The Green Bay Packers won their first road game of the season in dramatic fashion, holding on to beat the Arizona Cardinals 27-23. Micah Parsons recorded three of the Packers six sacks while Josh Jacobs fought injuries to run for two touchdowns. The win improves the Packers record to 4-1-1 while the Cardinals fall to 2-5. Here are 10 things we learned from the Packers 27-23 win over the Cardinals in Week 7:
Ten Things We Learned from the Packers 27-23 Win Over with the Cardinals, Number One: Micah Parsons Came Up Big
While Parsons was consistently putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks this season, he entered the game with just 2.5 sacks. Well, Parsons took over this game, sacking Jacoby Brissett three times in this game. That included some clutch sacks and pressures late in the game that helped the Packers hold off the final Arizona drive. He also recorded five quarterback hits.
Parsons was relentless and constantly used leverage to get small and beat offensive lineman off the edge or beat them quickly up the middle.
Quay Walker also did a good job of pressuring the passer as Jeff Hafley brought blitz packages at various times in the game.
The Packers finished the game with six sacks and 12 quarterback hits. The pass rush managed to do its job, and it was just enough for the Packers to earn the win.
Number Two: Josh Jacobs Overcame Pain
The Packers weren’t sure if Jacobs would be able to play in this game until shortly before kickoff. The team’s star running back was a gametime decision but managed to play although he was not able to take on his usual workload.
Still, Jacobs carried 13 times for 55 yards, an average of 4.2-yards per attempt. He also scored two rushing touchdowns for the third consecutive game including the game-winning score with 1:50 left in the fourth quarter.
Jacobs gutted one out for the team and did just enough to help the Packers earn their first road win of the year.
Ten Things We Learned from the Packers 27-23 Win Over the Cardinals, Number Three: Penalties and Mental Errors Persist
The mentals errors and penalties that have plagued the Packers all season continued. The Packers committed 10 penalties for the game for 94 yards. That only includes the penalties that were accepted.
Again, many of them were mental errors like Rasheed Walker not lining up on the line of scrimmage. Malik Heath lining up in the neutral zone on another play and several other mental mistakes.
Overall, the Packers gave the Cardinals five first downs by penalty in this game. The penalties on special teams continue to hurt field position and momentum.
Overall, the Packers cannot continue to be their own worst enemy and still hope to defeat quality opponents consistently.
Number Four: The Play Calling Remains Inconsistent
With Jacobs hampered by injuries, the Packers offense never really got into a consistent rhythm. Matt LaFleur made some very curious play calls that contributed to the offense’s struggles to move the ball consistently.
The most noticeable came in the first quarter. The Packers faced 3rd-and-4 at the Arizona 37 trailing 3-0. LaFleur called a timeout and then called a slow-developing running play to Emanuel Wilson. He was tackled for a one-yard loss. If the Packers were going to run on third and four, a quick developing play would have made more sense. A draw play may have also created more deception.
The Packers went for it on fourth down and Jordan Love threw long for Romeo Doubs. Doubs was open but the ball was overthrown, and the Packers turned the ball over on downs.
The offense never got into a rhythm and gained only 262 net yards for the entire game. They managed to do just enough to win the game, but this was not a strong performance by the offense. The play calling contributed to that inconsistency.
Ten Things We Learned from the Packers 27-23 Win Over the Cardinals, Number Five: Nate Hobbs Struggled
Cornerback Nate Hobbs struggled through a poor performance. He was beaten early and often by a variety of Arizona receivers.
Marvin Harrison Jr. turned Hobbs around on a 22-yard reception. Later in the game, Harrison beat Hobbs again to gain 35 yards on a 3rd-and-14 situation.
On the second touchdown by tight end Trey McBride, Hobbs made a token effort to tackle McBride near the goal line.
Hobbs played through a knee injury, but he was clearly struggling for most of the game. The Packers should have inserted Carrington Valentine into the lineup to replace Hobbs at some point because Hobbs just wasn’t effective against the Cardinals.
Number Six: Tucker Kraft and Romeo Doubs Were Clutch
The Packers receiver by committee approach continued against Arizona. Today, Love found tight end Tucker Kraft and Doubs in big situations.
Kraft scored the only receiving touchdown of the game and came up with a clutch 22-yard catch. Four of his five receptions resulted in first downs.
Meanwhile, Doubs led the team with six catches for 72 yards on eight targets. He made a huge catch right before the half to set up a field goal with one second left before the break.
These were the players Love looked to in this game. It always varies depending on the matchups and game plan that week. So far this season, Doubs and Kraft have been the team’s most consistent receivers.
Ten Things We Learned from the Packers 27-23 Win Over the Cardinals, Number Seven: The Defense Finally Caused a Turnover
The Packers defense had only two turnovers in the first five games of this season entering this contest in Arizona. The had only two interceptions and had yet to recover a fumble.
But that changed in the third quarter of this game. Rashan Gary sacked Brissett and knocked the ball out. Evan Williams fell on it, and the Packers got the ball at the Cardinals 44.
Love threw to Doubs twice and Matthew Golden once before Jacobs scored on a seven-yard touchdown run. That tied the game at 13-13 and gave Green Bay back some badly needed momentum.
The Packers defense has played well this season but three turnovers in created in six games isn’t good enough. Getting one that helped turn the game around was critical for the Packers against Arizona.
Number Eight: Fourth Down Was Key
Fourth downs became critical in this game. The Packers went for it three times on fourth down and were successful twice. Meanwhile, the Packers defense stopped the Cards both times they went for it on fourth down with the last coming on the final play of the game.
The first fourth down stop came with 5:51 left in the fourth quarter when the Cardinals went for it on 4th-and-1 at their own 48. Brissett tried to run up the middle for the first down but was stopped by Isaiah McDuffie and a host of Packers defenders. The defensive line did a great job of pushing back the Arizona blockers and the play wasn’t even close. The Packers scored the game-winning touchdown on the ensuing drive with a short field.
The Packers failed fourth down attempt ended their opening drive of the game. They made a key fourth down conversion on the final drive which led to the game-winning score. Love found Kraft for 15 yards on 4th-and-2.
Fourth downs made a difference in this game and helped the Packers earn the win.
Ten Things We Learned from the Packers 27-23 Win Over the Cardinals, Number Nine: Lucas Havrisik Set a New Record
With Brandon McManus still unable to play due to injury, Lucas Havrisik kicked for the second game in a row. Once again, he was perfect on all his extra points and field goals.
He even set a new Packers record by kicking a 61-yard field goal on the final play of the first half. The previous record was 58 yards set by Mason Crosby against the Vikings in 2011.
The kick gave the Packers some momentum heading into halftime. It also meant that the Cardinals needed a touchdown not a field goal to win the game on the final drive.
Havrisik should have no problem finding a job if the Packers do move on from him once McManus returns.
Number 10: Bring on Aaron Rodgers
The Packers are now 4-1-1 and hold first place in the NFC North but the division race is tight and there isn’t much margin for error.
Next week, the Packers head to Pittsburgh to face a 4-2 Steelers team with former Packers star Aaron Rodgers at quarterback.
While the game is on the road, the drama of Rodgers facing the Packers for the first time will add a lot of emotion to the game which will be on national television.
This will be a real test for the Packers and a big game for both teams.
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