NFL

Miami Dolphins at Green Bay Packers

· National Football League
5-7, 2-4 Away
Final
17 - 30
9-3, 5-2 Home

Love connects with Reed on 2 TDs as Packers use fast start to beat Dolphins 30-17

Jayden Reed goes for seconds with another TD grab

His feast was a long time coming.

Love led the Packers to a Thanksgiving Day triumph in Detroit last year but wasn’t given a turkey leg afterward, as is customary in these televised postgame interviews. His teammates vowed to make sure Love got a turkey leg this time, and he earned it by throwing two touchdown passes to Jayden Reed in a 30-17 win over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night.

“To be able to come in here, get the win, get the turkey leg after, it was very delicious,” said Love, who went 21 of 28 for 274 yards. “Just a little something to celebrate.”

Josh Jacobs brought a turkey platter into the locker room as Green Bay (9-3) commemorated a third straight victory. The Packers, who have won seven of their last eight games, built a 27-3 lead and made a goal-line stand to thwart a comeback attempt.

Miami (5-7) continued its recent history of struggling in cold weather. The kickoff temperature at Lambeau Field was 27 degrees (-2.7 Celsius) with 10 mph winds, light flurries and a wind chill of 18.

“I would say, from my standpoint and our team’s standpoint, we’re not going to use any of that as an excuse for why we didn’t get the start that we wanted,” said Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was 37 of 46 for 365 yards with two touchdowns despite getting sacked five times.

The Dolphins have lost their past 12 regular-season or postseason games in which the temperature at kickoff has been below 40 degrees (4.4 Celsius). The Dolphins’ most recent victory in a game with a kickoff temperature at 40 or lower was a 34-31 overtime triumph at Buffalo on Dec. 24, 2016.

Green Bay is playing three games in a 12-day stretch. The San Francisco 49ers 38-10 on Sunday and will visit the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions next Thursday night.

“I thought we played well for it being a short week," Packers safety Xavier McKinney said. “I thought we came out there and had the right mindset. And we started fast, and that was the key to today’s win.”

Love and Reed connected on touchdown completions of 3 and 12 yards, Jacobs scored from 1 yard out and Brandon McManus kicked two field goals as Green Bay led 27-3 midway through the third quarter.

Miami tried to rally.

Tagovailoa’s 14-yard pass to De’Von Achane – and a 2-point conversion pass to Jaylen Waddle – cut Green Bay’s lead to 27-11 with 2:43 left in third. After Miami stopped Jacobs for a 2-yard loss on third-and-1 to force a punt, the Dolphins drove again and had second-and-goal at the 1 early in the fourth quarter.

“We fought hard," Dolphins defensive lineman Calais Campbell said. “We have no quit in us. I really genuinely believed we were going to give ourselves a chance to win at the end.”

Green Bay's goal-line defense vanquished those hopes. After Rashan Gary stopped Achane on second down and Tagovailoa couldn’t connect with Jonnu Smith on third down, Quay Walker made a fourth-down sack with 9:33 remaining.

A 49-yard completion from Love to Jacobs then set up McManus' 33-yard field goal with 5:02 left. Miami completed the scoring on a deflected 12-yard touchdown pass from Tagovailoa to Tyreek Hill with 3:04 remaining.

Miami’s slow start enabled the Packers to take command.

After forcing a three-and-out on the opening possession, the Dolphins gave Green Bay a first-and-goal opportunity when Malik Washington muffed a punt and Robert Rochell recovered at the 9.

The turnover set up Love’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Reed on third-and-goal.

Green Bay reached the end zone again on its next series as Jacobs' touchdown capped a 12-play, 76-yard drive that lasted nearly seven minutes.

The Dolphins had first-and-goal at the 9 in the second quarter but settled for Jason Sanders’ 33-yard field goal.

Green Bay then scored 10 points in the final 96 seconds of the half to make it 24-3.

On third-and-2 from the 12, Reed caught a pass around the line of scrimmage and used a downfield block from Dontayvion Wicks to reach the end zone. After Tagovailoa overthrew Achane on fourth-and-5 from the Green Bay 38 with 22 seconds left, a couple of completions from Love to Tucker Kraft helped the Packers get into position for McManus’ 46-yard field goal as time expired.

