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