Fourth Down Spurs Packers Past Lions on Thanksgiving

 By Eric Goska

Matt LaFleur's Packers have converted 77 fourth downs since 2019.
(photos by Eric Goska)

Once considered a last resort, going for it on fourth down has gained widespread acceptance in the NFL.

That Green Bay thrice succeeded on that down while Detroit twice failed is one reason the Packers knocked off the Lions 31-24 on Thanksgiving Day. That two of those conversions yielded touchdowns meant the Green and Gold never trailed as they dispatched their longtime rival for a second time this season.

Some of the greatest names in Packers history surface when diving into fourth downs. Sure, some lesser-knowns appear as well thanks to the occasional trick play, but much of the heavy lifting over the years has been carried out by the best the team had to offer.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur’s resume on fourth down is in line with many of his predecessors. He owns the third highest conversion rate since 1954 and trails only Mike McCarthy in total conversations.

LaFleur and his team were certainly on the money in Detroit. Green Bay went three for three on fourth down for the third time on his watch, with the Packers having previously beaten the Bears 41-25 in 2020 and the Saints 34-0 in 2024 when doing so.

Dontayvion Wicks converted two
fourth downs with pass receptions.

For the record, here are the three times Green Bay went for it on fourth down at Ford Field, and the two times Detroit tried and failed.

1. Dontayvion Wicks accepts a 22-yard pass from Jordan Love on fourth-and-three from the Detroit 22-yard line early in the second quarter as the Packers go up 10-0.
2. Romeo Doubs snags a short throw from Love on fourth-and-one from the Detroit 2 late in the same quarter as Green Bay moves in front 17-7.
3. With just under two minutes remaining, Wicks clutches a 16-yard throw from Love on fourth-and-three from the Detroit 45, a catch that allows the Packers to run out the clock with a pair of kneel-downs.

1. Micah Parsons greets Jahmyr Gibbs in the backfield after shedding the block of Kayode Awosika on fourth-and-three from the Green Bay 47 early in the third quarter. Isaiah McDuffie joins Parsons as the two team up to tackle the Lions running back for minus-2.
2. Jameson Williams drops a short throw from Jared Goff on fourth-and-three from the Green Bay 21 early in the fourth quarter.

In honor of fourth downs, here are Packers fourth-down records going back to 1923.

Team Records

• Most TDs one season – 7 in 1926 (Verne Lewellen 2, Cully Lidberg 1, Eddie Kotal 1, Jack Harris 1, Dick Flaherty 1, Rex Enright 1)
• Most TDs one game – 3 on Oct. 20, 1963 (Jim Taylor 2, Tom Moore 1)

Individual Records

• Most TDs career – 13 Verne Lewellen, 1924-1932
• Most TDs season – 3 Verne Lewellen, 1928; 3 Don Hutson, 1937; 3 Ted Fritsch, 1946; 3 Jim Taylor, 1962
• Most TDs game – 2 Verne Lewellen vs. Bears, Sept. 30, 1928; 2 Jim Taylor vs. Cardinals, Oct. 20, 1963
• Most Rushing TDs career – 10 Jim Taylor, 1958-1967
• Most Receiving TDs career – 8 Don Hutson, 1935-1945
• Most TD passes career – 13 Aaron Rodgers, 2005-2022
• Most TD passes season – 3 Aaron Rodgers, 2022; Jordan Love, 2023
• Most TD passes game – 2 Bart Starr vs. Browns, Sept. 18, 1966; 2 Jordan Love vs. Lions, Nov. 26, 2025
• Longest TD – 68 yards on a pass from punter Ron Widby to wide receiver Dave Davis in a 23-10 win over the Oilers in 1972.

Go For It!
Since 1954, Packers head coaches and their conversion rates on fourth down (min. 8 atts.)

Rate       Made-Attempt      Coach                         Years
62.34              48 of 77               Vince Lombardi         1959-1967
53.52              38 of 71               Mike Sherman            2000-2005
53.10            77 of 145               Matt LeFleur               2019-2025
52.56              41 of 78               Mike Holmgren         1992-1998
51.85              28 of 54               Lindy Infante             1988-1991
48.41            61 of 126               Bart Starr                     1975-1983
47.40            91 of 192               Mike McCarthy          2006-2018
46.67              35 of 75               Lisle Blackbourn        1954-1957
43.18              19 of 44               Dan Devine                 1971-1974
43.10              25 of 58               Forrest Gregg            1984-1987
40.00              10 of 25              Phil Bengtson            1968-1970
35.71               5 of 14                 Scooter McLean        1958
22.22                2 of 9                 Ray Rhodes                1999

Packers Turn Second Half into a Game of Inches in Downing Vikings

 By Eric Goska

The color purple could be found everywhere at Lambeau Field.
(photos by Eric Goska)

Inches, not yards, best illustrate how stingy the Packers’ defense was in the second half of its latest go-round with the Vikings.

