Packers Week in Review: First Win of the Year, and It Cost Them

A win, finally — and one that took overtime, a 10-point fourth-quarter comeback and a rookie kicker to get. It also came at a genuinely painful price. And there’s no time to sit with any of it, because the Falcons are at Lambeau tomorrow night.

20-17 in Overtime

Green Bay trailed the Jets 17-7 with 11 minutes left at a rainy MetLife Stadium and scored the game’s final 13 points.

The rally started with a deep ball to Matthew Golden that drew a pass interference flag, which set up a short touchdown pass to Christian Watson. Then a defensive stop, then a 63-yard punt return by Skyy Moore, and the tying field goal with 2:59 to play. The defense got a fourth-and-1 stop to end regulation, the offense couldn’t cash it, and it went to overtime.

In the extra period the defense sacked Geno Smith twice in a three-and-out, and Trey Smack ended it with a 26-yard field goal.

Jordan Love finished 16-of-29 for 145 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions — modest numbers, but he did it while dealing with numbness in his throwing hand (more on that below).

The win snapped a six-game losing streak going back to last season. A loss would have been the seventh straight.

The Injuries

Both happened on the opening drive, on consecutive plays. It was hard to watch.

Jayden Reed took a hit to the helmet from Demario Davis after a 4-yard catch and was carted off on a backboard with his head and neck stabilized. He had movement in all his extremities, spent the night in a New Jersey hospital and flew back to Green Bay on Monday. It was initially reported as a neck injury; per ESPN, it is a back injury. He’s still being evaluated, and LaFleur has said it’s too early to discuss whether he plays again this season.

Reed himself posted afterward: “Doing much better. Appreciate all the prayers and support.” That’s the best sentence in this whole post.

Zach Bako-Bewele tore his patellar tendon on the very next play and had his leg immediately put in a cast on the field. It’s a full tear, he’s out for the season, surgery is scheduled for today with an eight-to-ten-month recovery — and it’s the same tendon he partially tore last December. Brutal luck.

Anthony Belton, the 2025 second-round pick, takes over at right tackle. On an offensive line already missing Aaron Banks at left guard, that’s now two starters down.

The Penalty Problem Is Real

This is no longer a one-game blip.

Against the Jets, Green Bay committed 18 total penalties — 14 accepted, for 133 yards. That’s worse than the 12-for-98 in Minnesota, and through two weeks the Packers lead the entire NFL in accepted penalties (26), penalty yards (231), declined-and-offsetting penalties (6), and total penalties (32).

It isn’t one unit, either: 13 on offense, 15 on defense, four on special teams.

LaFleur’s frustration is specifically about the self-inflicted ones: “The ones that are just mind-blowing are just the false starts, jumping offside, lining up offside. Those are the ones that’ll get you beat.”

They won anyway on Sunday. They won’t keep getting away with it.

Quick Hits

Love’s hand. He took a hit to the elbow that left his right hand numb, kept playing, and led the overtime drive anyway. He says the discomfort was gone before the game ended and it didn’t affect his throws. He’s expected to be fine for Thursday.

Parsons still waiting. He’s been eligible to practice since Monday under this year’s reserve/PUP rules, but Green Bay hasn’t opened his 21-day window yet — no sense burning days in a short week where he’d get little full-speed work. LaFleur put his first team work at “probably a couple weeks.” He can’t play against Atlanta or Tampa Bay regardless.

Jacobs. No change. Still on the commissioner’s exempt list, still no timetable from the league.

Next Up: Tomorrow Night at Lambeau

Thursday, Sept. 24 — 7:15 p.m. CT / 9:15 p.m. Brasília time, vs. the Atlanta Falcons, on Prime Video.

Atlanta comes in 0-2, having scored 16 points across two games with seven turnovers, though they get Michael Penix back at quarterback. Green Bay is a heavy favorite.

A home game on a short week against a struggling opponent is exactly the kind of night this team should handle. It’s also exactly the kind of night that 14 penalties and a patched-together offensive line can turn into something stupid. Let’s see which one shows up.

Go Pack Go. 💛💚

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