GREEN BAY – The Packers snapped their four-game losing streak Sunday at Lambeau Field, downing the Rams, 20-3.
In a mistake-filled contest for both sides, the Packers' defense held in some important situations in the second half, and the offense got enough done in the fourth quarter to stretch out the lead and put the game away.
With the win, Green Bay improved to 3-5, while the Rams fell to 3-6.
QB Jordan Love finished 20-of-26 for 228 yards with one TD, no INTs and a 115.5 passer rating. Rookie TE Luke Musgrave had three catches for 51 yards, including his first career TD, while fellow rookie WR Dontayvion Wicks had four catches for 49 yards (plus one lost fumble).
WR Romeo Doubs had three catches for 36 yards, and WR Christian Watson had one catch for 37 yards, right before Musgrave's TD late in the fourth quarter. Watson then left the game to be evaluated for multiple injuries (chest, back, concussion).
RB Aaron Jones had 20 carries for 73 yards and a TD, plus four receptions for 26 yards, for a total of 99 yards from scrimmage and a lost fumble. RB AJ Dillon added nine carries for 40 yards. Rookie WR Jayden Reed had three catches for 19 yards and added a 21-yard run on an end-around. Rookie RB Emanuel Wilson added four carries for 43 yards in mop-up duty to give the Packers 184 total rushing yards on the day.
For the Rams, backup QB Brett Rypien, playing in place of the injured Matthew Stafford, was 13-of-28 for 130 yards with an INT for a 45.2 passer rating. Packers rookie S Anthony Johnson Jr. had the interception, off a deflection by CB Jaire Alexander. Rypien also lost a fumble early in the game that set up the Packers' first points.
WR Cooper Kupp had two catches for 48 yards, while WR Puka Nacua had three grabs for 32 yards. RBs Royce Freeman and Darrell Henderson combined for just 51 rushing yards on 22 attempts.
Here's a recap of all the action:
Packers and Rams scoreless after the first quarter
The Packers won the opening coin toss and deferred. Rookie Anthony Johnson Jr. started at safety in place of Rudy Ford (calf), while Carrington Valentine started at outside cornerback.
Green Bay forced Los Angeles to punt on its opening possession after Keisean Nixon and Jaire Alexander combined to stop a Ben Skowronek end around for a 3-yard loss on third-and-1 at the Packers' 49.
Starting at their own 8, the Packers completed their initial first down with a 9-yard crosser to rookie Dontayvion Wicks on third-and-7. Green Bay deployed its "Pony" package with both AJ Dillon and Aaron Jones, gaining nine yards on a push pass to Jones off a pre-snap motion.
The drive stalled at the Green Bay 41 after Jones was stopped on third-and-short. The Packers initially called a Jordan Love sneak on fourth-and-short, but they were flagged for being offsides. The Rams took over at their 26 after a 52-yard Daniel Whelan punt.
After LA picked up 20 yards on penalties, the Packers got a takeaway when Jonathan Owens forced a Brett Rypien fumble that De'Vondre Campbell recovered at the Green Bay 41. It was Owens' first career forced fumble. He was also credited with a sack, the second of his NFL career.
Sean Rhyan entered the game at right guard, his first offensive snaps in an NFL regular-season game. The Packers marched into scoring territory with a 7-yard check down to Josiah Deguara, 7-yard Jones run and a 12-yard AJ Dillon run to the Rams' 15. The quarter ended with Green Bay facing third-and-3 at the LA 8.
Packers lead Rams 7-3 at halftime
The Packers started the second quarter with a 3-yard Jones touchdown run up the middle, capping a seven-play, 41-yard scoring drive in which Jones and Dillon combined for six carries for 34 yards.
Zayne Anderson tackled Demarcus Robinson on the ensuing kickoff at the LA 20. Green Bay forced a three-and-out after the Rams started the series with a false start. Carrington Valentine broke up a third-and-9 pass for Tutu Atwell.
Jon Runyan returned at right guard on the next series, which began with the Packers picking up 21 yards to the LA 41 on a Jayden Reed end-around. Tight end Josiah Deguara helped spring Reed with an open-field block on Troy Reeder.
Green Bay was unable to turn it into points, though, after Love's third-and-7 deep ball for Christian Watson fell incomplete at the goal line.
The Packers' defense forced another three-and-out, with the Rams choosing to run Royce Freeman on a third-and-13 draw after a delay of game penalty. Green Bay retook possession at its 40-yard line after Keisean Nixon's 15-yard return.
