Category: Latest Packers News

Davante Adams: Packers in a ‘blessed position’ entering bye week

Packers WR Davante Adams understands the golden opportunity ahead of his team coming out of the bye.

Davante Adams is fully aware of the golden opportunity in front of the Green Bay Packers.

Not only are the Packers 8-2 and in first place in the NFC North entering the bye week, but the team is healthy on both sides of the ball – setting up a chance for the Packers to make a legitimate run at a first-round postseason bye over the final six weeks of the season.

“We are in a blessed position with our record and with our health right now. We have to make sure we don’t take that for granted and take care of business,” Adams said Monday.

The Packers have an NFL-high five wins over teams with a winning record, including Sunday’s victory over the Carolina Panthers. They’ll face another coming out of the bye when they travel to San Francisco to play the 49ers, who are currently in possession of the top seed in the NFC.

An 8-2 start, created by a 5-1 mark at home and important road wins in Chicago, Dallas and Kansas City, has put the Packers in a favorable spot, especially considering four of the team’s last six games are against teams currently possessing a losing record.

Now, the Packers have to take advantage of the opportunity ahead. The week off could provide a chance to rest up and get healthy, even if there isn’t a major injury on the roster currently.

Adams said he’ll be staying in Green Bay during the bye, both to workout at the facility and continue rehabbing his still-healing toe back to full health.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers took an opportunity after Sunday night’s win to lay out expectations for players during the bye week.

“I hope guys realize how important this week is to get mentally balanced and then to come back and get ready for a tough road trip,” Rodgers said. “Hopefully those guys understand how important the opportunity is and not doing anything stupid that’s going to jeopardize their role in that opportunity.”

Adams said Rodgers talked with the entire team on Monday.

“Just a friendly reminder just to conduct yourself in the right way during the break,” Adams said.

Older players on the roster, including Rodgers and Adams, understand the process and how rare these kinds of opportunities are.

“We’re asking for guys to do their part. And buy into something. This is optional accountability. You have the option to buy into what we’re doing, or not. It doesn’t stop when you leave the building. You carry that ‘G’ where ever you go,” Rodgers said.

Packers RB Aaron Jones is a red-zone scoring machine

Packers RB Aaron Jones has turned 22 carries in the red zone into 11 rushing touchdowns in 2019.

Why have the Green Bay Packers been so effective in the red zone during the first 10 games of the 2019 season?

Look no further than running back Aaron Jones, who has become a red-zone scoring machine for the Packers offense.

Jones has turned 22 carries inside the 20-yard line into an NFL-high 11 touchdowns. No other player has more than nine rushing touchdowns from inside the red zone.

The efficiency of Jones’ ability to find the end zone is most impressive.

His 50 percent scoring rate in the red zone is far and away the best among primary ball-carriers in the NFL.

Compare to some notable others:

– Dalvin Cook: 9 TDs on 35 carries (25.7 percent)
– Mark Ingram: 8 TDs on 26 carries (30.8 percent)
– Christian McCaffrey: 7 TDs on 32 carries (21.9 percent)
– Josh Jacobs: 7 TDs on 32 carries (21.9 percent)
– Derrick Henry: 7 TDs on 22 carries (31.8 percent)
– Ezekiel Elliott: 6 TDs on 40 carries  (15.0 percent)
– Sony Michel: 6 TDs on 29 carries (20.7 percent)
– Todd Gurley: 6 TDs on 26 carries (23.1 percent)
– Jordan Howard: 6 TDs on 22 carries (27.3 percent)
– Nick Chubb: 5 TDs on 31 carries (16.1 percent)
– David Montgomery: 5 TDs on 18 carries (27.8 percent)
– Chris Carson: 4 TDs on 31 carries (12.9 percent)
– Tevin Coleman: 4 TDs on 21 carries (19.0 percent)
– Alexander Mattison: 1 TD on 22 carries (4.5 percent)
– Leonard Fournette: 1 TD on 32 carries (3.1 percent)

The Packers are third in the NFL in touchdown percentage inside the red-zone. They’ve scored 24 touchdowns on 38 trips, good for a percentage of 68.6.

Jones scored three more red-zone touchdowns on Sunday against the Panthers. He broke a tackle of Luke Kuechly and scored from five yards out in the first quarter. He fought his way into the end zone from a yard out in the second quarter. And he burst through the second level and past a diving safety to score from 13 yards out in the third quarter.

