Tag: play of the game

Packers beat Patriots in Week 4: Player of the game, play of the game

Packers Wire’s player of the game and play of the game from Week 4 against the Patriots.

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The Green Bay Packers survived an inspired upset attempt from the visiting New England Patriots on Sunday, using a fourth-quarter touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to Romeo Doubs and a game-winning field goal from Mason Crosby to win 27-24 in overtime.

Here is Packers Wire’s player of the game and play of the game from Week 4:

Player of the Game: OLB Rashan Gary

Almost singlehandedly, Gary wrecked the Patriots offense throughout the first half. In fact, he made five drive-killing plays: a pressure causing an incompletion on third down on the first series, a sack of Brian Hoyer on third down to end the second series, a pressure causing another incompletion on third down on the third series, a tackle after two yards on 3rd-and-12 on the fourth series and a strip-sack and recovery after New England drove to the 22-yard line. Gary finished with seven tackles, two sacks and the turnover play. His presence, even when double-teamed, is felt by the opposing quarterback on nearly every snap. Rookie Bailey Zappe took three sacks and rarely felt comfortable in the pocket, especially late in the contest.

Play of the Game: Romeo Doubs 13-yard touchdown

He fumbled in the first half and failed to make the big catch late in the fourth quarter, but the rookie receiver still created the highlight play for the Packers. His spinning 13-yard touchdown catch on a back-shoulder throw from Rodgers was the perfect mix of clutch and impressive. It came on third down and tied the game at 24 in the fourth quarter, and the whole thing looked eerily Davante Adams-like. Doubs won off the line of scrimmage with a strong release, refocused back to the quarterback for the back-shoulder attempt and made a highly athletic catch with excellent body control in front of the defender for the score. Rodgers hit Adams on a similar type play a 100 times. The rookie is making mistakes, but the four-time MVP’s confidence in Doubs is still obvious. And for good reason: His talent is obvious, and his potential – even four games in – is tremendous.

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Packers beat Buccaneers in Week 3: Player of the game, play of the game

Packers Wire’s player of the game and play of the game from Week 3 against the Buccaneers.

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The Green Bay Packers scored back-to-back touchdowns to open the game and then stopped Tom Brady’s last-second comeback attempt en route to a 14-12 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.

Here is Packers Wire’s player of the game and play of the game from Week 3:

Player of the Game: CB Keisean Nixon

Who would have guessed this? While a number of worthy candidates exist here, including Kenny Clark, Romeo Doubs and De’Vondre Campbell, we’re giving the game ball to Nixon, who did a little bit of everything in an unexpected but important role on Sunday. After Jaire Alexander went out with a groin injury, Nixon stepped into the slot corner role and impressed – first with a forced fumble and later on a forced incompletion in the end zone on a third-down play. He also downed a punt at the 2-yard line, pinning the Bucs back with a strong special teams play. A free-agent addition from the Raiders, Nixon stepped up big in his first true playing time on defense and continued making a positive impact on special teams.

Play of the Game: Randall Cobb 40-yard catch

De’Vondre Campbell’s pass breakup on the two-point conversion attempt would have been an easy pick, but we’ll take Cobb’s explosive play in the first half that should have resulted in the Packers extending their lead. It was a vintage Aaron Rodgers-to-Randall Cobb play. The veteran quarterback came off a run fake, waited for the throwing window to open up and hit Cobb in stride, and the crafty slot receiver did the rest. The 32-year-old beat a tackle attempt and raced down the field for a big gain. A few plays later, Aaron Jones fumbled at the 1-yard line. While Cobb’s 40-yard play didn’t result in points, it showed he’s still got plenty of juice left.

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Packers beat Bears in Week 2: Player of the game, play of the game

Packers Wire’s player of the game and play of the game from Week 2 against the Bears.

The Green Bay Packers used 237 total yards from Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon, two touchdown passes from Aaron Rodgers and a handful of big defensive stops down the stretch to beat the Chicago Bears for a seventh consecutive time and even the team’s record at 1-1 through two games in 2022.

The Packers scored 21 points in the second quarter to go up 24-7 at halftime and then coasted to a 27-10 victory.

