5 takeaways from Packers’ shutout victory over Saints

GREEN BAY – The Packers secured their spot within the NFC playoff area with a dominant 34-0 victory over the Saints on Monday Night time Soccer at Lambeau Discipline.

Listed below are 5 takeaways from the shutout:

1. That is now 5 playoff berths in six seasons below Head Coach Matt LaFleur.

It isn’t as if some large celebration ensued, as a result of making the playoffs is only one goal, not the principle one. However the gamers definitely do not take it as a right.

“Clearly the purpose is the Tremendous Bowl, in order that’s step one proper there may be making the playoffs,” quarterback Jordan Love stated. “This was a big-time recreation to clinch that spot, and I am happy with the best way we got here out right here and dealt with enterprise. So it is massive time.”

The Saints (5-10) had been badly undermanned on this recreation and by no means actually in it, nevertheless it was as near a full four-quarter, three-phase efficiency because the Packers (11-4) have put collectively this season, which LaFleur sees as signal with the playoffs looming.

The top coach additionally appreciated the chance to offer outgoing President/CEO Mark Murphy a recreation ball after Murphy was honored at halftime for his lengthy, profitable tenure.

“Actually cool to have the ability to give Mark Murphy a recreation ball on his evening,” LaFleur stated. “He is firstclass all the best way and clearly I am without end grateful to him.”

2. The offense was rolling early once more.

One week after scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions within the street win at Seattle, the Packers scored TDs on their first three possessions in opposition to a Saints protection that hadn’t allowed greater than 21 factors in any of their final 5 video games.

As soon as once more Josh Jacobs set the tone, spearheading a collective 188-yard floor assault that noticed him and fellow working backs Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks all rating speeding TDs by recreation’s finish. Jacobs got here out breaking tackles and stiff-arming defenders on his approach to 107 complete yards (69 speeding, 38 receiving) and his team-leading 14th TD of the season, a file for a first-year Packers participant.

“He is positively a workhorse for us and he positively brings that juice with the best way he runs the ball,” Love stated of Jacobs, whose evening was over after the offense’s first drive of the second half. “Like I’ve stated earlier than, he can do all of it. Make guys miss, run guys over, stiff arm guys, so I have never seen something he cannot do but.”

Jacobs had his finest stiff arm of the season on the opening drive, tossing apart Saints security Tyrann Mathieu towards the top of a 20-yard run he took all the way down to the 1.

Love (16-of-28, 182 yards, TD) stored the ball transferring as properly, changing a pair of fourth downs on the sport’s second drive, which coated 96 yards in 17 performs and consumed 8:55, all statistical season longs for Inexperienced Bay.

Love checked to a QB sneak on fourth-and-1 simply throughout midfield on that drive, and 4 performs later hit tight finish Tucker Kraft for 21 yards on fourth-and-2, with Jacobs working twice to cowl the final 14 yards.

By the point Brooks completed the third drive along with his TD, the Saints had two first downs and 21 yards of offense to the Packers’ 21 factors.

“We got here out of the gates the best way we wanted to,” LaFleur stated.