The Green Bay Packers got huge plays from the defense to power a season-saving win over the Miami Dolphins on Christmas Day.
Four takeaways and 16 straight points to finish the game got the job done at Hard Rock Stadium.
Based on grades from Pro Football Focus, here are the best and worst performers from the Packers’ Week 16 win over the Dolphins:
Top 5 offense
1. TE Marcedes Lewis: 81.3
2. WR Christian Watson: 78.9
3. QB Aaron Rodgers: 74.9
4. LT Zach Tom: 71.7
5. RT Yosh Nijman: 71.4
Lewis hauled in a touchdown pass on fourth down and a 31-yarder on a diving, over-the-shoulder catch. Watson turned eight targets into 49 receiving yards on just 20 routes run. Rodgers was terrific against the blitz and off play-action. Tom gave up just two pressures and was the highest-graded offensive lineman in pass protection. Nijman didn’t give up a pressure and was good in the run game before exiting with a shoulder injury after 18 snaps.
Top 5 defense
1. OLB Preston Smith: 90.0
2. DL Jarran Reed: 89.9
3. CB Jaire Alexander: 72.0
4. S Darnell Savage: 68.1
5. CB Rasul Douglas: 64.9
Smith delivered two pressures (sack, hit) and three total stops. Reed had a team-high four pressures and four stops, plus a forced fumble. Alexander missed a tackle and gave up five completions but also created two stops and an interception in coverage. Savage entered the game as a backup and didn’t allow a completion in coverage. Douglas had a pass-breakup on third down and the game-sealing interception.
Bottom 5 offense
1. WR Randall Cobb: 48.3
2. RB Aaron Jones: 52.0
3. TE Josiah Deguara: 54.4
4. RT Royce Newman: 54.5
5. TE Robert Tonyan: 59.5
Cobb ran 21 routes but caught just one pass for five yards on two targets, and he failed to complete his one contested catch opportunity. Jones had just nine receiving yards on 12 routes and forced just one missed tackle on seven rushes. Deguara caught just one pass and was merely average as a blocker over 20 snaps. Newman was penalized twice and earned the offensive line’s lowest run-blocking grade. Tonyan caught one pass for 13 yards over 26 routes.
Bottom 5 defense
1. LB Quay Walker: 36.1
2. S Adrian Amos: 48.1
3. OLB Kingsley Enagbare: 49.3
4. DL Devonte Wyatt: 49.9
5. S Rudy Ford: 54.4
Walker missed a tackle and got picked on in zone coverage in the middle of the field. Amos was charged with giving up two catches for 68 yards, including Tyreek Hill’s 52-yarder. Enagbare had one quarterback hit and a batted pass but otherwise struggled as a pass-rusher. Wyatt had two pressures but earned a poor run-defense grade. Ford was assigned the coverage on Jaylen Waddle’s 84-yard touchdown.
Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers: 74.9
Rodgers was excellent against the blitz, completing 17 of 23 passes for 180 yards and a touchdown when the Dolphins brought pressure. He also hit on 8-of-10 passes off play-action. Overall, Rodgers had two “big-time throws” and two “turnover-worthy plays.”
Special teams
Innis Gaines led the way with two special teams tackles, while Tariq Carpenter and Dallin Leavitt contributed three other tackles. Eric Wilson had a penalty but otherwise earned the top special teams grade. Mason Crosby was a perfect 6-for-6 on kicks (four field goals, two extra points).
Rookie spotlight
Fourth-round pick Zach Tom, who started his third straight game at left tackle, gave up just two pressures (both hurries). Over his last three starts, Tom has given up just four total pressures and zero sacks over 114 pass-blocking snaps.
