2024 Week 15 — Packers at Seahawks

Packers getting healthier as season winds down

Associated Press

Green Bay (9-4) at Seattle (8-5)

Day / Time / TV: Sunday, 7:20 p.m. CST, NBC

Series record: Green Bay leads 15-9

Last meeting: Nov. 14, 2021, Packers win 17-0 at Lambeau Field.

Last week: Packers lost 34-31 to the Detroit Lions. Seahawks beat the Arizona Cardinals 30-18.

Packers offense: overall (6), rush (5), pass (11), scoring (7)

Packers defense: overall (13), rush (9), pass (21), scoring (9)

Seahawks offense: overall (13), rush (27), pass (3), scoring (15)

Seahawks defense: overall (18), rush (21), pass (10), scoring (11)

Turnover differential: Green Bay +9; Seattle -4 (22)

While other teams around the NFL are seeing their injury lists grow as the season winds down, the Green Bay Packers appear to be getting healthy at just the right time. Not only is quarterback Jordan Love looking like himself after dealing with early-season left knee and groin injuries, but the rest of the roster is getting better, too. “I think every team that can realize their potential needs to be as healthy as they can be. And injuries are a part of this business,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “It is what it is in terms of the next man up, but obviously, you want the guys that are your starters to be available — especially as you get closer to the end of the year.”

Love certainly has been rolling of late, completing 67.1% of his passes for 904 yards with six touchdowns and one interception (118.8 passer rating) over the past four games, owing some of his hot streak to simply being healthy again. “The name of the game is trying to stay as healthy as possible, especially late into the season,” Love said. “There’s definitely injuries that stack up and guys being out. To have everybody relatively healthy and to be able to have our top guys out there would be huge for us.”

The Packers (9-4) head into their Sunday night matchup with the Seahawks (8-5) in Seattle with only one player having been unable to take part in Wednesday’s practice at all: safety Javon Bullard. LaFleur said Bullard is week-to-week with an ankle injury he suffered in the team’s Dec. 5 loss at Detroit.

The Packers got full participation from Jaire Alexander, who has missed four of the team’s last five games with a knee injury suffered at Jacksonville on Oct. 27, and wide receiver Romeo Doubs, who has missed the last two games with a concussion he suffered against San Francisco on Nov. 24. Although Alexander had practiced on a limited basis in recent weeks, he has missed the last three games and pulled himself out of the team’s Nov. 17 win at Chicago because of his knee. Getting Alexander back to face Seahawks receivers DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba would give a major lift to the Packers’ pass defense, currently ranked 21st with 222.2 yards per game allowed. “When I was watching him, he looked like he was moving around well, and we’ll just see how it transpires throughout the course of the week,” LaFleur said. “Hopefully, he’ll be ready to roll.”

LaFleur said Doubs and rookie safety Evan Williams, who left the Packers’ 34-31 loss to the Lions because of a concussion, are still in the concussion protocol. But Williams was able to practice on a limited basis. Meanwhile, tight end Luke Musgrave, who hasn’t played a snap since injuring his left ankle during a a Sept. 29 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, has been designated for return from injured reserve. Musgrave took part in practice for the first time since undergoing surgery in early October to repair a torn ligament in the ankle. He said he only did individual drill work Wednesday, making it unlikely he would be activated this week. “Just going to ease back into it, but I feel good,” Musgrave said. “Still getting the cutting back, but overall, it feels good.”

Love heats up

When the Packers surged their way into the playoffs last season, quarterback Jordan Love was a major reason why. He had 18 touchdown passes and one interception during Green Bay’s final eight games.

During the last four games of this season, Love ranks third in the NFL with a 118.9 passer rating with six touchdowns, one interception and a league-best 10.3 yards per attempt.

“I always feel like I can put the ball where I want to — and that’s part of it, too, having that confidence to be able to throw those passes,” Love said. “There’s always like I said a handful of plays that might not come off or be in the exact spot that you wanted it to or the throw might be a little bit off. So, that’s where you’ve just got to try to be at your best every play, be consistent and accurate as possible.”

Passing fancy

Green Bay’s pass defense has been picked apart the last two weeks. First, it was torched by Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins in a Packers win. Next, it allowed Jared Goff to complete his final 13 passes as the Lions rallied to victory.

It won’t get any easier this week. Smith is second in the NFL in attempts, completions and passing yards and is fifth in completion percentage.

“It’s been a remarkable turnaround for him in terms of just where he started,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “It’s not always where you start, but where you finish. And it tells me a lot about the person in terms of his resiliency and ability to fight through some adversity. He’s a dangerous quarterback.”

