Despite a sloppy first half, a struggling two-minute defense and Jordan Love exiting early with a groin injury, the Green Bay Packers escaped Jacksonville with a 30-27 comeback victory over the Jaguars.
Josh Jacobs did the heavy lifting on Sunday, with a late-game assist from backup quarterback Malik Willis. Trailing 17-13 late in the third quarter, Jacobs scored the first of two Packers touchdowns separated by 75 seconds on the game clock. Green Bay’s defense gave up a double digit lead, though.
The comeback came in spite of some major struggles from Jeff Hafley and the Packers defense. After holding the Jaguars without a single first down until well in the second quarter, Green Bay allowed Jacksonville to score 10 points in the final three minutes of the half. The fell flat again in the final minutes of regulation, allowing a, eight-play, 80-yard drive to end in a touchdown inside the two minute warning.
However, a 51-yard passing play from Willis set up a game-winning field goal that improved the Packers’ record to 6-2, while Doug Pederson’s Jaguars dropped to 2-6 with four more tough opponents looming in the weeks ahead.
Willis comes up clutch as all eyes shift to Love’s status
Love suffered a groin injury and missed the majority of the second half against the Jaguars. Love appeared to sustain the injury in the first half but continued to play. With 11:41 remaining in the third quarter, Love tried hobbling off the field but was unable to make it to the sideline. He was briefly examined by trainers while lying on his back and tried stretching out the injury while walking on the sideline.
Love even stood on the edge of the sideline while wearing a helmet with the Packers’ offense on the field, but he didn’t re-enter the game.
In his place, Willis earned a third win against the AFC South this season, completing 4-of-5 passes for 56 yards and a touchdown while scrambling for 20 yards to set up Jacobs’ 38-yard touchdown run. It was Willis’ perfect touch pass to a wide-open Jayden Reed for 51 yards on the final drive that set up the game-winning field goal by Brandon McManus, who hit his second walk-off in as many weeks with the team. — Matt Schneidman, Packers beat writer
REEEEEEEEED!#GBvsJAX pic.twitter.com/oGewT53OaM
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) October 27, 2024
Jacobs continues to justify his contract
For the second time this season, Jacobs eclipsed 100 yards on the ground. For the first time this season, Jacobs found the end zone twice in a game. He finished with a game-high 127 rushing yards on 25 carries (5.1 yards per rush) and two touchdowns, proving just why the Packers paid him $48 million in free agency while releasing Aaron Jones.
Jacobs doubled his season touchdown total on Sunday and is now up to 667 rushing yards through eight games. It is the most rushing yards for a Packers running back through the first eight games since Eddie Lacy in 2013 (669). — Schneidman
Josh Jacobs with all the moves for a 38-yard rushing TD!
📺: #GBvsJAX on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/CQ3b6aZ5CZ— NFL (@NFL) October 27, 2024
Jaguars fall despite Trevor Lawrence’s impressive game-tying drive
Despite turning the ball over twice earlier in the game, with both turnovers leading to seven Packers points, Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence responded with an impressive drive late in the fourth quarter to give the hosts a shot. He completed five passes of at least 12 yards, including a 21-yard connection with tight end Brenton Strange on third and 5 to the Packers’ 14-yard line for the Jaguars’ first third-down conversion of the game in nine tries.
He then hit tight end Evan Engram, who made an incredible high-point catch over cornerback Keisean Nixon, for a touchdown with 1:48 remaining.
The Jaguars’ eight-play, 87-yard drive in 2:02 tied the game at 27, but the Packers responded with an impressive lengthy drive of their own to squeak out the win. — Schneidman
Required reading
- NFL playoff projections 2024: The Athletic’s model predicts the field
- NFL Week 8 scores and live updates: News, inactives, predictions, odds, schedule, channels
- Why Packers QB Jordan Love will remain aggressive despite interceptions
- Packers new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley makes big impact for Matt LaFleur
(Photo: Rich Storry / Getty Images)
