The Packers shot out to a big lead, then held serve in the second half. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
The Green Bay Packers enjoyed a late-night Thanksgiving feast on Thursday, complete with cold weather, big reaches and some awkwardness in the later parts of the meal.
By the end of the first half, the Packers had a 24-3 lead over the Miami Dolphins. By the final whistle, it was a 30-17 win at Lambeau Field. They had little trouble moving the ball on offense, while their defense took advantage of a Miami team struggling to string together drives in cold weather, with mistakes including a fully muffed punt. It was a familiar story for the Dolphins in cold weather.
The temperature was 27 degrees at kickoff and only got colder from there. The Dolphins’ biggest error came on a straight muffed punt that set up the Packers’ first touchdown, and there was no redemption to be had until halftime.
The second half at least introduced some drama when the Dolphins scored a touchdown and converted the two-point attempt to cut the deficit to 16. They soon reached the red zone again and were at the one-yard line on 2nd-and-goal.
The next three plays: rush for no gain, incomplete pass, sack.
Jordan Love finished the game with 21-of-27 passing for 274 yards and two touchdowns, while the Green Bay run game posted 114 yards. The Dolphins offense wasn’t totally frozen — Tua Tagovailoa finished with 364 yards passing — but they just couldn’t run the ball when it mattered.
The loss is a costly one for the Dolphins, who are now well outside of the playoff picture at 5-7. They have a favorable final five games of the season (Jets, Texans, 49ers, Browns, Jets), but they’ll likely need help even if they win out.
Meanwhile, the Packers move to 9-3, which is still only good enough for third in a stacked NFC North. The 11-1 Detroit Lions also won Thursday to stay two games ahead, while the 9-2 Minnesota Vikings face the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
Here’s how it all went down on Yahoo Sports:
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FINAL: Packers 30, Dolphins 17
The Packers have a third straight win, while the Dolphins have another cold-weather loss. This game felt over by halftime, got a little interesting in the third quarter, then turned into a runaway win.
The Packers went for the home run on a deep pass to Christian Watson on 3rd-and-11. It was a perfect ball, but some heavy contact from the Miami secondary causes an incompletion. The Packers aren’t happy, but this really shouldn’t matter.
It’s the Dolphins’ ball with 1:56 left, down by 13. One timeout left.
Twelve words by NBC’s Jason Garrett that sum up the big issue: “They’re not a physical team; that gets exposed in games like this.” Can this regime fix that? https://t.co/Jmm6ANSXWe
Packers recover the onside kick. They can end it here with a few first downs.
TOUCHDOWN: Dolphins make score a bit more respectable with a deflection TD
Tagovailoa finds Tyreek Hill, by accident, for his second touchdown pass of the game (good). The two-point conversion fails (bad). The Dolphins are down 30-17 with 3:04 left and need multiple onside kicks to go right to avoid being 507 (ugly).
The Dolphins are down three scores with five minutes left and are keeping Tua Tagovailoa — whose career was in doubt earlier this season due to concussions — in to finish out this game. Sure.
FIELD GOAL: Packers go up 19 to effectively end it
There are five minutes left, and zero drama. The Packers are up 19 and just have to worry about keeping warm for the rest of the game.
With that 49-yard reception, Josh Jacobs is over 100 yards from scrimmage for the fifth consecutive game. He has 19 touches for 113 total yards.
Big swing there. Jayden Reed drops a screen pass and the ball is returned all the way to the end zone… but replay confirms it’s an incomplete pass. That was a tense few seconds for the Packers.
Josh Jacobs shakes a tackle, jukes a defender than runs it 49 yards to put the Packers in the red zone. It’s the longest reception of his career.
That was painful from the Dolphins. They got the ball to the Green Bay 1-yard line, then got stopped on three straight plays.
Quay Walker’s flipped a switch these last couple of weeks. Feels like Jeff Hafley’s been giving him more opportunities to fly downhill and rush the passer. Whatever it is, it’s working—something’s clicked.
TURNOVER ON DOWNS: Dolphins get stopped on 4th-and-goal
Down 27-11 with 9:39 left, the Dolphins go for it and take a Tua Tagovailoa sack by Quay Walker. A flag for offensive holding is declined, and that could be the game.
None of these Dolphins catches are contested. Guys just getting wide open.
Tua Tagovailoa gets the Dolphins on the edge of the red zone with pass to Odell Beckham Jr., but gets hammered by an unblocked Rashan Gary. There was some debate over a roughing the passer penalty, but the lack of contact to the helmet saves the Packers.
Yet another offsides for the Packers. Believe that’s four tonight.
