Instant Analysis: LSU rolls in road victory against Arkansas to extend winning streak to 6

The Tigers got the win on the road Saturday night to move to 6-1 on the season.

LSU went on the road to win a rivalry game against Arkansas on Saturday night in Week 8, extending its winning streak to six games as it moved to 6-1 with a 34-10 win over the Razorbacks.

The Tigers had early success in the game, jumping out to a 10-0 lead at the end of the fourth quarter bolstered by an opening drive touchdown. The game was never particularly competitive from there as Arkansas made things briefly interesting with a touchdown to cut the lead to six in the second quarter but couldn’t turn it into anything.

LSU outscored the Hogs 18-3 in the second half, with the offense delivering another strong performance with 384 yards. [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] didn’t have his most prolific day of the season, throwing for just 224 yards without any touchdowns with [autotag]CJ Daniels[/autotag] (seven catches, 86 yards) being the favorite target.

But the Tigers totaled 158 yards on the ground with freshman running back [autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag] rushing for 101 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries.

LSU gave up some big plays to Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green through the air, but it completely shut down the run game, allowing 38 yards on 19 carries.

The Tigers remain in the College Football Playoff race with a win and could secure sole possession of first place in the SEC next week against Texas A&M.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

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Instant analysis of Drake Maye’s debut, Patriots’ 41-21 loss to Texans

Drake Maye had a strong debut, but the Patriots still dropped their fifth straight loss

Rookie quarterback Drake Maye couldn’t save the New England Patriots from a 41-21 blowout loss to the Houston Texans, but he did give them hope for the future.

There was plenty of enthusiasm for Maye’s debut and renewed energy throughout the team, but the Patriots ran into a juggernaut on Sunday. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud was great when he needed to be, and Houston’s defense forced four turnovers.

It’s hard to beat any team in the NFL when turning the ball over so frequently, and the Patriots did it against a potential Super Bowl contender.

Penalties were also a major issue for the team with the referees blowing the whistle nine times against New England. It was a tough night defensively for the Patriots, which is starting to become the case more often with Ja’Whaun Bentley and Christian Barmore out.

They couldn’t stop the bleeding in the run game, and the Texans racked up 192 total rushing yards and two touchdowns against them.

Maye had a solid debut for a rookie behind a bad offensive line against one of the best pass-rushing teams in the league. He faced a solid defense, took some hard hits and kept picking himself back up to finish with a 20-of-33 stat line for 243 passing yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

The biggest hope for the Patriots is for Maye to use this game as a building block to continue getting better. Next up for the team is an international game against a struggling Jacksonville Jaguars opponent.

It might present Maye with the best opportunity yet to truly show off his talent.

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Instant analysis of Packers’ 34-13 win over Cardinals in Week 6

Instant analysis of the Packers’ 34-13 win over the Cardinals in Week 6.

The Green Bay Packers went up 24-0 in the first half, overcame a momentary surge from the Arizona Cardinals and then cruised to a 34-13 win on Sunday at Lambeau Field.

Jordan Love threw four touchdown passes, including two to Romeo Doubs, and the Packers defense secured three takeaways as Matt LaFleur’s team improved to 4-2.

Here is an instant analysis of the Packers’ win over the Cardinals in Week 6:

Final score: Packers 34, Cardinals 13

1 2 3 4 F
ARI (2-4) 0 10 3 0 13
GB (4-2) 7 17 7 3 34

Live scoring

First quarter

GB 7, ARI 0: Jayden Reed 5-yard catch (8:55)

Second quarter

GB 14, ARI 0: Romeo Doubs 10-yard catch (14:55)
GB 17, ARI 0: Brayden Narveson 36-yard field goal (6:32)
GB 24, ARI 0: Christian Watson 44-yard catch (4:32)
GB 24, ARI 7: Michael Wilson 18-yard catch (1:56)
GB 24, ARI 10: Chad Ryland 38-yard field goal (0:04)

Third quarter

GB 24, ARI 13: Chad Ryland 40-yard field goal (9:03)
GB 31, ARI 13: Romeo Doubs 20-yard catch (3:48)

Fourth quarter

GB 34, ARI 13: Brayden Narveson 41-yard field goal (9:28)

It was over when…

… Love hit Doubs for the second of two touchdown connections between the two. Facing a blitz, Love threw one up to Doubs, who made the adjustment and the catch for a 20-yard score that put the Packers up three scores late in the third quarter.

