The Green Bay Packers had to grind for every inch at MetLife Stadium, and their first win of the season came with plenty of scars. Jordan Love guided a comeback in overtime after the Packers were hit with a pair of injuries on their first three plays, buried by penalties, and staring at a 17-7 deficit in the fourth quarter.
Even with all that working against them, Love kept finding answers. He spent most of the game without Jayden Reed, but still leaned on Christian Watson and Matthew Golden enough to keep the offense moving. That kind of spread-the-ball approach mattered here, especially with star tight end Tucker Kraft off to a relatively quiet start.
Love also flashed something else the Packers are going to need more often: his legs. In the closing moments of regulation, there was open grass in the middle of the field. He ran for a touchdown that got wiped away, and even though a helmet-to-helmet hit may have made him think twice, there were still several chances for him to extend drives by taking off and picking up a first down.
One of the more encouraging developments came from MarShawn Lloyd, who finally got his first career touchdown. It didn’t come on the ground, but with Josh Jacobs still on the Commissioner's Exempt List, this was a true running back by committee game, and Lloyd finished it with a receiving score.
Matthew Golden had a rough start of his own after an early drop, but he bounced back in a big way when it mattered most. If that had been Aaron Rodgers throwing him the ball, he never would've targeted him again in this game. Instead, Golden came through with a huge catch in overtime and led the Packers with four receptions for 58 yards.
The defensive side had its own standout performance, and Lukas Van Ness was right at the center of it. He tied for the team lead with 10 tackles, seven of them solo, and added a sack and a half, four QB hits, and three tackles for loss. For anyone waiting on an LVN breakout, this looked a lot like it.
Green Bay’s defense as a whole looked like the real thing. Outside of Keisean Nixon, just about everybody made a contribution. Evan Williams piled up 10 tackles, Edgerrin Cooper added eight and a sack, rookie Brandon Cisse made a massive play in overtime, and Javon Bullard and Xavier McKinney both did their part in a true team effort on that side of the ball.
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The important next step is still ahead. Parsons is expected to be cleared to practice in Week 3, which would open a two-week ramp-up before he can get back into game action, and that timeline gives Green Bay a clearer idea of when one of its top defenders might rejoin the mix. For now, the rehab grind continues, and so does the wait to see when he can turn those positive signs into actual snaps. [Read more 🡒]
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Tyson Bagent stepped in for Williams, and Chicago now has a difficult stretch ahead while the rookie starters availability is up in the air. The range on the recovery is wide enough to matter for Green Bay, because the Packers may have to prepare for a Bears offense that looks very different depending on how long Williams is sidelined. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Open Week 2 With A Road Twist Fans Will Notice Fast
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New York is planning to lean into the moment with a new White-out alternate uniform, while Green Bay will show up in its traditional home look on the road. It is the kind of setup that gives an early September game a little more texture, especially with TV and radio coverage in place and the usual matchup details drawing attention before the teams even take the field. [Read more 🡒]