GREEN BAY – For the second game in a row the Packers never trailed and rode a strong all-around performance to beat a 2024 playoff team, downing the Commanders 27-18 on Thursday night at Lambeau Field.
Green Bay is now 2-0 on the young season with victories over Detroit and Washington. The Commanders are 1-1.
The Packers used a pair of touchdown drives that covered 90-plus yards in the first half to take a 14-3 lead at intermission. WR Romeo Doubs scored the first TD and RB Josh Jacobs ran for the second, posting a rushing TD for a team-record 10th straight game.
Washington struggled offensively for most of the first three quarters and missed a pair of field goals before finding the end zone early in the fourth quarter on a 20-yard TD pass from QB Jayden Daniels to TE Zach Ertz. That brought the Commanders within 17-10.
But the Packers answered right away, going 65 yards in nine plays, with TE Tucker Kraft topping off his big night with an 8-yard TD grab for a 24-10 advantage. After Green Bay's defense recorded a 4-and-out, the Packers used the good field position to tack on a 56-yard FG by K Brandon McManus for a three-score lead at 27-10 with 6:42 left. McManus had hit the upright on a long FG try on the final play of the first half.
Washington drove for one more touchdown and got the ball back again, but less than two minutes remained and the Commanders were still down two scores.
For the Packers, QB Jordan Love was 19-of-31 for 292 yards with two TDs and a 113.9 passer rating. Kraft had six catches for 124 yards and a score, while WR Dontayvion Wicks added four catches for 44 yards. RB Josh Jacobs ran 23 times for 84 yards and a TD.
Green Bay did lose WR Jayden Reed to a shoulder injury early in the game. He did not return.
For the Commanders, Daniels was 24-of-42 for 200 yards with two TDs and an 85.4 rating. He was sacked four times. Ertz had six catches for 64 yards and a TD, WR Deebo Samuel had seven catches for 44 yards and a score, and WR Terry McLaurin had five catches for 48 yards.
Washington had just 51 yards rushing, 17 of them by Daniels.
Here's a recap of all the action:
Packers lead Commanders 7-0 after first quarter
Washington won the coin toss and elected to defer. The Packers started Jordan Morgan at left guard and Anthony Belton at right tackle due to the absences of Aaron Banks (groin/ankle) and Zach Tom (oblique), respectively. Darian Kinnardrotated with Belton at right tackle throughout the game.
Jordan Love converted the initial first down with a 6-yard pass to a motioning Dontayvion Wicks on an out route. He went right back to the third-year receiver on the next play for 13.
A holding penalty on Belton wiped out a would-be touchdown pass to receiver Jayden Reed, who injured his shoulder on the play. Green Bay got 16 yards back on third-and-19 but turned the ball over on downs after Love's deep ball for Matthew Golden fell incomplete in the end zone.
Micah Parsons and Nate Hobbs made their first starts for Green Bay's defense, which quickly forced a three-and-out. Defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt set it up with a sack for a 1-yard loss on second-and-6.
The Packers started at their own 4 after Tress Way's 57-yard punt. Green Bay gained 15 immediate yards off a play-action pass from Love to tight end Tucker Kraft in the flat.
Two plays later, Love found a wide-open Kraft down the season for a 57-yard pass to the Washington 20. Love scrambled for 15 yards on third-and-10 to set up first-and-goal.
On the next play, Love hit Romeo Doubs on a slant for a 5-yard touchdown to put Green Bay ahead 7-0 with 4 minutes, 33 seconds left in the first quarter. The seven-play, 96-yard scoring drive lasted 3 minutes, 35 seconds.
The Packers' defense forced another three-and-out after Lukas Van Ness tackled Austin Ekeler for a 1-yard loss and Micah Parsons drew an illegal hands to the face penalty from Washington guard Nick Allegretti on third-and-7.
The Commanders punted after Javon Bullard tackled Jaylin Lane after a 2-yard gain on third-and-17.
Green Bay went three-and-out after Love was sacked on second down.
Packers lead Commanders 14-3 at halftime
Washington started at its own 45 after a personal foul on Ty'Ron Hopper during Daniel Whelan's punt. The Commanders picked up their first first down on a 4-yard pass to Terry McLaurin on third-and-3 but were forced to punt after Keisean Nixon broke up a third-and-9 pass for Noah Brown.
With Green Bay started at its own 8, Josh Jacobs gained 12 quick yards to move the chains. Third-year receiver Malik Heath then made a circus catch down the left sideline for 37 yards.
It was initially ruled incomplete, but Head Coach Matt LaFleur successfully challenged that Heath got both feet down.
A 17-yard pass to Doubs on a crosser and 17-yard pass to Kraft, who made a Washington defender miss set up first-and-goal at the Washington 7.
Jacobs powered in for a 2-yard touchdown to push Green Bay's lead to 14-0 with 7:34 left in the first half. The score extended Jacobs' franchise record to consecutive games with at least one touchdown to 10.