Game balls

Offense — QB Jordan Love: He threw four touchdown passes, and his lone interception came when Bo Melton slipped mid-route. His passer rating was 119.5.

Defense — S Evan Williams: The rookie had a tackle for loss on Kyler Murray, and his punch-out forced fumble created a key takeaway in the second half.

Special teams — PR Keisean Nixon: His 39-yard punt return sparked a quick touchdown drive, and he also returned two kickoffs for 60 yards, including a season-long 37-yarder.

Key stat

8-for-13: The Packers converted eight third or fourth down opportunities, helping the offense create methodical drives and dominate the football. Green Bay finished with 27 first downs and held the ball for almost 37 total minutes of game time.

Deciding factor

The game’s key sequence came in the second quarter. Down 17-0, the Cardinals thought they had a recovered fumble in Packers territory and a chance to get back into the game. Instead, the turnover was negated by offsetting penalties, and Keisean Nixon returned the ensuing punt 39 yards to set up Christian Watson’s 44-yard touchdown catch. The three-play series turned what could have been a tighter game going into halftime into the makings of a blowout.

Jordan Love watch

Love was a little erratic early, but he quickly settled in and was nearly perfect the rest of the way. He threw touchdown passes to Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson, averaged 8.1 yards per attempt, didn’t take a sack and only had a turnover because Bo Melton slipped on a route. Love completed 22 of 32 passes after a 1-of-4 start. He also became the first Packers quarterback to threw at least four touchdowns in back-to-back home starts since Brett Favre in the 1990s.

Play of the game

Watson’s 44-yard touchdown catch was the dagger play in many ways. Lined up in the slot, Watson ran a deep post against the single-high coverage of safety Budda Baker. It created an easy pitch-and-catch for Love and Watson.

Injury updates

Receiver Dontayvion Wicks injured his shoulder and was ruled out to start the second half.

What’s next

A big-time showdown at Lambeau Field with the Houston Texans. The 4-2 Packers will host the 5-1 Houston Texans. The AFC South-leaading Texans have won three straight games after taking down the New England Patriots on the road on Sunday.

Instant analysis from LSU’s thrilling overtime win over Ole Miss

The Tigers survived to win an instant classic against Ole Miss in overtime.

Ole Miss entered Saturday night’s game looking for its first win at Tiger Stadium since 2008. After a wild game that couldn’t be decided after four quarters, the Rebels are still searching for that win as LSU survived an instant classic thanks to a dart from [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] to [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] to win the game in overtime, 29-26.

It was a rough start offensively for the Tigers. They couldn’t run the ball, totaling just 33 yards on 13 carries in the first half while [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] completed just 11 of 26 passes with an unlucky interception on a tip drill.

Ole Miss had its own issues capitalizing, coming away with zero points on two early red zone trips after a missed field goal and failed fourth-down conversion. But the Rebels still managed to move the ball and jumped out to a 10-0 lead.

LSU would get on the board with a nice drive capped off by a touchdown pass to [autotag]Trey’Dez Green[/autotag], and though Ole Miss scored again to push its lead back to 10, the Tigers had a chance late in the second quarter but a touchdown pass to [autotag]Zavion Thomas[/autotag] was called back as LSU settled for a field goal.

It got another chance on an Ole Miss fumble in the final minute but once again had to settle for a [autotag]Damian Ramos[/autotag] field goal as it went into the locker room facing a 17-13 deficit.

LSU got into scoring position early in the third quarter on a big pass play to [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag], but the drive stalled and Ramos missed a kick. The Rebels responded with a field goal drive of their own, but LSU would answer with another Ramos kick to cut it to 20-16 with just over a minute left in the third quarter.

The teams traded interceptions in the fourth quarter, and Ole Miss was ultimately able to extend its lead to seven in the final minutes.

Facing a do-or-die drive, Nussmeier came up clutch. On fourth and five from the 23-yard line, he found Anderson with the game on the line for a game-tying touchdown with 27 seconds to play. That forced overtime after a [autotag]Whit Weeks[/autotag] sack on a Hail Mary attempt halted Ole Miss’ potential game-winner.

