Packers 30-27 Jaguars (Oct. 27, 2024) Game Recap

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Green Bay Packers may have to play again without quarterback Jordan Love.

This time it might take longer.

Love injured his left groin on the first possession against Jacksonville, left the game for good in the third quarter and then had a front-row seat as backup Malik Willis led the Packers to a 30-27 victory.

Coach Matt LaFleur said he was “very concerned” about Love’s recent injury. Love missed two games in September with a sprained left knee.

With Love is watching from the sidelines on Sunday, Willis completed a 51-yard pass Jayden Reed set up Brandon McManus' second game-winning goal in as many weeks. Willis completed 4 of 5 passes for 56 yards, with a touchdown and the biggest completion of the day.

“The moment is never too big for him and he made a lot of great plays in this game, and not just with his arm,” LaFleur said.

Willis found Reed wide open on the left sideline after Andre Cisco cramped and fell.

“I knew I was going to be open before the play was even called,” Reed said.

It was all the Packers (6-2) needed to recover Trevor Lawrence's perfectly placed 14-yard touchdown pass to Evan Engram that helped tie the game.

Engram caught the ball between three defenders and gave the Jaguars (2-6) the momentum they needed. But LaFleur managed a hit in the face on second down that made the difference.

Jacksonville tried to let the Packers score, but Chris Brooks dropped to the ground to set up McManus' 24-yarder.

Josh Jacobs ran for 127 yards and two touchdowns for Green Bay, including a 38-yard run that beat defensive backs Ventrell Miller and De'Antre Prince.

“He's a real stud, isn't he?” said LaFleur. “The physicality with which he runs. …He's a professional. I can't say enough great things about him. We are lucky to have a man like that, the way he approaches things, communicates and works and demands that from himself but also from others.”

Lawrence rallied Jacksonville from a 10-point deficit in the fourth and tied the game at 27 with his pass to Engram. But the Jags might not have needed a comeback if Lawrence and his teammates hadn't made so many mistakes.

Lawrence fumbled at the 5-yard line and threw an interception. The Jaguars also kept two Green Bay drives alive with penalties.

“We have to play cleaner,” said Lawrence, who completed 21 of 32 passes for 308 yards.

The Jaguars lose six players to injuries

The Jaguars lost all three of their starting receivers: Brian Thomas Jr. (chest), Christian Kirk (shoulder) and Gabe Davis (shoulder). Kirk was quickly ruled out after injuring his left shoulder while attempting a diving catch.

Jacksonville also lost cornerback Ronald Darby (hip), right guard Brandon Scherff (knee) and left guard Ezra Cleveland (ankle). Scherff was the only one who could return.

Jacksonville can't seem to cover the shortages

Green Bay's Tucker Kraft was the latest tight end to do any damage to the Jaguars. Kraft had a 67-yard reception in the second quarter in which he broke a tackle and stiff-armed another defender to set up a field goal. He added a 3-yard touchdown catch in the fourth.

Kraft's performance was no surprise considering how many of his colleagues have made similar big plays against Jacksonville in recent weeks: New England's Hunter Henry (8 catches for 92 yards), Chicago's Cole Kmet (5 for 70, 2 TDs ) and Mo Alie from Indianapolis-Cox (2 for 37, touchdown).

McManus returns to beat his former team

McManus returned to where he played last season and made three field goals in the win.

McManus was with the Jaguars in 2023 and signed with Washington in the offseason before two women sued him and the Jaguars in civil court alleging he sexually assaulted them while they worked as flight attendants on the Jaguars' trip to London.

The NFL later said it found insufficient evidence that McManus violated personal conduct policies and the lawsuit was settled. McManus signed with Green Bay last week and hit a 45-yard field goal on the final play of the Packers' 24-22 victory over the Houston Texans last Sunday.

Other serious injuries

The Packers lost rookie safety Evan Williams to a hamstring injury.

Next

The Packers host NFC North rival Detroit next Sunday.

The Jaguars play in Philadelphia, and coach Doug Pederson returns to face his former team for the second time in three seasons.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl