Gut Reactions: Packers dominate Dolphins on Thanksgiving
Aaron chats with Packers fans worldwide after the Packers 30-17 win over the Dolphins on Thanksgiving night.
By PackerAaron
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Comments (11)
greengold
November 29, 2024 at 06:12 am
Green Bay DOMINATED. Indeed.
LaFleur was on point, along with the rest of his team. His decision-making in real-time may have been the best we've seen. That was a potent Miami team, loaded with blue chip players, and the young guns shot 'em down. Great to see all 3 phases of the game bringing it non-stop.
You're right, Aaron, about MIA wanting to attack the middle of the field, but how about that red zone defense? The Packers D was superb there.
Isaiah McDuffie. Ho-ly shit. His best game yet, while playing through his ankle injury. Quay Walker. Lukas Van Ness. They continue to improve. Brenton Cox Jr. Aaron Mosby. I love seeing those guys improving with the opportunities they've been given. Kenny Clark stepped up big as well.
More. More. More. Momentum is huge.
dobber
November 29, 2024 at 06:18 am
Arguably the Packers' most complete game and not as close as the final score might indicate. Packers ran out to an early lead and were never really threatened. They surrendered yards late but didn't really turtle up.
Jordan Love played possibly his best game. Defense was physical and aggressive.
Full week to prepare for Detroit, who isn't running away from teams the last couple weeks. Will be a real challenge.
Guam
November 29, 2024 at 08:28 am
Detroit also got banged up against the Bears. Several D-linemen had to leave the game with injuries and they might be really thin up front on D when they play the Packers. Good time to play a team that has been dominant all season.
GregC
November 29, 2024 at 06:54 am
Gil Martin's article about getting Tucker Kraft more involved was very timely: 6 catches for 78 yards. They were all safe passes, allowing him to rumble for additional yardage after the catch. There were also six passes to the running backs, which was great because I think the Packers had been underutilizing the short passing game. Last night was a perfect mix between the short stuff and the long stuff. On that one long catch-and-run, Josh Jacobs reminded me of Eddie Lacy, with a Barry Sanders move mixed in. Where did THAT come from?
I was hoping for a big day from Dontayvion Wicks. He dropped his first pass (an easy one) but caught the next four, so I guess I'd say that's progress.
Tua racked up 365 passing yards, but most of it was in garbage time. The Packers had five sacks, including four by front-line players. Even Kenny Clark got in on the action. Rashan Gary did not have a sack but had some good rushes and helped move the QB around to set up others for sacks. (It usually takes at least two players to cause a sack.) He also stuffed a run during that awesome goal-line stand. Quay Walker had his second good game in a row. Nixon, Valentine, and Stokes were good enough. It seems like the safeties had kind of a forgettable day, but maybe it's just that they were playing deep and didn't have many chances to make plays.
It's a good thing the refs decided not to call roughing the passer on that Rashan Gary QB hit, when he clearly pulled up before contact, because if they had called that a penalty, I would've been very upset. On the other hand, they overlooked obvious pass interference on that deep ball to Christian Watson near the end of the game.
I thought Jason Garrett made good observations as a color commentator, but his style is kind of grating. Very East Coast. (He's from New Jersey.) He sounded more like one of the guys who comment on the officiating rather than a a real announcer.
Bitternotsour
November 29, 2024 at 09:37 am
Garrett at least gives the game some room to breathe, unlike Collinsworth who never shuts the fuck up. I thought the announcing was totally reasonable last night, not too much fill.
Leatherhead
November 29, 2024 at 07:51 am
We had a nice kickoff return. Ballantine got hurt. We ran three plays and punted. I continue to see examples of why returning kicks and punts just isn't a very good idea.
The punt was fumbled, we recovered near the goal line, we went up 7-0 and never trailed.
NickPerry
November 29, 2024 at 08:01 am
Now THAT was a performance by the Packers. IF the Packers play like that they can BEAT anyone, ANYWHERE.
MLF...He called a fantastic game. Even when the running game wasn't working really well they FINALLY used more Kraft, and more of the RB's in the passing game. That short passing game was LETHEL and Love is really finding his groove and at the PERFECT time. But MLF really kept the Dolphins defense off balance. The final score was 30-17 but it wasn't remotely that close.
Hafley... I really starting to like this guy. Missing his best CB and ILB this defense did an outstanding job. Quay Walker played his 2nd game in a row where he wasn't guessing wrong on every play, and his sack was vital. 2nd and goal from the one, down 16 and chance to make things interesting, the D slammed the door... SLAMMED it. What a play by Nixon. Just one of many great plays.
How awesome is it to have a licker you don't need to cover our eyes each time he kicks?
The Bears?
LMAO!!!!!
Bitternotsour
November 29, 2024 at 09:40 am
Quay Walker played a whale of a game. He had to run his ass off in zone, They disguised coverages all night and he had to sprint from the line to the middle of the field over and over again all the while faking blitzes. I don't care what any of the stat guys say, that was a really impressive evening against perhaps the most creative offense in football.
I thought LaFleur was guilty of giving away points in the second half. The Dolphins sold out to stop the run in short yardage, they were ripe for a qb option or play action, and LaFleur persisted in running 7 guys into 9. I realize that's nitpicking, but one more TD and Miami would have given it up.
Since'61
November 29, 2024 at 08:54 am
Great win by the Packers. They are coming together and beginning to dominate at the right time of the season. Packers led the entire game and it never became close. The defense's goal line stand in the fourth quarter was huge! The defense is making stops when they need to make them.
The offense had a great night led by Love and Jacobs. The OL played excellently. It's been a while but Kraft was finally utiilized by MLF.
On to Detroit. Go Pack Go! Thanks, Since '61
pacman
November 29, 2024 at 09:05 am
2 weeks in a row of dominating good opponents. Next week is the real test. Basically, the NFC championship game.
You can't argue with the success that the defense is having but leaving the middle wide open that often is a bit frustrating. I expected Tua to pick us apart a bit and he did a lot of it but it was too late by the time he warmed up.
Is this the same as last year? It takes half the season for the team to gel?
If JL would have hit Watson at the end (and if Watson would have caught it last week), it would have been 'legendary'. But he made another great sideline catch (and another fall, get up and run!). WR room deserves a raise. Actually, a lot of rooms do. :)
JL managing the plays well. Taking what is given.
GPG
Starrbrite
November 29, 2024 at 10:08 am
Considering we played only a few days ago, it felt like the D played with energy and more physicality. The 4th down stop was awesome.
Mosby—maybe we found something with him…
I’ve been lobbying for more screen plays to Jacobs—the juke he made was poetry in motion.
I believe we match up well with the Lions—go get’em!
Go Packers!!!