After some procedural penalties to start the overtime period, Ole Miss had to settle for a field goal. The Tigers took over knowing a touchdown would win it, and it took only one play for Nussmeier to deliver just that, finding Lacy in the end zone in one-on-one coverage for the game-winner.

It wasn’t the most efficient game for Nussmeier, who completed just 22 of 51 passes with a pair of interceptions. But he also threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns, including the decisive score in overtime. Lacy finished with 111 yards and a score on five catches.

It wasn’t a banner day for the defense, which allowed 464 yards, but the Tigers managed to keep the Rebels from scoring touchdowns, giving the offense a chance. Twelve penalties for more than 100 yards and two turnovers of its own didn’t help the Ole Miss cause.

The win keeps LSU’s College Football Playoff hopes alive, and the Tigers will look to keep the momentum going when they travel to face Arkansas next weekend.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

Instant analysis of Packers’ 24-19 win over Rams in Week 5

Instant analysis of the Packers’ 24-19 win over the Rams in Week 5.

The Green Bay Packers secured a second road win and improved to 3-2 overall with a sloppy, 24-19 victory over the Los Angeles Rams that required a pair of Xavier McKinney takeaways and a pair of Tucker Kraft touchdowns in the second half and a late defensive stand.

The Packers are now 5-0 under Matt LaFleur against the Rams. Sunday’s win was the team’s first against the Rams in Los Angeles since 1966.

Here is an instant analysis of the Packers’ win over the Rams in Week 5:

Final score: Packers 24, Rams 19

1 2 3 4 F
GB (3-2) 7 3 14 0 0
LAR (1-4) 0 13 0 6 0

Live scoring

First quarter

GB 7, LAR 0: Josh Jacobs 2-yard run (7:41)

Second quarter

GB 7, LAR 7: Kyren Williams 1-yard run (9:47)
LAR 13, GB 7:  Jaylen McCollough 4-yard interception return (2:02)
LAR 13, GB 10: Brayden Narveson 46-yard field goal (0:00)

Third quarter

GB 17, LAR 13: Tucker Kraft 66-yard catch (11:15)
GB 24, LAR 13: Tucker Kraft 7-yard catch (4:00)

Fourth quarter

GB 24, LAR 19: Demarcus Robinson 1-yard catch (3:30)

It was over when…

… Edgerrin Cooper’s pressure on Matthew Stafford forced an incompletion with Evan Williams in coverage on 4th-and-3 and the Rams driving in Packers’ territory with under a minute left in the fourth quarter.

Game balls

Offense — TE Tucker Kraft: He caught four passes for a career-high 88 yards. His two biggest plays: a 66-yard touchdown and a 7-yard touchdown on back-to-back drives in the second half.

Defense — S Xavier McKinney/DL Karl Brooks: McKinney delivered two key takeaways, including an interception in his fifth straight game to start 2024, while Brooks had a pressure causing McKinney’s interception and 1.5 sacks in the second half.

Special teams — K Brayden Narveson: He made all three extra points and a 46-yard field goal. The Rams attempted to freeze him on the field goal before the half, but the rookie confidently kicked it through the uprights.

Key stat

14: The Packers scored 14 points off turnovers. Both of Xavier McKinney’s takeaways were turned into touchdowns by Tucker Kraft, turning a 13-10 deficit to start the second half into a 24-13 lead into the fourth quarter.

Deciding factor

The Packers made two huge fourth down stops to bookend the win. The first came in the red zone on the Rams’ first possession after the Packers went up 7-0, and the second stop clinched the victory late in the fourth quarter.

Jordan Love watch

Love was once again up and down. Pressure affected him early, and his pick-six — on a crazy play where he didn’t feel a blown protection and attempted to throw the ball away to avoid a safety — can’t happen. But from there, Love was mostly excellent. He threw a pair of touchdown passes, both to Tucker Kraft. The Packers found a pair of explosive plays in the passing game — one to Jayden Reed for 53 yards, and another on Kraft’s 66-yard touchdown — to set up 14 points. Love finished 15 of 26 passing for 224 yards, two touchdown passes, one interception and a passer rating of 95.7.

Play of the game

The Packers offense was stuck in neutral for much of the first half, but an explosive play helped everyone wake up in the third quarter. Two plays after Xavier McKinney’s takeaway, Love found Kraft under pressure and the second-year tight end did the rest on a 66-yard score.

Injury updates

Cornerback Robert Rochell left the game in the first half with a stinger. No other injuries were reported in-game.

What’s next

The Packers will host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at Lambeau Field. The Cardinals came from behind to beat the 49ers in San Francisco in Week 5. Arizona is 2-3 but has big wins over the Rams and 49ers.

Instant analysis of the Patriots’ 15-10 loss to Dolphins in Week 5

The Patriots lost by a toe

A toe was the deciding factor in the New England Patriots’ heartbreaking loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

It was a sloppy offensive game that came down to field position and defensive stops.

Unfortunately for the Patriots, the Dolphins got the most important defensive stop late in the fourth quarter when a touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk was called incomplete, negating a potential game-winning drive for New England.

Polk came down with the ball in his possession with one foot and a toe inbounds. Boos echoed throughout Gillette Stadium as the Patriots failed to turn the drive into points.

The defense gave the offense one last chance after forcing Miami’s offense three-and-out. Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett led the unit down to the red zone before the team ran out of time, bringing their overall record to 1-4 on the season.

There were plenty of opportunities for the Patriots to win the game, but penalties and bad play-calling ultimately cost the team when it mattered most.

Coming into the game, the Dolphins were considered one of the worst teams in football without Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback. If that truly is the case, what does that make the Patriots?

Losing to potential playoff-contending teams, like the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks and maybe even the New York Jets can be explained away. However, it’s hard to explain losing to the Dolphins at home with Tyler Huntley as the starting quarterback.

The Patriots’ organization, not just the team, needs to take a long look in the mirror after this loss.

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Instant analysis of Patriots’ 30-13 Week 4 road loss to 49ers

The Patriots dropped their third straight loss on Sunday

Another ugly offensive showing ended with the New England Patriots tasting defeat for a third consecutive week. This time, the loss came at the hands of a desperate San Francisco 49ers team reeling from back-to-back losses.

There was no question who the more talented football team was on paper entering the game. To make matters worse, the Patriots caught the 49ers on a week when they were getting healthier on offense.

Tight end George Kittle and wide receiver Deebo Samuel both returned and made an impact on the game.

The patchwork offensive line for the Patriots was overwhelmed from the start. That led to quarterback Jacoby Brissett being under constant pressure and struggling to push the ball downfield. By the end of the game, the 49ers defense had racked up five sacks and 11 quarterback hits.

Turnovers were also a major issue for the Patriots. Brissett threw a pick-six and fumbled the ball three teams, with one being recovered by the 49ers. There’s no hope for the Patriots when they constantly turn the ball over.

Meanwhile, the defense held its ground before finally breaking down the stretch. 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy dropped back and delivered multiple deep passing plays that went for big yards against the Patriots’ defense.

Quite frankly, the unit is battered with injuries, and it looked tired from the offense constantly failing to sustain drives and only mustering 216 total yards in the game.

David Andrews, Kyle Dugger and Caedan Wallace were all injured in the game and ruled out. That could be something to keep an eye on heading into the Week 5 home game next Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.

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Instant analysis of Packers’ 31-29 loss to the Vikings in Week 4

Instant analysis of the Packers’ 31-29 loss to the Vikings in Week 4

The Green Bay Packers were unable to overcome a 28-0 deficit in the first half and lost to the Minnesota Vikings by a 31-29 final at Lambeau Field on Sunday.

Matt LaFleur’s team gave up three first-half touchdown passes to Sam Darnold and turned the ball over four times in total.

The Packers are now 2-2, including 0-2 in starts by Jordan Love, while the Vikings improved to 4-0 — providing Kevin O’Connell’s team with an early lead in the NFC North race.

Here is an instant analysis of the Packers loss to the Vikings in Week 4:

Final score: Vikings 31, Packers 29

1 2 3 4 F
MIN (4-0) 14 14 0 3 0
GB (3-1) 0 7 0 22 0

Live scoring

First quarter

MIN 7, GB 0: Jordan Addison 29-yard catch (11:53)
MIN 14, GB 0: Josh Oliver 2-yard catch (1:37)

Second quarter

MIN 21, GB 0: Jordan Addison 8-yard rush (11:50)
MIN 28, GB 0: Justin Jefferson 14-yard catch (5:28)
MIN 28, GB 7: Jayden Reed 15-yard catch (0:15)

Fourth quarter

MIN 28, GB 14: Dontayvion Wicks 6-yard catch (11:58)
MIN 28, GB 22: Tucker Kraft 13-yard catch, Kraft conversion (10:16)
MIN 31, GB 22: Will Reichard 33-yard FG (6:50)
MIN 31, GB 29: Dontayvion Wicks 17-yard catch (0:56)

It was over when…

… Vikings tight end Josh Oliver recovered a declared onside kick attempt with just under a minute to go and Minnesota leading by two points.

