Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs had two touchdowns in a 27-18 win over Cincinnati Sunday.
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The Green Bay Packers made sure Joe Flacco’s bid at history wasn’t going to happen on their watch.
The Packers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 27-18, Sunday preventing Flacco from doing something remarkably unique.
Flacco was trying to become just the second player in NFL history to beat the same team twice in the same year while playing for two different teams.
Flacco was Cleveland’s starting quarterback last month when the Browns upset the Packers, 13-10. He was then traded to Cincinnati on Oct. 7 and had a chance to beat the Packers again.
Jack Kemp was the only quarterback to ever notch that rare achievement. Back in 1962, Kemp defeated the New York Titans (now the Jets) as the quarterback for Buffalo and the San Diego Chargers.
But the Packers — a 14.5-point favorite — spoiled Flacco’s potential party by doing just enough on both sides of the ball to prevail.
Green Bay improved to 3-1-1, while the Bengals lost their fourth straight game and fell to 2-4.
Here’s the ‘Good, Bad and Ugly’ from Green Bay’s win.
THE GOOD
JOSH JACOBS: There isn’t much Green Bay’s Pro Bowl running back can’t do.
Jacobs had 18 carries for 93 yards and two touchdowns. Jacobs also caught five passes for a team-high 67 yards.
Jacobs had a 3-yard TD run late in the first half that gave Green Bay a 10-0 lead. On that play, center Elgton Jenkins and left guard Aaron Banks cleared a big hole for Jacobs.
Jacobs then had a 14-yard TD run on the first play of the fourth quarter to give Green Bay a 17-7 lead. Jenkins and right guard Jordan Morgan cleared a huge hole, and Jacobs shot up the middle for a huge score.
FINISHING THE DEAL: Packers coach Matt LaFleur was unhappy at halftime, after his team struggled to finish drives and had 10 points.
That wasn’t a problem in the second half, when Green Bay scored on all three of its drives and didn’t punt.
Green Bay’s first drive of the second half was a 9-play, 66-yard march that Jacobs finished with a 14-yard TD run. The Packers then put together a 6-play, 62-yard TD drive midway through the fourth quarter that Tucker Kraft capped with a 19-yard TD pass from Jordan Love.
Then with Green Bay protecting a 24-18 lead, it marched into field goal range and got a game-sealing 39-yarder from Lucas Havrisik.
LUCAS HAVRISIK: The Packers signed Havrisik on Saturday in case kicker Brandon McManus (quad) couldn’t go.
McManus went through a series of pregame tests before the Packers decided to make him inactive. Havrisik then made both of his field goals and all three of his extra points.
The 26-year-old Havrisik was undrafted coming out of Arizona in 2022. Havrisik spent time on the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad in 2022, and on the practice squads of both Cleveland and Indianapolis in 2023.
Havrisik then was signed by the Los Angeles Rams midway through the 2023 season to replace struggling veteran Brett Maher. Havrisik made 15 of 20 field goal attempts with the Rams and 19 of 22 extra points, then was waived after the season.
Havrisik was on Buffalo’s practice squad last season, then made 22 of 25 field goals this spring with the Dallas Renegades of the United Football League.
When his number was called on Sunday, he came up big.
DOMINANT DEFENSIVE FIRST HALF: Green Bay’s defense was sensational in the first half, helping the Packers take a 10-0 lead at the break.
In the first half, the Bengals had just four first downs and 65 total yards. Cincinnati averaged just 3.0 yards per play and quarterback Joe Flacco’s passer rating was a paltry 59.0.
THIS AND THAT: The Packers have had a double digit lead in all five of their games. … Green Bay held the ball for 21 minutes, 44 seconds in the first half vs. just 8:16 for the Bengals. … Bo Melton had a 36-yard kickoff return early in the fourth quarter. It was the Packers’ longest kick return of the season. … Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love, who’s not known for his rushing prowess, had seven carries for 26 yards. … Carrington Valentine had a huge pass breakup against Ja’Marr Chase with 4:17 left. … Matthew Golden had a critical 31-yard reception on third-and-8 on Green Bay’s game-clinching drive.
THE BAD
DEFENSE WILTS: The Bengals scored on their first three second half drives.
On the first, Cincinnati put together a 17-play, 78-yard touchdown march that gobbled up 10:14 to begin the second half.
Joe Flacco capped the drive with a 2-yard TD pass to tight end Tanner Hudson, who beat linebacker Quay Walker on the score. The Bengals went 2-for-3 on third downs on the drive and 1-for-1 on fourth down.
Cincinnati put together a 9-play, 50-yard field goal drive early in the fourth quarter and closed within 17-10.
Ja’Marr Chase then hauled in a 19-yard touchdown pass on fourth down with 4:11 left. When the Bengals converted the two-point conversion, they closed within 24-18.
THE BEAT GOES ON: Green Bay’s special teams have been an issue all year, and put the Packers in a tough spot early.
The Bengals punted from their own 37 and Ryan Rehkow launched a 55-yard boomer. Green Bay return man Matthew Golden had all sorts of space in front of him, but made a fair catch at the 8.
Making matters worse, Bo Melton was flagged for holding, and Green Bay started on its own 4.
On the Packers’ next punt return opportunity, Romeo Doubs replaced Golden.
THIS AND THAT: Tyron Hopper had a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness on a kickoff. … Keisean Nixon was penalized 11 yards for pass interference on Ja’Marr Chase. … The Packers had just one sack — which came from defensive end Lukas Van Ness — and didn’t force a turnover.
THE UGLY
DECISIONS, DECISIONS: Love made a terrible choice on the Packers’ opening drive, trying to force a ball into Romeo Doubs.
Cornerback D.J. Turner deflected the pass and safety Geno Stone intercepted at the Bengals’ 11, then returned the pick 25 yards to the Cincinnati 36.
Love’s decision killed a promising 11-play, 47-yard drive.