Overall, Jones has 12 touchdowns from inside the red zone this season. His decisiveness and quickness as a runner allow him to find holes and get through cracks, and he’s much tougher in a crowd than his frame suggests.

And it isn’t just Jones who has become a red-zone monster for the Packers. Running back Jamaal Williams has turned six catches inside the 20-yard line into five touchdowns, which leads the team.

Together, Jones and Williams have 18 total touchdowns in the red zone through the first 10 games of the 2019 season. Coach Matt LaFleur has used the pair to take pressure off of Aaron Rodgers in the confined areas of the scoring area.

[lawrence-related id=34738,34754,34741]

Packers notes: Matt LaFleur regrets playcall on final play of first half vs. Panthers

Packers coach Matt LaFleur regrets the play he called at the end of the first half against the Panthers.

Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur said if given another opportunity, he’d still go for a touchdown in an end-of-the-half scenario, but he’d want to call a different play.

The Packers got stuffed by Carolina Panthers defensive lineman Gerald McCoy on the final play of the second quarter when McCoy blew into the backfield and stopped Jamaal Williams for a loss.

The missed opportunity didn’t end up costing the Packers, but LaFleur still regrets calling that play in that situation.

“Just going back to that, I don’t like the playcall,” LaFleur said Monday. “We didn’t practice it for that situation. I put that on my shoulders. I have to do a better job of making sure that we’re well prepared for whatever they may show, and I don’t think I did a good enough job in that regard. Still would go for it again, if that opportunity presented itself.”

The Packers got a penalty to get to the 2-yard line with two seconds left, decided to forego the easy field goal and used a timeout to help provide time to find the right play.

McCoy said after Sunday’s game that he picked up on a few pre-snap keys and knew when to jump the snap. That advantage allowed him to blow past left tackle David Bakhtiari and stuff Williams just as he was getting the football on an inside run.

LaFleur said the Packers had been getting significant push up the middle in the first half, and he was confident the offensive line could open up enough room for Williams to get three feet.

“I thought we could cram it up for a yard and it didn’t work,” LaFleur said Sunday.

Aaron Jones, who scored three touchdowns on Sunday against the Panthers, wasn’t on the field.

Packers want to specialize role for MVS: Second-year receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling has just one catch for 4 yards over the last three games, and he was on the field for just 11 snaps during Sunday’s win over the Panthers.

LaFleur said Valdes-Scantling is still recovering from an injury suffered in a win over the Oakland Raiders on Oct. 20. But he also wants to refocus on finding specialized ways of best using his unique skill set.

“Number one, he has battled through a little bit of an injury, which definitely has slowed him down,” LaFleur said. “But we also have to look critically at ourselves and what we’re asking him to do and making sure we’re putting him in position to get some of those balls. He does have a great talent. He’s a guy that, when he rolls off the ball, he is tough to defend because he runs so well. We have to put him in position where he can use that to his advantage. You can’t coach or teach that speed.”

Valdes-Scantling’s one target against the Panthers was a deep shot from Aaron Rodgers on third down. It was thrown into double coverage, and Valdes-Scantling was unable to go up and make a play on the ball in the air.

Although there’s risk of tipping their hand with personnel, it’s possible the Packers will use Allen Lazard, Jake Kumerow and Geronimo Allison as intermediate receivers and Valdes-Scantling as the designated vertical threat over the final six games.

Sternberger earns trust: Rookie tight end Jace Sternberger might have earned himself a bigger role on offense after impressing coaches during a 15-play cameo against the Panthers on Sunday.

The Packers’ third-round pick didn’t have a catch or a target, but he handled his business as a blocker. At least twice, he cut off the backside on a split zone run. He also got to the second level and blocked Shaq Thompson on one explosive run from Jamaal Williams.

“We definitely had the intent to put him in the game. We had a couple of plays that were specifically for him. Some of the cross sifts and inserts. He did a nice job. He earned our trust. I’m excited about him for the future,” LaFleur said.

Sternberger could give LaFleur and the Packers offense an athletic move tight end to use over the final six weeks of the season.

[lawrence-related id=34863,34738]

Packers lead division, hold No. 2 seed in NFC after 10 weeks

The Packers are in first place in the NFC North and the second seed in the NFC after 10 weeks.

