The Green Bay Packers (6-8) used three touchdowns from running backs A.J. Dillon and Aaron Jones and a highly disruptive performance from the defense to cruise past the Los Angeles Rams (4-9) and keep the team’s playoff hopes alive on “Monday Night Football” in Week 15.
It was over when…
… the Packers converted 3rd-and-1 with a 13-yard completion to Christian Watson, extending Green Bay’s final drive and helping the Packers drain the last bit of the fourth-quarter clock.
Game balls
– RB Aaron Jones: He turned his 21 touches into 136 yards and a score.
– OLB Preston Smith: The veteran edge rusher produced two sacks, including one on the Rams’ first drive and another that helped end the Rams’ last drive.
– KR/PR Keisean Nixon: He returned three kicks for 95 yards (including another return of more than 50 yards) and two punts for 36 yards.
Key stat
84: The Rams finished the contest with only 84 net passing yards, which included 27 yards lost via five Packers sacks.
Quick hits
– It wasn’t always pretty, but the Packers delivered a win they had to have and kept alive the possibility of sneaking into the postseason with three more wins.
– The Packers mostly dominated the game. Green Bay had more first downs, more passing yards, more total plays, more rushing yards, more red-zone trips, more time of possession and fewer penalties. Overall, this might have been the most complete game of the season for the Packers.
– Jones and Dillon created 126 rushing yards, 70 receiving yards and 196 total yards on 35 total touches.
– The Packers offense had a “it doesn’t have to be hard” type of night. Aaron Rodgers found easy completions against soft coverage and the run game consistently won against two-deep safeties.
– The Rams got a few chunk plays but finished with only 72 rushing yards. Getting a dominant effort on the ground was LA’s best chance of springing the upset.
– The turnovers will probably irk Matt LaFleur. Rodgers threw a pick ending a potential scoring drive, and Aaron Jones lost a fumble while fighting for extra yards. Once again, the Packers lost the turnover battle, 2-to-1.
– The Packers held the Rams to just 3.6 yards per play and 156 total yards. The defense got the job done against arguably the least talented offense in football. Can Joe Barry’s group do the job next week against Miami’s explosive offense?
– Kenny Clark was disruptive early and often. Kingsley Enagbare created negative plays. Preston Smith helped end drives. Quay Walker had a few splash plays.
– Christian Watson’s speed makes so much happen for the Packers offense. And his block helped escort Jones into the end zone in the third quarter.
– Watson and fellow rookie Romeo Doubs combined for nine catches and 101 yards. In his return from an ankle injury, Doubs caught all five targets for 55 yards.
What’s next
The Packers go on the road for a must-win game in Miami against the Dolphins (8-6) on Christmas Day.
