How about that?! We've all wondered how good the Green Bay Packers could look if they got out of their own way, cut out the penalties and unforced errors, and put it all together.
That's what can happen. The Packers crushed the New England Patriots in a statement 45-27 road win. Jordan Love threw for 372 yards and three touchdowns, with 335 of them going to Christian Watson and Matthew Golden.
Green Bay forced four turnovers, sacked Drake Maye four times, and showed championship potential on defense.
Here are our gut reactions to the performance:
Biggest takeaways from the Packers' emphatic win over Patriots
1. Jordan Love. That is all
Wow. Jordan Love is some player.
Everything he touched turned to gold. Love kicked things off with a 13-yard rushing touchdown, but that was just a starter. Love then tore apart the Patriots' defense, completing 23 of 29 passes for 372 yards and three touchdowns for a career-best 153.2 passer rating.
New England tried to exploit Green Bay's shaky offensive line by sending pressure. Love took five hits, but he answered every question thrown at him. According to ESPN's Rob Demovsky, Love completed 11 of 11 passes for 170 yards and a touchdown against the blitz.
He continued his unbelievable connection with Christian Watson and Matthew Golden, who combined for 17 receptions, 335 yards, and two touchdowns. Sheesh.
Love has firmly earned his spot in the MVP conversation. He's had some of the league's worst protection, the 32nd-ranked rushing offense, and a league-leading number of dropped passes, yet he is now up to 2,618 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and six interceptions in nine games, and he's added two rushing touchdowns.
2. Evan Williams has entered the All-Pro conversation
Evan Williams entered Week 9 as PFF's highest-graded safety, and he lived up to the billing. Williams is hurtling towards All-Pro honors.
He was flying around all day, recording an impressive interception on the sideline, six tackles, and a pass breakup. PFF also credited Williams with four pressures, which tied for the Packers' most. He allowed only one completion for eight yards in coverage.
His performance goes well beyond the stats. Williams' interception was the highlight-reel play, but he executed at an elite level in every department. The NFC's Defensive Player of the Month for October is making a strong case to go back-to-back.
3. Packers' defense has scary potential with Micah Parsons' return coming
Williams wasn't alone, either. The Packers' defense has been trending upward since getting embarrassed by the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3, and they looked like true championship material against the Patriots.
Green Bay sacked Drake Maye four times, hit him nine times, and intercepted him three times.
The Packers already ranked No. 2 in the NFL for takeaways entering Week 9, and they added four more, taking their tally to 19 for the season.
How about the pass rush? By PFF's initial count, Green Bay generated 24(!) pressures. Williams and Karl Brooks had four each, Brenton Cox Jr. and Isaiah McDuffie posted three each, and four players had two.
And they haven't even got Micah Parsons out there yet. The Packers' defense fell apart after Parsons' injury last season, but they've now risen to a championship level without him.
Parsons could be back by Thanksgiving. That's a scary thought for the NFC.
4. Trey Smack quietly has the performance he needed
Don't forget about Trey Smack. The rookie has taken Packers fans on a rollercoaster through the opening two months of the regular season, but he delivered a performance he so badly needed.
The weather forecast was concerning, with some strong wind gusts expected. The TV broadcast noted that Smack had struggled in pre-game warmups. But none of that mattered when the Packers needed him. Smack made all seven of his kicks – three field goals, including a 51-yarder, and all four extra-point tries.
It should give him plenty of confidence. It's one performance and not something to get carried away with, but Smack will hopefully use this as a springboard.
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