The Green Bay Packers (3-1) overcame a rare pick-six from Aaron Rodgers and a sloppy performance overall to beat the visiting New England Patriots (1-3) on Sunday at Lambeau Field, using Mason Crosby’s game-winning field goal to escape with a 27-24 win in overtime in Week 4.
It was over when…
… Crosby’s 31-yard field goal split the uprights as time expired in overtime.
Game balls
– WR Allen Lazard: He caught six passes for a season-high 116 yards, including a 32-yard catch sparking a scoring drive in the first half and a 22-yard catch on the game-winning drive in overtime.
– OLB Rashan Gary: He ended five drives with key plays on third down or turnovers in the first half and finished with seven tackles, two sacks, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
– K Mason Crosby: He made all five of his kicks, including two field goals overall and the game-winner in overtime.
Key stat
15: After giving up a touchdown drive to fall behind 24-17 in the second half, the Packers defense gave up exactly 15 total yards over New England’s final three drives of the game, all three-and-outs.
Scoring
0-3: Nick Folk 37-yard field goal
7-3: Christian Watson 15-yard touchdown (extra point)
7-10: Jack Jones 40-yard interception return (extra point)
14-10: Robert Tonyan 20-yard touchdown (extra point)
17-14: Devante Parker 25-yard touchdown (extra point)
17-17: Mason Crosby 38-yard field goal
17-24: Damien Harris 5-yard touchdown
24-24: Romeo Doubs 13-yard touchdown
27-24: Mason Crosby 31-yard field goal
Quick takes
– This game felt very much like a game from 2019. It wasn’t pretty, but an ugly win is still a win. The Packers are a work in progress, especially on offense, but it’s good to be winning while building and improving.
– Rashan Gary was the best player on the field.
– The Packers offense was awful for the first 30 minutes but came alive in the second half and overtime. The group ended up averaging 6.2 yards per play, with 199 rushing yards, four runs over 10 yards and five completions over 20 yards.
– Rookie Romeo Doubs had a chance to essentially end the game right before the two-minute warning but his catch attempt didn’t survive contact with the ground. He did catch a spinning touchdown on a back-shoulder throw and made two clutch plays off run-pass options on the final drive.
– Right tackle Elgton Jenkins struggled to keep Matthew Judon and Deatrich Wise Jr. off the quarterback. He’s still shaking off rust and adjusting to life at a new position.
– Officials missed an egregious delay of game penalty on DeVante Parker’s touchdown in the second half. How egregious? The playclock was actually reseting to 40 seconds (from zero) by the time the Patriots snapped the ball.
– Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb have consistently made clutch plays this season.
– The run defense has to be better. The Patriots rushed for 167 yards and averaged over 5.0 yards per rush despite having a rookie quarterback under center. Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson are good backs, but the Packers are almost daring the Pats to run when all they could do for much of the contest was run.
– The Packers special teams took a step back. Amari Rodgers was disappointing as a returner and the punt and kickoff coverage was subpar. A long punt return in overtime had the Packers in a position to get beat.
– Turnovers are becoming a concern. The Packers now have seven in four games, including Rodgers’ pick-six. He’s thrown three picks in four starts. Green Bay had only 13 turnovers all of last year. Overall, the Packers haven’t won the turnover battle in any of the four games this season.
– The Packers lost safety Adrian Amos to a concussion in the first half.
– It would have been very tough to lose to a third-string quarterback at home. The Packers avoided that fate. Bill Belichick had the Patriots fighting for their lives from the first whistle.
What’s next
The Packers (3-1) have a long trip overseas to play the New York Giants (3-1) in London on Sunday morning in Week 5.
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