Live Updates: Packers at Commanders
The Green Bay Packers (3-3) are battling the Washington Commanders (2-4) on Sunday at FedEx Field in suburban Washington. Follow along all day for updates.
Final Score
Commanders 23, Packers 21
Click here for our game story, game ball, questionable call and more.
Fourth Quarter
Commanders 23, Packers 21 (3:26 remaining)
Green Bay has life. After failing to convert a single third down, the Commanders allowed the Packers to move the chains twice with a pair of penalties. One play after the second of those, Kendall Fuller was flagged for interference, giving the Packers 16 more yards to the 21. Flushed from the pocket and moving to his left, Aaron Rodgers threw a dart to Aaron Jones for the touchdown. Jones made a superb catch along the sideline in the end zone.
Commanders 23, Packers 14 (6:40 remaining)
Preston Smith got a big run stop on first-and-goal and a pressure on third down to limit the Commanders to Joey Slye’s third field goal of the game, a 19-yarder. Still, it’s a two-score game and the Packers – given the state of their offense – seem to have one foot in a grave and their other foot on a banana peel. A 26-yard catch-and-run by Curtis Samuel and stupid penalty by Eric Stokes put the Commanders in scoring position.
Commanders 20, Packers 14 (11:22 remaining)
The Packers, 0-for-6 on third down, are now 0-for-1 on fourth down. On fourth-and-1, Aaron Rodgers fired a quick pass to Romeo Doubs, who dropped the pass while trying to grab and ball and spin for the first down. Sammy Watkins didn't block cornerback Kendall Fuller, making the play harder than it should have been.
Injury update: WR Allen Lazard (shoulder) is questionable to return.
Third Quarter
Commanders 20, Packers 14 (8 seconds remaining)
Joey Slye booted a 31-yard field goal to cap a 16-play, 72-yard drive. The Commanders lead 280-98 in total offense and 56-29 in plays. The big play came on third-and-11, when Taylor Heinicke zipped a pass to Curtis Samuel against tight coverage by Rasul Douglas.
Injury update: OLB Rashan Gary is being evaluated for a concussion. He and Preston Smith applied the heat on a third-down incompletion that forced the field goal.
Commanders 17, Packers 14 (8:56 remaining)
The Packers are 0-for-5 on third down, with Aaron Rodgers throwing low to Romeo Doubs, who couldn’t quite make an all-fingertips catch before getting it knocked loose by former Badgers cornerback Rachad Wildgoose.
Rodgers hasn’t completed a pass thrown more than 10 yards downfield and he hasn’t completed a pass to a receiver not named Allen Lazard. Lazard was injured on the play after taking a big hit by Benjamin St-Juste.
Commanders 17, Packers 14 (11:49 remaining)
The Packers are losing. Can they find any offense? Taylor Heinicke threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin, with the star receiver beating the star cornerback, Jaire Alexander, for the score. The coverage was fine but the throw was perfect. The Packers have been outgained 209-76.
Halftime
Packers 14, Commanders 10
Aaron Rodgers threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Jones and De’Vondre Campbell’s pick-six put the Packers in charge 14-3. It was pretty dreadful display of football after that. Throwing almost nothing but quick passes, Rodgers was 9-of-15 passing for 47 yards. After a hot start, Jones had 10 touches for 23 yards. Green Bay was 0-for-4 on third down, fumbled a punt and was guilty of six penalties for 44 yards.
The Commanders will get the ball to start the second half.
Second Quarter
Packers 14, Commanders 10 (44 seconds remaining)
The Packers will start the series at the 1 after a superb punt by Tress Way. Green Bay’s defense, though, got a key stop when De’Vondre Campbell blew up a third-and-5 receiver screen.
Packers 14, Commanders 10 (1:23 remaining)
Stop me if you’ve read this before in this story. A first-and-10 holding penalty doomed the possession. The Commanders will have 1:23 to score. Plus, they’ll get the ball to start the second half.
