Bring on Detroit!

The Green Bay Packers had a great Thanksgiving, beating the warm-weather Miami Dolphins, 30-17, on a night where the game temperature was 70 degrees and dropping the entire time.

Now the Packers have a chance to make the NFC North – and the entire NFC – much more interesting.

Green Bay improved to 9-3 with its third straight win and will head to NFC-leading Detroit (11-1) on Dec. 5 for one of the league’s biggest games of the year.

If the Packers can upset a Detroit team that has won 10 straight games, they still have a chance to challenge for the division title and the conference’s number one spot. A loss means Green Bay will almost certainly be a wild-card team.

When the two teams met last month, the Lions dominated from start to finish, winning 24-14.

“Obviously they got us the first game,” Packers quarterback Jordan Love said. “So we’ll look at everything, watch all the film and, you know, put together our game plan.

“But… I think just the rhythm that we’re finding on offense right now, the way the defense is playing, I think we’re in a good spot.”

Here’s the ‘Good, Bad and Ugly’ from Green Bay’s solid win over Miami.

THE GOOD

LOVE STORY: Packers quarterback Jordan Love heated up in the second half of the 2023 season. Now Love looks to do the same in 2024.

Love was extremely steady, completing 21 of 28 passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns. Love finished with a passer rating of 129.2 and did not throw an interception for the second straight game.

In the final eight games of 2023, Love threw 18 touchdowns, one interception and had passer ratings of at least 108.5 seven times. If he comes close to those numbers this year, big things are in store for these Packers.

“I think he’s playing his best ball right now. I really do,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said of Love. “I think he’s done a great job of taking what’s there, making the checks when they’re there or make the shots when they’re there. He moves really well in the pocket. I think our O-line does a pretty good job, but if it’s not perfect up front, he can buy time or get out of harm’s way and get out of harm’s way. getting rid of the football, and that is crucial importance to us.”

PACKAGE AGAIN: The gametime temperature was 70 degrees, which certainly worked in Green Bay’s favor.

The Packers improved to 7-4 at home during the Matt LaFleur era, when kickoff temperatures were 32 degrees or colder.

Miami, on the other hand, continued to struggle with the cold.

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is now 0-8 in games with a listed temperature of 45 degrees or lower at kickoff.

“It’s one of those things that we practice in this every day,” Love said. “So, you know, I think we’re ready.”

Packers’ Safety Xavier McKinney wasn’t so sure the Dolphis were ready for the icy night.

“I think it affected their whole team,” McKinney said. “Obviously they’re from Miami, it’s hot there, and then when you come here to play in that cold weather, it affects you. So I think it affected everyone on that team.”

JAYDEN RIET: Green Bay’s dynamic second-year wideout had two touchdown receptions. That was the third time in 27 career games that Reed had two TDs.

Reed had a three-yard TD reception just three minutes into the game to give Green Bay a 7-0 lead. He added a 12-yard TD reception late in the first half as the Packers pushed their lead to 21-3.

MAKING A POSITION: Miami trailed 27-11 early in the fourth quarter and scored a second goal from Green Bay’s 1-yard line.

On second down, Packers defensive end Rashan Gary threw running back De’Von Achane for no gain. On third down, cornerback Kesiean Nixon broke up a pass for tight end Jonnu Smith.

Then, on fourth and goal, linebacker Quay Walker sacked Tagovailoa for a loss of six yards.

“They have a second-and-goal on the 1-yard line, and to be able to keep them out of the end zone there, that was a pivotal moment in the game,” LaFleur said.

TRUCKER KRAFT: Packers tight end Tucker Kraft matched his career-high with six receptions, while his 78 receiving yards were the second-most of his young career.

Kraft also continued to dish out more penalties than he gets, running over multiple Miami defenders after hauling in passes.

“My style of play, I think the YAC brings the juice,” Kraft said. “If someone sees me run over someone or break a tackle and keep going, everyone on the sidelines is jumping up and down. That brings energy and it also gets the sticks moving. On a positive note, I would say my biggest attribute as a tight end is my ability to move with the ball after the catch. And I like doing it.”

