A fast start, a breakout night, and a late scare at Lambeau
A 2-0 start, a career night for a young tight end, and a defense that swarmed when it mattered—Green Bay checked every box in a 27-18 win over Washington under the lights at Lambeau Field. This wasn’t just a routine September result. It was the Packers’ first 2-0 opening since 2020 and the first 100-yard receiving game of Tucker Kraft’s life—college included.
Jordan Love looked in control from the first series. He spread the ball around, threw on time, and punished soft zones. Love finished with 292 passing yards and two touchdowns, repeatedly finding Kraft on seams and crossers. The exclamation point came with 8:57 left: an 8-yard dart to Kraft in the red zone that pushed Green Bay ahead for good and drained any real drama from Washington’s comeback bid.
Green Bay owned the scoreboard for three quarters—up 7-0 after one, 14-3 at halftime, and 17-3 after the third—and piled up 404 total yards. The plan was simple and smart: early rhythm throws for Love, motion to stress linebackers, then a steady run game to keep Washington off-balance. That mix kept the sticks in friendly spots and let the Packers dictate tempo.
On the other side, Washington’s offense couldn’t find a groove early. Across the Commanders’ first seven possessions, they managed only a field goal. Green Bay’s front created pressure, mixed coverages, and took away easy layups. Micah Parsons set the tone with a relentless rush that forced quicker decisions and sped up everything Washington tried on third down. Field position swung Green Bay’s way because those stops stacked up.
Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels didn’t flinch, though. He steadied in the fourth, cranked up the tempo, and used his legs to keep plays alive. Washington poured in 15 points in the final quarter and briefly made it a one-score game. But when the Packers needed answers, they found them—tight coverage on the perimeter, a timely tackle in space, and a pass rush that closed the pocket on the final meaningful drive.
- Kraft’s breakout: 6 catches, 124 yards, and that late touchdown—the first 100-yard receiving game of his career at any level.
- Love’s line: 292 yards, 2 TDs, and steady decision-making that kept Green Bay ahead of the chains.
- Scoreboard control: Packers led 17-3 through three quarters before Washington’s fourth-quarter surge.
- Early clamps: Washington produced just three points on its first seven possessions.
- Total production: Green Bay rolled to 404 yards while winning the field-position and game-flow battle.
Why it matters for both teams
This is the kind of September win that travels. Green Bay now has back-to-back victories over quality NFC competition after a 27-13 result against Detroit in Week 1. The bigger story is how they’re winning. Love looks comfortable running Matt LaFleur’s offense—faster to his reads, quicker to take the layups, and confident ripping the intermediate throws that keep drives alive. Kraft’s emergence adds a new stress point for defenses in the middle of the field, and that changes how opponents can defend the Packers’ play-action game.
Defensively, Green Bay played with edge and urgency. The pass rush forced a quicker clock for Daniels, and the back end rallied to the ball. You could see it in Washington’s body language for three quarters—routes cut short, throws arriving a tick early, and drives stalling before midfield. The fourth quarter was a reminder that this is still the NFL: one missed tackle, one explosive play, and momentum flips. Credit to Green Bay for slamming the door when it got loud.
For Washington, the takeaway is simple and fixable: the first half can’t be a feeling-out period. Daniels showed poise when the game tightened, but the Commanders need more on early downs to avoid third-and-long. Protection has to firm up, and the run-pass blend needs a little more rhythm before halftime. The ingredients are there; the timing wasn’t—until it finally was, a bit too late.
Inside the Packers’ locker room, the tone was steady. Love talked about building on a clean start and stacking weeks, not highlights. Kraft, fresh off a milestone he’ll remember, sounded like a veteran—enjoy it tonight, then get back to work. That’s the benefit of a Thursday nighter when you win: extra time to recover, to correct, and to get ready for the next push.
Call it a September snapshot of who they want to be: efficient on offense, disruptive on defense, and tough in winning time. If this is how Green Bay plants its flag, the rest of the NFC North will have to adjust.
Packers vs Commanders may not decide anything in September, but it sure told us a lot about where both of these teams are headed.
