Packers' championship mettle beginning to surface

The past two weeks have seen the Packers perform like a Super Bowl contender.

Good morning!

The Green Bay Packers made easy work of the Miami Dolphins on Thanksgiving, perhaps their most dominant victory of the 2024 season to date. The game not only improved Green Bay's record to 9-3, but it also reflected a team that has come into its own as December nears.

Today's edition of The Leap looks under the hood of the Packers' victory to see how much progress they have made, a player that has put together the finest stretch of his career to date.

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Two critical sequences from Thanksgiving showcase the Packers' championship mettle

Jason B. Hirschhorn: For all the fireworks that Thursday night delivered, two sequences effectively tell the tale of the entire game.

Late in the first half, the Dolphins finally found some offensive rhythm and strung together enough positive plays to reach field-goal territory. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa saw rookie wideout Malik Washington open over the middle and fired, a near-guaranteed first down to extend the drive. However, Packers linebacker Isaiah McDuffie dislodged the football from Washington's grasp with a violent but legal hit to force fourth-and-5.

Already down 21-3, Miami opted to keep the offense on the field and try to extend the drive. Tagovailoa tried to hit De'Von Achane deep down the field but sailed it over the running back's head, turning the ball over on downs with less than 30 seconds remaining in the half.

Typically, such little time on the game clock forces offenses to play more conservatively than they otherwise would. However, the Packers had all three timeouts at their disposal and an offensive play-caller -- head coach Matt LaFleur -- who doesn't shy away from opportunities to put his foot on an opponent's throat.

On the first play of the truncated series, Jordan Love hit Tucker Kraft down the right boundary for a 17-yard catch-and-run to cross midfield. Kraft then caught another pass over the middle for 9 yards followed by a Chris Brooks run up the gut for another 8. Now positioned at the Miami 27, Green Bay used its final timeout and sent the field-goal unit onto the field. Brandon McManus sailed his kick through the uprights moments later, stealing three points as halftime arrived.

Later in the game, the Dolphins again faced a critical situation, this time with goal to go from the Green Bay 1-yard line. By this point, their offense had hit its stride with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle each contributing big plays on that drive alone. Miami had already cut the deficit to two possessions, enough progress to keep the contest competitive. A touchdown seemed the most likely outcome.

Instead, the Packers defense held firm. On second-and-goal, the unit stuffed Achane for no gain. The next play, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley dialed up a blitz, leaving Keisean Nixon in single coverage with Jonnu Smith. Tagovailoa targeted the tight end, but Nixon broke up the pass. And then on fourth, not only did Green Bay keep Miami out of the end zone, a swarm of pass rushers descended upon the quarterback for a sack, creating valuable breathing room for the offense.

The Packers didn't just let the goal-line stand turn into a short possession, however. Love led a nine-play drive that ate over four minutes of game clock and resulted in another McManus field goal. That score extended Green Bay's lead to three possessions and, with roughly five minutes remaining, effectively ended the game.

These sequences represent championship-level play, the kind one expects from the Kansas City Chiefs or, in a previous era, the New England Patriots. They also illustrate the growth that the Packers have made over the course of the season. At earlier points in the year, Green Bay couldn't quite put the dagger into the opponent when given the chance. But in back-to-back weeks against quality competition, the team has come through in those situations.

The Packers won't need to play this way every week, but they will have to rise to the challenge in key games such as Week 14's matchup with the Detroit Lions. It bodes well for Green Bay that its championship mettle has begun to surface just as it faces the NFC's top team. That doesn't automatically mean a victory in the Motor City next Thursday, of course. But if LaFleur's team can reproduce the complementary performance of the past two weeks, a path to victory exists.

Too early to say Quay Walker has turned the corner, but the recent signs look encouraging

JBH: During Quay Walker's time in Green Bay, he has garnered no shortage of criticism. Despite possessing incredible physical tools and coming from arguably college football's premier football factory, the former first-round pick too often blew assignments, took bad angles on ball carriers, and missed tackles. Two weeks ago, most outside of 1265 Lombardi Ave. would have suggested that the Packers would have a steadier defense if someone other than Walker played the majority of the snaps at linebacker.

That discussion remains relevant, but the tone has changed. Walker, in a surprising twist, has played the two best games of his professional career.

"He's been playing his best ball. I don't think anybody would dispute that," LaFleur said of Walker during his postgame press conference. "He's got a better feel for what we're asking him to do.

"You saw it not only in the run game with Quay, but we're bringing him on blitzes. He's extremely effective at setting some picks and then getting pressure on the quarterback himself. I'm really happy with where he's at. He's a resilient dude."

Against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 12, Walker tied his season-high for pressures (two), allowed just one catch on three targets for 5 yards, recorded a pass breakup, and missed zero tackles, according to Pro Football Focus. Thursday's outing didn't look quite as dominant on initial viewing, but he avoided major mistakes while leading Green Bay defenders with 71 defensive snaps.

Considering that the Packers didn't have Edgerrin Cooper available and McDuffie entered the game with a nagging ankle injury, Walker's improved play couldn't have come at a better time.

It remains too early to say whether Walker has turned the corner. Off-ball linebackers can sometimes take three-plus years to pick up all the little nuances required to play the position well in the NFL. Patrick Queen, a similarly gifted but raw linebacker coming out of college, didn't take the leap until his fourth season. Walker, a 2022 draft choice, has more runway by comparison.

At the same time, the 49ers didn't have multiple starters a week ago and the Dolphins haven't run the ball well for most of 2024. Walker performing well still matters, but the context matters too.

Still, if the Packers can more consistently get even 85% of this version of Walker for the remainder of the season, that would dramatically alter the trajectory of their defense. Cooper might have more upside while McDuffie and Wilson offer more experience, but none can currently handle the every-down requirements of the position. Walker hasn't proven himself capable of that either, but these two games at least raise the possibility that he can moving forward.

Parting shot

JBH: Though this graphic from Fox doesn't account for the Packers' win on Thursday, it does highlight why they've all but secured a playoff berth.

The Packers have beaten each of the "in the hunt" teams except the one they haven't played, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.