Packers shut out Saints to clinch playoff berth
By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports Writer
GREEN BAY, Wis. — With a dominant defense leading the way, the Green Bay Packers clinched a playoff berth by producing their most lopsided win in a decade.
Josh Jacobs gained 107 yards from scrimmage and scored a touchdown for a sixth straight game as the Packers recorded the first shutout of the NFL season, 34-0, over the hapless New Orleans Saints on Monday night.
“Obviously the goal is Super Bowl,” said quarterback Jordan Love, who completed 16 of 28 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown. “That’s the first step right here, to make the playoffs. Obviously this was a big-time game, to clinch that spot. I’m proud of the way we came out there and handled business.”
Green Bay (11-4) secured its fifth postseason appearance in six years with its first shutout since beating Seattle, 17-0, on Nov. 14, 2021. The Saints (5-10) were blanked for the first time since falling, 13-0, to San Francisco on Nov. 27, 2022.
New Orleans played without injured quarterback Derek Carr and running back Alvin Kamara. Rookie Spencer Rattler started at quarterback and finished 15 of 30 for 153 yards with an interception and a fumble.
“We dressed the 48 guys that we dressed,” Saints interim coach Darren Rizzi said. “We’re not going to make excuses. You guys know me well enough by now. I’m not going to make excuses about that. We didn’t perform well enough.”
Green Bay’s margin of victory was its largest since a 55-14 blowout of the Chicago Bears on Nov. 9, 2014.
“A shutout in the NFL is the hardest thing to do, and to do it on prime time is even harder,” Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon said. “To clinch a playoff berth doing that is a hell of a deal.”
The Packers have won nine of their last 11 games, with their only losses during that stretch coming to NFC North rival Detroit Lions. They will enter the playoffs as a wild-card team after being eliminated from division title contention on Sunday.
Jacobs ran for 69 yards and a 2-yard touchdown on 13 carries to lead Green Bay’s 188-yard rushing attack. He also caught four passes for 38 yards.
Chris Brooks and Emanuel Wilson had 1-yard touchdown runs, Dontayvion Wicks had a 2-yard touchdown catch, and Brandon McManus kicked field goals from 55 and 46 yards.
Green Bay’s defense made it a miserable night for Rattler while missing four starters because of injuries: linebacker and leading tackler Quay Walker, cornerback Jaire Alexander and safeties Evan Williams and Javon Bullard. Safety Zayne Anderson had an interception in his first career start.
“What’s really cool is we’re getting contributions from a lot of different people,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “I think that’s usually the mark of a good team.”
The Packers scored touchdowns on each of their first three possessions.
Love found Wicks on third-and-goal to cap the game’s opening drive. Wicks’ touchdown was his fifth of the season and first since Oct. 20 against Houston.
Jacobs’ touchdown capped a 17-play, 96-yard drive that lasted 8:55. It was the Packers’ longest possession of the season in terms of plays and time. The Packers also had a 96-yard march in their 24-19 triumph over the Rams.
The drive included two fourth-down conversions. Love had a 2-yard sneak on fourth-and-1 from the New Orleans 45-yard line to open the second quarter. Love then threw a 14-yard completion to Tucker Kraft on fourth-and-2 from the 35.
Jacobs has rushed for a touchdown in six straight games, putting him one away from the longest such streak in Packers history. Paul Hornung had a touchdown run in seven consecutive games in 1960.
Brooks’ first career touchdown made it 21-0 with 6:28 left in the second quarter. McManus kicked both of his field goals in the second half.
Wilson capped the scoring with 2:41 left on a drive engineered by backup quarterback Malik Willis.
“We finally put a complete game together,” Jacobs said. “That’s something that we’ve been hunting since the beginning of the season. It just feels like our ceiling just keeps going up.”
INJURIES
Saints center Erik McCoy left with an elbow injury. Saints left guard Lucas Patrick got hurt in the closing minutes. Packers wide receiver Christian Watson hurt a knee.
“There’s some concern there, certainly,” LaFleur said of Watson’s injury. “We’re going to get some more testing done (Tuesday).”
UP NEXT
The Saints host Las Vegas on Sunday.
The Packers visit Minnesota on Sunday.