Commanders @ Packers
Final Score: Packers 27, Commanders 18
Senior Writer: Benjamin Haller (@benjaminhaller1.bsky.social on Bluesky)
A mouthwatering start to Week 2 saw Jayden Daniels and the upstart Commanders march into Lambeau Field attempting to upset the party for Jordan Love and the Packers, who dominated the Lions in an opening weekend blowout win. This was a battle at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball as Green Bay dominated the opening half thanks to protection for Love and pressure for Daniels. Love produced a number of outstanding throws that his receivers matched with flashy playmaking catches – tight end Tucker Kraft setting up the first touchdown drive with a 57-yard catch-and-run over the middle before Malik Heath made a beautiful two-footed toe-drag catch down the sideline for 37-yards that the Packers took advantage off to go ahead 14-0 late in the first half after Josh Jacobs punched the ball in a few plays later. To that point, Daniels had struggled to get anything going for the Commanders, who had recorded just one first down and averaged a measly 1.9 yards per play.
Both teams missed field goals at the end of the first half before Matt Gay missed his second of the game at the start of the second half, wasting a great return by Deebo Samuel. After adding to their lead with a field goal, the Packers opened the door for the Commanders with a number of penalties on both sides of the ball. Kliff Klingsbury and Dan Quinn reverted to basics and finally Washington put together an effective drive – Daniels connecting with veteran tight end Zach Ertz four times on a drive that also included a brilliant catch from Terry McLaurin on 3rd & 9 to keep the drive alive. Ertz took a pass down the left sideline for 20 yards to the house after some poor coverage from Green Bay to make it 17-10. Suddenly, and surprisingly, we had a ball game with plenty of time left in the fourth quarter.
Green Bay moved up a gear and Head Coach Matt LaFleur saved a few surprises for when he needed it to put this game to bed. Rookies Matthew Golden and Savion Williams both broke off chunk plays from behind the line of scrimmage before Love connected once again withKraft (who led his team in targets, catches and yards on a big night) to settle this contest for good with an 8-yard touchdown catch.
Some late garbage time fantasy points for Daniels and Samuel will be appreciated by fantasy managers as the Commanders took advantage of some soft coverage from the Packers with the game won. Daniels connected twice with McLaurin and then with Samuel, who beat his marker and powered in for a 24-yard score to reduce the deficit to two scores.
Three Up
- Tucker Kraft – the big tight end was a menace all night and trucked nearly every defensive back that attempted to halt his path. Emerging as the preferred option over Luke Musgrave last season, Kraft is set for a big year and fantasy managers who invested in him are already licking their lips through two contests
- Josh Jacobs – the workhorse back was exactly that as he enjoyed 23 touches and consistently moved the chains for his team – his second touchdown in as many weeks highlights his dominance in this backfield
- Deebo Samuel – the shiny new weapon for Washington looks like the player we used to enjoy eating in San Francisco a few years ago – Samuel looks fit and hungry and has now accumulated 15 touches for 130 yards and two scores across the first two games of the season
Three Down
- Jacory Croskey-Merritt – the seventh round rookie was touted by many to lead this backfield but his first carry came with his team two scores down and he had little opportunity to make any impact in this contest. The injury to Austin Ekeler late in the game will lead to further opportunities, however.
- Jayden Reed – yet another injury for the talented Green bay wideout, who just can’t stay on the field for long enough so far in his NFL career.
- Matthew Golden – it’s been a quiet start to life in the NFL for the first round pick, who failed to connect with his quarterback in the passing game (not necessarily his fault) and hasn’t looked to be fantasy worthy so far through two games
Washington Commanders
Quarterback
Jayden Daniels: 24/42, 200 Yards, 2 TD, 4 Sacks | 7 Carries, 17 Yards
Despite the more-than-adequate fantasy production, Daniels has not looked like the fantasy darling he was in his rookie year across the first two games of the year, and certainly hasn’t returned his capital of being the third fantasy quarterback off the board in many drafts. This is despite an improved offensive line and more weapons in the passing game. The Commanders were slow out of the blocks across the field and apart from a bad drop, Daniels spent most of his time in the first half scrambling away from pressure as the Packers consistently won in the trenches. The second half was much improved but the final touchdown drive was certainly assisted by some soft coverage from Green Bay. Daniels seemed to enjoy a more simplified playbook, and the comfort of his veteran pass catchers to finally get things going. He was guilty of a couple of low throws that went incomplete – those were not as eivend last year as they have been so far in this campaign.
Notes
- Daniels had a lot of trouble reading the defense in the first half as the Packers brought heat across his offensive line. He was sacked by sophomore pass-rusher Lukas Van Ness and was restricted to short passes that were immediately shutdown by Green Bay. He was guilty of looking too casual in the pocket and was a little slow getting up to speed with the game. By the time he had, his team was 14-0 down. He attempted only two passes beyond 10 yards going into the 2-minute warning.
- There was a clear plan in the second half for Daniels to go back to basics and target his veteran receivers. It worked and allowed the Commanders to get back into the game. There was nothing for Daniels on the ground, however, as the Packers always had at least one defender spying and chasing him behind the line of scrimmage for the majority of the evening.
Running Back
Jacory Croskey-Merritt: 4 Carries, 17 Yards | 1 Target
After leading the backfield in Week 1, the seventh round rookie saw his first touch with six minutes left in the first half – not ideal. The Commanders had failed to establish any kind of running game by passing on early downs at the start of the contest. Before this carry for five yards, veteran Austin Ekeler had taken four touches for just 10 yards. “Bill” as he is known got more of a look in the second half but still, chances were limited as the Commanders played from behind. He wasn’t involved in either of the Commanders’ touchdown drives.
Austin Ekeler: 8 Carries, 21 Yards | 4 Targets, 2 Receptions, 7 Yards
Ekeler was used as the lead back early in the game without much success and eventually succumbed to the rookie Croskey-Merritt for much of the second half. Late in the fourth quarter, Ekeler was injured as he tried to push off on a passing down – he immediately fell to the floor under no contact and was carted off the field. He looked very glum as the camera followed him off the field and it looked like an achilles. That could end his season…and career.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Zach Ertz: 8 Targets, 6 Receptions, 64 Yards, TD
A solid night for the seasoned tight end as he turned his eight targets into six good catches and a touchdown. He played the role of redeemer int he second half for an offense that failed to find rhythm against a tough Packers pass-rush. Ertz excelled in contested situations and his four catches in the Commanders’ first touchdown drive were all impressive efforts where he beat his defender and worked hard for tough yards. Ertz looks to have continued his good rapport with Daniels and with two touchdowns in the first two outings of the season, he is locked in a solid fantasy option at the tight end position.
Terry McLaurin: 9 Targets, 5 Receptions, 48 Yards
There wasn’t much for the Commanders elite wideout to work with in the first half as Washington couldn’t find a first down anywhere. He was responsible for the only one on a 4-yard grab before juggling a pass thrown behind him for a 14-yard gain on the only drive of note in the first half for the visitors. He saw much more work in the second half but was twice on the end of poor throws from his quarterback. His most meaningful contribution came on a 3rd & 9 play just prior to Ertz’s touchdown pass. With the game slipping away, McLaurin hauled in a nice 11-yard grab that moved the sticks and gave his team a way back into the game. It hasn’t been prolific so far this season but this volume is a step in the right direction. He didn’t see any opportunities in the endzone unfortunately.
Deebo Samuel: 8 Targets, 7 Receptions, 44 Yards, TD
After a quiet first half, Deebo came out in the second half and immediately took the opening kick off 50 yards to the Green Bay 44-yard line. This inspired piece of running lifted his team and you could tell he was fired up and enjoying being an integral part of an offense once again. He mainly worked out of the slot and over the middle and that is where he found most of his production. With the game already lost, Deebo grabbed two balls for 12 yards and 10 yards and showed standout speed to evade his tracker and turn those plays into extra yards – the second resulted in a touchdown, with Deebo breaking initial contact to drive forward and fight for the line. He’s got his juice back and fantasy managers will be pleased to see it.
