Go Pack Go!
The Green Bay Packers continued their impressive start to the season with a dominant 27-18 win over last year’s NFC Championship game losers, the Washington Commanders, on Thursday Night Football.
Last season, criticism of the Packers centred on whether they could beat the better opponents. Now, they have defeated both the NFC’s top seed in 2024 – the Detroit Lions – and the Commanders, who fell just short of the Super Bowl.
This was not quite the same fluidity as Week 1. The offense did not move as freely and the defense did not put up quite the same numbers, but it was still a dominant performance.
The Packers are answering their critics early in 2025.
Jordan Love steady once again
Jordan Love – 19 for 31, 292 yards and two touchdowns – looked composed once again. And that was behind a makeshift offensive line, with Aaron Banks and Zach Tom both missing.
Love had some throws he would like to have back but overall, it was another clean performance. He is learning when to throw the ball away rather than force passes into coverage, a criticism he faced in 2024.
Credit also goes to the offensive line, who rotated Anthony Belton and Darian Kinnard at right tackle while Jordan Morgan filled in at left guard.
Kraft shines in the passing game
The depth of the receiver room showed itself again. Dontayvion Wicks (four catches for 44 yards) stood out, while Romeo Doubs caught his second touchdown of the season and made key grabs in big spots. Rookies Savion Williams and Matthew Golden also chipped in with helpful runs.
But the star of the night was tight end Tucker Kraft, who hauled in six catches for 124 yards and a touchdown. He continues to be one of the league’s most underrated weapons at the position.
Defensive front continues its dominance
If there is a weak spot on this roster, it may be the cornerback room, but even they combined for eight pass breakups.
Up front, the defense continued where it left off against Detroit. Four sacks, three tackles for loss, 12 quarterback hits and 33 pressures tell the story.
Micah Parsons recorded half a sack, but his impact stretched far beyond the numbers. The Packers defense has held the Lions and Commanders to under 100 yards rushing combined in the opening two games.
Disappointments and areas for improvement
Jayden Reed suffered a broken collarbone on a touchdown that was called back for holding – a frustrating double blow.
The Packers allowed Washington to cut the deficit to seven points when the game should already have been out of reach.
Love averaged 15 yards per throw, but this was a moment to take the short passes, chew clock and move steadily downfield. Ruthlessness will be needed if the Packers are to push deep this season.
Red zone penalties also hurt and the running game has been sluggish to start in both outings. Josh Jacobs still produced solid numbers and has scored in each game. But Green Bay will hope for earlier success on the ground to avoid relying on Love’s deep passing on third downs.
Looking ahead
The Packers now get a 10-day break before travelling to Ohio to face the Cleveland Browns.
Early signs have been really encouraging for the Packers, but it is a long and tough season ahead.
