Winners and Losers in Packers 20-17 OT Win Over Jets

Sports admin September 20, 2026 0 Comments

Winners and Losers in Packers 20-17 OT Win Over Jets

A week after suffering a devastating fourth-quarter collapse, the Green Bay Packers overcame a late 10-point deficit to defeat the New York Jets, 20-17 in overtime, improving to 1-1 on the season. It wasn’t the perfect outing, but it was good enough to earn their first win of the year.

Here are the winners and losers from the Packers’ remarkable Week 2 victory.

Winners

EDGE Lukas Van Ness

The Packers edge rusher was arguably the game’s MVP. Van Ness was flying all over the field and making huge plays throughout the day, including a sack of Jets quarterback Geno Smith in overtime, helping set up the game-winning field goal.

On the day, Van Ness finished with 10 tackles, four QB hits, three tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Without him, the result on Sunday could’ve been much different.

All in all, it was a great performance by Van Ness, especially after spending the week in concussion protocol.

KR/PR Skyy Moore

If Van Ness was the MVP, Skyy Moore earned best play of the game honors. With 4:49 remaining and the Packers trailing 17-14, Moore returned a punt 63 yards to the New York 19-yard line, setting up the game-tying field goal while helping Green Bay overcome a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit.

Before Moore’s return, the Packers had just cut the Jets’ lead to three and forced a punt on defense. In the end, the play was a momentum shifted, and without it, Green Bay may have come out on the losing end.

K Trey Smack

Aside from a missed extra point, Smack was nearly perfect in his NFL debut last week. In Week 2, he was perfect again, seamlessly hitting arguably the two most pressure-packed kicks of his young career.

Smack was 2-for-2 on Sunday, making a game-tying field goal from 34 yards with 2:59 left before nailing a 26-yarder in overtime, clinching the Packers’ first victory of the season.

Losers

RBs MarShawn Lloyd and Chris Brooks

Kaleb Williams, the Packers’ third running back on their depth chart, finished with eight carries on Sunday, more than both MarShawn Lloyd (6) and Chris Brooks (4). Meanwhile, he averaged 4.0 yards per carry for 32 yards, which was also more than both Lloyd (3.3 YPC, 20 yards) and Brooks (2.8 YPC, 11 yards).

The pair were more involved in the passing game, with Lloyd catching two passes, including one for a six-yard touchdown, and Brooks catching a pass for 15 yards. But that kind of usage isn’t going to prevent Johnson from possibly jumping to the top of the depth chart.

At this point, the Packers’ rushing attack has managed little if anything through two weeks. Allowing Johnson an opportunity to separate himself from the pack in Week 3 wouldn’t be an insane strategy, as nothing else has worked so far.

CB Keisean Nixon

After a standout performance in the season opener, Keisean Nixon regressed back to form Sunday against the Jets. New York made it a point of targeting the Packers cornerback, who allowed five catches for 64 yards and committed two penalties (one declined).

Furthermore, Nixon’s Pro Football Focus grades paint a bleak picture. Out of 13 qualified defenders on the Packers, he finished with the lowest coverage grade (50.0).

HC Matt LaFleur

For a second straight week, head coach Matt LaFleur’s offensive game plan was far too conservative. On Sunday, the Packers went three-and-out five times and had only four drives of five plays or more, managing only 199 yards of total offense.

Too often against the Jets, LaFleur seemed to be coaching not to lose, and against a better opponent, it probably would’ve cost the Packers. Luckily for him, Green Bay’s defense made a crucial fourth-and-short stop at midfield to force overtime, before getting a three-and-out on the first possession of the extra session to set up the offense for a walk-off field goal.

This story was originally published September 20, 2026 at 6:39 PM.