The potential return of former All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) could help the Packers.

Fashion forward

Will the Packers break out their head-to-toe white uniforms? The last time Green Bay wore the winter white look was in a 24-22 win over Houston in October. The Packers asked fans to weigh in on social media.

As for the Seahawks, they’ll be sporting their “Action Green” uniforms. Metcalf is a fan.

“I would say this about the Action Green, I love them personally in my opinion, but the big guys hate them. I don’t know why, don’t ask me,” he said. “Hopefully, the Packers wear all white, so it’ll be a fun-looking game.”

Packers player to watch

Josh Jacobs, who signed a four-year, $48 million deal with the Packers in the offseason, looks to be matching his 2022 All-Pro form. That year he rushed for 1,653 yards with 12 TDs for the Raiders. This season he’s run for 1,053 yards and 11 scores. He’s on a roll, with three-touchdown games in two of his past three and he’s scored eight times total over four games.

Seahawks player to watch

Zach Charbonnet had a career-high 134 yards rushing and two touchdowns in the victory over the Cardinals last week. Carbonnet was pressed into starting duty with Kenneth Walker sidelined by ankle and calf issues. Charbonnet needs 63 yards rushing to surpass his total last year (462) as a rookie. He needs three more rushing scores to become the first Seahawks player with at least 10 since Marshawn Lynch in 2014.

Key matchup

The Packers offense overall appears to have the upper hand with the steady leadership of quarterback Jordan Love, so Seattle’s chances may hinge on how Green Bay’s pass defense holds up against Geno Smith and the Seahawks passing offense, ranked third in the league. Smith has thrown for 3,474 yards and 14 touchdowns this season, but he’s also got 12 interceptions.

Key injuries

Packers tight end Luke Musgrave participated in individual drills this week. CB Jaire Alexander (knee), who has missed the past three games, and WR Romeo Doubs (concussion), who has missed the past two, practiced this week and appear close to returning. LB Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring), who missed the past three games, also returned to practice this week.

Seattle’s Kenneth Walker III missed the game against the Cardinals because of an ankle/calf injury. He’s run for a team-best 542 yards and seven TDs this season. He was listed as questionable for the game. Cornerback Tre Brown, who was inactive against the Cardinals because of a hamstring injury, is also questionable.

Series notes

The Seahawks have won the past three at home, but the Packers have won four of the past five since 2015. Three of those victories came at Lambeau Field, including the latest one on Nov. 14, 2021. Green Bay blanked Seattle 17-0. The Packers have not visited Seattle since 2018.

Stats and stuff

The Seahawks, coming off a 30-18 road win over Arizona, have won four straight and are atop the tight NFC West… The Packers can technically clinch a playoff berth this weekend but it involves two unlikely scenarios. According to the NFL, the Packers can clinch with a win in Seattle, a loss or tie by the Atlanta Falcons and a tie between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers… The Packers’ most recent win in the series against the Seahawks was 17-0 at Lambeau Field in 2021. That’s the only shutout during coach Matt LaFleur’s six-year tenure… LaFleur has won 10 in a row against the NFC West… Over the course of a four-game winning streak heading into Sunday night’s game, the Seahawks have allowed an average of just 15.5 points a game… The Packers are No. 1 with 97 points off turnovers while Seattle has the eighth-most giveaways… Green Bay’s 34-31 loss to Detroit last Thursday night averaged 17.29 million viewers, making it the most-streamed NFL regular-season game in history and Amazon Prime Video’s most-watched game since exclusively taking over the prime-time package in 2022… Seattle receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba needs 89 yards for his first career 1,000-yard season… The Packers have won 10 consecutive regular-season games against NFC West foes… The Packers have won seven of their past nine games… Seattle QB Geno Smith needs one 300-yard game to tie Russell Wilson for single-season franchise record with five… Green Bay has two wins against teams with winning records: the Texans (8-5) and Rams (7-6), both of which were reeling from injuries, while losses have come against Detroit (12-1; twice), Minnesota (11-2) and Philadelphia (11-2).

