Packers Vs. Steelers - 3 Plays That Make You Go Hmmm

Jersey Al picks out three thought-provoking plays from the Packers' last game.

After re-watching the Packers game, here are three plays that made me go hmmm, for various reasons. In general, I either focus on a theme, more nuanced observations, or just things I didn't notice watching live. These can be but are less likely to be "highlight" plays. I present these to you with a short explanation why I picked them and then let you readers discuss the plays.

Perfection - Getting the ball to Tucker Kraft in the red zone on variations of this play has proven to be perhaps the Packers' most successful red zone play other than just handing off to Josh Jacobs near the goal line. Kraft has shown that once he gets a head of steam, even if you can tackle him, he's going to carry you for more yardage and make you sorry you tried. With Christian Watson back, here the Packers improve on this play by using their two best blocking wide receivers, Watson and Malik Heath, to pave a path to the end zone for Kraft. An underrated aspect of this play is how quickly the ball gets into Kraft's hands. A microsecond slower and TJ Watt knocks down the pass.  A slower execution and the two Steelers in pursuit likely get to Kraft around the 12 yard line. Heath's block springs Kraft and then Watson is just the insurance block, as I don't think any DB was stopping Kraft with a full head of steam inside the five yard line. 

 

Two Out of Three Ain't Bad - The best part of this play is Sean Rhyan. The Steelers send six on this play. Initially he is holding up two pass rushers. When he senses the rusher on his left is going to try to loop around the rusher on his right, he one-handedly throws the right side rusher to the ground and ends up helping out Jenkins with his rusher. Josh Jacobs is there to pick up the loop-around rusher and all is handled on the interior, as it basically became a four-on-four. That left the Packers' tackles one on one with the Steelers' dangerous outside rushers. Zach Tom had the most difficult task, and throughout the game did as fine a job as you can expect on Watt, not giving up a sack and allowing a couple of pressures. Tom was severely tested on this play and in an effort to keep Watt off of Love ends up being called for an illigal use of the hands penalty. Watt's rush forced Love to move to his left and into the path of the speed-rushing Highsmith, who after being chipped by Kraft, was battling with Rasheed Walker. Had Love been able to stay centered in the pocket, Walker likely would have redirected Highsmith past Love, but that wasn't the case. Highsmith and Watt hit Love in a rather dangerous one-two combination, especially with Watt going after Love's legs from behind while Highsmith was taking him down. This was originally flagged as a penalty on Watt, but it was called off, as they said he was pushed into Love by Tom. Watching it in slow motion, the saving grace was that Highsmith's hit lifted Love's feet off the ground and that's where they were when Watt submarined him from behind. Had Love's feet been planted, this play could have had a very bad outcome.

 

WTF? Keisean - While this play certainly flummoxed me, it didn't make me go Hmmm, it was much more of a WTF? This is the second time now that Keisean has either 1) given up on a receiver's route or 2) completely lost track of his man downfield. Whatever the reason, big plays ensued and this is not something that can be excused. Pass interference penalties where you're being aggressive in trying to stop a completion happen, and they are easier to accept. As the leader of the Carrington Valentine fan club, I can tell you one thing, this type of lapse would not happen to Valentine. If the receiver ran off the field into the locker room to take a piss, Valentine would have follow him there. Nixon needs to clean this up.

 

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"Jersey Al" Bracco is the Editor-In-Chief, part owner and wearer of various hats for CheeseheadTV.com and PackersTalk.com. He's a lifetime Packers fan living in the land of the Giants (and Jets). Follow Al on twitter at @JerseyalGBP

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Comments (27)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
Snap the ball's picture

October 28, 2025 at 01:42 pm

On to this week

We have a top 10 defensive coming into Lambeau with a good D coordinator

Time for focus on this week

Your only as good as your last play in the NFL

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Snap the ball's picture

October 28, 2025 at 01:43 pm

K Nixon got a flag thrown for pass interference because Rogers threw up his hands

That wasn’t pass interference. Horrible call. The guy was hugging him

Was great Defense

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Ya_tittle's picture

October 28, 2025 at 01:50 pm

I agree. BS call

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PeteK's picture

October 28, 2025 at 03:44 pm

AR was not a happy camper, and I'm sure made many lip readers blush.

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splitpea1's picture

October 28, 2025 at 03:33 pm

Play 1: These throws to the flat are one of the Packers' signature plays because everyone knows how to block. In the Williams TD on the opposite side of the field, you have Fitzpatrick, Brooks, and even Golden helping to buy enough time for Williams to get around the corner and score.

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TheKanataThrilla's picture

October 28, 2025 at 03:50 pm

I am pretty sure they picked up the flag on Watt on play 2. I thought hitting low was illegal when also getting hit high. I am not sure what the explanation was, but I am pretty sure only Tom was flagged on the play.

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crayzpackfan's picture

October 28, 2025 at 03:56 pm

I think the ref said the Watt was pushed into the blocker

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jannes bjornson's picture

October 28, 2025 at 04:59 pm

Love was high-lowed. Watt could have pulled off. A Vegas call.

