Aaron Rodgers had the first single game perfect passer rating in Packers history as Green Bay's offense overwhelmed the visiting Oakland Raiders 42-24 on a near perfect afternoon at Lambeau Field.
The numbers? 25 completions in 31 attempts for 429 yards and five touchdowns. That equals the highest possible NFL passer rating of 158.3. Rodgers hit five different receivers for scores, none of them named Davante Adams as the Pro Bowler missed his third straight game with a turf toe injury. 24 hours before kickoff, the Packers were worried they might not have their top three perimeter targets but Marquez Valdes-Scantling played through knee and ankle injuries and Geronimo Allison was cleared from the concussion protocol on Saturday afternoon.
Head Coach Matt LaFleur's offense simply spread the wealth all day. Running backs were the receivers of choice early with Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams catching the first two touchdown passes. Jones had a bad scoring drop last Monday night against Detroit but more than made up for it with a twisting catch in the corner of the end zone from 21 yards out to get the scoring parade started. Williams waltzed into the end zone on a two yard flare route giving Green Bay the lead the for good at 14-10 late in the second quarter.
The game turned decidedly in the Pack's favor in the final two minutes of the half. Oakland was driving for the lead when quarterback Derek Carr scrambled to the right and he tried to extend the ball to the pylon. The ball left Carr's hand and flew across the goal line and out of bounds. Instead of taking a 17-14 lead, the Packers got the ball back with 1:49 to play.
Rodgers capped the 80 yard drive with a pass to the right sideline that Jake Kumerow pulled down and he tight roped the sideline for the final 10 yards before diving the ball across for a 37 yard score with :12 remaining in the half.
On the first snap of the third quarter, a play action fake got Valdes-Scantling wide open downfield for a 59 yard catch, his first of the game. Four plays later, Rodgers ran around right end for a three yard score and the Packers' lead swelled to 28-10.
The other two scoring passes for Rodgers covered three yards to Jimmy Graham and the coup de gras was a 74 yard catch and run from Valdes-Scantling with 6:28 to play making it 42-17.
The Oakland offense was equally productive as they actually outgained Green Bay 484-481. Carr threw for 293 yards and two touchdowns to tight end Darren Waller who had a huge game days after signing a contract extension. He caught 7 passes for 126 yards with two second half scores. The Raiders also ran the ball well with rookie Josh Jacobs piling up 124 yards on 21 carries including a 42 yard burst on the game's opening series which led to a field goal.
The difference was the Packers coming up big in the red zone three times. The first was when Carr coughed up the ball at the goal line. Two more stops came in the 4th quarter. On 4th and goal from the 1, Jacobs tried to dive over the pile but Jaire Alexander clipped his legs before B.J. Goodson and Kevin King met him at the top and literally spun him around short of the end zone. After the Raiders got a three and out stop, Carr tried one more time for Waller but Adrian Amos tipped the ball into the hands of King who pulled down his third interception of the year in the end zone.
Afterwards, LaFleur summed up his sixth victory in seven starts:
(Audio: Matt LaFleur)
The Packer inactives were new receiver Ryan Grant, Adams, Darnell Savage, Tim Willliams, Cole Madison, Adam Pankey and Robert Tonyan.
The game marked the return of former Packer Trevor Davis who was dealt to Oakland last month. He had two receptions for 26 yards and accumulated 96 more yards on kickoff and punt returns. Another homecoming of note for Oakland fullback Alec Ingold who played his high school football at Bay Port and college ball at Wisconsin.
The Packers maintain the second best record in the NFC behind 6-0 San Francisco and the home heavy first half of the schedule is now behind them. Four of their next five games and six of their final nine are on the road beginning with the Chiefs next Sunday night in Kansas City.
The marquee quarterback matchup of Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes won't happen with Mahomes dislocating his kneecap in Kansas City's victory over Denver last Thursday night.
But a perfect quarterbacking performance and a near perfect Green Bay record have the Packers brimming with confidence.