Week 15 NFL Schedule

Thursday, December 12

Los Angeles Rams 12, San Francisco 49ers 6

Sunday, December 15

Dallas Cowboys 30, Carolina Panthers 14

Kansas City Chiefs 21, Cleveland Browns 7

Miami Dolphins 12, Houston Texans 20

New York Jets 32, Jacksonville Jaguars 25

Washington Commanders 20, New Orleans Saints 19

Baltimore Ravens 35, New York Giants 14

Cincinnati Bengals 37, Tennessee Titans 27

New England Patriots 17, Arizona Cardinals 30

Indianapolis Colts 13,  at Denver Broncos 31

Buffalo Bills 48, Detroit Lions 42

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 40, Los Angeles Chargers 17

Pittsburgh Steelers 13, Philadelphia Eagles 27

Green Bay Packers 30, Seattle Seahawks 13

Monday, December 16

Chicago Bears 12, Minnesota Vikings 30

Atlanta Falcons 9, Las Vegas Raiders 15

2024 Week 14 — Packers at Lions

NFC-leading Lions host Packers, aiming for franchise-record, 11-game winning streak, playoff spot

Associated Press

Green Bay (9-3) at Detroit (11-1)

Day / Time / TV: Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EST, Amazon Prime Video.

Series record: Packers 106-77-7.

Last meeting: Lions beat Packers 24-14 in Green Bay on Nov. 3.

Last week: Packers beat Dolphins 30-17; Lions beat Bears 23-20.

Packers offense: overall (3), rush (5), pass (8), scoring (8).

Packers defense: overall (12), rush (8), pass (19), scoring (T-9).

Lions offense: overall (2), rush (4), pass (5), scoring (1).

Lions defense: overall (10), rush (5), pass (25), scoring (3).

Turnover differential: Packers plus-9; Lions plus-8.

The Green Bay Packers believe they’ve come a long way since they last faced the Detroit Lions nearly a month ago. They get a chance to prove it Thursday when they visit Detroit to close a stretch of three games in 12 days. The Packers need to win that game — and avenge a 24-14 loss from Nov. 3 — to have any realistic chance of contending for the NFC North title Although the Packers (9-3) have put themselves in good shape to earn a playoff berth by winning three straight and seven of their last eight, they remain two games behind the Lions (11-1) and a half-game behind Minnesota (9-2) in the NFC North. They also already lost at home to both teams.

That makes Thursday’s game critical. “With how much the guys are winning on the other side, we’ve got to do everything right from here on out,” running back Josh Jacobs said after the Packers’ 30-17 Thursday night victory over the Miami Dolphins. “That’s what we’re trying to do.”  Packers coach Matt LaFleur acknowledges the challenge the Packers will face in Detroit. He calls the Lions “the premier team in the National Football League.” But he also believes the Packers are playing their best football of the season. They built a 27-3 lead against Miami four nights after rolling to a 38-10 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

Those fast starts represent a sharp contrast from their loss to the Lions at Lambeau Field. The Packers allowed the Lions to grab a 24-3 lead in that one. “The one thing that stands out to me is just we’re being physical in every phase of football, and I think that’s going to do us well,” LaFleur said Thursday night. “I think that gives you a chance each and every week, just, and it shows up all over the tape, whether it’s our linebackers hitting people, whether it’s up front, our receivers blocking.” Packers center Josh Myers agrees that the Packers are playing better than they were for that last Lions game. “I feel like we just found our rhythm,” Myers said. “We’ve settled in. That whole time you kept hearing complementary football being thrown around everywhere, I feel like we’re doing that now.”

What’s working

The Packers avoided committing a turnover for a second straight game… Green Bay sacked Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa five times and held Miami’s offense to three points over the first 2½ quarters…  After limiting San Francisco to 44 yards on 16 carries, the Packers held Miami to 39 yards on 14 rushes… The Packers built a big lead early for a second straight game, as they got three touchdowns and two field goals out of their first seven possessions… The offensive line didn’t allow a sack.

What needs work

When Tagovailoa had enough time to throw, the Packers had trouble containing him. Tagovailoa threw for 365 yards, the highest total Green Bay had allowed this season… The Packers had a handful of pre-snap offside or false-start penalties in the first half.

Stock up

QB Jordan Love has thrown four touchdown passes without an interception over his last two games… WR Jayden Reed scored two touchdowns to increase his season total to seven (six receiving, one rushing)… TE Tucker Kraft matched a career high with six catches and had a team-high 74 yards receiving… CB Robert Rochell earned a game ball after recovering a muffed punt to set up the Packers’ first touchdown… DL Lukas Van Ness has recorded a sack in two straight games… K Brandon McManus was 3 of 3 on field-goal attempts and is 9 of 10 since joining the Packers.

Stock down

LG Elgton Jenkins had an unnecessary roughness penalty that turned a potential fourth-and-goal from the 1 into fourth-and-goal from the 15. The Packers settled for a 33-yard field goal from McManus on that drive.