Packers 14, Commanders 10 (2:48 remaining)
In what might be the play of the game, Eric Stokes was flagged for illegal contact against running back Antonio Gibson on third-and-6 to nullify Rashan Gary’s strip and Rasul Douglas’ 62-yard touchdown on a fumble return. By the letter of the law, it was a penalty. Much worse happens on a lot of plays. Coach Matt LaFleur was irate. The Packers escaped, though. Douglas made a spectacular breakup on third-and-5 and Joey Slye drilled the right upright from 47 yards.
Packers 14, Commanders 10 (5:50 remaining)
The Packers’ offense has fallen into its usual malaise. The previous drive was doomed by offensive holding on Yosh Nijman. This drive was ruined by a loss of 6 for Aaron Jones when defensive tackle Jonathan Allen blew between left tackle Zach Tom and left guard Elgton Jenkins, holding on Nijman and back-to-back dropped passes. The Commanders will take over at Green Bay’s 43.
Packers 14, Commanders 10 (7:21 remaining)
The Commanders are right back in the game on Taylor Heinicke’s 9-yard touchdown pass to running back Antonio Gibson on third-and-8. Gibson broke inside and was wide open. Early in the drive, Rasul Douglas got his hands on a third pass, almost picking off a pass to Curtis Samuel. On the next play, Gibson got into the open field for a 20-yard run. He ducked inside, then bounced around the corner. Safety Adrian Amos might have saved the day with a diving tackle. Three plays later, Brian Robinson rumbled into the open field for 24 yards. Robinson broke a tackle attempt by Rashan Gary to gain an additional 18 yards. Robinson dipped inside then bounced around Gary as Green Bay’s terrible run defense was terrible again.
Coach Matt LaFleur, who made a smart challenge on the first drive, lost a tight one when Robinson fumbled at the end of his big run. The challenge took far too long to negotiate and both offenses were on the field during the delay. Teams have to win their first two challenges to get a third; the Packers are out of challenges.
Injury update: Mid-drive, S Darnell Savage walked off with a leg injury. Rudy Ford replaced him for a moment. Savage was in for the not-quite-a-strip on the Robinson run.
Packers 14, Commanders 3 (13:29 remaining)
The Packers’ defense, starved for a big play this season, just made a huge play. On third-and-5, Taylor Heinicke’s pass into the flat was intercepted by linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, who won the battle for the ball with running back J.D. McKissic and returned it 63 yards for a touchdown. Late pressure by Rashan Gary forced a wobbly pass. It was Green Bay’s first defensive touchdown since Dec. 12 vs. Chicago, a pick-six by Rasul Douglas.
First Quarter
Packers 7, Commanders 3 (24 seconds remaining)
A first-down holding penalty on Yosh Nijman and a second-down drop by Romeo Doubs meant a three-and-out punt.
Packers 7, Commanders 3 (2:04 remaining)
Joey Slye kicked a 22-yard field goal – points for Washington but a win for Green Bay. The Commanders took over at Green Bay’s 17 after Amari Rodgers’ muffed punt but the Packers got the stop. On first-and-goal at the 5, Jaire Alexander stuffed Brian Robinson for minus-1 and Antonio Gibson was stopped for 3. On third down at the 3, Taylor Heinicke’s fade to 6-foot-6 tight end Cole Turner vs. Eric Stokes sailed over Turner’s head.
Packers 7, Commanders 0 (4:55 remaining)
Jaire Alexander dropped a third-down interception. It was the lone blemish on a tremendous game. He’ll really regret the drop now that Amari Rodgers just muffed the punt. It’s his third fumble of the season, with Washington recovering at Green Bay’s 17. Will he be ****-canned now?
Packers 7, Commanders 0 (6:38 remaining)
The Packers are off to a quick start. Set up by strong defense and special teams, the Packers drove 42 yards for the opening score. Aaron Rodgers was 4-of-4 passing, including a 4-yard screen to Aaron Jones for the touchdown. On the score, Jones gave a quick block on star pass rusher Montez Sweat, turned around, caught the ball and powered through a host of defenders at the goal line.