Luke McCaffrey: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 17 Yards, 2 PT
A forgotten part of last year’s impressive rookie class for Washington, McCaffrey popped up in the second half to twice make an impact. The first was on a lovely route over the middle for a 17-yard grab, before a tidy route to the sideline int he endzone saw him haul in a two point conversion attempt. After playing just five snaps in Week 1, this was a trend in the right direction for the speedy wideout who comes with excellent NFL pedigree.
Noah Brown: 4 Targets, 1 Reception, 9 Yards
Brown had a bad drop on third down in the first half that stunted a drive at a time when the Commanders really needed to move the sticks. In a night of questionable play calling on both offenses, Brown was trusted on another two third-down throws that he failed to bring in. Throw it to Terry!
Ben Sinnott: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 7 Yards
Jaylin Lane: 4 Targets, 1 Reception, 2 Yards
Green Bay Packers
Quarterback
Jordan Love: 19/31, 292 Yards, 2 TD, 2 Sacks | 1 Carry, 14 Yards
The Green Bay Packers quarterback is currently at the top of his game – with six completions of 20-plus yards through the first two games, Love is bucking the trend amongst quarterbacks with his desire (and freedom) to launch the deep ball at will. His connections with pass catchers across the board made the difference in this contest despite losing Reed early to an injury sustained on a perfect throw to the endzone that Reed caught but the play was pulled back for a penalty. Love’s vision downfield was evident on a number of throws and his trust in all his receivers shone through – Reed’s replacement, Malik Heath was rewarded with a dart to the sideline over a defensive back in tight coverage, which the young receiver did brilliantly well to catch and drag his toes inbounds. It was Love’s flourishing chemistry with third-year tight end Kraft that won the night for the Packers, however. Love went to his big unit early and often as he broke coverage and found space at will.
There was a moment when Love flung one up on third down when leading comfortably that wasn’t what you wanted to see, but you make your own luck and at the minute LaFleur has his signal-caller brimming with confident.
Notes
- A couple of plays after seeing a perfect throw for a touchdown called back, Love hurried to the line on a 4th & 3 just outside the redzone after a check down on third down got more yards than the Packers expected. He floated a ball to the goal line in the direction of rookie Matthew Golden, however it lacked juice and the Commanders managed to bat it away.
- Love put the team first with a third down scramble into the redzone that saw him bulldoze through Trey Amos at the line to gain and stumble forward for additional yardage that pumped up the crowd. On the next play the planted his foot and popped an easy throw to Romeo Doubs for a 5-yard score to give the Packers a lead at the end of the first quarter.
- Love then overthrew rookie Golden early in the second quarter on a deep ball that would have resulted in a 96-yard score if it was on the money.
- Overall, he was in complete control of this offense and settled nicely in the second half to let the ground game do the work before orchestrating an incisive 9-play, 65-yard touchdown drive that made it 24-10 late in the fourth quarter – game over!
Running Back
Josh Jacobs: 23 Carries, 84 Yards, TD
His longest run was a determined 10-yard rush up the middle that typified the veteran’s commitment and focus on his craft. Jacobs ran hard all night and showed why this staff made him the leader he has become for this football team. He crowned a disciplined drive in the second quarter that went 92 yards with a 2-yard run into the endzone to give the Packers a well deserved 14-0 lead on a night when LaFleur’s offense dominated. There was another sign he was all in at the end of the first half when he took the ball up the gut for 8-yards and then immediately called for a timeout so his team could attempt a field goal to add more to their lead.