[jwplayer rzKgNnfu-ThvAeFxT]

The Green Bay Packers are entering their Week 11 bye with an 8-2 record and sole possession of first place in the NFC North. They’re also currently holding the No. 2 seed in the conference, setting up Matt LaFleur’s team to make a legitimate run at a first-round bye over the final six weeks of the season.

The current NFC North and NFC standings:

NFC North

1. Packers (8-2)
2. Vikings (7-3)
3. Bears (4-5)
4. Lions (3-5-1)

NFC

1. 49ers (8-1)
2. Packers (8-2)
3. Saints (7-2)
4. Cowboys (5-4)
5. Seahawks (8-2)
6. Vikings (7-3)

7. Rams (5-4)
8. Eagles (5-4)
9. Panthers (5-4)
10. Bears (4-5)

The Packers play four of their final six games on the road, beginning in Week 12 at 49ers. With a win, the Packers can take over control of the No. 1 seed in the conference.

The team’s final six games include only two games against teams currently possessing a winning record:

Week 12 at 49ers (8-1)
Week 13 at Giants (2-8)
Week 14 vs. Redskins (1-8)
Week 15 vs. Bears (4-5)
Week 16 at Vikings (7-3)
Week 17 at Lions (3-5-1)

The Packers are 3-0 in the NFC North but finish with three straight games within the division, including back-to-back road games. It’s looking increasingly more likely that the Week 16 game in Minnesota will determine the division winner.

According to the New York Times playoff predictor, the Packers have a 95 percent chance at making the postseason and a 57 percent chance of winning the division. A win over the 49ers in Week 12 would boost the team’s chances of securing a first-round bye to almost 80 percent.

Packers DL Kenny Clark sets career-high for pressures in win vs. Panthers

Clark had 10 pressures on Sunday against the Panthers, setting a new career-high.

[jwplayer rzKgNnfu-ThvAeFxT]

He didn’t have a sack, but Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Kenny Clark put on a pass-rushing show on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.

According to Pro Football Focus, Clark tallied 10 total pressures, setting a new career-high for a single game.

At least three different times, Clark had a chance to sack Panthers quarterback Kyle Allen but couldn’t finish the play. In the second half, his instant interior pressure helped Preston Smith sack Allen on third down, forcing a punt. He also nearly delivered a sack on a three-man rush on the Panthers’ final drive.

Clark was productive as a pass-rusher, stout on the inside against the run and aware in the screen game. He ended up as the Packers’ highest-graded player, per PFF.

It was the kind of breakout game the Packers needed from Clark, who was uncharacteristically quiet during the month of October.

The Packers now head into the bye week with the momentum of a dominant performance from the defensive front. Not only did Clark produce big pass-rushing numbers, but Za’Darius Smith consistently found his way into the backfield and Preston Smith delivered two third-down sacks.

Don’t be surprised if Clark comes on strong over the final six games. He’ll get a chance to get his body healthy and rested during the bye week, and appealing matchups loom, especially down the stretch within the division. The Packers need Clark, their best interior player by a mile, to be a difference-maker as Matt LaFleur’s team attempts to win the NFC North and secure a first-round bye.

[lawrence-related id=34738]

Studs and duds from Packers’ 24-16 win over Panthers in Week 10

Studs and duds from the Packers’ 24-16 win over the Panthers at a snowy Lambeau Field in Week 10.

[jwplayer rzKgNnfu-ThvAeFxT]

The Green Bay Packers rebounded from a forgettable trip to Los Angeles with a memorable win over the Carolina Panthers at a snowy Lambeau Field in Week 10.

Matt LaFleur’s team is now 8-2 and in possession of a top-two seed in the NFC entering the bye week.

Here are the studs and duds from the Packers’ win:

Studs

DL Kenny Clark: Statement game from No. 97. He was a step away from at least three sacks, and he put himself in the backfield on at least eight different passing plays. The Panthers often tried blocking him one-on-one with center Matt Paradis but that was a big mistake. Clark was too strong and too quick. On the second play from scrimmage, Clark walked Paradis into the backfield and took down Christian McCaffrey after a short gain. Later, he diagnosed the third-down screen and was the first defender there to make the stop. He’ll be thinking about those missed sacks during the bye week, but don’t be surprised if he explodes for a multiple-sack game at some point over the final six weeks.