Packers 0, Commanders 0 (11:00 remaining)
The Packers forced a three-and-out punt to start. A successful challenge by coach Matt LaFleur nullified a completion and forced the Commanders into third-and-7. Rashan Gary, lined up a couple yards in front of the center instead of his customary spot on the edge, combined with De’Vondre Campbell to force an incomplete pass. On a re-punt, Amari Rodgers’ 16-yard return set up the offense at Washington’s 42.
Packers 0, Commanders 0 (12:06 remaining)
With Zach Tom at left tackle as part of a shuffled offensive line, the Packers gave the ball to Aaron Jones on the first four plays. That gained one first down and set up a third-and-4. Aaron Rodgers’ pass, however, was dropped by Allen Lazard for what would have moved the chains. Pat O’Donnell’s punt pinned the Commanders at the 3.
New Offensive Line for Packers
Even without David Bakhtiari, the Packers are stepping on the gas with a new-look offensive line.
Rookie Zach Tom will make his first NFL start (period) at left tackle, Yosh Nijman will make his first NFL start as a right tackle and Elgton Jenkins is going back to the position at which he earned Pro Bowl honors.
Packers vs. Commanders Inactives
After starting the last four games, left tackle David Bakhtiari is inactive for the Packers.
For Washington, right tackle Sam Cosmi will return to the starting lineup but receiver Jahan Dotson, tight end Logan Thomas and cornerback William Jackson are among the inactives.
Have Some Fun
One of Packers coach Matt LaFleur’s primary message this week was for his team to have more fun. Back-to-back losses and some uncustomary struggles have taken some of the hip out of the team’s hop, to borrow an old Mike McCarthy phrase.
“You’ve got to be mindful that this is a great privilege, and these guys have worked their butts off to get to this point,” LaFleur said. “You can never lose the fact that you’re playing in the National Football League and, whether you’re flying high or you’re fighting through some adversity, it should be fun to go out there and play ball.
“I think naturally it happens, when you hit a little rough spot or whatever, naturally it isn’t quite as fun. Now, we’re six games into this thing and we’re 3-3 and that’s what our guys have to remember. There’s a lot of ball in front of us and you always have to look at one game at a time, one day at a time and just try to put everything into whatever day it is and just try to get a little bit better each and every day.”
Of course, nothing is more fun than winning. The Packers went 13-3 in 2019, 13-3 in 2020 and 13-4 in 2021. The Packers have to get back to both.
“I love this. This is a lot of fun for me,” Rodgers said on Wednesday. “I missed being out there at practice today. I love practicing. I live for this. I wake up in the morning thinking about this. I go to bed at night dreaming about what plays I can make up to piss Matt off [laughs]. This has been my love since I was 5 years old and still love waking up every day knowing I’m coming into 1265 [Lombardi Ave].”
How to Watch: Packers vs. Commanders
TV: The game will air on Fox with Adam Amin (play-by-play), Daryl Johnston (analyst) and Pam Oliver (sideline).
Live stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial).
DirecTV: Channel 711.
Radio: Packers Radio Network (Wayne Larrivee and Larry McCarren; click here for affiliates), Sirius (Channel 98 and 389 on the app) and ESPN Radio (Marc Kestecher and Kelly Stauffer).
History: The Packers lead 22-16-1. The Packers have won two straight, including 24-10 at Lambeau Field last year. The last time the teams met in Washington was 2018, with the Packers falling 31-17. The series dates to 1932, when the Packers improved to 8-0-1 by beating the Boston Braves at Braves Field 21-0. Arnie Herber threw three touchdown passes. This week’s game kicks off a three-game road trip. In 1932, that was Game 2 of a seven-game road trip to end the season.
Bettors Siding with Packers
The Packers are 4.5-point favorites at SI Sportsbook with an over/under of 41.5. The Packers were 5.5-point favorites.
While the line has fallen bettors are all over the Packers. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, 71 percent of the bets and 73 percent of the money is on Green Bay. On the 41.5-point total, 88 percent of the money is on the over. At BetMGM, the Packers are the third-most-bet team in terms of money.
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Green Bay’s putrid second-half defense
Saturday’s roster moves: What they mean
Packers at Commanders: Three reasons to worry
Beyond the rumor mill: Packers/receivers at trade deadline