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ThunderFromDownunder's picture

October 28, 2025 at 03:52 pm

I have to admit I didn't see the starting line ups and when Keisean was burnt on that play I threw my hands up and said bloody Hobbs .

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Spock's picture

October 28, 2025 at 03:59 pm

"Perfection" play one. On tv they pointed out that Love had to adjust the ANGLE of his throw (flatten it out) just to get it out under Watt's extended arms. Helluva throw. The journal-sentinel dudes (Spoon, Wood, etc.) made a great comment about how, now that Watson is back, his speed and downfield routes will open up the middle of the field gaps for Kraft even more! That is exciting to contemplate.

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Ihappydirt's picture

October 28, 2025 at 04:01 pm

Watt wasn't flagged for that bad hit. Tom was flagged for the hands to the face. I was arguing with my buddy, a Steelers fan that it should have been off-setting and replay the down.

The refs said Tom blocked him into Love, but if you watch the replay (11 or so minutes left in the second), Tom tries to block him away from Love and Watt fights to get back to Love's legs.

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Starrbrite's picture

October 28, 2025 at 04:58 pm

That’s also what I saw.

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canadapacker's picture

October 28, 2025 at 04:28 pm

Refereeing was horrible - Nixon was horrible but the first PI call on him was soft soft soft and the second was obvious and his coverage on the long first pass was brutal as was his trying to catch the punt. And they missed the obvious off side by our D and AR was crazy and that made the officials looked worse than high school. And the penalty on Tom was brutal and should have been offsetting with the face mask

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Starrbrite's picture

October 28, 2025 at 05:00 pm

Completely agree Canada.
One another topic-the BlueJays look to be in trouble—one of the most exciting baseball games I’ve ever watched last night.

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mnbadger's picture

October 29, 2025 at 09:43 am

I'm reading this comment Wednesday morning after jays take game 4.
Looking better now, but I'm a brewers fan and have payroll envy so I want them both to lose!
GPG!

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canadapacker's picture

October 29, 2025 at 01:21 pm

Vlady has made money for the Jays, Toronto and Rogers - this extra 1 possibly 2 home games might even pay his whole salary off - especially in US dollars coming in.

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TKWorldWide's picture

October 28, 2025 at 04:28 pm

I’d like to hear Nixon explain what he was seeing, doing, and thinking on that play. It sure looked bad to me.

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pantz_bURp's picture

October 28, 2025 at 04:43 pm

Keisean, what were you thinking/doing out there in coverage and then attempting to field the punt?

**On to the Panthers, it's all water(gate) under the bridge at this point.**

Yo barkeep, pass the pretzels and mustard down here please. I'll give shake of the day a try as well since your up.

*now looking for Minnie Riperton's hit on the ol' jukebox.

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LeotisHarris's picture

October 28, 2025 at 05:35 pm

I read somewhere that Tom was called for an illegal use of the hands penalty on that play. I guess It was originally flagged as a penalty on Watt, but that was called off, because they said he was pushed into Love by Tom. Can't for the life of me remember where the hell I read that. Gettin' old, I guess.

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JerseyAl's picture

October 29, 2025 at 09:33 am

Yes, part of the problem with rewatching on All-22 is you don't get any context on things like penalties. After watching a third time on the TV broadcast, I realized what happened (two penalties, Watt's waved off, Tom's remained) and fixed my commentary above. Pitt declined the penalty on Tom since it was now 4th down and nine for the Packers.

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mnbadger's picture

October 29, 2025 at 09:45 am

A trustworthy journalist admits and corrects mistakes.
Well done Al.
GPG!

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LambeauPlain's picture

October 29, 2025 at 09:51 am

I heard the ref state after saying Watt's was waved off that "the penalties offset" which was strange. And I do not believe penalty yardage was assessed.

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JerseyAl's picture

October 29, 2025 at 09:59 am

They didn't offset. Pittsburgh declined the penalty on Tom since it was now 4th and 9.

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LambeauPlain's picture

October 29, 2025 at 10:12 am

That's right. Doh!

Thanks. Maybe the ref said penalties don't offset?

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Ihappydirt's picture

October 29, 2025 at 01:03 pm

That makes sense. The All-22 is good for other things, of course. How often was Golden open when Jordan didn't see him?

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LambeauPlain's picture

October 29, 2025 at 09:48 am

"Two Out of Three Ain't Bad"

Maybe I am wrong this... but the initial confab by the lousy officiating team was a high low into Love and hands to the face by Tom.

Then the ref stated Watt was blocked into the QB so no foul there and I swear he said penalties offset and I did not see any yardage walked off against the Packers. Just treated like an incomplete pass.

Was there no penalty enforced on GB?

The officiating crew was irritating and sloppy and emblematic of one aspect that is hurting the NFL...the Rise of the Zebras.

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JerseyAl's picture

October 29, 2025 at 10:01 am

Pitt declined the penalty on Tom since it was now 4th down and nine.

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