Green Bay surrendered 141 yards in the opening two quarters of its 23-6 win over Minnesota at Lambeau Field Sunday. It gave up a mere 144 inches in the final two quarters, a total unseen in the last 75 years.

Four yards. Twelve feet. One hundred forty-four inches.

That distance – less than the length of a blue medical tent – is the extent of what Green Bay permitted after halftime. The Vikings – who ran 15 plays after the break – averaged all of 9.6 inches per offensive snap as a 4-point deficit turned into a 17-point loss.

For the Green and Gold, this was a once-in-a-lifetime performance. It was the fewest yards given up by the team in the final two quarters of a regular-season game since at least 1950.

How effective was Green Bay after the break? It came away with four sacks, two by Micah Parsons and two by Devonte Wyatt. It pilfered two passes, one by linebacker Isaiah McDuffie and one by defensive back Evan Williams. It twice dropped running backs for losses, Williams nailing Aaron Jones for minus-one and Colby Wooden taking down Jordan Mason for minus-two.

Throw in an incompletion by Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy and that’s nine plays in which the Purple People didn’t gain an inch.

Green Bay defenders ensured Minnesota did not get beyond its own 36-yard line in the second half. It allowed just two first downs and gave up only one play of 10 or more yards, that being a 10-yard scramble by McCarthy.

Credit the defense for this shutdown, but give an assist to Jordan Love and the offense and a nod to special teams. This was complementary football at its finest.

Green Bay ripped off 35 plays and moved the chains 11 times. It held the ball for 10 minutes, 36 seconds in the third quarter and for 10:49 in the fourth.

Emanuel Wilson gained 52 of his career-best 107 yards rushing in the second half and chipped in five first downs. Three of Christian Watson’s game-high five receptions came after the break with two bringing fresh sets of downs.

Love (13-yard run), John FitzPatrick (11-yard reception), Chris Brooks (10-yard run) and Malik Willis (4-yard dash) also extended drives.

Special teams factored in as well. Zayne Anderson pounced on the ball after Myles Price muffed a Daniel Whelan punt, a recovery that opened the door to Wilson’s 1-yard TD run that put Green Bay up 17-6 early in the third quarter.

Whelan, for his part, landed three punts inside the 20 in the second half. Kicker Brandon McManus booted fourth-quarter field goals of 30 and 40 yards to put the game out of reach.

Sixty-five years have passed since the Packers last held an opponent to fewer than 10 second-half yards. Henry Jordan, Ray Nitschke, Emlen Tunnell  and others held the 49ers to 8 yards in the last two quarters of a 13-0 win at muddy Kezar Stadium in December 1960.

Green Bay’s previous best effort against the Vikings took place on Nov. 14, 1971. Dave Robinson, Lionel Aldridge and Jim Carter led the Packers in second-half tackles as the Packers held the Vikings to 49 yards in a 3-0 loss.

Extra Point

The Packers limited the Vikings to minus-10 yards in the third quarter. That was their best effort in that quarter since holding the Falcons to minus-24 in a 23-0 shutout in 1967.

Shutdown Defenses
Since 1950, the six regular-season games in which the Packers allowed 25 or fewer yards in the third and fourth quarters combined.

Yards   Date                     Opponent          Result
4             Nov. 23, 2025       Vikings                  GB won, 23-6
8             Dec. 10, 1960        49ers                     GB won, 13-0
17           Nov. 2, 1952           Eagles                   GB won, 12-10
18           Oct. 17, 2004         Lions                    GB won, 38-10
22          Dec. 1, 1985            Buccaneers         GB won, 21-0
25          Nov. 29, 1964         Cowboys             GB won, 45-21

Packers Overcome Marathon Drives to Beat Giants

 By Eric Goska

Here is a summary of what the Giants did offensively. Note the 16-play and 15-play drives.

The New York Giants stretched the Packers last-place defense almost to the breaking point Sunday. That the unit finally came up with a takeaway with less than a minute remaining allowed Green Bay to prevail 27-20 at MetLife Stadium.

Yes, you read correctly: last place. The Packers’ defense, much ballyhooed by the media and fans alike, has a glaring weakness. One that could prove fatal down the stretch.

Its defenders struggle to get off the field.

Exhibit A: Backup quarterback Jameis Winston – preferred starter Jaxson Dart was out with a concussion – directs a 16-play, 56-yard drive that reaches the Green Bay 10 late in the third quarter. Exhibit B: Winston follows up that effort by capping a 15-play, 85-yard excursion with a 1-yard touchdown run to put the Giants up 20-19 with seven minutes, 38 seconds to go.

Let that sink in for a minute. That’s back-to-back drives of 15 or more plays. How much stress does that put on a defense?

The first advance took 9:46 off the clock. The second burned through 7:59.

