The Green Bay Packers used a 19-0 start and a 21-0 submission to deliver a convincing victory over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday night at a snowy and cold Lambeau Field.
The victory featured star performances from players on both sides of football.
Here are the nails and failures of the Packers 40-14 win:
Nails
OLB Rashan Gary: The second year edge rusher established a strong advantage against the race and consistently placed himself in positions to upset Ryan Tannehill. In three different snaps, Gary grabbed control, pulled away from the block and stopped Derrick Henry after a small win. In the first half, his bull run through the left tackle put pressure on Tannehill in his first interception. He also chased Tannehill for an almost sack while the Titans’ quarterback tried to climb his pocket and escape. Gary led the team in pressures and race stops. He is starting to become a consistent difference maker.
WR Davante Adams: He took 11 of 12 targets, scored three touchdowns and produced three shots in 20 yards. Snow was no problem. In fact, he looked perfectly comfortable with his foot, and that gave him a big advantage over the Titans’ defensive back. He launched explosively off the line, made sharp cuts in and out of the intervals and danced around the defenders after the capture. In the fourth quarter, he made one of his best catches of the season, producing a 32-yard gain by spreading through football against Malcolm Butler’s tight coverage. Of its 11 receptions, nine produced first downs or touchdowns.
RB AJ Dillon: When the Packers talked about Dillon’s potential in cold weather games, Sunday was exactly what he imagined the most. He started slowly, but gained more and more strength as the game continued. In the second half, he was bowling over tacklers in the cold and snow. Dillon forced nine wrong tackles and gained 93 yards after contact, according to Pro Football Focus. Two of his broken tackles came in his first touchdown, a 30-yard run on the fourth downhill. Another came in his second touchdown, when he ran over a Titans defensive striker on his way to the end zone. The rookie ended with career records (21), running yards (124) and touchdowns (two). Seven of his rushes won a first down or scored a touchdown.
S Darnell Savage: For most of the night, he seemed a step faster than everyone else in the field. The second-year security guard intercepted one passage and should have intercepted another. In his choice, Savage ranged from a deep security point to undermine an intersection route for AJ Brown from the slot. His speed made the move. He started early, breaking a second-drop pass on the man-to-man cover against tight end Jonnu Smith and forcing a wandering shot from Tannehill with strong pressure on the third down. At least twice, Savage gave or assisted Henry on the second level. He will blame himself for dropping what might have been a six pick in the second half.
CB Jaire Alexander: Corey Davis, who arrived on Sunday night as one of football’s most efficient recipients, failed to catch two targets. Alexander ignored him. Davis looked frustrated in the second half. Twice, Tannehill tried to test the Packers’ cornerback in the Pro Bowl with shots to tight end Jonnu Smith, and both ended in pass breaks, including an attempted fourth down in the red zone.
LB Christian Kirksey: He played only 12 snaps on defense, but the veteran found himself in the right place at the right time in two great plays. He cashed in a blitz and intercepted Tannehill in the apartment after a quick pressure from Preston Smith.
LB Ty Summers: He gave Darrynton Evans two solid tackles covering kickoffs, and he broke a pass in half while covering the Titans’ last drive. Packers need it to perform consistently on special teams.
Duds
CB Chandon Sullivan: AJ Brown beat him to a reception on the first descent, and Jonnu Smith was able to gain an advantage on a breakthrough route against his coverage in Tannehill’s touchdown pass at the end of the first half.