The Green Bay Packers defeated the Arizona Cardinals 34-13 at Lambeau Field during Week 6 of the 2024 season.
It’s time to hand out game balls and pick the play of the game:
Game balls
Offense: QB Jordan Love — He threw four touchdown passes, including three on third down and another against a free runner on a blitz. His lone turnover was the result of Bo Melton slipped down mid-route. Love threw pinpoint accurate passes on third down to Jayden Reed on a 5-yard score and Romeo Doubs on a 10-yard score. In the second half, he adjusted a play at the line, dealt with a blitz and gave Doubs a chance to make a play on a 50/50 ball against a defender with his back turned to the passer. The Packers offensive line kept him well protected, but Love did successfully scramble three times. He completed 68.8 percent of his passes and did a nice job of walking the line between aggressive downfield and safe underneath.
Defense: S Evan Williams — The rookie safety was excellent over 38 snaps. On one first half snap, Williams took the quarterback on a zone read and stopped Kyler Murray in the open field for a loss on third down. Later, his perfectly timed and placed punch forced a fumble in Packers territory, ending the Cardinals’ final threat. Williams was effective as a deep safety and reliable tackling ball-carriers. His stop of Murray and the forced fumble were two of the biggest defensive plays of the game.
Special teams: Returner Keisean Nixon — Finally, the two-time All-Pro got opportunities to impact the game as a returner. His 39-yard punt return — a career-long — set up Christian Watson’s 44-yard touchdown catch, and he also had a season-long 37-yard kickoff return before the half. Nixon finished with 99 total return yards. It’s possible worsening weather will give Nixon more chances to return kicks in the coming weeks. And don’t be surprised if Nixon takes over as the primary punt returner for Jayden Reed.
Play of the game
https://twitter.com/packers/status/1845543467146998038
The Cardinals, once down 24-0, trimmed the lead to 24-13 with 13 straight points between the second and third quarters. The Packers offense responded with a long scoring drive that helped put the game away.
The touchdown came on 3rd-and-5 against a unique blitz that the Packers hadn’t prepared for coming into the game. Love adjusted the protection, motioned Romeo Doubs to the right side, got the snap off in time and made the throw against a 7-man blitz and Cover-0 behind it.
“They went all out,” Love said. “Trusted Rome, threw him up one, it was one-on-one, and he made a great play to catch it and finish in the end zone. Great play by Rome right there.”
With a free runner off the right side, Love had to drift to buy time. He threw off his back foot to get the ball away at the last second.
Doubs ran a double move on the outside. He tracked the ball, made the catch in front of cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting and scored, putting the Packers up 31-13 in the third quarter. Game, set, match. The Cardinals never threatened again.
