Despite being nearly undone by
three more special teams miscues—allowing a 99-yard kickoff return for a
touchdown, a return fumble at the 18-yard line leading to a short-field
touchdown, and a short kickoff that was returned to game-tying field goal range
in the last minute—the Packers offense finally displayed some life, punting
only three times and making the Jets pay for repeated defensive penalties as
the Packers overcame a 15-point fourth quarter deficit win their only game on
the road. Aaron Rodgers—besides rushing for 2 touchdowns and scoring for a
two-point conversion—threw for 442 passing yards, double what he was averaging
per game since the midpoint of the season; if he plays next week he should
break his team record for passing yards in a season set in 2011, the one in
which he sat out the last game as Matt Flynn went on to throw for 480 yards and
6 touchdowns against the same team that Packers will face in the season finale,
the Lions. Rodgers now has three 400-yard games this season, two more than
Brett Favre had in 16 years in Green Bay (and barely that, 401 yards).
Nevertheless, it was obviously a
much closer contest, 44-38 in OT, than it had any right to be. As noted, special team’s
snafus continue to plague the Packers, accounting for 17 Jets’ points. Their
rookie secondary allowed Jets’ rookie Sam Darnold to have season bests 341
yards passing and passer rating of 128.4. Fortunately for the Packers, the Jets
don’t have much of a running game and a worse rushing defense, which the
Packers took full advantage of. Still, it was a nothing to win kind of game save
for pride and to wash out the sour taste that the season has left, and if
Rodgers and the Packers have another impressive offensive performance next
week, it would be just as much a sign of possible better things to come as promising
rookies become more seasoned, and a reminder of just how disappointing this
season was.
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