Green Bay Packers: Week 8 MVP and other awards

The Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 31-24 this week. So what players made impacts worthy of awards?

Offensive MVP – Aaron Jones

Aaron Jones continues to be the perfect running back for Green Bay Packers’ head coach, Matt Lafleur’s, new offense. He has impeccable vision and finds the seams in the defense. Jones is a fantastic one cut back who cuts north and south and runs hard and fast. He carried the ball 13 times for 67 yards, a very efficient 5.2-yard average.

In the absence of Davante Adams, Jones has stepped up in the receiving game in a big way as well. This week, he caught seven passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns, including a 67-yard touchdown.

Lafleur continues to be a creative play-caller with his top offensive weapon sidelined, using both backs extremely well. Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams have both been freed from Mike McCarthy’s underuse and misuse of them and are making big plays every week.

Defensive MVP – Za’Darius Smith

After going sackless in week seven, Za’Darius Smith bounced back in a big way with two quarterback takedowns. His couple of sacks were really all that kept the Chiefs from moving the ball through the air. They made countless quick throws to get their speedy weapons open in space.

Getting pressure was tough, but Smith managed to get to the quarterback on multiple occasions, registering three quarterback hits. He also helped out in the run game for a run defense that was passable this week, allowing 4.4 yards per carry. He had four total tackles, two of them for a loss of yards.

Better Lucky Than Good Award – Tyler Lancaster

Tyler Lancaster made the play that ended up making the difference in the game. Late in the third quarter, he both forced and recovered a fumble that gave the Green Bay Packers the ball back in a tie game.

I use the word “forced” lightly in this context. McCoy made almost no effort to secure the ball and Lancaster swatted it out while falling backward. This was a ball that could have been knocked out by the force of a four-year-old swatting a mosquito. The ball then rolled right into his arms as he layed on the ground. It may not have taken a ton of skill, but it was good instincts to stick his hand in there and it flipped momentum and proved to be the difference in the game.

Play of the Game – Aaron Rodgers and Jamaal Williams

I don’t want to have any sort of crazy takes or over exaggerations in my articles so I won’t do that here. This was the greatest throw in the history of football. I, along with many others, thought he was throwing the ball away. Maybe he was. Regardless, it fell perfectly into the hands of Jamaal Williams and just out of the reach of his defender.

I’ve been beating this drum for a few weeks now, but Aaron Rodgers is a once-in-a-lifetime talent and needs to be written about as such. Just look at this throw and try to make an argument that anyone else is more talented than Aaron Rodgers.

I could try to write more about this, but I can’t. I have no more words. Moving on.

Best Celebration – Za’Darius Smith

With Halloween later this week, Za’Darius Smith decided to break out a sack dance inspired by the film IT. For the second time this year, Smith has elected to imitate a dance from a fairly intimidating source, the first being his Ray Lewis Dance. This week, it was the famed character, Pennywise.

He does a pretty stellar job in his rendition of this dance move. Let’s just hope that Pennywise doesn’t hold any grudge toward Smith for stealing his move. As for the rankings, some fans of the film would probably put it higher, but I’m slotting it in at number four, right behind his other sack dance impression.

1. Aaron Jones wave goodbye

2. Aaron Rodgers Belt

3. Za’Darius Smith Ray Lewis impression

4. Za’Darius Smith Pennywise dance

5. Mason Crosby Lambeau Leap

6. Allen Lazard flag point

Feel free to let me know in the comments or @DairylandXpress if you think there is a throw better than the one Rodgers made to Williams, or if you would change my celebration rankings.