OL Elgton Jenkins: Another standout performance from the rookie offensive lineman. He didn’t allow a single pressure and was the primary hole-opener on several explosive runs. On 3rd-and-9 on the Packers’ first touchdown drive, Jenkins looked beat but recovered, passed off the stunt and then completely eliminated rookie Brian Burns from the rush. His block at the point of attack opened up Aaron Jones’ first touchdown run. In the third quarter, he dominated. Several chunk runs by Jamaal Williams all came behind Jenkins’ blocking.

WR Davante Adams: A week after producing only 41 receiving yards on 11 targets, Adams turned his 10 targets into 118 yards. He caught a pair of passes over 30 yards, including one that set up a touchdown and another that converted a 2nd-and-26. His 38-yard catch was a thing of beauty. He won off the line, stacked the cornerback vertically and then waited until the last second to put his hands up to make the catch, giving the cornerback no chance to find the ball or make a play. On the Packers’ first touchdown drive, Adams’ patient route from the slot produced an easy 15-yard completion. His receiving yards total would have been well over 150 had he completed a catch on a deep shot from Rodgers in the second half. Donte Jackson broke it up at the last second. With a slightly better throw, Adams might have made the catch uncontested and scored.

OLB Za’Darius Smith: It’s hard to believe he didn’t have a sack. Several times, he won immediately but couldn’t get Kyle Allen on the ground. On one rush, he jab-stepped hard inside and beat the left tackle clean, forcing a holding penalty and eventually creating a sack for Tyler Lancaster. Two plays later, he was in the backfield in under two seconds but Allen got rid of it. He’s always an effective rusher on the inside against guards.

OLB Preston Smith: Both of his sacks came on third down. The first was the result of pure speed and quickness around the corner. He got to the outside shoulder, accelerated through contact and chased down the quarterback in the pocket. Kyle Allen was lucky to hold onto the ball. The second sack looked similar. He used quick hands and feet to get the edge and turn the corner, and Kenny Clark’s interior pressure kept Allen right in Smith’s aim as he entered the pocket. Finally, Smith finished off the game’s last play with a stop after Kyler Fackrell hit Christian McCaffrey in the backfield.

RB Aaron Jones: He’s such a special player. He made Luke Kuechly miss in the hole on his 5-yard touchdown run to open the game. On his 28-yard scamper in the second half, he made a sharp cut inside, burst into the second level and beat the diving tackle attempt of the safety. At times, it looks like he’s gliding across the turf at a different speed than everyone around him. His third touchdown was a perfect example. Three defenders had him boxed in but he exploded into the second level and left all three in the dust. Safeties must have nightmares about trying to tackle him in the open field. In the fourth quarter, Jones turned a sure-fire loss into an explosive run when he sprinted outside and turned the corner after the Panthers plugged up the middle. He also had a 16-yard catch negated by a penalty, and Rodgers missed him wide open in the middle of the field for what likely would have been an easy catch-and-run touchdown in the third quarter.

S Adrian Amos: Two point-saving plays make Amos worthy of a spot here. He read Kyle Allen’s eyes and should have had an end-zone interception in the third quarter, but his play on the ball still created an easy pick for Tramon Williams behind him. That took at least three points off the board. Later, Amos ranged over from the middle of the field and knocked away a two-point try.

Duds

WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling: He played only 11 snaps. It’s clear Jake Kumerow and Allen Lazard have passed him on the depth chart. On his one target, Valdes-Scantling had a disappointing effort at the catch point of a deep shot from Aaron Rodgers. Over the last three games, he has one catch for four yards.

P JK Scott: Just like last year, Scott struggled in the cold, wintery conditions. He averaged 35.3 yards per punt and twice gave the Panthers excellent field position with poor kicks, including a 32-yarder out of bounds in the first half. A pair of punts inside the 20-yard line in the second half helped redeem the performance slightly. He must be better in adverse weather conditions.

[vertical-gallery id=34794]

Packers work out trio of free-agent defensive linemen

The Packers worked out veteran defensive linemen Carl Davis, Justin Ellis and David Parry on Monday.

[jwplayer rzKgNnfu-ThvAeFxT]

The Green Bay Packers could be on the hunt for reinforcements along the defensive line.

