Winning on the road in the NFL is never easy, no matter the opponent, and the difficulty of the task only multiples when a team’s starting quarterback goes down to injury. The Green Bay Packers lost Jordan Love early in the second half on Sunday, but Matt LaFleur’s team made enough plays — even after blowing two leads — to escape Jacksonville with a hard-fought 30-27 win over the Jaguars.
After Love went out, Josh Jacobs scored a 38-yard touchdown, the Packers defense set up another touchdown and Malik Willis and Jayden Reed set up the game-winning field goal with a 51-yard connection late.
Where would the Packers be without Willis? Probably not 6-2. After losing in Brazil to open the season, the Packers have won six of the last seven games — including three wins featuring big contributions from Willis.
Here are three things that stood out from the Packers’ win over the Jaguars:
Cooper showcases more star power
Packers rookie Edgerrin Cooper is blossoming into one of the most exciting young linebackers in the NFL. On Sunday, Cooper had an assisted tackle for loss on third down, a special teams tackle covering a kickoff, a run stop after no gain on third-and-short, a game-changing strip-sack setting up a turnover and score and a pass breakup on a deep ball up the seam to Christian Kirk on 3rd-and-12. He might not be perfect down-to-down, but Cooper’s emerging combination of speed and playmaking instincts are turning him into a difference maker every week.
Jacobs makes big-money plays
Running back Josh Jacobs showed why he’s a top-earning running back. After Jordan Love went out, Jacobs ripped off one of his most impressive runs of the season — cutting back to the left, making a defender miss in the open field and racing for a go-ahead touchdown. He finished with 127 rushing yards, two scores and three runs over 10 yards. This is what the Packers envisioned when they signed Jacobs — a game-changer who can carry the load when required and make the one or two big-time runs every week. His 38-yard touchdown run was an elite play by an elite runner.
Getting it right at QB2 and K
Brian Gutekunst didn’t get it right immediately at backup quarterback and kicker, but he eventually landed on Malik Willis and Brandon McManus, and it’s hard to imagine the Packers would be anywhere close to 6-2 without the pair. They’ve helped save the early season. Willis might not fit the traditional quarterback mold, but he’s a dangerous runner and still capable of finding big plays with his arm within the LaFleur scheme. McManus now has back-to-back walk-off winners, and he’s 4-for-4 on field goals and 6-for-6 on extra points since replacing Brayden Narveson. Add in Jacobs (127 rushing yards, two touchdowns) and Xavier McKinney (NFL-high sixth interception), and Sunday was a good day at the office for Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst.