The Green Bay Packers hit the ground running early in their visit to Foxborough, spoiling Rob Gronkowski's Hall of Fame induction party with a dominant 45-27 win that could've been more lopsided.
Drake Maye never stood a chance against Jonathan Gannon's secondary, and the Patriots just kept giving the ball right back to Matt LaFleur's guys. Jordan Love had his best game of the season, and this was never in doubt.
Of course, there are always areas for improvement, and this team is far from perfect. Even so, they looked like a Super Bowl contender on Sunday, and plenty of that had to do with these winners and losers.
Winners and losers from the Packers' route of the Patriots
Winner: Jordan Love
Jordan Love's MVP-caliber campaign lives on. The Packers' quarterback completed 23 of 29 passes for 372 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions in the win, slicing through the Patriots' secondary like a knife through hot butter. He would've had an even bigger night if Tucker Kraft had been able to corral a pass for a big gain in the second half.
Winner: Kaleb Johnson
The Packers' running game has been the worst in the league this season, but it finally showed some signs of life in this one. Kaleb Johnson used a 34-yard explosion to turn 14 carries into 64 rushing yards (4.8 yards per carry), and he also found paydirt for the first time as a Packer. He might be in for an expanded role.
Loser: Josh Jacobs
Josh Jacobs has had an eventful couple of months, so to speak. On top of everything he's dealing with off the field, he had to leave this game with a hand injury. He had five rushing yards on four carries before leaving, and his departure should make the Packers strongly consider going after someone else before the trade deadline.
Winner: Christian Watson and Matthew Golden
Christian Watson and Matthew Golden had to be together here because they've become a package deal. They both draw too much defensive attention, which makes it impossible for defenses to double either of them. This time, they finished the game with 17 receptions for 335 yards and two touchdowns. Ridiculous.
Winner: Trey Smack
All eyes were on Trey Smack in Week 9, which is never a good thing to say about a kicker. He has been erratic lately, so watching him connect on all three field-goal attempts and all four PATs was refreshing. That said, he should still be on the hot seat, and the Packers must still keep their options open.
Winner: Xavier McKinney
Xavier McKinney is the most underrated safety in pro football. Despite not making that much noise, his game continues to speak for itself, and he had Drake Maye's number in this one. The Packers star read the Patriots' quarterback like an open book, anticipating him on a couple of throws to add more interceptions to his tally. He's now tied for the most in the league with 5.
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