Game balls

Offense — WR Jayden Reed: He caught seven passes for 139 yards and a score. He had three more explosive plays over 20 yards.

Defense — S Xavier McKinney: Another interception for X. He has four in four games. This one came in the red zone and prevented points in the second half.

Special teams — P Daniel Whelan: His towering punt late in the first half was muffed, setting up the Packers’ first score.

Key stat

Four: The number of turnovers by the Packers. A pair of Jordan Love interceptions in the first half turned into 14 points for the Vikings, while an interception thrown into the end zone and a fumble from Tucker Kraft halted momentum during the comeback bid.

Deciding factor

The first half. The Packers fell behind 28-0 in the first half and didn’t have enough in the second half to overcome the deficit. Jeff Hafley’s defense allowed four touchdowns on the Vikings’ first five possessions, and Jordan Love and the Packers passing game needed time to settle in. Brayden Narveson missed two field goals, costing the Packers six points. By the time the Packers offense found traction, the Vikings held a four-score lead. The first-half mistakes dug the Packers too deep a hole.

Jordan Love watch

Love’s return to the field from a left knee injury was a mixed bag. He ended up completing a career-high 32 passes, but he also threw three picks and had issues early on with accuracy and ball placement. As the game went on, he settled in. Love found Jayden Reed for a score on a well-placed throw before the half, and he tossed three more scores in the fourth quarter. He took only one sack. Love’s passer rating finished at 83.0. The Packers passing game was a few misplaced throws and a few dropped passes away from a big afternoon. Love looked so much more comfortable and in control during the final 30 minutes, so it’s possible he just needed to shake off some rust early.

Play of the game

The Packers gave themselves a chance late when Keisean Nixon strip-sacked Sam Darnold just two plays after Green Bay cut the lead to 28-14. The takeaway set up another quick score — a Jordan Love touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft.

Injury updates

Receiver Christian Watson left with an ankle injury and didn’t return. Defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt left with an ankle injury and didn’t return.

What’s next

The Packers are headed to Los Angeles to play the 1-3 Rams next Sunday. Sean McVay’s team lost 24-18 to the Chicago Bears in Week 4. Kickoff is set for 3:25 p.m. CT.

Instant analysis from LSU’s Week 5 win over South Alabama

Despite some talk of a trap game, the Tigers had little issue getting past South Alabama on Saturday.

LSU’s Week 5 non-conference finale against South Alabama looked like it could have been a trap game on paper, but the Tigers had little issues as they avoided a slow start similar to past weeks.

They jumped on the Jaguars early and never let them make it a game as they won 42-10.

LSU got off to a fast start offensively thanks to freshman running back [autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag]. He touched the ball on each of their first two plays from scrimmage, taking a screen for 71 yards and a run for 86, scoring a touchdown on the former and setting up an easy score from the one on the latter.

Durham flashed brilliance, running for 128 yards and a touchdown on seven carries, but an injury sidelined him for the second half.

Still, his early playmaking set the tone for a dominant first half in which the Tigers led 35-3 at the break and totaled 429 yards of offense. Quarterback [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] scored four touchdowns in the first two quarters, two with his arm and two with his legs.

However, it wasn’t all great from Nussmeier. After ending the first half with an interception, he threw his second of the game on the opening drive of the third quarter, giving him as many picks as he had thrown on the season so far before the game.

But Nussmeier responded after the Tigers got a turnover on downs at the goal line, leading a 12-play, 99-yard drive capped off by a [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] touchdown to give LSU a decisive fourth-quarter lead.

Nussmeier finished the game with over 400 yards passing on 26 of 39 passing.

Defensively, it was easily the Tigers’ best performance of the season. Against a South Alabama offense that scored 135 combined points in the last two weeks, LSU allowed just 10 in this one while holding the Jags to 333 yards, more than 200 which came in the second half when the outcome was not in question.

