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The Green Bay Packers are officially going back to the NFL Playoffs after a Monday Night Football 34-0 win vs. the New Orleans Saints. The win marks the fourth time Green Bay has clinched playoff birth under head coach Matt LaFleur and the first time they have made it consecutive seasons since 2019 and 2020.
In a dominating performance, the offense extended their 30-point scoring streak to five games, and the Packers won their fifth game in six tries.
The win also means quarterback Jordan Love and key free agent signings Josh Jacobs and Xavier McKinney are going to the playoffs for the second time in their careers.
Packers Offense Stays Hot
The Packers offense picked up right where they left off in Week 16, scoring a touchdown on their first three drives.
On the first drive, Love threw a two-yard touchdown to Dontayvion Wicks. The second came via Josh Jacobs’ 13th rushing touchdown of the season, a new career-high. The third drive was capped off by running back Chris Brooks’ first career touchdown.
The Packers ran 23 plays for 226 yards and three touchdowns on their first three drives. To compare, the Saints had 15 plays for 48 yards and turned the ball over once.
Green Bay attacked the Saints on the ground at will. With nine different players carrying the football, the Packers amassed 188 rushing yards on 39 carries. All three of the Packers’ running backs (Jacobs, Brooks, and Emanuel Wilson) scored touchdowns.
Quarterback Jordan Love also kept his Toytathon streak alive with an efficient 182 yards and one touchdown.
During the months of November to January, Love now has 3,464 yards, 27 touchdowns, and two interceptions. Contrast that with 3,829 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 25 interceptions in non-Toyotathon months.
Although the offense stayed hot, Jeff Hafley’s defense stole the show.
Green Bay Packers’ Defense Shines
The Packers’ defense smothered Spencer Rattler and suffocated the Saints offense. Shutting them out for all 60 minutes, the Saints had no answers for what Hafley was throwing at them.
Admittedly, the Saints were playing multiple backups. Derek Carr (hand), Alvin Kamara (groin), and starting receivers Rashid Shaheed (meniscus) and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (illness/back) were all inactive.
That left the rookie Rattler to get sacked three times and face pressures on double-digit snaps. Rattle also threw an interception to safety Zayne Anderson, who was making his first NFL career start. The pick also marked the first of Anderson’s career.
Defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt led the charge up front with four tackles, two tackles for loss, and one sack. His effort, alongside defensive end Brenton Cox, allowed Green Bay to terrorize the Saints’ quarterback all night.
In the secondary, cornerback Keisean Nixon continues to show why the Packers did not need Jaire Alexander tonight. He was part of a unit that held Rattle to 153 passing yards and kept his rating to 51.1.
On the ground, the Saints were also stymied. New Orleans’ 2024 third-round pick Kendre Miller got the start in place of the injured Alvin Kamara. He could only muster eight carries for 15 yards, averaging under two yards per carry.
As a whole, the Green Bay defense held the Saints to 196 total yards and zero points. It is the first time the Packers have shut out an opponent since a 17-0 vs. the Seattle Seahawks on November 14th, 2021.
With the win, the Packers set up a pivotal Week 17 game against the division-rival Minnesota Vikings that could alter the NFC Wild Card standings. While Green Bay can no longer win the NFC North title, they can still unseat the Vikings, who currently hold the fifth seed in the playoff picture.
If the Packers steal a win in Minneapolis next week, the stage is set for a must-win Week 18.