The Packers called three Jones runs for nine yards and Love appeared to get the first down on a fourth-and-1 sneak but the play was wiped out by an offsides penalty. Green Bay punted it back to the Rams, who took over at their own 10.
Karl Brooks broke up a Henderson run left, setting up Lukas Van Ness' 5-yard tackle for a loss on first down. Defensive lineman Kenny Clark injured his shoulder on the next play, a 4-yard Henderson run.
Rypien converted on third-and-11 with a 34-yard pass to Cooper Kupp on a skinny post. Kingsley Enagbare had a tackle for loss of Henderson on second-and-2, but LA kept the drive going with a 4-yard pass to Nacua on an in-breaker at the two-minute warning.
The Rams settled for a Lucas Havrisik 52-yard field goal with 1 minute, 42 seconds left in the half after Anthony Johnson Jr. broke up a pass for Tyler Higbee on second down and Rypien's third-down pass to Tutu Atwell sailed incomplete.
Ahkello Witherspoon was flagged for defensive pass interference against Romeo Doubs on first down, a 6-yard penalty. Doubs then picked up another first down on a 9-yard out to the Green Bay 42.
Love scrambled eight yards on second-and-6 to move into Rams territory. Facing third-and-17 after a sack, Love connected with Doubs for what was originally ruled a 16-yard gain. Upon further review, the Packers were given the first down at the LA 35.
Love threw a quick slant to Reed for 10 yards and clocked it with four seconds left. Anders Carlson tried a 48-yard field goal but missed wide left.
Packers lead Rams 10-3 after three
Rasheed Walker replaced Yosh Nijman (back) at the start of the third quarter.
Love completed a pass to Dontayvion Wicks on the first play, but he fumbled while trying to extend for the first down. Witherspoon recovered at the Rams' 41.
A 15-yard pass to Robinson pushed LA to the Green Bay 29, but the Rams lost 15 yards on their next two plays after a Isaiah McDuffie 5-yard tackle for loss and an offensive pass interference call on Nacua.
Karl Brooks deflected Rypien's pass at the line of scrimmage to set up third-and-25. The Rams punted after an 8-yard checkdown to Henderson.
The Packers overcame a holding penalty thanks to a 13-yard pickup by Jones on third-and-12 on a throwback screen. Jones gained nine yards on his next carry, but Jordan Fuller forced the fumble. Duke Shelley recovered the football and returned it to the Packers' 36.
Green Bay's defense again held its ground with McDuffie's 3-yard tackle for a loss of Freeman on third down proceeding Havrisik's missed 49-yard field goal with 6:29 left in the third quarter.
After 6-yard pass to Musgrave, Love threw an 18-yard pass to Reed on a corner and then connected with Musgrave with a 25-yard pass to the LA 12. The Packers pushed their lead to 10-3 with a 26-yard Carlson field goal with 2:10 left in the third quarter.
On second-and-7, Jaire Alexander got his hands on a Rypien pass intended for Kupp on a crosser. Nucua picked up 18 yards on a slant to extend the drive. Eric Wilson stopped Henderson two yards short of the first down on third-and-10 to end the third quarter.
Packers put away Rams, 20-3
The fourth quarter started with Colby Wooden stopping Freeman for no gain on fourth-and-2 for the turnover on downs. Green Bay took over the ball at its own 48.
The Packers went three-and-out on their next possession. LA took over at its 27 after Whelan's 42-yard punt.
Anthony Johnson Jr., making his first NFL start, intercepted Rypien after Alexander batted up a pass intended for Kupp. The Packers took over at midfield.
After Wicks gained 11 yards on an out, Jones and Dillon knifed their way 23 yards on the next four carries to set up third-and-1 the LA 16. It led to a Carlson 34-yard field goal to put the Packers up 13-3 with 9:08 remaining.
The Rams went three-and-out after Valentine recorded his third pass deflection of the afternoon on first down and Brooks notched his second tipped pass at the line of scrimmage on third-and-6.
Green Bay converted two key third downs on its next possession with a 10-yard Doubs catch on third-and-6 and then a 37-yard Christian Watson deep ball to the LA 23 on third-and-11. Watson went to the locker room after the play with a chest injury, back injury and is being evaluated for a concussion.
With Jones on the left and Dillon on the right, Love connected down the middle to Luke Musgrave for a 20-yard touchdown to extend the Packers' lead to 20-3 with 3:41 remaining.
The Rams worked the ball down to the Green Bay 38 before Preston Smith tipped fourth-and-2 pass for the incompletion and turnover on downs. The Packers ran out the ball behind Wilson for their third win of the year.