Were these isolated incidents, one might write them off as aberrations. But the Packers have been here before, more so than any other team.

Does anyone recall Detroit staging drives of 15, 13 and 13 plays in the season opener? Or the Cowboys stringing together 12 and 14 plays for touchdowns? Or the Bengals reaching the end zone in 17 plays? Or the Cardinals using 14 plays to set up a field goal?

Defenses can be ranked in a number of ways: yards or points given up, average yards per play, third-down conversion rates or turnovers forced. Here’s a new one: marathon drives allowed.

A marathon drive is one that consists of 12 or more offensive plays. We’ll break with NFL convention here and NOT count field goal attempts as a play.

Even in this ball-control, go-for-it-on-fourth-down league, advances of 12 or more plays are relatively rare. Yet, here are the Packers having allowed 11 marathon drives through 10 games – most in the circuit – one ahead of the second-place Dolphins and Colts.

Christian Watson caught
two TD passes Sunday.
(photo by Eric Goska)

The Giants and their 15th-ranked offense (yards gained) appeared content to slow walk past Green Bay. New York methodically piled up 336 yards on 69 offensive snaps with no play gaining more than 20 yards.

In addition to its two marathon sessions, New York also staged drives of 11 and 10 plays. Devin Singletary finished off the 11-play affair with a 2-yard run that knotted the score at 13 late in the first half.

Fortunately for the Packers, they found a way to squelch the 10-play outing. With the Giants encamped at the Green Bay 14-yard line, Evan Williams intercepted a throw intended for Jalin Hyatt. The steal, coming with just 36 seconds left, was the first pick in the fourth quarter for the Green and Gold this year.

As a team that has played in only one game decided by more than 10 points, the Packers have to know the opposition will come at them guns blazing in the final 15 minutes. From first quarter to last, Green Bay has surrendered 487, 804, 562 and 992 yards.

Clearly, no one is backing down.

Prior to Sunday, five teams had gained more than 100 yards against the Packers in the fourth quarter: the Commanders (118), Browns (103), Cowboys (116), Bengals (131) and Eagles (113). The Giants bettered them all, amassing 137 yards (40.8 percent of their offense) on 25 plays while draining 11:14 from the clock.

So, whether it’s Micah Parsons and Isaiah McDuffie collaborating on a fourth-down sack as they did to end New York’s 16-play foray or Williams coming up with a rare interception, the Packers’ defense needs to get off the field. Even the best runners don’t compete in multiple marathons on the same day.

Extra Point

The NFC North-leading Chicago Bears have allowed a season-low three marathon drives in 2025. That stat ought to bring a smile to one dyed-in-the-wool Bears fan residing in Kentucky!

It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint
Since 1950, the most marathon drives Green Bay has allowed in the first 10 games of a season.

No.   Season         Record
11       1975               2-8
11       1999               5-5
11       2025             6-3-1
10       1972               7-3
10       1977               2-8
10       1979               3-7
10       1997               8-2
10       2014               7-3

Jacobs Lugs the Leather Against the Eagles

 By Eric Goska

(photos by Eric Goska)

What adjective best describes Josh Jacobs?

Productive? Durable? Talented?

As he has done more often than not, Jacobs again led the Packers in yards gained from scrimmage, this time against the Eagles Monday night. He also scored Green Bay’s only touchdown in the team’s 10-7 loss to Philadelphia at Lambeau Field.

Jacobs has been producing yards from scrimmage at a near record pace. He amassed 107 versus the Eagles to push him over 2,500 in his Packers career.

Jacobs became the 49th Packer to surpass that total, doing so in his 26th regular-season game. Only Ahman Green (23 games) got there faster.

Since coming to Green Bay as a free agent ahead of the 2024 season, Jacobs has been a force to be reckoned with. His 2,516 yards from scrimmage lead the team over that span and are more than the total of second-place Tucker Kraft (1,205) and third-place Jayden Reed (1,196) combined.

In addition, Jacobs has a nose for the end zone. No. 8 has pushed across 27 scores while wearing the Green and Gold. Kraft is second with 13 since the start of the 2024 season.

Against the Eagles, Jacobs rushed 21 times for 74 yards. He caught five passes for 33 more.

The busy running back accounted for five of his team’s eight first downs rushing. He also moved the chains with a six-yard reception on the second offensive play of the game.

For Jacobs, this was the 13th time he has surpassed 100 yards from scrimmage as a Packer. Green Bay is 8-4-1 when the 27-year-old hits or surpasses that mark.

Jacobs did more than score on Green Bay’s TD drive. He chipped in 17 yards on the ground and 13 through the air.

Since making his Packers debut against the Eagles in Sept. 2024, Jacobs has been nothing if not durable. He hasn’t missed a start in 26 games and has played more than half the offensive snaps in 24 of those contests.

