GREEN BAY, Wis. — Coach Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers is optimistic that the preparation he’s undertaken will prove beneficial as his team faces a tightly packed schedule over the coming weeks. Following their impressive 38-10 victory against the San Francisco 49ers, the Packers are set to play three games within just 12 days. They will return to their home turf, Lambeau Field, on Thursday to take on the Miami Dolphins, before heading to Detroit the following Thursday for a matchup against the division-leading Lions.
LaFleur had anticipated this busy schedule. With the Packers enjoying a bye week on November 10, he took advantage of the additional time to study the Dolphins, understanding that his preparation would need to be thorough due to the limited time frame leading up to their game. “I reviewed nearly every snap of Miami, knowing this situation was approaching, and I made my notes for a preliminary strategy,” LaFleur stated.
The Packers (8-3) successfully navigated similar quick turnarounds last season, highlighted by their win on Thanksgiving against the Lions, which followed a home victory against the Los Angeles Chargers just days prior. However, this year presents a unique challenge as they will play yet another Thursday game right after their Thanksgiving encounter with Miami.
Competing in three games within such a short timespan could potentially take a toll on their physical endurance as they look towards the final stretch of the regular season.
Launching this series of games, the Packers managed to secure their highest score since their season opener against the Bears, marking significant momentum as the season progresses. “As a team, especially on offense, we are beginning to find our rhythm again,” remarked quarterback Jordan Love.
The urgency of this stretch isn’t lost on the Packers, particularly with the formidable Lions on their radar for next week. Although the team has positioned itself well for a potential playoff berth, there is little room for error in their quest to surpass both the Lions (10-1) and the Minnesota Vikings (9-2) within the NFC North. Having already lost to both teams in their previous home games, the Packers sit at a disappointing 1-2 in division matchups.
“We recognize that every game ahead is crucial, every practice matters, and every meeting is significant,” noted safety Xavier McKinney. “We’re eager to rise to this challenge.”
In their latest game, the Packers improved their performance in the red zone by successfully scoring touchdowns on all five of their trips inside the 20-yard line of the 49ers. This represents the first time since 2017 that Green Bay has achieved a perfect red zone record in a game where they had multiple opportunities inside their opponent’s territory. Prior to this game, only 48.7% of their red zone appearances had converted into touchdowns, ranking them 27th in the league.
The ground game was also a highlight, as the Packers rushed for 169 yards, increasing their total rushing yardage for the season to 1,668. This figure marks the highest total through the first 11 games of the season since 2003. On the defensive end, after allowing an alarming 179 rushing yards against the Bears the previous week, the Packers managed to limit the 49ers to just 44 yards on 16 carries.
While there were few areas of concern, the Packers did miss an opportunity to extend their lead before halftime, dominating the play yet only leading 17-7. Overall, it was a strong showing on the field.
Players on the rise include McKinney, who broke up a crucial fourth-down pass and had a 48-yard interception return leading to a touchdown, bringing his season total of interceptions to seven, tying him for the league lead. Running back Josh Jacobs impressed with 106 rushing yards and three touchdowns, marking a total of seven touchdowns over his last five games. Defensive lineman Rashan Gary has also made an impact with 2½ sacks in his last three outings. After also blocking a field goal the previous week, defensive lineman Karl Brooks recovered a fumble to help set up a touchdown, and kicker Brandon McManus converted a 51-yard field goal, marking the first successful attempt from 50-plus yards this season for Green Bay.
However, receiver Christian Watson had a frustrating game with no catches and a missed opportunity on a potential 49-yard touchdown reception, a stark contrast from his previous week’s success where he caught four passes for a career-high 150 yards.
Injury concerns linger as well; receiver Romeo Doubs exited the game due to a concussion, while cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) and linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring) were also unable to participate.
Notably, Jacobs has rushed for a total of 944 yards and seven touchdowns this season, making him one of the few players since 2000 to rush for at least 800 yards and six touchdowns in each of their first six NFL seasons, joining the ranks of Hall of Famers LaDainian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson among others.
Looking ahead, the Packers are set to face the Miami Dolphins (5-6), a team that has been performing better than their record suggests, with three consecutive victories under their belt, boasting a compelling combined score of 91-49 in those games.