Maybe the Green Bay Packers aren’t quite as good as anyone thinks. Maybe the Miami Dolphins are a little better than anyone thinks. Probably a little of both.
It took a late game-winning drive from Aaron Rodgers for the Packers to pull out a 27-24 win over Miami. Rodgers hit Andrew Quarless for a short touchdown with three seconds left, which provided the winning margin.
That play never would have happened if it weren’t for an 18-yard completion to Jordy Nelson on 4th and 10 earlier in the drive, though. And let’s not forget guard T.J. Lang’s recovery of Rodgers’ fumble shortly before that.
In all, a totally improbable win over a team the Packers should have beat.
Although Rodgers threw for 264 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions on the day, he didn’t make many plays. He did, however, save his best for last. Rodgers has never been known for his game-winning drives, but he pulled one out of his ass on Sunday while facing constant pressure.
The game was a tale of two halves. The Packers owned the first half and the Dolphins owned the second, for the most part.
The Packers defense was dominant in the first half, with two interceptions and a goal-line stand to boot. The Packers offense didn’t do much, but they still had a 10-3 lead at the break.
In the second half, the Packers started to lose guys to injury. Three starters — cornerbacks Sam Shields and Tramon Williams and inside linebacker Jamari Lattimore — went down.
And let’s just get this out of the way right now — Brad Jones is a total fucking piece of shit. That guy should have been cut yesterday.
Now, Jones constant string of fuck ups and the absence of Shields and Williams allowed the Dolphins offense to get on track. They produced two 80-yard drives and one 79-yard drive that ended in touchdowns.
The dominant Packers defense of the first half did not play the second half. The last of those drives put Miami up 24-17.
The Packers would follow with a field goal on their next possession to make it a four-point game and set up Rodgers’ heroics after a Miami punt at 2:04.
So the Packers got a win over a lesser opponent in heart-stopping fashion. Other than that, the defense’s play in the first half, Jordy Nelson (9 catches, 107 yards, 1 TD) and Rodgers’ drive, there wasn’t a lot to like.
Like why the Packers refuse to throw the ball to the middle of the field, why the offensive line can’t run block, how Bryan Bulaga got flat-out dominated by Cameron Wake or what Richard Rodgers is even doing in the game.
We’ll complain about that stuff tomorrow though.
Right now, we bask in the glory of victory.