According to Rob Demovsky of ESPN, the Packers worked out three different veteran defensive linemen on Monday, and all three are former draft picks.

GM Brian Gutekunst and his staff took a look at Carl Davis, David Parry and Justin Ellis.

Davis, a third-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 2015, stands 6-5 and weighs 320. He has played in 34 career games, including 12 starts for the Ravens in 2015-16. The Indianapolis Colts released him on Nov. 4.

Parry, a fifth-round pick of the Colts in 2015, stands 6-2 and weighs 317. He has five sacks and 83 tackles in 36 career games. The New England Patriots released him at final roster cuts.

Ellis, a fourth-round pick of the Oakland Raiders in 2014, stands 6-2 and weighs 335 pounds. He has 119 tackles in 66 career games. The Raiders released him from injured reserve on Oct. 8.

The Packers’ search appears centered around finding a capable run-stuffing lineman. Mike Pettine’s defense has struggled stopping the run throughout the season, and Gutekunst might see value in adding a veteran to the mix as the Packers prepare for the final six weeks of the season.

Now 8-2 after Sunday’s win over the Carolina Panthers, the Packers have a bye week in Week 11 before going on the road to play the run-heavy San Francisco 49ers in Week 12. The Packers play four of their final six games on the road.

Good, bad, and ugly from the Packers’ victory over the Panthers

We recap the good, bad, and ugly moments from the Green Bay Packers 24-16 win over the Carolina Panthers.

[jwplayer rzKgNnfu-ThvAeFxT]

Following a stinker of a game against the Los Angeles Chargers, the Green Bay Packers returned home to Lambeau Field, where winter arrived just in time to help the Packers against the Carolina Panthers. The Packers rode the likes of Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams to a victory, beating the Panthers 24-16. Sunday’s game had a little bit of everything, but more importantly, it gave Green Bay another signature win before their bye week.

Thanks to the win, the Packers are now 8-2, and will head into their bye week as one of the best teams in the NFC. As they get healthy and aim to fix some mistakes, the team is undoubtedly in the chase for a first-round bye, and their first game out of the bye will be an important one, as they look to take on the presently undefeated San Francisco 49ers.

Let’s take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly from the Packers’ 24-16 victory over the Panthers.

The Good

  • Aaron Jones: There’s not much left to say about Aaron Jones that hasn’t already been said. The leader of the Packers running back room and possibly MVP of the offense once again proved his worth on Sunday, as Jones ran for 93 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He finished the game averaging 7.2 yards per carry and was crucial to the Packers killing some of the clock late in the fourth quarter. As good as Davante Adams is, and with all respect to Aaron Rodgers, there is an argument that Jones has been the best player on the Packers offense in 2019. The Packers will undoubtedly be leaning on him as they continue to play down the stretch.

  • The Smiths: The Packers’ dip into free agency during the offseason continues to pay off. Za’Darius and Preston Smith once again wreaked havoc on the Panthers offensive line and young quarterback Kyle Allen. The pair combined for two sacks and seven quarterback hits, with Za’Darius adding in a bunch of other pressures to boot. Preston Smith has already hit his career-high in sacks, and with Za’Darius not too far behind his own, it’s been clear that these two have completely changed the Packers defense for the better.
  • Red zone defense: For the last six weeks, the Packers defense has been anything but the elite unit that many thought they had become to start the season. However, the Packers “bend but don’t break” mentality on defense has proven to work so far. Although Green Bay gave up 401 yards to the Panthers, they were able to shut them down when Carolina got into the red zone, forcing a turnover and a late goal-line stand that won them the game. The Packers’ defense continues to be extremely opportunistic and live off of turnovers, and while that might be troublesome when it’s not working, the Packers have proven that when they need to, they’re able to tighten things up.

  • Kenny Clark: The Packers’ best defensive lineman had a quiet October, but he produced one of his best games of the 2019 season. He played a big part in limiting Christian McCaffrey to 108 rushing yards and was consistently disruptive as a pass rusher.