Fluff Bothwell, one of the most productive backs in the nation this season, had just 17 yards on 10 carries. Meanwhile, the defense turned in nine tackles for loss and three sacks in a disruptive performance.

With the win, the Tigers head into the bye week sitting at 4-0 before SEC play picks up again in Week 7 with a crucial home matchup against Ole Miss, though that game may have lost a bit of luster with the Rebels falling at home to Kentucky on Saturday.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

Instant analysis of Packers’ 30-14 win over Titans in Week 3

Instant analysis of the Packers’ 30-14 win over the Titans in Week 3.

The Green Bay Packers used two total touchdowns and another efficient performance from backup quarterback Malik Willis and another dominant showing from Jeff Hafley’s defense to cruise past the Tennessee Titans by a 30-14 final at Nissan Stadium on Sunday.

Willis ran in a touchdown on the opening drive, Jaire Alexander produced a pick-six and the pass-rush slammed the door shut on the victory in Nashville.

The Packers are now 2-1 overall and 2-0 with Willis under center in place of Jordan Love.

Here is an instant analysis of the Packers’ win over the Titans in Week 3:

Final score: Packers 30, Titans 14

1 2 3 4 F
GB (2-1) 17 3 7 3 30
TEN (0-3) 7 0 7 0 14

Scoring plays

First quarter

GB 7, TEN 0: Malik Willis 5-yard run (12:25)
GB 7, TEN 7: Nick Vannett 1-yard catch (7:15)
GB 10, TEN 7: Brayden Narveson 21-yard FG (1:05)
GB 17, TEN 7: Jaire Alexander 35-yard interception return (0:51)

Second quarter

GB 20, TEN 7: Brayden Narveson 26-yard FG (0:00)

Third quarter

GB 27, TEN 7: Emanuel Wilson 30-yard catch (8:25)
GB 27, TEN 14: DeAndre Hopkins 11-yard catch (4:55)

Fourth quarter

GB 30, TEN 14: Brayden Narveson 47-yard FG (3:07)

It was over when…

… Xavier McKinney ranged to his right and intercepted Will Levis’ desperate heave on 3rd-and-16 with just over two minutes to go in the fourth quarter. The pick was McKinney’s third in three games.

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1837942194776559699

Game balls

Offense — QB Malik Willis: The Packers backup completed 13 passes for 202 yards and one touchdown, rushed six times for 73 yards and a second score and didn’t have a turnover.

Defense — DL Devonte Wyatt: He was the star of a dominant pass-rush, tallying two sacks and three quarterback hits.

Special teams — K Brayden Narveson: In his return to Tennessee, Narveson made all three field goals (one miss negated by penalty) and all three extra points.

Key stat

The Packers out-rushed the Titans 188 to 33. It was tough sledding at times for the Packers running backs, but Malik Willis made big plays with his legs, and Josh Jacobs, Emanuel Wilson and Jayden Reed all had a run of 10 or more yards. The Titans rushed 11 times, and their longest non-scramble rush was a 6-yard run by Tyjae Spears. The defense forced the game into Will Levis’ hands, and he mostly gave it away under heavy and consistent pressure.

Deciding factor

The Packers defense created eight sacks for -56 yards, allowed only 33 rushing yards, created three takeaways and scored a touchdown. The Titans averaged 4.5 yards per play, had just two scoring drives on 11 possessions and finished 3-for-10 on third or fourth down. This was a dominant performance from Jeff Hafley’s defense.

Malik Willis watch

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Another marvelous performance from the Packers backup, who is now 2-0 as the starter with Jordan Love injured. Willis completed 68.4 percent of his passes, averaged 10.6 yards per attempt and rushed for 73 yards, including another touchdown. He made big plays on third down and didn’t have a turnover for the second consecutive game. His passer rating finished over 120.0 for the second straight week, too. In terms of backup performances over a two-week stretch, this is about as good as it gets.

Play of the game

https://twitter.com/packers/status/1837909012865507458

The pick-six — the first of Jaire Alexander’s career — put the Packers up 17-7 in the first quarter.

Injury updates

Tight end Tucker Kraft briefly left the game with a shoulder injury but returned.

What’s next

The Packers head back home for a big-time NFC North showdown with the 3-0 Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field. The Vikings blew out the Houston Texans on Sunday to remain undefeated. The Packers could return Jordan Love for the rivalry game.