Packers 36, Rams 28: Instant analysis of Green Bay’s Week 12 win
The Green Bay Packers will go into the much-needed bye week on a high note after taking down the Los Angeles Rams at Lambeau Field on Sunday.
Matt LaFleur’s team used three total touchdowns from Aaron Rodgers and three takeaways to secure a 36-28 win over the Rams. The Packers are now 9-3 and in a great spot entering the final stretch of the 2021 season.
Here’s our instant analysis of the Packers’ win, highlighting what went right, what went wrong and what it all means moving forward:
What went right
(AP Photo/Morry Gash)
This team’s incredible resiliency showed again. The Packers gained 399 total yards and held the ball for almost 40 minutes despite not having three starting offensive linemen and a handful of important starters on defense.
The Packers delivered three takeaways and won the turnover battle again. LaFleur’s team is now 9-0 when getting at least one takeaway this season. Rasul Douglas returned an interception for a touchdown to give the Packers a comfortable lead in the third quarter. Overall, Green Bay scored 16 points off takeaways.
The Packers allowed just four third-down conversions on defense and held the Rams to 68 rushing yards.
Packers receivers combined to catch 19 passes for 269 yards and a touchdown. Davante Adams caught eight for 104 overall and Randall Cobb had four for 95 before exiting. LaFleur did a terrific job creating matchups against the Rams secondary.
A.J. Dillon created over 75 total yards for the fifth straight game. He turned his 25 touches into 90 hard-earned yards, and he scored a touchdown.
Douglas gave up a 54-yard touchdown pass to Odell Beckham Jr. but he also defended four passes, including the pick-six. Kenny Clark and Rashan Gary both had a sack and two quarterback hits. Clark’s sack ended a drive, and Gary’s created an early turnover.
Aaron Rodgers went over 300 yards passing and threw two more touchdowns. He’s played terrific football over the last six quarters.
The Packers recovered an onside kick to seal the deal.
What went wrong
(AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
The Packers gave up touchdown passes of 79 yards and 54 yards. Chandon Sullivan got beat one-on-one by Van Jefferson for the first score, while Douglas and Adrian Amos were both tricked by Beckham Jr. on the 54-yarder.
Mason Crosby missed his ninth field goal of the season and was dangerously close to missing at least two other kicks.
Randall Cobb muffed a punt, leading to a Rams field goal. The Packers did return the favor later, creating a takeaway on a fumbled punt return.
The Packers were 3-for-5 scoring touchdowns in the red zone, and the offense had a stretch of failing on four straight third down opportunities in the second half, allowing the Rams to get back into the game briefly.
The Packers led for much of the game and stuck with the run games, attempting 32 runs. The attempts only produced 92 yards, good for an average of 2.9 yards per carry.
What it means
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12)
This was a tough, gritty win by a tired, beat-up football team. The Rams had the desperation of a two-game losing streak and the energy coming out of the bye, but the Packers went up early and led for nearly the entire game. Even when the Rams found big plays to claw back into the game, the Packers responded. Now 9-3, the Packers are firmly in the driver’s seat to win the NFC North and a top contender for the No. 1 seed in the NFC entering the bye week. LaFleur’s team can get healthy during the off week and prepare for a stretch of games that includes three of the next four at home, starting with a primetime game against the Bears at Lambeau Field on Dec. 12.
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