The Bad

  • J.K. Scott: To Scott’s credit, he did finish the game with a couple of nice punts, but it was a rocky game for the young kicker. After starting off the season on fire, Scott has once again cooled along with the weather. In a wet, snowy game at Lambeau Field on Sunday, Scott’s first couple of kicks were flat out awful, and as a whole, his punts averaged just 35.3 yards, with his first two kicks giving the Panthers great field position. Scott has been extremely streaky this year, and it’ll be interesting to see how he bounces back following the bye.
  • Penalties: The Packers played a much more disciplined game this week then they did against the Chargers last week, but an alarming trend of penalties killing the team is starting to pop up. Green Bay finished the game with 10 penalties totaling just 64 yards, but the manner in which they came was rough. On offense, false starts and delay of games doomed some of the Packers drives, and late in the game with the Panthers on a potential game-tying drive, both Za’Darius and Preston Smith were caught offsides in crucial moments. It didn’t come back to bite them on Sunday, but giving teams extra chances to beat you is never good, and something the team will have to work on.
  • David Bakhtiari: A surprising entrant on this part of the list, Bakhtiari has struggled during the last couple of weeks. Coming into the season as an All-Pro candidate and one of the best left tackles in the league, Bakhtiari has looked like anything but recently. Not only was he beat a handful of times on Sunday, but he’s been whistled for a ton of penalties that have severely hurt some Packers drives in recent games. The bright side of things is that whether it’s a minor injury or just a stretch of poor play, it’s a safe bet that Bakhtiari will turn things around at some point.

The Ugly

  • Pre-halftime play: It’s important to note that as far as this play is concerned, I believe the decision to go for it was the absolute correct one, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. Just prior to the end of the first half, the Packers had the ball on the Panthers 1-yard line with two seconds remaining. Instead of kicking a field goal, the Packers opted to go for it and were stuffed for a 3-yard loss. Not only was Aaron Jones not on the field, but the Packers lined up in a heavy formation, essentially letting the Panthers know they’d be trying to run straight up the middle. Not only did Panthers defensive end Gerald McCoy, who blew up the play, say he knew what was coming prior to the snap, but David Bakhtiari also whiffed on a blocking attempt, which ended any chance of the play succeeding. Going for it was the right decision, but they’ll need better plays for those moments in the future.

Aaron Jones, Jamaal Williams emerging as top NFL RB tandem for Packers

Matt LaFleur and the Packers are getting maximum returns from RBs Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams in 2019.

Going into the 2019 NFL season, the running back position was a bit of a mystery for the Green Bay Packers.

Aaron Jones had flashed moments of stardom during his first two NFL seasons, but he wasn’t able to finish out either year due to injuries and that naturally raised questions about his ability to handle the workload of a feature back.

Jamaal Williams has always shined in pass protection and shown solid receiving ability, but he underwhelmed as a runner in his first two NFL seasons and he wasn’t given as many opportunities as a receiver over that time span as he probably should have been, especially now in hindsight.

But all of that’s changed in 2019.

In Matt LaFleur’s offensive scheme, Jones and Williams have been utilized to their maximum potential.

Through 10 games, Jones is tied with Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey for the league lead in touchdowns with 14. He’s also on pace for over 1,500 all-purpose yards and 21 total touchdowns.

Williams currently leads the Packers with five receiving touchdowns, and his yards-per-carry average is up to 4.5 from 3.8 last year.

Jones’ improved ability in pass protection has allowed him to stay on the field for more snaps, and the increased usage as a receiver has allowed him to become a major weapon for quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the passing game.

Williams has also seen a major uptick in passing game work. His previous career-high for receptions in a single season was 27, and this year, he’s already up to 25.

With LaFleur calling plays, the Packers are finally taking advantage of their running backs’ receiving ability, and that change is a big reason why they’ve been able to get by with lackluster production from their receiver group.

[lawrence-related id=34741]

8 observations from the Packers’ win over Panthers

A collection of observations from the Packers’ 24-16 win over the Panthers at Lambeau Field.

The Green Bay Packers talked all week about bouncing back from a disappointing effort in Los Angeles and going into the bye week with a win over the Carolina Panthers.

Matt LaFleur’s team delivered on Sunday, even if it took all 60 minutes to get it done. A goal-line stop with no time left cemented the 24-16 win over the Panthers at Lambeau Field.