For all the yards Jacobs stockpiled Monday night, he was not at his best on at least two plays. The back-turned receiver appeared out of position on a failed screen pass in the final two minutes, and he coughed up the football on fourth down three plays later.

The fumble was Jacobs’ sixth as a Packer. Four of those were recovered by the opposition.

Extra Point

Williams Henderson (158 games) and Aaron Rodgers (141) are the Packers who required the most games to attain 2,500 yards from scrimmage.

Racing to 2,500
Packers who amassed 2,500 yards from scrimmage in the fewest number of games.

G         Player                              Total       Rush    Receive        TDs
23       Ahman Green                     2,708         1,856            852           17
26       Josh Jacobs                         2,516         1,937             579           27
27       Eddie Lacy                           2,557         1,948           609           20
29       John Brockington              2,557         2,205            352           15
32       Bill Howton                         2,509                0         2,509          19
33       Ryan Grant                          2,555         2,266            289          15
35       Eddie Lee Ivery                  2,536         1,720            816           18
36       Jim Taylor                           2,645         2,318           327           28
36       Gerry Ellis                           2,541         1,055         1,486           15

Packers Come Up Short in Low-Possession Game

 By Eric Goska

Even St. Vince couldn't help the Packers against the Panthers.
(photos by Eric Goska)

Possessions were at a premium Sunday at Lambeau Field.

In a game that boasted fewer drives than any other in the stadium’s history, Carolina outlasted Green Bay 16-13. Ryan Fitzgerald’s 49-yard field goal as time expired proved the difference.

A 13.5 point favorite, the Packers were expected to make quick work of the Panthers. Instead, they seized up in the red zone, settling for field goals or worse when more was needed.

Green Bay registered only one touchdown in its five trips beyond Carolina’s 20-yard line. That success came late as Josh Jacobs crashed into the end zone from a yard out to knot the score at 13-13 with two minutes, 32 seconds remaining.

The Panthers countered by using eight plays and the remaining clock to set up Fitzgerald’s game-winning field goal.

Early in the game, Fox color analyst Greg Olsen offered his take on what Carolina needed to do to win.

“I think the best way to stop this Green Bay offense right now with the way they’re humming is just let Jordan Love and company stand on the sidelines.”

Though Love and the Packers won the time of possession battle by 20 seconds, they, like the Panthers, only mounted seven drives. Each was of utmost importance.

Twice, Green Bay squandered possessions with turnovers. Savion Williams lost a fumble at the Carolina 16 midway through the first quarter and Love threw an interception into traffic midway through the third.

Twice, the Packers came up empty on fourth down. Brandon McManus missed a 43-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter and Love failed to connect with Romeo Doubs from the Panthers 13 early in the fourth quarter.

Carolina also failed to come away with points on four of its advances. But the Panthers fared better in the red zone with Rico Dowdle registering rushing touchdowns on two of its three trips there.

Coming out of halftime, Olsen said this of Carolina.

“The Panthers did exactly what we said they should do, right? They want to make this a low-possession game, kind of muddy it up, make it ugly, because it’s probably your best chance of hanging in there and being competitive down the stretch.”

Low-possession game indeed. The 14 combined drives by Green Bay and Carolina set the record for the fewest in any regular-season game at Lambeau Field.

This type of game is becoming more common. Fewer turnovers, better field position following kickoffs, high-percentage passing attacks, and more fourth-down conversions have paved the way for longer, more time-consuming drives.

The number of games in which the Packers have had fewer than 10 possessions has gone up from 38 between 1975 and 2010 to 43 in the last 15 years. Green Bay is 25-18 in such games since 2011.

The Packers’ next opponent, Philadelphia, knows how to limit the competition. It has held four opponents to fewer than 10 possessions this season while notching victories over the Cowboys, Chiefs, Vikings and Giants.

Dispossessed
Fewest offensive possessions by Green Bay and its opponent in a regular-season game at Lambeau Field.
No.        Date (possessions by team)              Result
14           Nov. 2, 2025 (GB 7, Panthers 7)               GB lost, 13-16

15           Nov. 1, 2020 (GB 8, Vikings 7)                  GB lost, 22-28
15           Dec. 3, 2023 (GB 7, Chiefs 8)                    GB won, 27-19
16           Sept. 10, 1989 (GB 8, Buccaneers 8)       GB lost, 21-23
16           Oct. 5, 2003 (GB 8, Seahawks 8)             GB won, 35-13

Aaron Rodgers Comes Up Short in Pittsburgh

 By Eric Goska

Sunday in Pittsburgh, Aaron Rodgers became the 24th ex-Packer
to throw a pass against his former team.
(photo by Chip Manthey)

Aaron Rodgers matched wits with his previous employer in prime time and came away empty-handed. The league’s elder statesman – he’ll turn 42 in December – played every offensive snap as his Steelers succumbed to the visiting Packers 35-25 at Acrisure Stadium.

The game, an intriguing matchup when the schedule was released, took on an added dimension when Rodgers signed with Pittsburgh in June. Sunday night, the four-time NFL MVP who spent 18 seasons with the Packers added his name to the list of those who played both for and against the Green and Gold.

Suiting up against Green Bay after having played there occurs more often than one might think. Excluding 1939 and 1951, at least one ex-Packer has returned to play against his former team every season since 1922.

Emmett Keefe was the first. The 5-foot-10, 195-pounder opened at left guard for the Packers against the Chicago Staleys on Nov. 27, 1921. Ten months later, he started at the same position for the Rock Island Independents when they hosted Green Bay on Oct. 1, 1922.

Keefe, a lineman in the early days of pro football, went largely unnoticed. Rodgers, a quarterback headed for Canton, cannot escape the spotlight.

Brett Favre warms up before facing the Vikings in 2007.
(photo by Eric Goska)

In Pittsburgh, Rodgers became the first Packers quarterback since Brett Favre in 2010 to compete against his old team. He is one of 24 players to have played for and then returned to throw a pass against the Green and Gold.

One small aside, before we continue. For this article, we are considering only those who played in at least one regular-season game for the Packers. So players such as Rick Mirer (active but did not play in 1998) or Aaron Brooks (active but did not play in 1999) do not qualify.

So, with that out of the way, how did Rodgers’ performance stack up? It was a tale of two halves, one in which he was forced to carry the offensive load in the final two quarters.

Rodgers compiled a passer rating of 101.5 by completing 24 of 36 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns. He connected with nine different receivers with his favorite target, D.J. Metcalf, hauling in five for 55 yards.

In the first half, Rodgers could pick and choose when to throw as Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell churned out 81 yards rushing on 15 carries (5.4 average). The veteran quarterback completed 11 of 15 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown (113.8 rating).

But as Jordan Love and the Packers’ offense found their footing – Green Bay scored on five of its six second-half possessions – Rodgers was forced to pass more frequently. His ground game all but gone (3 carries for 12 yards), Rodgers fired 21 passes, completing 13 for 117 yards and a score (92.8 rating).

The bulk (70) of Rodgers’ second-half yardage came in the final four minutes after the Packers had gone up 35-19. Rodgers zipped a 21-yard scoring pass to Roman Wilson, but Green Bay drained the final two minutes, seven seconds to close out the game.

Rodgers and the Steelers converted only one of 10 third downs, missing their last nine in a row. On six of those occasions, Pittsburgh needed 10 or more yards to gain a fresh set of downs.

In launching 36 throws, Rodgers became the 13th former Packer to throw at least 15 passes in a game against his former team. In coming up short, the California native failed to join Mike Tomczak (1992), Ty Detmer (1997) and Brett Favre (twice in 2009) as quarterbacks who returned to defeat the Packers.

Extra Point
Red Smith was the first ex-Packer to throw a pass against his old team. On Nov. 22, 1931, Smith failed to connect with Hap Moran late in the third quarter of a 14-10 loss to Green Bay in the Polo Grounds.

Extra Point
Twenty-four ex-Packers returned to throw at least one pass against their former team: Red Smith (1), Bo Molenda (1), Cy Casper (4), Swede Johnston (1), Harry Mattos (3), Frank Balasz (1), Arnie Herber (6), Bobby Thomason (42), Babe Parilli (3), Tobin Rote (85), Lamar McHan (40), John Roach (10), Dennis Claridge (11), Don Horn (33), Scott Hunter (39), Mike Tomczak (21), Mark Brunell (118), Ty Detmer (43), Don Majkowski (32), Craig Hentrich (1), Matt Hasselbeck (120), Terry Glenn (1), Brett Favre (126) and Aaron Rodgers (36).

High-Yield Returns
Former Packers quarterbacks who compiled a passer rating of 100 or more points against the Packers in a regular-season game (minimum 20 pass attempts)

Date                   Quarterback     Rating   Team            Result
Oct. 5, 2009        Brett Favre            135.3       Vikings          GB lost, 23-30
Nov. 1, 2009       Brett Favre            128.6       Vikings          GB lost, 26-38
Oct. 5, 1958        Tobin Rote            102.5        Lions             GB tied, 13-13
Oct. 26, 2025     Aaron Rodgers     101.5        Steelers         GB won, 35-25

Packers Force a Rare Turnover in Arizona

 By Eric Goska

Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley
(photos by Eric Goska)

Sunday in Arizona, the Packers came away with a timely reminder of the game-changing potential of takeaways.

In beating the Cardinals 27-23 at State Farm Stadium, Green Bay forced a turnover for just the third time this season. The Packers’ offense then turned that recovery into a touchdown, getting seven crucial points in a game in which they did not take the lead until the final two minutes.

Pending the outcome of tonight’s games, Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s defense leads the NFL in a number of categories. According to the league’s Game Statistic and Information System, Green Bay defenders ranks first in yards per play (4.48), rushing yards allowed per game (76.5) and passing yards per play (5.34).

One glaring weakness: the unit has been less than stellar in manufacturing turnovers.

The best teams are often those that can separate the ball from their opponents. The Bears (4-2) are again relevant because they have forced a league-leading 16 turnovers. The Jets (0-7) are again a doormat because they have but one takeaway through seven games.

In its first five games, Green Bay had but two. Safety Evan Williams picked off Detroit’s Jared Goff in the opener and Xavier McKinney intercepted the Browns’ Joe Flacco two weeks later.

Steal No.3 arrived courtesy of Rashan Gary and Williams early in the third quarter in Glendale. Gary knocked the ball from quarterback Jacoby Brissett’s hand and Williams, who had been flagged for pass interference the play previous, swallowed up the bouncing ball.

According to ESPN, the forced fumble was the seventh by Gary in his 96-game regular-season career. The recovery was a first for Williams, a fourth-round pick in 2024.

Evan Williams

The collaboration by Gary and Williams gave Green Bay new life at the Arizona 44. Jordan Love whistled passes to Romeo Doubs (two) and Matthew Golden before Josh Jacobs sprinted seven yards around left end for a touchdown to tie the game 13-13.

Instead of possibly falling behind 16-6 or 20-6, Green Bay pulled even thanks to the work of Gary and Williams.

That this was the first takeaway via fumble recovery of 2025 for the Green and Gold does not inspire confidence. If this pace is maintained, Green Bay will come away with three which would match the franchise low set in 1995.

Opponents – Detroit, Washington, Cleveland, Dallas, Cincinnati and Arizona – had run 318 plays against the Packers without losing a fumble. A year ago, Halfley’s defense had come away with five after that many plays by its opponents.

Turnovers matter. They tend to go hand in hand with winning. The 1985 champion Bears extracted 54. The 2000 Ravens squeezed 49 from the competition.

Just don’t expect Green Bay to approach those numbers. Turnovers are becoming more difficult to come by as the average number per game has fallen from 4.5 in 1986 to 4.0 in 1992 to 3.5 in 2005 to 3.0 in 2014 to last year’s record low of 2.42 per game.

More than ever, teams have to work to force the issue. In a results-based league, Green Bay is lagging behind.

Its three turnovers after six games are the fewest by the team in 105 seasons of play. Further, that meager total fails to measure up to what playoff teams of the past have done.

At their present pace, the Packers would finish with eight or nine takeaways. In the Super Bowl era, no team has reached the postseason in a non-strike season without coming away with at least 14.

And the two teams that did – the Lions (9-7) of 2016 and the Dolphins (9-8) of 2022 – were both one and done in the postseason.

Turnovers matter. Hafley made this clear a year ago on a Thursday before the Packers hosted the Texans.

“I think what’s always been really important to me, philosophically, is taking the ball away. And I don’t think it happens by accident or by any luck. I think you gotta talk about it, you gotta be about it and you have to go out and practice it. And then it’s going to show up in games. And then once they believe in it, it’s going to show up more and more.”

Last year the Packers forced 31 turnovers (fourth in the NFL). This year’s team has a long way to go.

Playing Patty-Cake
Since 1921, the fewest turnovers forced by the Packers through six games.

No.     Year     Final Record
3          2025       unknown
4          1995       11-5
4          2020      13-3
4          2022        8-9
5          2023        9-8
6          2004      10-6

Packers Fence in Bengals for 30 Minutes in 27-18 Win

 By Eric Goska

(photos by Eric Goska)

Invisible fencing can teach a family pet to stay within a set boundary.

In a similar vein, stingy defense and ball-control offense can prevent an opponent from straying too far.

Green Bay erected its version of an unseen wall during the first half of its 27-18 victory over the Bengals Sunday at Lambeau Field. In holding Cincinnati scoreless in the opening two quarters, the Packers allowed their visitors to run just one play from beyond midfield.

Allowing an opponent to run no more than one play from beyond the 50 during the opening 30 minutes of play is not an everyday occurrence. The Packers have turned the trick 24 times since 1952, going 22-1-1 in those games.

Green Bay is undefeated at Lambeau Field when playing this type of game. Its record at the stadium, which opened in 1957, is 11-0-1.

In pitching a first-half shutout, the Packers held the Bengals to 65 yards on 22 offensive snaps. They permitted four first downs and only one drive that lasted more than five plays.

Despite facing Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, perhaps the best receiving duo in the NFL, Green Bay allowed Cincinnati to run but one play from beyond the 50 prior to halftime. No easy feat when three Bengals drives began at their own 36-, 37- and 40-yard lines.

But starting so close to the 50 did nothing for the Ohioans. Green Bay forced three three-and-outs and surrendered all of four yards on nine plays.

Not until one minute, six seconds remained in the second quarter did quarterback Joe Flacco marshal his teammates into Packers territory. The bulk of Cincinnati’s first-half yards (44) came on this advance which saw Flacco spike the ball from the Green Bay 49 to kill the clock with one second remaining.

From there, Evan McPherson would have connected on a record-setting 67-yard field goal that hit the crossbar and fell over, but the Packers had called a timeout. McPherson came up short on his second attempt from that distance.

While the Packers played stout defense, their offense engaged in a game of keep away. In running 38 offensive plays, Jordan Love and his teammates controlled the ball for 21:44. They possessed it for 13 minutes in the first quarter alone.

Aside from Love’s interception – a deflected pass off the hand of receiver Romeo Doubs – Green Bay had little trouble beyond the 50 in the first half. The Packers amassed 82 yards on 20 plays including a 29-yard pass to Josh Jacobs that set up the running back’s 3-yard touchdown run.

The second half, as any nail-biting Packers fan will tell you, was a different story. Cincinnati ran 27 of its 40 plays in Green Bay territory and gained 109 yards.

Flacco completed 14 of 22 passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns (104.0 rating) beyond the 50 in the second half. His scoring strikes to Tanner Hudson and Chase pulled the Bengals to within one score in the third and fourth quarters, respectively.

But Green Bay countered with 99 yards on 14 plays in Cincinnati territory. Jacobs scored on a 14-yard run and Tucker Kraft hauled in a 19-yard TD pass to keep the Packers out front until newcomer Lucas Havrisik all but put the game out of reach with a 39-yard field goal with 1:52 to play.

Extra Point
On Oct. 20, 1994, Green Bay permitted the Vikings but one play beyond the 50 in the first half in the Metrodome, but wound up losing 13-10 in overtime.

Binary Code Defense
The 12 regular-season games at Lambeau Field in which
the Packers allowed their opponent to run either zero or
one offensive play from beyond the 50 in the first half.
 
Date                       Team        0/1    Result
Oct. 12, 2025          Bengals         1        GB won, 27-18
Sept. 15, 2024        Colts              1        GB won, 16-10
Dec. 4, 2016           Texans           1        GB won, 21-13
Oct. 2, 2014            Vikings          0       GB won, 42-10
Dec. 21, 2006         Vikings          0       GB won, 9-7
Nov. 10, 2002        Lions              1        GB won, 40-14
Sept. 24, 2001       Redskins       0        GB won, 37-0
Oct. 15, 1995          Lions              0       GB won, 30-21
Nov. 30, 1975        Bears              1        GB won, 28-7
Dec. 3, 1972           Lions              0       GB won, 33-7
Oct. 3, 1971            Bengals         1        GB won, 20-17
Oct. 5, 1958           Lions              1       GB tied 13-13

Packers Start Strong, Settle for a Tie in Dallas

 By Eric Goska

The 1940 Packers

If a football game consisted solely of first quarters, your Green Bay Packers would be undefeated.

For the fourth time this season, the Packers dominated early. But in Dallas, as in Cleveland, Green Bay could not sustain that effort and had to settle for a 40-40 overtime tie with the Cowboys Sunday night.

In the spirit of “if you can’t say something nice …,” we’ll focus on Green Bay’s historic first-quarter run. We’ll leave the unpleasantries that played out in the heart of Texas for others to sort through.

Historic, when invoked here, is not hyperbole. The Green and Gold have outgained their competition in first quarters by a wide margin, breaking a record that had stood for 85 years.

Green Bay’s early-bird ways were on display for all to see at AT&T Stadium. Jordan Love and his offensive mates posted 149 yards on 17 plays in the first quarter. The Cowboys managed 26 on eight snaps.

The Pack possessed the ball for 10 minutes, two seconds. They earned six first downs to the Cowboys’ one. They ran six plays beyond the fifty to zero for Dallas.

And, of course, Love hit Romeo Doubs with a 2-yard TD pass that put Green Bay up 7-0 heading into the second quarter.

The first quarter in Dallas was typical of what the Packers did against the Lions, Commanders and Browns in Weeks 1 through 3. Here’s how Green Bay fared in the first quarter against those teams – in order – in the opening 15 minutes.

   Offensive yards:              104 to 46; 151 to 11; 51 to 46
   Time of possession:        8:28 to 6:32; 10:10 to 4:50; 8:28 to 6:32
   First downs:                     6 to 2; 7 to 0; 3 to 2
   Plays beyond the 50:      11 to 0; 9 to 0; 7 to 3
   Score:                                10 to 0; 7 to 0; 0 to 0

Let’s pretend these first quarters made up one game. How would that look statistically?