Kraft’s teammates certainly like it too.

“It’s great to see,” Love said of Kraft running into defenders. “I think it gives everyone juice.

“It’s not fun for a defender trying to tackle in cold weather, so to see Tuck, I mean he’s also a guy who likes that contact and likes to run guys over. So… it just gives everyone a little juice when you do that.”

ROCHELL, ROCHELL: Miami’s Malik Washington fumbled the Packers’ first kick of the night and Green Bay’s Robert Rochell recovered on the Dolphins’ 9-yard line. Rochell was only in the game because Corey Ballentine – Green Bay’s usual shooter – was injured on the opening kickoff.

Three plays later, Packers quarterback Jordan Love hit Jayden Reed on a three-yard touchdown, giving Green Bay an early 7-0 lead.

“Coaches shout about it all the time, complementary football, complementing each other every phase, having the play for the next phase, and just to be able to get turnovers and the offense will capitalize right away,” Rochell said. “That’s what it’s all about. So it was definitely a great feeling to be able to come through for my team in that situation.”

OWNER OF THE AFC: The Packers finished the year a perfect 5-0 against the AFC after beating Miami.

Green Bay defeated every team in the AFC South earlier this year – Indianapolis, Tennessee, Houston and Jacksonville. The Packers then pushed their winning streak over AFC teams to seven straight games by defeating Miami.

TAG TEAM: Green Bay defensive ends Lukas Van Ness and Kingsley Enagbare had back-to-back sacks in the second quarter to kill one Miami drive.

Van Ness left his man as Tua Tagovailoa was forced to step into the pocket and dump the Dolphins quarterback. One play later, Enagbare flew off the edge, hit left tackle Terron Armstead and sacked Tagovailoa.

BREAK THROUGH: Keisean Nixon averaged 27.3 yards per on his nine kick returns with a long of 37.

However, on the opening kick, Nixon found a huge gap on the right side and returned the kick 43 yards.

THIS AND THAT: Green Bay finished with five sacks, the second most all year. “I think they did a good job,” LaFleur said. “But you are only as good as your last game and we have to keep pushing.” … The Packers improved their record in Thanksgiving Day games to 16-20-2. … Brandon McManus made all three of his field goal attempts and is now 10 of 11 (90.9%) since signing with Green Bay on Oct. 16. … Josh Jacobs caught four passes for 74 yards, including a 49-yarder.

IT’S BAD

THEY EXCLUDE: Miami finished with just 17 points, but Tagovailoa picked apart Green Bay’s secondary for most of the evening.

The Miami quarterback completed an impressive 37 of 46 passes for 365 yards and had a passer rating of 114.2. Tagovailoa threw two touchdowns and had no interception.

LOSING HIS COOL: Green Bay would have had a fourth-and-goal from Miami’s 6-inch line with five minutes left. But Packers guard Elgton Jenkins was flagged 15 yards for unnecessary roughness on Miami defensive lineman Zach Sieler, setting Green Bay back 15 yards and forcing it to settle for a field goal.

THIS AND THAT: Green Bay’s first drive was partially negated by a false start penalty on tight end Tucker Kraft. … Rashan Gary was offside on a play where both Gary and Kingsley Enagbare combined to sack Tagovailoa.

THE UGLY

DONTAYVION WICKS: The Packers’ second-year wideout dropped the first ball thrown his way and now has eight turnovers this season – the second-most in the NFL.

Wicks also has a drop rate of 15.7%, which is second-worst in the NFL behind only Buffalo’s Amari Cooper (17.5%).

Wicks has been targeted 51 times this year and has had just 21 receptions – a catch rate of just 41.2%, which is the worst in the league among players with at least 50 targets.

Over the past 15 years, the only players with lower catch rates than Wicks with at least 50 targets are Oakland’s Louis Murphy (35.4% in 2009), St. Louis’ Chris Givens (41.0% in 2013) and Cleveland’s Mohammad Massaquoi (35.8%). in 2009 and 41.9% in 2011).