He is missing his 2020 All-Pro left tackle, his best pass rusher and his top cornerback. They are not scoring as often or winning decisively as they did last season.
Yet somehow and somehow, the Green Bay Packers have made it through the first five games of the season with the same 4-1 record they had a year earlier.
They are making their win this year a little more exciting. Consider the Packers’ 25-22 overtime win in Cincinnati on Sunday as a prime example.
Packers linebacker Devondre Campbell said after the game that it just goes to show the type of men in our locker rooms. No one bowed. Nobody complained. Nobody did anything other than their job and we were able to handle the business and win. That’s what good football teams do. They find a way to accomplish this.
Twice in the past three weeks, the Packers have nearly lost a game they controlled most, only to find a way to win at the end. Mason Crosby has played a major role both times for very different reasons.
Crosby kicked 51-yards as time ran out to give the Packers a 30-28 win in San Francisco after 49 seconds with 37 seconds remaining to make a forward touchdown. In the Bengals’ game, Crosby ended a franchise-record string of 27 consecutive successful field-goal attempts, including three straight misses to prevent the Packers from securing the victory, before he was ultimately 49-yarder in overtime. made.
We stuck together and that’s all that matters in the end, back then said Aaron Jones. We didn’t blink and didn’t blink. It’s a testament to a good team.
So does the Packers’ ability to withstand injuries.
David Bakhtiari, 2020 All-Pro left tackle, did not play all seasons. Outside linebacker Zadarius Smith and cornerback Zaire Alexander are both on injured reserve in last year’s Pro Bowl picks and won’t be back anytime soon.
The Packers also played Sunday’s game without starting 2020 Pro Bowl selection Elgton Jenkins and Josh Myers on the offensive line. Wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling missed a second straight game.
There are some people in that locker room and the people who played were not with this football team in August and were not with this football team in June, said quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Lots of big drama and high-volume dramas matter to people we didn’t consider important.
Those kinds of contributions have helped the Packers figure out ways to win when they’re not at full force.
what is working
Top playwrights playing off offense Rodgers, Jones and 2020 All-Pro receiver Davante Adams. It marked the first time in franchise history that the Packers had a 300-yard passer, 100-yard rusher and 200-yard receiver in the same game.
what do you need to work
Packers opponents have scored touchdowns this season every time they reach the red zone. Red-zone crime also struggled on Sunday. The Packers settled for a field goal after scoring first on 6 at the start of the fourth quarter. Later in the period when the game was tied, the Packers scored the first in 18 and missed a field goal.
to accumulate
Adams had 11 catches for a career-high 206 yards and a touchdown. He has 42 receptions for 579 yards this season to lead the NFL in both categories. Campbell continued his fast start to the season by intercepting a pass in overtime.
stock down
Crosby had his worst day as a supporter since October 4, 2018, when he missed four field goals and an extra point in a 31-23 loss to the Detroit Lions. This time, Crosby conceded three field goals and an extra point before making the winner in overtime. TE Robert Tonian, who had 11 touchdown catches last season, was placed under 10 yards receiving for the fourth time in five games.
Injured
CB Kevin King joined the long list of injured Packers with a shoulder injury on Sunday.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Monday that he was playing that game, or part of that game, with basically one hand. So I thought he was competing well and playing really well.
Number
Crosby has missed 2 field-goal attempts since the 2019 season began on Sunday.
Next Step
The Packers head back down the road to face the Chicago Bears, who are one game behind them in the NFC North after a 20-9 win in Las Vegas on Sunday. It is the second game in the five-game segment consisting of four street competitions.
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Follow Steve Megargee at https://twitter.com/stevemegargee
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