   Offensive yards:              455 to 129
   Time of possession:        37:08 to 22:52
   First downs:                     22 to 5
   Plays beyond the 50:      33 to 3
   Score:                                 24 to 0

Packers coach Matt LaFleur

Pretty heady numbers. And the type that, posted over the course of an entire game, one would expect to result in victory.

Much of Green Bay’s early superiority has come through the air. Love has 29 completions in 39 attempts for 385 yards and three touchdowns (130.8 rating). His counterparts – Jared Goff, Jayden Daniels, Joe Flacco and Dak Prescott – combined for 14 completions in 17 attempts for 70 yards (83.8).

Love’s favorite targets have been Doubs (6-68-2) and Tucker Kraft (5-109-1). No. 10 has connected with 10 different receivers in the first quarter.

In clamping down on those it has faced while running rampant itself, Green Bay has amassed 326 more yards in the first quarter than its opponents. That differential is a team record, 35 better than the 1940 squad that previously held the mark.

First and Foremost
The six seasons in which the Packers outgained their opponents by more than 200 yards in the opening quarters of their first four games.
 
     Difference      Year      GB Yards    Opp Yards
           +326              2025           455                 129
           +291              1940            497                 206
           +284              2015            461                 177
           +256              1995            364                 108
           +206              1947            399                 193
           +206              2019            421                 215
 

Note: Numbers from 1940 and 1947 are unofficial. Numbers from 1921, 1922 and 1941 are unavailable.

Heartbreak in Regulation for Packers in Cleveland

 By Eric Goska

Packers kicker Brandon McManus
(photos by Eric Goska)

For 60 minutes of game time, the Packers never trailed.

For 60 minutes of game time, the Browns never led.

Yet three hours and three minutes after initiating play, Cleveland – not Green Bay – claimed victory when its kicker, Andre Szmyt, nailed a 55-yard field goal as time expired to secure a 13-10 win.

This was going to be a story focused on Green Bay's pass defense. How it is allowing the fewest yards per completion in the league. How its efforts have been the best by the team in well over 50 years.

And we’ll still do that. But first we have to address yet another creative way in which the Green and Gold snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

Early on, this game between Green Bay and Cleveland had the earmarks of being a defensive struggle. Neither the Packers (230 yards) nor the Browns (221) mustered much yardage.

Scoring did not come easily or quickly, at least not at first. Green Bay counted on a 39-yard Brandon McManus field goal (13 plays-43 yards; 7:23) and a 3-yard TD pass from Jordan Love to tight end John FitzPatrick (14-71; 7:41). Cleveland got its initial score – a 35-yard field goal by Szmyt – on a 12-play, 63-yard advance that took 5:48 off the clock.

Throughout, Green Bay never trailed.

Jordan Love

No matter. Cleveland rose to the occasion in the final minutes turning a Love interception into a touchdown and a blocked McManus field goal into Szmyt’s game winner.

Only once previously have the Packers gone 60 minutes without trailing only to lose in regulation. On Sept. 11, 1988, Tampa Bay’s Donald Igwebuike booted them into the loss column with a 28-yard field goal on the game’s final play.

Green Bay’s breakdowns on offense and special teams with the game on the line cannot take away from another fine performance by its defense. Jeff Hafley’s unit again kept completion yards to a minimum.

In opening 2-0, the Packers had allowed a league-low 7.73 yards per completion, nearly a yard better than the second-place 49ers (8.71). The Browns (8.61), meantime, were one of four clubs to average fewer than nine yards per completion.

As one might suspect, the Green and Gold clamped down on the Browns. Cleveland quarterback Joe Flacco completed 21 of 36 passes for 142 yards, an average of just 6.76 yards per success. He completed but two passes of more than 14 yards – a 17-yarder to Isaiah Bond and a 17-yarder to Jerry Jeudy.

To date, the Packers have given up 567 yards on 76 completions. That’s an average of 7.46 per, the lowest allowed by the team through the first three games of a season since 1967 (6.83).

But that club – which went on to win Super Bowl II – wasn’t tested to the extent of this current group. Coach Vince Lombardi’s last team in Green Bay allowed 164 yards on 24 completions through its first three games.

That season – 1967 – was also the last time the Pack limited each of its first three opponents to fewer than 250 yards. In going 2-1 this year, Green Bay held the Lions (246), Commanders (230) and Browns (221) below that mark.

Heartbreak in Regulation

Regular-season games in which the Packers trailed for less than 45 seconds but lost in regulation.
 
Seconds
Trailing   Opponent        Final          Date
0                  Browns                10-13            Sept. 21, 2025
0                  Buccaneers         10-13            Sept. 11, 1988
5                  Eagles                  17-20            Sept. 12, 1993
8                  Vikings                 7-10              Oct. 15, 1967
*                  Bears                    7-10              Oct. 22, 1933
**                Bears                    7-14              Sept. 24, 1933
35                Bears                    14-17            Sept. 25, 1960
 
*second-to-last play of the game
**third-to-last play of the game