The Green Bay Packers did what they’ve done all season: played some ugly football. Still, it was enough for a 27-19 win over the Carolina Panthers on Thursday Night Football.
With the win, the Packers improved to 5-3 and now head into a mini-bye before their next game.
The victory also helped Green Bay keep pace in the NFC Wild Card race. With plenty of football left, it’s time to hand out game balls to the Packers who stepped up in this win (with the number of game balls they’ve received this season in parentheses next to their name).
Brandon Cisse (2)
Rookie cornerback Brandon Cisse has had an up-and-down season. The good news is that he continues to show flashes. He was good in coverage against the Panthers and finished with two pass deflections.
Brenton Cox Jr. (3)
To borrow a term from former Packers’ head coach Mike McCarthy, Brenton Cox Jr. has been stacking success for the Packers this season. This might’ve been his best performance yet, as he racked up one sack, two tackles for loss, and one quarterback hit.
Ty’Ron Hopper (1)
The injuries to Zaire Franklin and Edgerin Cooper have opened the door for Ty’Ron Hopper. And Hopper doesn’t look like he’s going to let go of this chance. Hopper stuffed the stat sheet on Thursday night, finishing with eight total tackles, three pass deflections, two quarterback hits, one sack, and one interception.
Tucker Kraft (2)
Tucker Kraft had another productive game. He caught all six targets thrown his way for six receptions, 53 yards, and a tight touchdown catch. He’s not quite on par with his pace last season (when he suffered a season-ending injury after just eight games), but he's now caught a touchdown in back-to-back games.
Jordan Love (6)
Put this man in the MVP conversation. Whatever issues the Packers have are not a result of Jordan Love. He continues to play his butt off and carry this organization on the field. He completed 30 of his 41 passes for 288 yards and three touchdowns. The only downside was the interception he threw on a poor decision and throw.
Jordan Morgan (1)
Finally, a Packers offensive lineman gets on the board. Green Bay’s big men up front have had a rough season. However, Morgan was solid in pass protection and did enough to earn a game ball.
Christian Watson (3)
Christian Watson had a night similar to a WWE wrestler. After catching a 53-yard bomb, he suffered a broken rib and was coughing up blood. He took an ambulance to the hospital and later returned in the same ambulance. He finished the night with a team-high eight receptions for 113 yards.
Daniel Whelan (2)
It’s not always the best sign when a punter gets a game ball. Nonetheless, Daniel Whelan earned his. He punted five times and averaged 44.6 yards per punt. He also put two inside the 20.
Evan Williams (3)
Evan Williams continues to have a monster season. He was all over the place in the game, racking up a team-high 10 total tackles.
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