Saints offensive lineman Lucas Patrick, a former Packer, exits with a knee injury.
Up 34-0, the Packers are closing in on the first shutout win for any NFL team in the 2024 season.
Green Bay starting quarterback Jordan Love is done for the night with the Packers up 27-0 with 5:52 to play. He finished with 182 yards passing and a touchdown on 16 of 28 passing to earn his first career win on “Monday Night Football.” Malik Willis will finish out the game at quarterback.
Packers safety Zayne Anderson makes another nice play, helping break up Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler’s fourth-and-7 throw to give Green Bay the football back in Saints territory at the 48. They lead 27-0 with 5:52 left to play.
Green Bay is on cruise control and adds another three points to their total. They lead 27-0 with 7:13 left to play.
What a demoralizing play for New Orleans. Looked like they were going to force a three-and-out and maybe build some momentum with a shorter field. Instead, Love uncorks a 37-yard bomb to Jayden Reed to move the chain (and the clock) on third-and-long.
If this score holds (and there’s no reason to think that it won’t), Spencer Rattler would move to 0-4 as a starter this season. That would be tied for the second-most consecutive losses by a QB to start a career in Saints history.
The ESPN broadcast say the Packers are putting running back Josh Jacobs on ice with the team up 24-0 at the start of the fourth quarter. Wide receiver Christian Watson is also questionable to return with a knee injury, but he will likely just be held out as a precautionary measure with the game well in hand.
Packers safety Zayne Anderson made his first NFL start tonight because of injuries to safeties Javon Bullard and Evan Williams. He now has his first career interception courtesy of Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler. Anderson was lurking in zone coverage, and he knifed in front of Rattler’s throw to tight end Foster Moreau. The Packers take over at their own 22 up 24-0 with 2:11 left in the third quarter.
My goodness. I can’t believe not a single Saints player was able to come down with that interception. Just that kind of night for New Orleans.
Just when the Saints seem to gain a little momentum offensively, Rattler tosses a pick. Looked like Derek Jeter on one play and, well, Spencer Rattler on the next.
That’s the third sack on Rattler today. After a strong gain to Johnson, the Saints offense takes a step backward.
Jordan Love just missed an open Jayden Reed who was ahead of his defender by a step on an over route on third-and-6. Packers kicker Brandon McManus improved to 15 of 16 on field goals this season by draining a 55-yarder to cap Green Bay’s first drive of the second half. The Packers lead 24-0 with 7:03 left in the third quarter. They’ve outgained New Orleans 269-100 in total yards thus far, and they have 18 first downs to New Orleans’ seven. Total domination so far.
That run by Bo Melton now has the Saints giving up 109 yards rushing to the Packers on a 5.7 yards per carry average to go along with the two scores.
New Orleans picked up a single first down in their first drive of the half, but a third-and-2 incompletion halted the Saints’ opening drive of the half. Green Bay will start their first drive of the half at their own 16 up 21-0.
Rattler is just off the mark. The Packers defense is playing very well, but the rookie QB has also thrown some very inaccurate balls. This is a rough audition to possibly be the Saints QB of the future.
The Packers dominated the half from start to finish. Three touchdowns on their first three drives, and they’re winning the turnover battle 1-0. Green Bay is 30 minutes away from going to the postseason for the second year in a row and the fifth team in six seasons under head coach Matt LaFleur.
This is a masterclass of how NOT to manage the clock to end a half by New Orleans.
Packers corner Keisean Nixon came flying in on a corner blitz, and he strip-sacked Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler. Green Bay edge rusher Rashan Gary jumped on the loose football for the game’s first takeaway. The Packers offense will take the field at their own 34 up 21-0 with 2:45 left in the half. They have a chance to go up four scores before the break.
Pre-snap and operational penalties are not helping New Orleans’ chances of keeping this competitive. They’ve already been penalized five times for 25 yards tonight.
Tonight marks the first time the Packers have scored a touchdown on each of their first three drives since 2020, Aaron Rodgers’ first of two consecutive NFL MVP seasons under current head coach Matt LaFleur.
Over the last five games, the Saints held opponents to 16.6 points per game. Midway through the second quarter, the Packers have already slapped 21 on the board. This is getting away in a hurry.
Green Bay is on a roll. They scored their third touchdown on as many drives with backup running game Chris Brooks scoring his first career touchdown on a one-yard run. The Packers are racing toward looking up a spot in the postseason up 21-0 with 6:28 left in the first half.
Packers running back Josh Jacobs’ six games in a row with a rushing touchdown are tied for the most by a Green Bay player since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger.
Most Consecutive Games with Rush TD
Packers since AFL/NFL Merger in 19702024 Josh Jacobs 6 <<2007 Ryan Grant 61978 Terdell Middleton 6
<< active streak
The Packers are now two-for-two on their two possessions with two touchdowns. Their latest is a two-yard rushing score for Josh Jacobs. He now has a career-high 13 rushing touchdowns in 2024, which broke a tie with his 2022 total of 12, when he led the NFL in rushing yards. Jacobs also has a rushing touchdown in six consecutive games, the longest such streak of his career.
The Saints have allowed the Packers to convert four of their six third-down situations and both of their fourth down attempts.
Green Bay goes with a quarterback sneak by Jordan Love on fourth and short after using a tight end QB sneak by Tucker Kraft to get an earlier third down conversion. Green Bay continues to march on their second drive up the game up 7-0.
Penalties on key downs have plagued New Orleans early. The false start took away an opportunity to go for it on fourth down, and a neutral zone infraction by the defense on the ensuing possession turned a third-and-6 into a third-and-1. As a two-touchdown dog, you can’t have that if you want to keep this close.
The Packers benefit from Spencer Rattler’s inexperience on that final series. It appeared as though there was some sort of delay getting New Orleans’ fourth down play call in and getting everyone lined up. The Packers start from their own four after a holding penalty on the Saints’ punt.
Seemed like there may have been some miscommunication between Rattler and Kevin Austin Jr. on that third down throw. Rattler expected him to sit on his route a little and fired it too far back toward his right shoulder. The ball falls incomplete, and a false start penalty erases the opportunity to go for it on fourth down.
