. 12 completed 17-of-29 attempts for 233 yards with zero touchdowns or interceptions, relying on 100-yard receiver Davante Adams to move the chains for the offense with nobody else emerging.
The Packers won this battle by playing stout defense and running the football effectively with Aaron Jones’ second three-touchdown rushing game of the season. Those used to be the missing ingredients for Green Bay, as they historically relied on Rodgers to pile up the points. And when the team’s weapons around their quarterback declined, they suffered proportionately.
However, Green Bay’s offseason upgrades on defense have paid off big-time. Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith, who recorded two sacks, did just enough to disrupt Allen’s rhythm under center. The young secondary stepped up to make big plays, though it was an “old hand” in Tramon Williams who picked up their only turnover.
Green Bay showed real grit in this game, defeating a team it could meet in the postseason. And it won with a defense, run-heavy formula that will matter in the winter months, using defense to great effect in these wintery conditions.
Rodgers won’t often be held to under 250 passing yards, but if he is, the Packers have shown that they can find ways to score when he isn’t piling up massive numbers.
Of course, Rodgers has to be praised for his leadership and ability to avoid mistakes. He’s one of the least interception-prone quarterbacks in NFL history despite having some of the most impressive physical tools we’ve ever seen, and it was his ability to step back and manage the game that paid off; an interception could have costed them the game.
The Packers can hold their heads high after grinding out this tough win. Rodgers and Matt LaFleur are now 8-2 in their first season together and in the conversation for the best team in the NFC behind the undefeated San Francisco 49ers. They can beat teams in multiple ways now, and this surely won’t be the first time their defense will be tasked with stepping up against a talented offense.
On this night, they passed the test.