Here is Packers Wire’s player of the game and play of the game from Week 2:

Player of the Game: RB Aaron Jones

The overall performance from the Pro Bowl running back was sublime. Jones, who received just eight total touches in Week 1, exploded for 170 total yards on 18 touches against the Bears. He averaged 8.8 yards per carry and 9.4 yards per touch and scored two touchdowns (a 15-yard run in the first quarter and an 8-yard catch in the second). The first would-be tackler rare got him down. Overall, Jones had nine plays gaining at least eight yards, including at least one play of eight or more yards on each of the team’s first four scoring drives. His 36-yard run probably would have set up a score had Aaron Rodgers and A.J. Dillon not messed up a handoff inside Chicago territory. Jones’ 132 rushing yards ended up being the sixth-most in his NFL career. Sunday night also marked the seventh time in his career that Jones has averaged at least 8.0 yards per carry in a game (min. 8 carries). He was dynamic as a playmaker and the engine that powered the Packers offense.

Play of the Game: Aaron Jones 8-yard TD catch

There was a lot to like about Jones’ second touchdown in the first half. Both running backs were on the field, Jones was used on jet motion and Dillon got a chance to be a lead blocker. The “pop” pass got the ball to Jones immediately moving left to right, and Dillon and Sammy Watkins delivered blocks to clear the way his way into the end zone. The Packers went up 17-7 and never looked back.

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Packers lose to Vikings in Week 1: Player of the game, play of the game

Packers Wire’s player of the game and play of the game from Week 1 against the Vikings.

The Green Bay Packers fell behind 20-0 and were unable to mount a comeback in the second half of Sunday’s 23-7 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in the season opener at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Here is Packers Wire’s player of the game and play of the game from Week 1:

Player of the Game: RB A.J. Dillon

Dillon led the team in touches (15), total yards (95), catches (5), targets (6) and receiving yards (46), and he scored the team’s only touchdown. His energy and toughness as an inside runner helped get the offense going for a stretch in the second half, and he consistently looked comfortable and confident catching the football. Although Dillon is technically the No. 2 running back on the depth chart, he’s going to be used like a No. 1. He’s a versatile weapon who will be an engine of the offense all season. His one blemish was getting stopped on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line, but the blocking wasn’t any good.

Play of the Game: Aaron Jones 29-yard run

A classic Aaron Jones run. Patience initially, a burst into the second level, balance through contact and a little creativity to find open space. This was one of just eight touches for Jones, who averaged almost 10 yards per touch and created two plays over 20 yards, including this one and another as a receiver. The play sparked the offense’s one and only scoring drive. The Packers must find ways of getting the ball to No. 33 more in Week 2 and beyond. Eight just isn’t enough for a dynamic playmaker like Jones, especially in an evolving offense that needs explosive plays.

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Play of the game: Wide receiver trickery earns Lions their 1st TD vs. the Packers

Week 18 play of the game: Wide receiver trickery earns Lions their 1st TD vs. the Packers

With reports that Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn would be let go, head coach Dan Campbell decided to empty out the playbook in Detroit’s season finale.

The biggest play of the Lions 37-30 victory over the Green Bay Packers came on Detroit’s second drive on offense.

After forcing Green Bay to punt, the Lions were pinned deep in their own territory, starting the drive at their own seven-yard line.

On the first play of the drive, Detroit comes out with Will Holden as an extra lineman and Jamaal Williams took a handoff for just one yard. One play later, Jared Goff hit Amon-Ra St. Brown for 17 yards, giving them a first down at their 25-yard line.

This is where the magic happened.

Detroit Lions are up for their first-down play with an interesting choice in personnel. Tom Kennedy was the outside receiver on the left side. On the right side, tight end Brock Wright, wide receiver Josh Reynolds, and St. Brown are bunched together in trips. Wide receiver Kalif Raymond is in the backfield, seven yards behind the line of scrimmage, while Goff is under center.

The ball is snapped. Reynolds goes out for a five-yard slant. Wright drops back and gives right tackle Matt Nelson some help in pass protection. Raymond runs to the right side and Goff fakes the toss. At this point, Green Bay’s defense stalls out in confusion, attempting to diagnose what is about to happen.

