Packers put together complete effort in win
Bills follow up shocking upset victory in Minnesota a week ago with a weak outing
GREEN BAY, WIS. — Aaron Rodgers and Jimmy Graham connected on their first touchdown pass of the year, and the Green Bay Packers put together their most complete defensive effort of the National Football League season in a 22-0 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
Aaron Jones added 65 yards and a score on 11 carries for the Packers, who slowed in the second half after a fast start on offence.
The defence didn’t let up against the Bills. Green Bay (2-1-1) posted its first shutout since a 9-0 win over the Jets in 2010.
Buffalo rookie quarterback Josh Allen accounted for three turnovers, including two interceptions and a fumble late in the fourth quarter. He was 16-of-33 for 151 yards.
“Our defence really was tremendous keeping up pressure (in) all four quarters,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said.
The Bills had a much tougher time on the road in the NFC North, a week after a stunning win at Minnesota.
Buffalo did manage to force Rodgers to throw his first interception of the year. Rodgers also fumbled the ball away early in the fourth quarter after a sack by Taron Johnson.
But a 16-0 lead at the half was more than enough cushion against Buffalo’s feeble offence. Even the return of running back LeSean McCoy, who missed a game because of a rib injury, didn’t help the Bills (1-3).
“We were out of rhythm on
offence. We needed to find some consistency,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said.
Green Bay’s Mason Crosby kicked two 52-yard field goals, bouncing back after an extrapoint attempt in the first quarter hit the right upright.
A physical defence for Green Bay held the Bills to eight punts and three turnovers on their first 11 drives. Allen was sacked seven times, three by Kyler Fackrell.
Things went so well for the D that linebacker Clay Matthews was credited for a half-sack after drawing roughing-the-passer penalties in each of the first three weeks.
Rodgers was 22-of-40 for 298 yards. He had a little more mobility in the pocket, playing a third straight week with a brace on his injured left knee.
Rodgers did misfire on a couple throws. Receivers dropped a couple passes. An offence playing without Randall Cobb because of a hamstring injury also lost Geronimo Allison in the second half after he had to be evaluated for a concussion.
The offence wasn’t quite as effective in the second half.
Still, it was a confidence-building win following a disheartening 14-point loss last week to Washington.
“It’s definitely a win we can correct, learn from and build off of it,” McCarthy said. “It was definitely what we needed, bouncing back from Washington.”