Stock Report: Dominant Defense Fuels Packers Past Commanders, 2-0 Start

The Green Bay Packers did not have much time to celebrate their season-opening statement over the Detroit Lions, because they had to play the team that knocked the Lions out of the playoffs just four days later.

The Washington Commanders came to town at 1-0 after beating the New York Giants 21-6 in their season opener.

The Packers were playing shorthanded. Two starters on the offensive line were sidelined with injuries, forcing the Packers to dip into their bench. Through two games, the Packers have played eight offensive linemen with Anthony Belton and Darian Kinnard sharing snaps at right tackle vs. Washington.

The Packers took an early lead for the second consecutive week, but this time on their second possession of the game.

Jordan Love and Tucker Kraft led a 96-yard drive that culminated in a short touchdown pass to Romeo Doubs to give them a 7-0 lead.

Not to be outdone in the second quarter, they put together another 92-yard drive which was stuffed in the end zone by Josh Jacobs on a 2-yard-run.

The defense was dominant in the first quarter, forcing two three-and-outs on Jayden Daniels and company.

In general, the first half was a dominant performance that felt like the Packers were winning by four scores.

Alas, they were not. Some erratic offense and penalties helped keep Washington in the game. A dominant first half on defense saw the Packers lead 274-82 at halftime, but only 14-3 on the scoreboard.

In the second half, Green Bay’s defense continued to hold the game by the throat, while the offense fell asleep. Green Bay scored three points in the third quarter, and looked really clunky doing so.

The defense, led by Micah Parsons, Rashan Gary and Edgerrin Cooper, had the Commanders’ offense in a stranglehold.

A touchdown pass from Jayden Daniels to Zach Ertz, however, pulled the Commanders within seven as the fourth quarter started.

Ultimately, Green Bay’s offense found its footing again, as a Jordan Love touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft gave them a 24-10 lead.

While it may have felt like they played with their food, the Packers got a win to move to 2-0 on the year.

Stock Up: S Javon Bullard

Bullard was one of the guys victimized last week by Detroit’s passing game.

According to Next Gen Stats he gave up 10 catches on 11 targets for 73 yards a week ago.

Tonight, Bullard was influential in Green Bay’s defensive dominance in the first half.

Tasked with covering Deebo Samuel early in the game, he blew up a bubble screen, and made an additional tackle on a third down which ended a series.

He made another big play on Jayden Daniels in the open field on the first play of the fourth quarter after Micah Parsons’ pressure forced him to leave the pocket.

Bullard had a good camp this year, and will continue to be in a bit of a rotation with the secondary as deep as it is.

Bullard remains, however, a big part of what the Packers want to do on defense.

Stock Up: DE Micah Parsons

What else is there to say about Parsons at this point?

He seemingly affects the opposing quarterback anytime he is on the field.

The opening drive of the second half was a great example of a great player stepping up in a big moment as well.

With Washington threatening Green Bay’s redzone for the first time of the night, they were facing a 3rd and 3.

Got 'em!

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— Green Bay Packers (@packers) September 12, 2025

Parsons beat Josh Conerly Jr. with relative ease, causing Conerly to hold on for dear life. That didn’t matter, Parsons still got home on Jayden Daniels, and with some help from Edgerrin Cooper, the Packers forced a field goal attempt that was subsequently missed from 52 yards.

Through the first series of the fourth quarter, Parsons had seven pressures, and lined up all over the formation.

He’s been the best player on the field each of the first two weeks, and he hasn’t been able to play a full game yet.

Stock Up: OT Darian Kinnard

Kinnard received a demotion of sorts this week. He was the first man off the bench at right tackle when Zach Tom left last week’s game with an injury. Tonight, he was asked to rotate with the team’s second round pick, Anthony Belton.

Kinnard was acquired just before roster cutdowns for a sixth round pick in 2027.

He was largely seen as a move just to provide depth at the back of the offensive line room.

Through two weeks, however, Kinnard has proven to be a valuable piece.

His first two series in the game both led to touchdowns for Green Bay’s offense, and Kinnard helped keep Jordan Love clean.

The offensive line is a position that is notorious for being unhealthy.

Most teams don’t have five offensive linemen they feel comfortable playing.

The ones that do, rarely have more than that.

The Packers at this point have to feel comfortable about seven guys, and they’re still clearly high on Anthony Belton.

That’s something that will be worth its weight in gold as the season goes on.

Stock Up: WR Romeo Doubs

With Christian Watson getting a contract extension earlier in the week, conventional wisdom says the Packers will be moving on from Romeo Doubs at the end of the season.

As former College Gameday host Lee Corso used to say, not so fast my friend.

Doubs has been excellent in the first two weeks of the season, and continues to be a reliable target for Jordan Love.

He was on the same page with Love on an RPO for the game’s first touchdown, and caught another pass on a crossing pattern for 23 yards.

Doubs looks more explosive this season and has made an impact each of the first two weeks.

Stock Up: TE Tucker Kraft

Tucker Kraft was a big part of both of Green Bay’s touchdown drives that gave them a 14-0 lead in the first half.

