3 takeaways from Packers’ Week 10 win vs. Jaguars

Takeaways from the Packers’ Week 10 win.

The Green Bay Packers got over the line. That’s all that matters.

Hardly a performance to give the team a ton of confidence, but all that counts is the one added to the win column. The Packers are now at 7-2 and in full control of the NFC North.

Here are three takeaways from Sunday’s win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

1. Packers lack energy

It’s certainly an unusual season. Home-field advantage has been lost for many teams with no fans in stadiums and we’re seeing signs of this in Green Bay.

For the second home game in a row, the Packers have struggled as strong favorites in tough conditions. Without the crowd there to get behind them, did they struggle to get out of first gear against a team they were expected to beat? It sure looked like it.

Aaron Rodgers made an awful throw which was intercepted. We rarely see that. Davante Adams had a couple of drops and a fumble. We rarely see that.

For much of the game, Jacksonville controlled the tempo with the run game. More physical than Green Bay, Mike Pettine’s defense struggled to stop the run. Again. Fortunately, Jake Luton was at quarterback.

Maybe it was the opponent. Maybe it was the conditions. Either way, there’s no excuse for the lack of energy on Sunday.

2. MVS stacks success

One player who came to play was Marquez Valdes-Scantling. He’s been frustratingly inconsistent in his first few seasons, but are we beginning to see it all come together?

It looks like he’s growing in confidence and is beginning to get a lot of the little details right. MVS now has three touchdowns in the past two games and caught four passes for 149 yards and a score on Sunday.

At his best, MVS can be a difference-maker in this offense. If he can continue to build on the past two performances, look out.

3. Stars on defense step up when Packers need them most

The defense didn’t dominate the matchup like they should’ve done, but when the game was on the line, the stars stepped up and closed it out.

The Jaguars were driving to win the game. With the ball at the Packers’ 36-yard line, Preston Smith forced an incompletion with pressure on Luton then Rashan Gary came up with a sack for a loss of six on second-and-10. Preston Smith then made a sack for a loss of 10 to set up fourth-and-26.

Za’Darius Smith and Gary pressured Luton to force an incompletion on fourth down to end the game.

When the Jags had little choice but to pass, the Packers’ pass rush dominated. It’s when the game was in the balance earlier on and they ran the ball that the defense struggled.