Savion Williams: 2 Carries, 24 Yards
The undersized rookie out of TCU looks like an interesting weapon for Love in an already eclectic offense. Williams showed nifty feet and electric speed on a couple of gadget plays in this contest that paid off for LaFleur and his team. The most important was a 16-yard run on a direct snap that involved plenty of misdirection in the backfield to put the Packers into the redzone after the Commanders had made it a one-score game midway through the fourth quarter. Williams actually slipped on the play so it could have been an even bigger gain. The Packers scored a few plays later to effectively end Washington’s resistance.
Chris Brooks: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 27 Yards
A specialist third down back, Brooks found plenty of room on a couple of plays in the first half as the Commanders backed off and protected the line to gain. Brooks registered gains of 16 yards and 10 yards on third-and-long downs that prompted Lafleur to go for it early in the game on a fourth-and-short, albeit unsuccessfully.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Tucker Kraft: 7 Targets, 6 Receptions, 124 Yards, TD
After his touchdown grab in the blowout win against the Lions last week, the productive tight end exploded for 57 yards on a blown coverage in the Commanders secondary on the Packers’ second drive of the game. He’d already taken a ball out of the danger zone for 15 yards when the Packers were backed up at their own 4-yard line. His ability to find space and sneak out of the formation from blocker-to-pass catcher is unsurpassed in the NFL at the moment. Kraft barreled over two defenders on his way to the Commanders 7-yard line with a powerful 17-yard catch-and-run that setup the Packers’ second touchdown drive of the game. This hard graft was rewarded in the second half with more targets, in which Kraft recorded a 19-yarder, and two 8-yard catches, the last being a touchdown grab to give Green Bay an unassailable lead midway through the fourth quarter. A career night for Kraft, who has quickly become a fantasy asset at the position.
8Dontayvion Wicks: 6 Targets, 4 Receptions, 44 Yards
After playing through a calf injury in Week 1, Wicks made himself known on back-to-back catches on the Packers’ opening drive of the game. He was relied upon on the first third down with a easy short gain to the sideline before Love went back to the burgeoning receiver to move his team into Commanders territory. Love went back to the accomplished route runner on another third play down on the Packers’ only touchdown drive of the second half. Although the stat line doesn’t jump out, Wicks is a trusted asset that is called upon in key situations. With Reed likely to miss time, Wicks could see more work deeper downfield too, something he failed to really forge with Love last season.
Malik Heath: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 37 Yards
Luke Musgrave: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 32 Yards
Romeo Doubs: 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 28 Yards, TD
Doubs recorded his first touchdown of the season on his first catch of the game after impressing last week with a a career-long 48-yard catch in the win over the Lions. Doubs was on the field more than any other Green Bay wideout last week, and with Reed going down in this game he saw the first redzone opportunity from his quarterback. That didn’t result in an increase in targets, however, as Love spread the ball around and eventually took the easy options in the second half as the game was iced. Doubs will look to step up once again in a wide receiver room that is not foreign to injuries.
Matthew Golden: 2 Targets | 2 Carries, 15 Yards
The rookie was targeted twice in the passing game but couldn’t link up with Love on two opportunities in the business end of the field. First, Love didn’t put enough on the pass on the fourth down attempt on the second drive of the game that Golden was targeted on. He had beaten his marker and was ready to bring it in but the ball was pulled too short. Golden then burned his man down the middle of the field when the Packers were backed up at their own line but Love heaved a bomb that just stretched out in front of his fingers as he reached out to haul it in. These were promising efforts even though they didn’t hit their mark. LaFleur then gave him carries on a couple of creative plays that clearly they have designed for the rookie in practice. Another sign that he is working his way into a bigger role in this offense.
Jayden Reed: 1 Target
Oh man, tough luck for the Packers’ exciting wideout, who had a fantastic over-the-shoulder catch for a touchdown ruled out due to a holding call on the Packers’ first drive. In the process of catching the ball, Reed was slammed to the deck directly onto his shoulder. He was in extreme discomfort on the ground and then afterwards on the sideline. He was later ruled out for the rest of the contest. Fantasy ouch!
Image credit: Photo by Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X; @justinparadis.bsky.social on BlueSky)