By Gary D’Amato, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel –
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Linebacker Brad Jones was surprised to learn that the Green Bay Packers allowed 12 plays of 15 or more yards to the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
“That’s very uncharacteristic of us,” Jones said. “Absolutely. I didn’t know that. I think we gave up a couple plays but our will to win is our M.O. We stepped up when we needed to.”
In a bend-but-don’t-break performance, the Packers allowed Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert to complete 27 passes to eight different receivers and throw for 303 yards but gave up only one touchdown in a 24-15 victory.
“Ugly win? I guess you can say that,” cornerback Tramon Williams said. “That ain’t the way we’re looking for it to go. But anytime you can keep a team out of the end zone, it’s always good for you.”
With heart-and-soul safety Charles Woodson (collarbone) and cornerback Sam Shields (ankle) inactive, the Packers had to go with a makeshift secondary.
Rookie cornerback Casey Hayward made his second consecutive start in Williams’ place and rookie Jerron McMillan and second-year pros M.D. Jennings and Davon House all saw extensive action.
“Those guys that came behind ‘Wood,’ they stepped up and did a good job,” safety Morgan Burnett said. “M.D. Jennings, Jeron McMillan, House, those guys stepped in and didn’t skip a beat.”
The Jaguars (1-6) made plenty of plays but not enough of them in the red zone. Gabbert, playing despite a shoulder injury, completed nine passes of 10 or more yards in the first half but none in the third quarter and only four in the fourth.
“I thought our defense came out in the second half and just did an excellent job,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “I thought they definitely picked it up in the third quarter.”
The Jaguars scored their only touchdown after recovering a fumble by quarterback Aaron Rodgers on Green Bay’s 13-yard line. But after pulling to within, 14-12, they could manage only one field goal in the second half.
“We did some good things,” Gabbert said. “But when you are in the red zone three times and only come away with one touchdown, you aren’t going to win many games doing that.”
Gabbert completed passes of 36 and 15 yards to Justin Blackmon; 35, 24, 17 and 15 to Cecil Shorts; 24, 18 and 15 to Rashad Jennings; 16 to Marcedes Lewis, and 16 to Jalen Parmele.
Two more long apparent completions — 43 yards to Shorts and 25 to Blackmon — were successfully challenged by McCarthy.
“Those guys are NFL players, too,” Burnett said. “They’re going to get their passes and their first downs. But your main goal is to eliminate the big plays, eliminate the touchdowns.”
Burnett and Williams both said there were no problems with communication in the secondary, despite the absence of Woodson.
“The communication was excellent,” Williams said. “From time to time things are not going to go exactly how you want. Sometimes you’re not going to get calls in.
“Sometimes there’s going to be different kinds of adversity that you got to get through, and I think we did a good job of that today.”
Said Burnett, “Guys were flying around, feeling confident in their assignments and their techniques.”
Williams said in some cases it was simply a matter of the Jaguars executing plays.
“No doubt about it,” he said. “I thought Blaine made some good throws today. Guys were where they were supposed to be. Sometimes (they) just beat the coverage. You’ve got to give (Gabbert) credit, man. For a guy to come in with a torn labrum in his shoulder and keep his team in the game, that shows a lot.”
So call it an ugly win if you want. The Packers will take it.
“I guess so, if that’s the way you want to see it,” Williams said. “I don’t like ugly wins, but in the NFL you have to go that way from time to time. Hopefully, we don’t have to do that too much.”