It's the first time since Dec. 23, 2018, vs. the New York Jets that the Packers have had two touchdown-producing drives of 90-plus yards.
Washington moved the ball down to the Green Bay 33 before Nixon broke up a second-and-5 pass intended for Brown. The Commanders settled for a 51-yard Matt Gay field goal to cut the Packers' lead to 14-3 with 4:37 left in the first half.
Green Bay gained eight yards on a handoff to rookie receiver Savion Williams but was then flagged for holding on Jacobs next carry. The Packers punted after a deep ball to Doubs fell incomplete.
Washington started at its own 43 and ran its way to the Green Bay 40. Gay missed a 58-yard field goal with 14 seconds left and the Packers still having three timeouts.
Love completed a 14-yard pass to Wicks with eight seconds left and Jacobs gained eight yards to set up a Brandon McManus 48-yard field goal, but the attempt banged off the left upright as time expired in the first half.
Packers lead Commanders 17-3 after three
The second half began with the Packers announcing Reed was out for the remainder of the game. Deebo Samuel returned the kickoff 50 yards to the Green Bay 44.
Daniels converted on third-and-6 with a 9-yard pass to tight end Zach Ertz to the Packers' 31. On third-and-3, Micah Parsons drew a holding penalty from Washington right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. but still powered through to sack Daniels for 10-yard loss alongside linebacker Edgerrin Cooper.
Gay then missed the 52-yard field goal attempt off the right upright and the Packers took over at their 42.
Love opened with a 23-yard pass to tight end Luke Musgrave to the Washington 35. Jacobs gained nine yards off a draw with Williams also in the backfield before Musgrave came open in the flat on a third-and-1 playaction pass.
A holding penalty and false start pushed Green Bay into a first-and-25 situation from the Commanders' 32, but Kraft immediately caught a 19-yard pass to give him his first career 100-yard receiving day.
The Packers reached goal-to-go on a 6-yard Jacobs run but settled for a 22-yard McManus field goal to push its lead to 17-3 with 6:37 left in the third quarter.
Green Bay's defense forced yet another three-and-out after Cooper stopped Austin Ekeler for no gain on second-and-3 and then pressured Daniels into an incompletion off a delayed stunt.
The Packers went three-and-out after two draws to Jacobs and Love throwing the ball away on third-and-7. Washington took over at midfield.
The Commanders converted a fourth-and-1 with an Ekeler run, but Rashan Gary sacked Daniels for an 8-yard loss on the next play. With 16 seconds left in the third quarter, Nate Hobbs was called for holding on fourth-and-7 from the Green Bay 37. Cooper forced Daniels out of bounds for a zero-yard sack on first down.
Packers dispatch Commanders 27-18, improve to 2-0
Parsons blew through a Josh Conerly Jr. block and Jeremy McNichols chip to flush Daniels from the pocket and into a 1-yard run. Washington responded with an 11-yard pass to McLaurin on third-and-9 and a Zach Ertz score off a 20-yard touchdown pass to make it 17-10 Packers with 13:45 remaining.
Green Bay opened with an 11-yard pass to Wicks on an out after coming across in motion. A holding penalty on Marshon Lattimore moved Green Bay across midfield.
On third-and-6, Kraft fought through illegal contact by Commanders safety Will Harris to pick up eight yards to the Washington 37 on a pass from Love.
Green Bay motioned Williams to the backfield on second-and-8 and he took a direct snap and ran the ball 16 yards to the Washington 19. Matthew Golden gained nine yards on a sweep on the next play.
On first-and-goal, Washington bit hard on the play fake to Jacobs and Kraft came free for an 8-yard touchdown to make it 24-10 Packers with 8:57 remaining.
Green Bay's defense got a four-and-out on its next stand with Quay Walker hitting Daniels on third-and-4 to force and incompletion and Nixon getting his fourth breakup of the evening to give the offense the ball back at the Washington 41.
The Packers picked up two yards on a Jacobs run before McManus made a 56-yard field goal to push Green Bay's lead to 27-10 with 6:42 remaining. That field goal ties Mason Crosby for longest make in a regular-season game by a Packers player.
Washington moved the ball down the field while Green Bay was playing prevent on its next series, with Nixon registering his fifth breakup.
The Commanders reached the end zone on a 10-yard slant to Samuel for a touchdown with 2:53 left. Daniels converted the two-point conversion with a pass to Luke McCaffrey, cutting the Packers' lead to 27-18.
Wicks recovered the onside kick at the Green Bay 48. Love was sacked for a 13-yard loss on second down and Jacobs gained 10 back on third-and-21 as the game reached the two-minute warning.
Washington took over at its 20 with 1:47 remaining and no timeouts. The Commanders gained 13 yards before turning the ball over on downs and the Packers kneeled out the win.