Here are a few observations from Sunday’s win in the snow:

1. All Pro 97: Kenny Clark got it going early and never really quit. Overall, Sunday was easily his best performance since the first month of the season. On the second play of the game, Clark drove center Matt Paradis three yards into the backfield and then lassoed Christian McCaffrey down after a short gain. Paradis had trouble with Clark all night. McCaffrey gained 108 rushing yards, but Clark was a big reason why he didn’t have more. And he terrorized everyone in front of him in the passing game. According to Pro Football Focus, Clark finished with a career-high 10 pressures. He abused Paradis on a late third-down sack by Preston Smith. The struggling Packers defense needed an All-Pro performance from Clark, and he delivered one.

2. Fantastic finish: The final three plays of the Packers’ first touchdown drive are worth a re-watch. On 3rd-and-9, Aaron Rodgers bought time to his right and found Allen Lazard, who now has at least three catches in five straight games, to extend the drive. There’s a serious trust forming between No. 12 and No. 13. He was targeted on four different third downs. A play later, the Packers got Davante Adams lined up against a linebacker, and he made quick work of the matchup. Watch the patience of the route. Adams does so many subtle things with his feet, shoulders and head to trick defenders. Easy completion. Finally, the Packers dialed up a play Rodgers loved, a split zone run with Marquez Valdes-Scantling serving as the jet action. The design froze many of the Panthers’ second-level defenders. Jace Sternberger crashed down and cut off the backside, and Aaron Jones made Luke Kuechly miss in the hole and scored. Beauty.

3. Rodgers to Davante: The 38-yard completion from Aaron Rodgers to Davante Adams in the second quarter was a work of art. The throw and the catch were both sublime, but so was everything else. Jace Sternberger blocked an edge rusher one-on-one. Aaron Jones picked up a blitzer. David Bakhtiari looked beat off the snap but recovered. Rodgers held the safety just long enough. The placement of the football was about perfect, and Adams waited until the very last second to put his hands up and make the catch, giving the cornerback no chance to know the ball was coming. Matt LaFleur talks all the time about all 11 doing their job. This big play was the perfect example.

4. Give away: The final play of the first half might have been doomed from the start. Panthers defensive lineman Gerald McCoy said he picked up on a few pre-snap keys and knew when to jump the snap. As a result, he got off the ball in an instant. That left David Bakhtiari grasping for air as McCoy blew past him and smacked Jamaal Williams for a loss. Coach Matt LaFleur said he regretted the call. The play was in trouble regardless of McCoy’s effort. And one other thing: Allen Lazard wasn’t set at the snap and should have been penalized. Just bad execution on a critical play.

5. Sternberger shows up: Rookie tight end Jace Sternberger has likely earned himself a legitimate role over the final six games of 2019. He proved capable as a blocker in a variety of roles on Sunday. As the game went on, he looked more and more comfortable. It looked like the Packers were setting up some kind of action play for Sternberger, but it never arrived. Watch for one coming out of the bye. There will be creative ways to get him running down field and in the open, especially if he keeps blocking effectively.

6. Elgton dominates second half: The Packers rookie left guard keeps looking more and more impressive. He was utterly dominant during the third quarter Sunday. Watch any of the explosive runs from Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams and Jenkins was at the point of attack clearing away a defender. Williams was especially effective running off the left side. On one 9-yard run by Jones, Jenkins blocked his man right to the turf. He also pitched another shutout in pass protection. Packers GM Brian Gutekunst found a really good one.

7. Campbell dime: The Packers gave Ibraheim Campbell plenty of snaps as the dime linebacker. The results were mixed. He certainly gave the run defense a boost. He plays downhill with aggression and tackles well in space and in a crowd. The issues came in coverage. The Panthers found ways to get him thinking with crossers and combination concepts, and it created a few big plays. He did have good coverage on a double move from Christian McCaffrey on the game’s second-to-last play, forcing a wide throw.

8. Martinez, Fackrell scramble: Huge credit goes to Blake Martinez and Kyler Fackrell on the final play. Martinez realigned Fackrell right before the snap and it saved the day. The entire defensive line was out of position, and neither Fackrell nor Kenny Clark was all that ready for the snap, but Fackrell still found a way to swim past left guard Greg Van Roten and hit McCaffrey in the backfield, allowing Preston Smith to get there and clean it up in time. The Panthers must’ve loved their call, especially with a left guard on Fackrell and everyone scrambling up front before the snap. It took an excellent individual effort to prevent what should have been an easy touchdown.