Key numbers

65 — LaFleur improved his regular-season record to 65-30 and moved into sole possession of second place for regular-season wins by a coach in his first six seasons, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. LaFleur had been tied for second place with Bill Cowher, Mike Holmgren and Andy Reid. The record is owned by George Seifert, who had a 75-21 regular-season record from 1989-94 in his first six years as San Francisco’s coach.

Next steps

The Packers will try to win in Detroit for a second straight season. The road team has won the last four games in this series.

Packers player to watch

WR Jayden Reed. The former Michigan State star caught five passes for 113 yards last month against the Lions. He had a career-high two TD catches against Miami. Reed leads the team with 44 catches and 693 yards receiving. Reed has seven TDs, including one rushing.

Lions player to watch

S Brian Branch. He was ejected in the second quarter of the game in Green Bay after landing a helmet-to-helmet hit on Packers receiver Bo Melton. He also was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for extending both of his middle fingers toward the Lambeau Field crowd as he walked off the field.

Key matchup

Detroit’s running game against Green Bay’s defense. Jahmyr Gibbs has 973 yards rushing and David Montgomery has 720 yards on the ground for the Lions and both have scored 11 combined touchdowns. The Packers allowed fewer than 45 yards rushing in each of their past two games, pulling that feat off in consecutive weeks for the first time since 1995 and second time since 1950.

Key injuries

Packers CB Jaire Alexander (knee) and LB Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring) have missed two straight games… WR Romeo Doubs (concussion) sat out last week… CB Corey Ballentine hurt his knee on the opening kickoff last week and didn’t practice Tuesday… Detroit is prepared to play without OT Taylor Decker (shoulder), DL Josh Paschal (knee) and DL Levi (hamstring)… DT DJ Reader (shoulder) missed multiple practices this week… The Lions are hoping CBs Carlton Davis (knee) and Emmanuel Moseley (hamstring) will be cleared after being inactive last week… LB Malcolm Rodriguez had a season-ending knee injury against Chicago.

Series notes

Detroit has won five of the past six meetings, its best stretch of success in the series since the early 1980s… Last month in Green Bay, the Lions won after Kerby Joseph scored on a 27-yard interception return and they converted two fourth downs into touchdowns. The Packers outgained Detroit 411-261 in the setback. ... Green Bay is 2-0 against the Lions in the playoffs, beating them at home and away by four points each time in the 1993 and ’94 seasons.

Stats and stuff

Detroit, Green Bay and Minnesota (10-2) are the first three three teams in a division to enter Week 14 with at least nine wins since the AFC East in 1985… The Packers have won their past five division road games, including a 29-22 win at Detroit last year on Thanksgiving when Jordan Love threw a 53-yard TD to Christian Watson on the game’s first play and finished with three TDs… Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur, who is from Michigan, has won 65 regular-season games and George Siefert (75) is the only coach in league history to win more in his first six years… The Packers are appearing in prime time for the second of four straight games… Green Bay and Detroit will each play their third game in 12 days… Love had a career-high passer rating last week and has thrown a combined 4 TDs without an INT over the past two games… The Packers have scored 90 points off turnovers this season and Buffalo (91 points) is the only team with more points from a defense… DE Rashan Gary, drafted No. 12 overall from Michigan in 2019, has a team-high 4½ sacks. Gary matched a career high with three sacks last year at Detroit, where he also forced two fumbles and recovered one… Packers S Xavier McKinney and Lions S Kerby Joseph are tied for the NFL lead in seven INTs — two more than any other player… Packers RB Josh Jacobs has 987 yards rushing to rank third in the league and Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs (973) is fourth entering Week 14… The Lions clinch a playoff bid with a win or tie. They can also qualify for a spot with a setback in scenarios that include Atlanta or Tampa Bay losing… Detroit has won 10 straight, matching the franchise record with the 1934 team, and has won 11 of its first 12 games for the first time… The Lions led the league in Pro Bowl votes after the opening week with Gibbs ranking fifth among all players in voting… Detroit is 8-2 in prime time with coach Dan Campbell… Jared Goff is one of six NFL players with at least 100 TD passes with two teams, joining Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Carson Palmer, Kurt Warner and Fran Tarkenton… WR Amon-Ra St. Brown has 391 catches, putting him in a position to become the third player in league history to have 400 receptions in the first four years of a career, joining Michael Thomas (470 receptions) and Jarvis Landry (400)… S Kerby Joseph has four INTs in four games against Green Bay.

