The Green Bay Packers still have a way of making comfortable wins look uncomfortable.
They won convincingly, 31-12 over an undermanned Miami Dolphins team, making marvelous plays but just enough ghastly mistakes to leave you wondering if an extended second half run is possible.
Aaron Jones, Davante Adams and solid adversity defense lifted the Packers back to .500 at 4-4-1 on an overcast, 33 degree afternoon at Lambeau Field.
Jones put up career highs with 145 yards rushing on 15 attempts, scoring twice and exploding for a 67 yard scamper. Adams caught only four passes but two found the end zone giving him nine TD receptions on the year. And the defense, put in precarious situations all day, kept Miami out of the end zone, limiting them to four field goals from Jason Sanders.
Some of the uncomfortable mistakes that gave the visitors great scoring chances included Tramon Williams' fumble after a 19 yard punt return set up Miami at midfield. In the second quarter, the offense looked lost on a 4th and two gamble at the Miami 49 when Aaron Rodgers got sacked for a loss of 6. On the first series of the third quarter, J.K. Scott's punt was blocked and the Dolphins recovered at the Green Bay 28. All three of those series ended with field goals. The last, pulled Miami to within 14-12.
That's when the Packers put the game away. After a kickoff went out of bounds, Green Bay needed only five plays to cover 60 yards with Jones crashing through a big hole from 10 yards out.
Bashaud Breeland then picked off Brock Osweiler, returning it 26 yards to the Miami 12. After a crackback penalty moved the offense back, Rodgers hit Adams on a 25 yard touchdown pass to effectively put the game away at 28-12.
Head Coach Mike McCarthy summed up a badly needed win.
(Audio: Mike McCarthy)
The offense finally got the balance they've been craving, passing for 199 yards and rushing for 195. Rodgers finished 19 of 28 with the two scores for a rating of 112.1.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling led with six receptions for 44 yards. Adams gained 57 on his 4 receptions.
Miami put up 131 yards rushing with ageless Frank Gore ripping off a 39 yard run on the game's opening series, which ended when a shotgun snap sailed over Osweiler's head and was recovered by Reggie Gilbert, ruining yet another scoring threat. Gore finished with 90 yards on 13 carries. Osweiler completed 23 of 37 for 213 yards and the interception for a rating of 66.6. He was also sacked six times by six different players including three in a span of four snaps in the 4th quarter. Granted, Miami was without three of it's five starting offensive linemen. Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry, Montravious Adams, Kyler Fackerell (with his team leading 5th of the year), Reggie Gilbert and even Raven Greene had the sacks.
Greene also produced another highlight play, taking a direct snap on a fake punt and scooting 26 yards around the left end. This came after the Dolphins successfully converted a fake punt with a 14 yard run up the middle.
Blake Martinez, playing a tender ankle, led Green Bay's defense with nine tackles.
Injuries piled up on the defensive side of the ball as Nick Perry missed the entire second half with a knee injury. Kentrell Brice re-injured his ankle, Jaire Alexander left and Breeland both suffered shoulder injuries.
Randall Cobb was a late scratch with his recurring hamstring problems. He's now missed five of the team's nine games. Kevin King was also inactive along with Tim Boyle, Alex Light and the two recently added defensive backs, Will Redmond and Ibraheim Campbell. The Packers had only 52 on the roster going into the game. Wide receiver and kick returner Trevor Davis is expected to be activated for the Seattle game on Thursday.
After the game, Rodgers was wearing a Santa Monica Fire Department hat, to bring attention to the devastating wild fires in both northern and southern California. He talked of the loss of life and property in cities near his hometown of Chico, saying our hearts are with those battling the fire and the families displaced.
The Packers have an extremely short week before going back out on the road for two critical games. The Seahawks come first Thursday night where the Packers are just 1-4 all-time at Century Link Field, followed by a key NFC North battle at Minnesota after a welcome 10 day break.
The bleeding from Los Angeles and New England road trips has been stopped but will the transfusion from beating a Miami team that played nowhere near what a 5-5 club should look like, be enough to give the Packers the strength to go on another late season run?
Stay tuned.