On Green Bay’s first touchdown drive, they were backed up deep in their own territory, when Love found Kraft deep down the middle of the field.

The result was a 57-yard-reception to put the Packers in scoring range.

Have a game, Tucker Kraft!

Touchdown + Lambeau Leap to make it 24-10

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Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/hKDSBKAVqE
— NFL (@NFL) September 12, 2025

Green Bay’s second scoring drive was aided by a 17-yard reception from Kraft, where he threw Will Harris to the side to pick more yards to put Green Bay in the red zone.

Josh Jacobs would score two plays later, and the Packers were rolling.

Kraft is also the poster child in Green Bay’s offense of, “No block, no rock”.

Kraft’s blocking ability shined in the run game, including one on the edge against Marshon Lattimore to help spring Savion Williams.

His final stat line was six catches for 124 yards and a touchdown. Tonight’s game was the first 100-yard receiving game of Kraft’s career, and the most receiving yards by a tight end since Richard Rodgers’ 141 in Detroit in December of 2015.

The biggest play of the game came on his second touchdown of the season.

Love faked to Jacobs in the backfield, and Kraft was all alone in the endzone for a touchdown to give the Packers a 24-10 lead.

With the Commanders getting within one score, that play by Kraft ensured tonight’s game would not go down to the wire.

Stock Up: WR Dontayvion Wicks

The box score numbers might not reflect it through two games, but Dontayvion Wicks has a claim for most improved player n Green Bay through two weeks.

Wicks’ separation ability has always been excellent. He just struggled last year with catching the ball.

Wicks was a big part of Green Bay’s first drive of the game, catching two passes for 19 yards, and helping Green Bay’s offense find its footing early.

With the Packers needing to find an answer to Washington pulling within 17-10, LaFleur dialed up a play for Wicks again.

Love was in rhythm and hit Wicks, who made a great catch with his hands.

That drive would end in a touchdown pass from Jordan Love to Tucker Kraft, and the Packers were back up by two possessions.

It’s a small thing that will likely go unnoticed, but that drive all started with Wicks.

Stock Up: CB Keisean Nixon

For all the concerns about Green Bay’s cornerback room coming into the season, the first two games could not have gone better.

Last week, Green Bay held Detroit’s high-powered passing attack to 225 yards passing, and one late touchdown after the outcome had already been decided.

This week, Keisean Nixon was not just an innocent bystander, but played a starring role with one of the best games of his career.

Nixon had seven pass breakups a season ago according to PFF.

According to our count, he had five tonight, including one that ended a series with Washington in desperation mode.

Nixon has been outspoken about his role in the defense, and the team has been outspoken about its faith in him.

Nixon along with the rest of the defense have some tests coming up in the future, but so far, so good.

Stock Down: OT Anthony Belton

Anthony Belton was a surprise choice to start at right tackle last week with Darian Kinnard getting the call after Zach Tom’s injury a week ago.

With Tom inactive, conventional wisdom was Kinnard would keep the job he held last week.

That was not the case as Belton started the game, and had some of his issues from the preseason rear their ugly head early in the game.

Jordan Love appeared to throw a touchdown pass to Jayden Reed on a beautiful throw in the right corner of the end zone.

Instead, it was wiped out by a holding penalty from Belton, on a series the Packers ultimately turned the ball over on downs.

Belton’s second possession saw him give up a sack, which to be fair was more of a coverage sack.

What was true in the first half, Belton’s first two possessions resulted in zero points, while Kinnard’s possessions at right tackle resulted in 14 points.

Correlation is not necessarily causation in this case. Belton might be a good player for the Packers one day, but it’s clear he needs some time to refine his technique before he can become a contributor.

Stock Down: The Lulls

The Packers were dominant for the first three quarters of the game. They were outgaining Washington three-to-one at halftime, but only led by 11.

They had a chance to pull away in the third quarter following Matt Gay’s missed field goal, but had to settle with a field goal of their own after stalling in the red zone.

Last week, the Packers led 17-6 until the fourth quarter, even though it felt like they were dominating that game as well.

Through two games, it has served them well, but there will presumably come a time where the defense does not play lights out, and the offense will have to keep its foot on the gas.

Stock Down: Special Teams

Rich Bisaccia often says that his unit does not get a second down. It’s not like offense or defense, which gets a second chance to prove itself.

After tonight’s performance, the Packers may petition to change some of the rules.

Perhaps that’s hyperbolic, but the special teams were really good a week ago. They were equally as awful tonight.

If punt returners were not fielding the ball when they shouldn’t, they were getting flagged for holding.

They were beaten for explosive returns in both the kickoff and punt return game.

Brandon McManus, who was Mr. automatic in training camp missed a 48-yard field goal which would have extended the lead before halftime.

There was one saving grace tonight, and it was McManus drilling a 56-yard field goal to essentially end the game.

Otherwise, not a banner night for this group at all.

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The #Packers couldn't beat the elite teams last season. That was then. This is now.

The Packers are 2-0 after beating the Lions on Sunday and, tonight, the Commanders.

Here's the early story from Lambeau. ⬇️https://t.co/2HEggMhIya
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) September 12, 2025