Packers cap Thanksgiving slate with dominant win over Dolphins

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Hours after the Inexperienced Bay Packers watched the Chicago Bears fail to provide them any assist after they botched the top of the early Thanksgiving recreation towards the Detroit Lions, the Packers figured they’d higher a minimum of assist themselves Thursday at Lambeau Discipline.

Inexperienced Bay dealt with enterprise towards the Miami Dolphins 30-17 within the finale of the three-game Thanksgiving Day slate and remained inside shouting distance of the division-leading Lions (11-1). The Packers will nonetheless need assistance to catch Detroit, however they will begin the method by successful at Ford Discipline in subsequent Thursday evening’s NFC North showdown.

They’re in significantly better type than they have been within the Week 9 loss to the Lions at Lambeau Discipline. The Packers are coming off decisive wins over the San Francisco 49ers and Dolphins — the one two video games this season by which quarterback Jordan Love has not thrown an interception. With out extensive receiver Romeo Doubs (concussion) towards the Dolphins, Love threw a pair of landing passes to Jayden Reed, and Inexperienced Bay added a speeding rating by Josh Jacobs — his third straight recreation with a landing and his fifth speeding TD in these video games.

Here is what to know for each groups:

Pivotal play: It occurred early, however the tone was set for the remainder of the evening when Packers backup quarterback Robert Rochell recovered a muffed punt by Miami’s Malik Washington inside his personal 10-yard line. As an alternative of the Dolphins getting the ball after a three-and-out on the primary drive of the sport, Love bought it again and threw the primary of his two landing passes to Reed, and the Packers by no means seemed again.

Most stunning efficiency: Possibly the Packers have a go rush they will rely on in any case. A minimum of they might for a time through the second quarter when it was nonetheless a 14-3 lead. That is when Lukas Van Ness bought house and sacked Tua Tagovailoa on second down, after which Kingsley Enagbare sacked him on third to pressure a punt. For Van Ness, it was his second straight recreation with a sack after recording just one and simply two quarterback hits within the first 10 video games of the season. Even defensive sort out Kenny Clark, who didn’t have a sack within the first 11 video games of the season, lastly bought one within the fourth quarter.

Promising pattern: Two weeks in the past, the Packers have been one of many worst purple zone offenses within the NFL. They ranked twenty seventh with a landing price of 48.7% when contained in the opponents’ 20-yard line. They then rattled off 9 straight touchdowns on drives contained in the purple zone earlier than lastly settling for a subject objective on their opening possession of the third quarter towards Miami. After going 5-for-5 on purple zone touchdowns towards the San Francisco 49ers, they reached the top zone on their first 4 possessions contained in the 20 towards the Dolphins. It was the second-longest streak within the NFL this season, in response to ESPN Analysis. The Packers needed to accept one other subject objective within the purple zone with 5:02 left within the fourth quarter, however by then the sport was in hand. — Rob Demovsky

Subsequent recreation: at Lions (8:15 p.m. ET, Dec. 5)

The Dolphins introduced greater than 3,000 kilos of cold-weather gear to Wisconsin for his or her prime-time recreation towards the Packers, and it nonetheless took them almost three quarters to heat up.

Miami allowed greater than 7 yards per play within the loss — one more disappointing efficiency in chilly temperatures. The loss snapped a three-game successful streak and sophisticated Miami’s already-improbable playoff push after a 2-6 begin to the season.

Tagovailoa accomplished 37 of 46 passes for 364 yards and two touchdowns, however an offense that had been surgical on third down over the previous month transformed simply 4 of 14 makes an attempt and turned the ball over on downs twice.

Miami fell behind 27-3 within the third quarter however gave the impression to be on the verge of a comeback after scoring a landing and driving to the Packers’ 1-yard line instantly after. Trailing 27-11, the Dolphins did not convert on fourth-and-goal, successfully icing the sport.

The Dolphins are actually two video games again of the Denver Broncos (7-5) for the ultimate seed within the AFC playoff subject, and have the 14th-hardest remaining schedule, in response to ESPN’s Soccer Energy Index — which supplies them a sub-20% probability at making the playoffs.

QB breakdown: Tagovailoa did not notably transfer the needle in both course. He threw for over 300 yards, however he basically padded his stats in rubbish time. He averaged 6.9 air yards per try, however he was sacked 5 instances by a relentless Packers protection. He was extremely environment friendly when pressured, finishing 7 of 8 passes for 62 yards. Nonetheless, he missed Tyreek Hill on a number of throws which might be ordinarily completions and overthrew De’Von Achane on fourth down late within the second quarter — which opened the door for the Packers to drive down the sphere and kick a subject objective as time expired within the half. With an inefficient run recreation (2.8 yards per carry), rendered ineffective by a unfavourable recreation script, Tagovailoa and the offense struggled to complete drives within the loss.

Promising/troubling pattern: It needs to be the Dolphins’ efficiency in chilly climate — which is much less of a “narrative,” as gamers and coaches have described it, and extra of an ironclad truth. Tagovailoa’s file in temperatures below 50 levels fell to 1-7, and the Dolphins misplaced their seventh straight outside recreation when temperatures at kickoff have been beneath freezing. They will play two extra highway video games in doubtlessly freezing climate, towards the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets within the last two weeks of the season.

Largest gap within the recreation plan: Stopping the run. Miami had held 5 straight opponents below 100 speeding yards getting into the sport; the Packers eclipsed 100 yards within the first half. 4 gamers recorded a minimum of 20 speeding yards for Inexperienced Bay, which moved the ball at will due to the success of its run recreation. The Packers averaged 7.3 yards per play in a noncompetitive Thanksgiving nightcap and averaged 4.6 yards per carry. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

Subsequent recreation: vs. Jets (1 p.m. ET, Dec. 8)