Instead of tossing the ball to Raymond, Goff quickly hands the ball off to St. Brown, who looked like he was going to run a sweep with it. Instead, the rookie tosses the ball over to Kennedy, who throws it on the run 31 yards downfield and hits a wide-open Raymond in stride.

The speedster Raymond then took that pass down the sideline with ease and put Detroit’s first points on the board.

Play of the game: Kalif Raymond scores the Lions only TD in loss to the Broncos

There weren’t many highlights from Detroit’s loss to Denver but Kalif Raymond’s TD was a great one

Missing several key starters on offense, expectations were lower than ever for the Detroit Lions as they set to face off against the Denver Broncos.

The play of the game for Detroit came at the end of their second possession. The offense already had one three-and-out and the Lions were down two scores by the end of the first quarter. On this drive, Detroit did something nobody expected — they put up a fight.

Up until this big play, Jared Goff and the offense moved the ball 68 yards on six plays. Goff was throwing the ball well and running back Craig Reynolds, who was called up from the practice squad the day before, had 41 yards on the ground.

With seven yards left to go until they hit paydirt, the Lions drummed up quite the play. Goff lined up under center with Godwin Igwebuike in the backfield. Wide receiver Kalif Raymond was the only player split out wide on the left side, and receivers Josh Reynolds and Amon-Ra St. Brown were set up in the slot on both sides of the line. Tight end Shane Zylstra lined up next to Penei Sewell and served as an extra blocker on the line.

Before the play, Raymond began to motion inside and the cornerback covering him followed, as it appeared the speedy receiver would run a sweep. The ball was snapped and Goff faked an inside handoff to Igwebuike. At the same time, Raymond ran towards Goff, making it seem like he’d be taking the handoff instead.

Raymond then cut back and ran a swing route. Goff sold the play-action. With a clean pocket, he was able to take a second to assess his options. St. Brown and Reynolds both ran slants but were blanketed by multiple defenders in the endzone. Igwebuike initially made a block on his fake run but cut back for a short route.

Goff checked the ball down to Raymond, who was at least 10 yards from the nearest defender. The ball was caught at the 10-yard line and Raymond was able to easily take it in for the score.

The scoring drive, capped off by this particular play, proved something about the Detroit Lions. Despite being down key players at just about every position, they still stayed competitive.

Play of the game: Amon-Ra St. Brown secures the first win for Lions

Rookie WR Amon-Ra St. Brown makes the play of the game to lead the Lions to victory

In true Detroit Lions fashion, the team was able to just barely come out victorious on a last-second touchdown.

This rollercoaster of a game featured several huge plays on both offense and defense that would have been worthy of the ‘Play of the Game’ title if this were any other day for the Lions. Of course, with four seconds left on the clock, one play would decide whether the 0-10-1 Lions would walk away with their first victory or go on another week being winless.

It’s fourth-and-two. Down four points. Four seconds left. 11 yards to go. Jared Goff is 8-of-13 for 72 yards on this drive and it’s a no-brainer that they’ll attempt another pass here.

The Lions come out in the shotgun formation with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Kalif Raymond, and T.J. Hockenson in trips on one side and Josh Reynolds as the sole receiver on the other. Jamaal Williams is in the backfield.

The ball is snapped. Williams initially moves into pass protection before cutting out for a short comeback route behind the line of scrimmage. All four receivers run vertical routes deep and just try to get separation.

Reynolds and Hockenson are each met with double coverage. Raymond gets jammed up by the Vikings defender and fails to get open. The rookie St. Brown makes a smart move and sits on the route, faking out the two defensive backs and giving him some room to make a play.

With two seconds left on the clock, Jared Goff gets the ball out, intended for St. Brown. The rookie’s heads-up play opened up some space between him and the Viking defenders couldn’t close in on time. Touchdown!

St. Brown is immediately swarmed by teammates as the entire sideline rushes onto the field to celebrate the rookie’s remarkable catch that handed the Lions their first win of the season.

As this is both his first career touchdown and first win as a professional football player, this will surely be something St. Brown will remember for the rest of his life.

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