Merry Pickmas: Packers Upset Miami, Wild Card Hopes Improve

December 26, 2022

The Green Bay Packers might have slipped their name onto the nice list here in the last 3 weeks, as they received a smorgasbord of gifts in Week 16.

With losses by the Giants, Commanders, Seahawks, and Lions- and a 26-20 upset over the Miami Dolphins, Christmas brought plenty of cheer to Green Bay.

A 7-8 record and now sitting half a game back in the Wild Card race with 2 games remaining? The Packers are very much alive for a playoff berth.

Against a team also trying to fight its way into a playoff spot in the AFC, the Packers went toe-to-toe with the Dolphins in the first half. Both teams scored a touchdown and field goal on their first two possessions, but Green Bay ran into trouble twice on 4th down and Miami took a 10 point lead with 4 minutes left in the first half.

With the Dolphins driving for one more score before the half to make it a three possession game, Jarran Reed forced the ball out of Raheem Mostert's hands and gave the ball back to Green Bay at midfield.

The Packers would settle for a Mason Crosby 46-yard field goal to close out the half down 20-13, but with the momentum pulling their way as they would receive the second half kickoff.

That momentum would not leave the Green Bay sideline.

The defense intercepted Tua Tagovailoa 3 times and limited the Dolphins to only 100 yards of offense in the second half as the Packers scored on three out of four drives to pull off a much-needed win.

The secondary played a huge role in keeping Miami off the board after the half. Tagovailoa threw for 230 yards in the first half, but was limited to only 78 in the second half as he only completed one throw for more than 20 yards. Jaire Alexander and Rasul Douglas both intercepted Tagovailoa, and Darnell Savage had one of his best games of the season allowing no completions when he was in coverage.

Reed and Preston Smith complemented the secondary with each recording a sack and led the defense in pressures and stops.

With the defense pulling the sled, the offense delivered gifts when they needed to and it was enough to win the game. Aaron Rodgers went 24 of 38 for 238 yards and one touchdown, but threw an interception airing the ball out in the third quarter that might have gone for another score if Miami didn't play tight coverage on the play.

Rodgers also played well against the blitz and on play-action despite being sacked twice. Zach Tom made his fifth start of the season at LT for Bakhtiari, and had another solid performance on the blindside.

Marcedes Lewis made a couple of key plays, catching Rodgers' solo touchdown pass from the goal line and hauling in a 31-yard completion that set the Packers up for their first score of the second half. Allen Lazard led the Packers in receiving with 5 catches for 61 yards, and Watson paired that with 6 receptions for 49 yards before he left the game with a hip injury.

The only black eye for the offense was going 2 for 14 on third downs, but went 3 for 5 on fourth downs to give themselves a chance.

Keisean Nixon continued to be that spark on special teams, with 2 kick returns for 153 yards- highlighted by a 93 yard return on his first of the game. Nixon would leave the game with a groin injury, but he leads the league in return yards and has the most returns of 30 or more yards.

For the Packers to control their own destiny leading into the final week, they would need a Week 17 win and have either the Commanders lose one of their final two games or have the Giants lose out to give themselves a clear shot. However, the Packers need to focus on the Minnesota Vikings first and foremost.

Green Bay will have to do everything they can to stop Justin Jefferson, who torched the secondary back in Week 1 for 158 yards and 2 scores while averaging 4.5 yards of separation. It will be important for the Packers to press more on the line of scrimmage and jam a Vikings offense with options including Jefferson, Adam Thielen, KJ Osborn, and TJ Hockenson.