Recap of the Packers' 30-27 win over the Jaguars in Week 8

The Green Bay Packers took an unconventional route to their fourth straight win, using a great performance from running back Josh Jacobs and some late heroics from backup quarterback Malik Willis to overcome the loss of Jordan Love and beat the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday EverBank Stadium to beat.

Here's what went right, what went wrong, and what it means for the Packers' future:

What went well

— The reaction after Jordan Love's exit. The Packers were down 17-13 on the road and had an injured quarterback. Instead of passing, the Packers went to work. Josh Jacobs made four straight plays for a 16-yard gain, Malik Willis hit Dontayvion Wicks for a third down conversion, Willis gained 20 yards and Jacobs failed on a 38-yard touchdown run. On the third play of the next drive, Edgerrin Cooper beat Trevor Lawrence and Devonte Wyatt scrambled for a fumble recovery. Tucker Kraft's 3-yard touchdown catch a few plays later made it 27-17. Elite response to adversity.

– The game-winning drive included an explosive play, and that was all the Packers needed. The perfect call at the perfect time to win the game.

– The Packers rushed for 170 yards and held the ball for nearly 35 minutes. Jacobs finished the game with 127 yards and an average of 5.1 yards per carry. The Packers had four runs of 10 or more yards.

– Xavier McKinney produced his sixth interception in eight games. The takeaway came after a Jordan Love interception and set up a Packers touchdown. Green Bay scored 14 points from two takeaways.

– Romeo Doubs had two catches for 20 yards, Tucker Kraft had a 67-yard catch and Jayden Reed had a 51-yard catch. Explosive plays were once again the fuel on offense.

– Brandon McManus made all three field goals – all under 40 yards – and all three extra points. In his first two games with the Packers, he was 10-for-10 on kicks and 2-for-2 on game-winners.

– The Packers defense forced three three-and-outs and had interceptions on the first four series. The Jaguars finished the game 1-9 in third place.

– Despite a few early penalties, the Packers finished the game with just three penalties for 20 yards.

What went wrong?

– Jordan Love threw an interception in the red zone and the Packers started 1-for-4 touchdowns inside the 20-yard line. The red zone issues helped keep the Jaguars in the game early as the Packers dominated.

– The Packers defense had trouble coping, particularly against running back Tank Bigsby.

– After a 27-17 lead, the Packers allowed two long scoring drives, including an 87-yard touchdown drive that tied the game. The defense also failed to score quickly at the end of the first half. The 27 points allowed are the third most the Packers have given up this season.

– The Jaguars averaged 7.0 yards per play, including 9.1 yards per pass attempt. Six different Jaguars pass catchers had a reception of 20 or more yards.

– The Packers were 3 of 11 on third down.

– The defense produced only one sack (although it was a strip sack) and only three other quarterback hits. The pressure was sporadic.

What it means

The Packers completed a sweep of the AFC South, improving to 6-2 and setting up a massive showdown for first place in the NFC North next week. Of course, everyone in Green Bay will be holding their breath as Jordan Love's injury status is assessed, but early indications suggest Love has avoided a serious injury. Once again, the Packers had a winning performance from their backup quarterback. Once again, the Packers won without their “A” game. At some point, and probably as early as next week, the Packers will have to be at their best to win a big game. It feels like this year's team has already won 2-3 games that the 2023 Packers would have lost no matter what, including Sunday. Considering what's happened on the injury front at the quarterback position, being 6-2 entering Week 9 should feel like a very good place to be.

Highlights

What's next?

A visit from the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions, who improved to 6-1 with a win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Dan Campbell's team has a legitimate claim to being the best team in the NFL for eight weeks. This could be the biggest game of the Packers season so far, but injury question marks are expected to cast a shadow over this titanic NFC North battle.