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Jordan Love sidelined, Packers beat Jaguars on Brandon McManus field goal

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Jordan Love sidelined, Packers beat Jaguars on Brandon McManus field goal

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With more than 11 minutes left in Sunday’s third quarter, what was supposed to be a straightforward victory against one of the NFL’s worst teams was suddenly in jeopardy.

Jordan Love limped for most of the first half and bounced onto the court. Green Bay Packers He suffered a groin injury after being hit from behind. Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker. The contact was not malicious, merely incidental, but occurred after Love released the football. Love didn’t come back on Sunday and Packers Clinging to just a field goal lead, they were facing an unexpected upset loss.

Malik Willis had other ideas.

Packers The backup quarterback made his first appearance since Week 3 and didn’t seem to miss a beat, helping guide Packers won 30-27. Willis, who led the Packers to two wins in September, gave the Packers the offensive power they needed in the final two quarters. The Packers took control of the game by scoring touchdowns on their first two drives.

Willis then took the field on a tied game with 1:48 left, needing to make a field goal to win. After a 4-yard pass to Josh Jacobs, it appeared that Willis may have heard the line of scrimmage before the second down. He ran a play-action fake and hit Jayden Reed wide open down the left sideline for a 51-yard reception, putting the Packers in position to eventually win on Brandon McManus’ 24-yard field goal as time expired.

It was the second week in a row McManus clinched the victory with a game-winning hit.

Here are some quick observations from the win:

Packers put Josh Jacobs in practice mode after Jordan Love injury

Josh Jacobs is a bruising runner who doesn’t have the explosiveness of Aaron Jones, but his style can put a dent in a defense. The Packers running back showed again Sunday why it’s important for him to get a generous workload each week. When Jacobs’ carries pile up, he will likely break a long carry. Jacobs had just 55 yards on his first 16 carries Sunday, a meager 3.4-yard average. He made the field goal on his 17th carry, running 38 yards down the left wing line for the touchdown that gave the Packers a 20-17 lead late in the third quarter. It was Jacobs’ longest run of the season and his third run of at least 30 yards, despite not having had a 30-yard carry since Week 2. The Packers boarded Jacobs after Love exited the second half with a groin injury. Jacobs had 39 yards on 12 carries with Love behind center. After Love came out, he had 88 yards on 13 carries. His 127 yards was his second over-the-century finish this season; This was his first since Week 2, when he threw for 151 yards on 32 carries against the Indianapolis Colts.

Another week, another bad tackle for Jordan Love

Throughout the week, Jordan Love said his focus was on finishing the game without an interception. He also said his football reading needs to be better. Love showed there’s still work to be done by making a bad interception on Romeo Doubs on a pass with the Packers in the red zone. Love tried to throw a pass to Doubs despite heavy coverage from cornerback Jarrian Jones. It was another pass that shouldn’t have been thrown, and it’s something that has been happening increasingly for Love this season. He now has nine tackles in seven games; This is unlike the final two months of last season, when Love handled the football better than any quarterback in the league.

Xavier McKinney continues to show why he is among the NFL’s best defensive players

Xavier McKinney continued to make his mark as the early favorite for the NFL’s defensive player of the year. After the Packers opened the first quarter on a sleepy note, Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence attempted to throw a pass downfield. McKinney sat back and waited for Lawrence to tip over and stopped him for the Packers’ first touchdown on a short field goal. The Jaguars would later connect on some passes down the field, as no NFL offense can go an entire game without testing defensive depth, but McKinney showed why quarterbacks have been hesitant the past few weeks. McKinney’s undrafted drought, which opened the season with a five-straight interception, lasted just two weeks. His sixth pick of the season in eight games allowed him to maintain the NFL lead.

Edgerrin Cooper shows special characteristics as a rookie linebacker

There are still rookie mistakes. In the second half, Edgerrin Cooper entered the field late before the ball was snapped. The Jaguars moved the football away from Cooper, so the delay didn’t hurt the Packers defense. Still, it was a reminder that this rookie doesn’t have it all figured out. Yet. Cooper later showed why by changing the game by performing a striptease against Trevor Lawrence. Defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt, returning from a three-game absence with an ankle injury, recovered the ball at the Jaguars’ 5-yard line for a shorthanded touchdown. Cooper didn’t spare his speed for passing. He also showed outstanding closing quickness after a deep tackle on Christian Kirk, catching up to the Jaguars’ top receiver and forcing a third down. Cooper’s athleticism allows him to make plays all over the field, and the Packers continue to use him in a variety of ways.

(This story has been updated to add video.)

Jordan Love’s injury update: Packers’ quarterback leaves the game early in the second half

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