From that point on, it was pretty much just a matter of making sure Love didn't go hungry.

“That was the one thing that was the most important to me, was making sure Jordan got his leg,” Kraft said.

Injuries Packers CB Corey Ballentine hurt his knee on the opening kickoff. Packers DL Arron Mosby was evaluated for a concussion.

Dolphins DB Kader Kohou hurt his back while colliding with Packers WR Christian Watson on a pass incompletion. Dolphins CB Cam Smith injured his shoulder.

Up next Dolphins: Host the New York Jets on Dec. 8.

Packers: At Detroit next Thursday night.

A previous version of this story made a correction noting the Dolphins have lost their last 12 regular-season or postseason games with kickoff temperatures at 40 degrees or below.

How can I watch Dolphins vs. Packers?

  • TV Channel: Dolphins at Packers 2021-22 NFL, week 13 is broadcasted nationally on NBC and Peacock.
  • Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.
    In Canada, viewers can watch Dolphins vs. Packers on DAZN.

Scoring Summary

GB TD 1st Period 12:00 Jayden Reed 3 Yd pass from Jordan Love (Brandon McManus Kick)
GB TD 1st Period 0:55 Josh Jacobs 1 Yd Rush (Brandon McManus Kick)
MIA FG 2nd Period 8:44 Jason Sanders 33 Yd Field Goal
GB TD 2nd Period 1:36 Jayden Reed 12 Yd pass from Jordan Love (Brandon McManus Kick)
GB FG 2nd Period 0:00 Brandon McManus 46 Yd Field Goal
GB FG 3rd Period 7:42 Brandon McManus 24 Yd Field Goal
MIA TD 3rd Period 2:43 De'Von Achane 14 Yd pass from Tua Tagovailoa (Tua Tagovailoa Pass to Jaylen Waddle for Two-Point Conversion)
GB FG 4th Period 5:02 Brandon McManus 33 Yd Field Goal
MIA TD 4th Period 3:04 Tyreek Hill 12 Yd pass from Tua Tagovailoa (Two-Point Pass Conversion Failed)

Statistics

https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/nfl/500/mia.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originMIA https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/nfl/500/gb.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originGB
21 1st Downs 19
20 Passing 1st downs 11
1 Rushing 1st downs 7
0 1st downs from penalties 1
4-14 3rd down efficiency 5-11
3-5 4th down efficiency 0-0
65 Total Plays 53
375 Total Yards 388
5.8 Yards per Play 7.3
9 Total Drives 10
336 Passing 274
37/46 Comp/Att 21/28
6.6 Yards per pass 9.8
0 Interceptions thrown 0
5-29 Sacks-Yards Lost 0-0
39 Rushing 114
14 Rushing Attempts 25
2.8 Yards per rush 4.6
2-4 Red Zone (Made-Att) 3-5
10-75 Penalties 7-44
1 Turnovers 0
1 Fumbles lost 0
0 Interceptions thrown 0
0 Defensive / Special Teams TDs 0
33:04 Possession 26:56
Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers Injuries
NAME, POS STATUS DATE
Mecole Hardman, WR Questionable Mar 18
Jaire Alexander, CB Questionable Feb 26
Jordan Morgan, OT Questionable Feb 11
MarShawn Lloyd, RB Questionable Feb 11
Zayne Anderson, S Questionable Jan 20
Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins Injuries
NAME, POS STATUS DATE
James Daniels, G Questionable Mar 26
Bradley Chubb, LB Questionable Mar 5
Tyreek Hill, WR Questionable Feb 25
Tanner Conner, TE Questionable Feb 17
Tahj Washington, WR Questionable Feb 11

Game Information

Lambeau Field

Location: Green Bay, WI
Attendance: 77,599 · Capacity:

2024 AFC East Standings

TEAM W L PCT T PF PA
Buffalo 13 4 .765 0 525 368
Miami 8 9 .471 0 345 364
New York 5 12 .294 0 338 404
New England 4 13 .235 0 289 417

2024 NFC North Standings

TEAM W L PCT T PF PA
Detroit 15 2 .882 0 564 342
Minnesota 14 3 .824 0 432 332
Green Bay 11 6 .647 0 460 338
Chicago 5 12 .294 0 310 370
Full Standings

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