The Week 12 game we all had circled on our calendars certainly lived up to expectations on Sunday as Matt LaFleur moved to 2-0 on his former boss - and Sean McVay's Rams dropped a third straight.
Despite three injury-induced holes on the O-line, the Packers played with the utmost discipline for four quarters, committing only three total penalties. Seamless execution on both sides of the ball - coupled with a remarkable display of resilience - translated into nearly 400 yards and 30 points on offense against one of the game's most revered defenses.
If you're looking for a flaw in what was otherwise a statement win for Green Bay, it remains on special teams. After being subbed in for struggling return man Amari Rodgers, Randall Cobb muffed a punt that gave way to a Rams field goal, keeping things close early on. Worse, Mason Crosby continued the mysterious slump that began in Week 5, missing his ninth field goal of the season from 42 yards out in the second half.
On Offense
As anticipated, Aaron Rodgers was regularly under pressure, having to throw the ball away or take ill-advised shots downfield. But, riding an offensive game plan full of three-step drops and heavy run action, he and the offense found a way to match their production they amassed in similar circumstances during their Week 3 victory in Santa Clara.
What Matt LaFleur likely hoped to accomplish with "small ball" ultimately underwhelmed. Role players expected to fill the void left by Robert Tonyan - Josiah Deguara, Allen Lazard and Marcedes Lewis - weren't terribly effective on short pass plays that often required them to make a defender miss. Aaron Jones - unexpectedly active - was held in check during his 10 touches and failed to register a reception for only the second time this season while active.
Instead, offensive success was largely contingent on some of the Packers' most trusted names. Before suffering a groin injury in the second quarter, Randall Cobb turned in a season-high 95 yards receiving. Davante Adams hauled in a team-high eight passes, which included a 43-yarder that set up an early score. Finally, A.J. Dillon more than delivered on the thankless job of picking up short-yardage on the ground that moved the chains and extended key drives.
On Defense
Having seen lots of Matthew Stafford over the years, the Packers knew that turnovers could quickly tilt the game in their direction. Sure enough, regular pressure from Kenny Clark and Rashan Gary ultimately translated into two key turnovers that swayed the momentum in Green Bay's favor: a sack-fumble in the first half and a pick six by newfound-hero Rasul Douglas in the second.
While the Rams were able to muster 28 points, most of their production came on big plays downfield where the pass defense's depth was exposed. On downs where Gary was given a breather, the drop-off in pass rush was more than apparent; it's clear that the combination of OLBs LaDarius Hamilton and Tipa Galeai will not be a solution the Packers can lean on for much longer. In a similar vein, the return of Jaire Alexander could spell the end of Chandon Sullivan's snaps in the slot.
While the defense's performance over the past two weeks might suggest there's some cleaning up to do, I'm not particularly discouraged by what I saw in either game. Minnesota and LA have two of the best offenses in the league - and both performed at high levels against Joe Barry's defense. Additionally, there have been plenty of dropped interceptions by a young secondary that will eventually begin making many of those catches.
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