Packers look for huge victory over Lions in their season opener

The Packers rallied and won 27-23 at Arizona late Sunday afternoon and improved to 4-1-1 on the season.

The Packers allowed points in the 1^st quarter for the first time this season as Arizona took a 3-0 lead. The Packers tied it in the 2^nd quarter before the Cardinals scored 10 straight to lead 13-3. Jordan Love found Romeo Doubs for 22 yards and Lucas Havrisik kicked a 61-yard field goal, a franchise record, to pull to within 13-6 at halftime. After the Packers tied the game in the 3^rd quarter, both teams traded touchdowns. Arizona kicked a field goal to go up 23-20 in the 4^th quarter, but the Packers scored a touchdown a few possessions later to go up 27-23. After knocking away a pass in the endzone on 4^th down, the Packers were able to run out the clock and celebrate a victory.

Thoughts about this win:

In all 4 victories for the Packers this season, they have scored exactly 27 points. That is incredible.

The Packers recovered an opponent’s fumble for the first time this season. Rashan Gary forced Jacoby Brissett to fumble in the 3^rd quarter and the Packers converted that opportunity into a touchdown.

Micah Parsons continues to show why the Packers traded for him. He had 3 sacks in the game, a career high.

Lucas Havrisik, filling in for the injured Brandon McManus, drilled a franchise-record 61-yard FG right before halftime. If he keeps making kicks like that, McManus will find himself looking for a chance to kick somewhere else.

The Packers stopped Jacoby Brissett on 4^th down in the 4^th quarter to take over on downs. Matt LaFleur made a huge decision to go for it on 4^th and 2 at the Arizona 29, but it paid off as Love found Tucker Kraft for 15 yards. The Packers would score 3 plays later on a run by Josh Jacobs, his 2^nd rushing TD of the game.

The Packers had to really work for this win, but it was a win. They had mechanical problems which delayed their flight to Arizona and there might have been a slight chance that they were looking ahead to next week’s matchup. Despite Arizona’s 2-5 record, they have been in every game this season and were either beaten on the final play of the game or had a chance to win it late each time.

Speaking of the Packers’ next game, they travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers and their former quarterback next Sunday night. It should be quite a media circus leading up to the game. Let us keep building on this winning streak. Have a great week Packer fans!

Go Pack Go!

@DieHardPackersFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901

The Packers will look to put together a winning streak as they visit Arizona to take on the Cardinals late Sunday afternoon.

The Packers are 3-1-1 after winning 27-18 at home vs the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday. The Cardinals are 2-4 after falling 31-27 on the road vs the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday.

Kyler Murray is listed as questionable for the game. If he can’t go, Jacoby Brissett, who played in their loss to the Colts, will be the starter. Either way, the Packers will need to get a pass rush and disrupt the quarterback’s timing. Marvin Harrison Jr. hasn’t had eye-popping stats, but he can change a game. TE Trey McBride is their leading receiver right now. Some opposing receivers have made some unbelievable catches vs the Packers lately, especially near the goal line or inside of it. The Packers need to stay with these receivers and either knock the ball away or intercept those passes. They need to put pressure on the quarterback and please, let’s get some turnovers. We haven’t had very many of those this year so far. The Packers have not forced a turnover in 3 of their 5 games, only recording 2 interceptions on the season and no forced fumbles or fumble recoveries. That needs to change.

Jordan Love has completed 70% of his passes and has made some incredible throws, and Josh Jacobs has been picking up steam in the second halves of games lately, but it would be nice to see both play a complete game. The offense needs to come out on fire and continue it for the whole game. The Packers have a -1 turnover ratio, 2 interceptions by them and the opposition and 1 fumble recovery by the defense vs none for Green Bay. The Cardinals have an even turnover ratio, 4 interceptions both ways and 3 fumble recoveries both ways. Please hold onto the ball Packers.

Special teams was a big difference in the win over the Bengals last Sunday. Kicker Lucas Havrisik nailed 2 kicks while the kicker for the Bengals missed 2, although in fairness to them, their kicker had to make them from a much further distance. Either way, those were misses. If it was any other team, I would have wanted the kicker to nail that 67-yard field goal and make history. Thankfully, Matt LaFleur called a timeout and made him kick it again, and he ended up missing. Field position is key. Hopefully, whoever the kicker is in this game, he prevents a long return and makes his field goals and extra points, and I want to see plenty of the latter.

The Cardinals are an interesting franchise. They started in 1898 as the Morgan Athletic Club and were one of the original franchises to have joined the NFL in 1920. They were known as the Chicago Cardinals and moved to St. Louis and then to Phoenix. They last won a championship in 1947, giving them the longest championship drought in the 4 major sports.

The Cardinals may be 2-4 but they scored 3 more points than they have allowed. None of their 6 games so far has been decided by more than 7 points. The Packers need to be ready for this game. Their next game after this one is a game in Pittsburgh against the Steelers and their former quarterback. The Packers cannot afford to be looking ahead. They need to keep their focus on defeating the Cardinals.

I am sure there will be plenty of Packer fans in Arizona. Whether you will be attending this game or not, let us make our voices heard and cheer the team to victory on Sunday.

Go Pack Go!

@DieHardPackersFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901

The Packers improved to 3-1-1 after their 27-18 home victory over the Cincinnati Bengals late Sunday afternoon.

The Packers got the ball first, but Jordan Love had it intercepted. The defense held and the Packers were able to drive for a field goal. They would later get a touchdown and led 10-0 at halftime. The Bengals showed signs of life in the second half as they cut it to 10-7, but the Packers responded with a touchdown of their own. It was a close game until kicker Lucis Havrisik nailed a 39-yard field goal. After the Bengals missed a field goal of their own, the Packers ran out the clock.

Thoughts about this win:

It was tight throughout the game, but the kicker nailed 2 big field goals. Speaking of field goals, Bengals’ kicker Evan McPherson missed 2, including a miss from 67 yards right before halftime. He would’ve had the record had Matt LaFleur not called timeout right before he kicked it and the ball bounced off the crossbar and in.

The Packers have seen Joe Flacco twice this season, and both times, his team started out slow on offense before coming alive in the second half. This time, the Packers were able to hold him off enough to get the win.

The Packers definitely needed to respond after the Bengals cut it to 24-18. The offense did well going down the field, but Jordan Love slid down short of the 1^st down marker and the next pass was incomplete. They needed their kicker to make a clutch field goal and he did. Thankfully, the Packers kept the Bengals far enough back where they missed a kick of their own, and they didn’t have to sweat out an onside kick attempt.

It wasn’t a blowout win, but with the time off and how their previous 2 games went, the Packers needed a victory any way they could get it. They will need to play much better going forward. Their next 2 games are on the road, including next Sunday in Arizona. Have a great week Packer fans!

Go Pack Go!

@DieHardPackersFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901