Jordan Love threw three touchdown passes, including two to Tucker Kraft on National Tight Ends Day, as the Green Bay Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 35-25 on Sunday night.
Love, who backed up Aaron Rodgers in the 2021 and 2022 seasons when Rodgers played for the Steelers, completed 29 of 37 passes for 360 yards. Rodgers was 24 of 36 for 219 yards with two touchdown passes.
Tucker Kraft caught seven passes for 143 yards.
If you didn't already realize Kraft was one of the NFL's best tight ends, perhaps Sunday night helped remind you. The 24-year-old caught seven passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns. He also gained 131 yards after the catch, the third-most in a game by a tight end in the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016), and now has 30 catches for 469 yards and six touchdown catches on the season.
Remember when both Kraft and Love said earlier this season that good things happen when the Packers feed Kraft? Yeah, they were right. -- Matt Schneidman, Packers writer
Rodgers hadn't been sacked in the last two games and entered Week 8 third in the NFL in average time to throw (2.63 seconds), according to Next Gen Stats. The Packers' big-money pass rushers might be a different animal, though, as Micah Parsons and Rashan Gary combined to sack Rodgers three times and twice in the fourth quarter.
The Packers also forced their fourth turnover of the season and second in as many weeks when linebacker Edgerrin Cooper punched the ball loose from running back Kenneth Gainwell in the fourth quarter and safety Javon Bullard recovered. Excluding Pittsburgh's garbage time score, the Packers allowed only three points in the second half after facing a nine-point halftime deficit. -- Schneidman
Packers kicker Brandon McManus was nails for the team last season after they signed him in Week 7, going 21 of 23 on field goals in the regular season and playoffs. After signing a three-year extension this offseason, McManus has been shaky and injured in the first half of this season. Upon returning from a two-game absence due to a right quad injury, the veteran missed two field goals from 44 yards (wide left) and 57 yards (short) and is now 9-for-13 on the season after going 2-for-4 on Sunday night with two chip-shot makes.
Meanwhile, the Packers kept Lucas Havrisik inactive after the fill-in kicker went 4-for-4 on field goals and 6-for-6 on PATs in two games, including a franchise record 61-yarder last Sunday. Despite the win, the Packers need more consistency from their No. 1 kicker. -- Schneidman
When the Steelers poured more resources into their defense this offseason, coach Mike Tomlin said he felt the group had a chance to do something "historic." Turns out, playing at an average level would be an improvement. After an embarrassing outing last Thursday against Joe Flacco and the Bengals, it looked like the Steelers had taken a step in the right direction.
In the first half, the Steeles forced the Packers into a trio of three-and-outs and limited Green Bay's high-powered offense to 14 points. But Love came out of the half and completed his first 20 passes (21 including a two-point conversion). The Packers scored touchdowns on each of their first three second-half possessions with scoring drives of 90 yards, 78 yards and 45 yards to open up a 32-19 lead. Poor tackling, trouble with tight ends and chunk plays proved problematic again. It's the fourth time in seven games the Steelers' defense has surrendered more than 30 points. -- Mike DeFabo, Steelers writer
Coming into this season, the biggest question was: How would Rodgers play at 41 years old and not long removed from an Achilles injury? As it turns out, the quarterback may be the least of the Steelers' concerns. The defense has fallen painfully short of expectations. And offensively, when the Steelers have the necessary balance, they can be effective. However, in obvious passing situations, the Packers' pass rush got home and Pittsburgh failed to fluidly move the ball. -- DeFabo