Week 14 NFL Schedule

All Times Central

Thursday, December 5

Green Bay Packers 31, Detroit Lions 34

Sunday, December 8

New York Jets 26, Miami Dolphins 32

Atlanta Falcons 21, Minnesota Vikings 42

New Orleans Saints 14, New York Giants 11

Carolina Panthers 16, Philadelphia Eagles 22

Cleveland Browns 14, Pittsburgh Steelers 27

Las Vegas Raiders 13, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 28

Jacksonville Jaguars 10, Tennessee Titans 6

Seattle Seahawks 30, Arizona Cardinals 18

Buffalo Bills 42, Los Angeles Rams 44

Chicago Bears 13, San Francisco 49ers 38

Los Angeles Chargers 17, Kansas City Chiefs 19

Monday, December 9

Cincinnati Bengals 27, Dallas Cowboys 20

2024 Week 13 — Dolphins at Packers

Tagovailoa hopes to continue his hot streak while playing in cold weather at Green Bay

The Associated Press

Miami (5-6) at Green Bay (8-3)

Day / TIME / TV: Thursday, 7:20 p.m. CST, NBC, Peacock
Series record: Dolphins lead 14-9
Last meeting: Packers won 26-20 at Miami on Dec. 25, 2022
Last week: Dolphins won 34-15 at home over Patriots; Packers won 38-10 at home over 49ers
Dolphins offense: overall (19), rush (16), pass (19), scoring (24)
Packers offense: overall (T-5), rush (3), pass (11), scoring (8)
Dolphins defense: overall (7), rush (9), pass (8), scoring (11)
Packers defense: overall (11), rush (12), pass (11), scoring (10)
Turnover differential: Dolphins minus-1; Packers plus-8

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa hopes to continue his hot streak in the cold when he and the Miami Dolphins visit Lambeau Field for a Thanksgiving night matchup against the Green Bay Packers.
Tagovailoa has thrown a combined seven touchdown passes without an interception in his past two games, home victories over Las Vegas and New England. He could have a tough time keeping up that pace at Green Bay, where the Thanksgiving forecast calls for high temperatures in the 30s and lows in the mid-20s.

The Dolphins have lost their past 11 regular-season or postseason games in which the kickoff temperature has been below 40 degrees, according to Sportradar. The Dolphins’ most recent victory in a game with a kickoff temperature at 40 or lower was a 34-31 overtime triumph at Buffalo on Dec. 24, 2016.

“We’re obviously nowhere near the temperatures where all these other cold teams play at being in Miami, where it’s 80,” said Tagovailoa, who grew up in Hawaii and attended college at Alabama. “Sometimes it gets down to 50, but it just gets nowhere near the teams that make it in long stretches. To me it’s just a mindset, that’s really all it is.”

Tagovailoa already has faced much worse conditions.

He went 20 of 39 for 199 yards with one interception and one touchdown last season when the Dolphins lost a playoff game 26-7 at Kansas City, where it was minus-4 degrees at kickoff with a wind chill of minus-27. Tagovailoa wore a glove on his right hand that night but said he probably won’t do that Thursday.

“I think for a lot of our guys last time that were able to play in that game against Kansas City, it kind of gave you a different perspective of what cold really was,” Tagovailoa said.

The Dolphins (5-6) are seeking their fourth straight victory. The Packers (8-3) have won their past two games, including a 38-10 blowout of the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. This marks the first time the Dolphins have faced the Packers since a Christmas Day 2002 game in which Tagovailoa threw three fourth-quarter interceptions. Green Bay rallied for a 26-20 road win, and it was later determined that Tagovailoa had sustained a concussion during that game.

The Packers realize they’ll face a major challenge containing him and the Dolphins speedy receivers Thursday. Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Tagovailoa is “as good as it gets in this league” at throwing with anticipation. “When the ball’s coming out as quick as it does with him and he puts it on the money, it gives those guys the opportunity to run after catch,” LaFleur said. “And we all know the speed that these guys have — it’s unlike probably any team in the National Football League.”

Familiar faces

Tagovailoa remembers how competitive practices at Alabama were with former college teammates Josh Jacobs and Xavier McKinney. Jacobs, a running back, and McKinney, a safety, are with the Packers. “Those were fun practices,” Tagovailoa said. “Being able to go against those guys, I know ‘X’ knows what he’s going to get out of me, and I know exactly what he’s going to bring to the table, too.” McKinney is tied for the NFL lead with seven interceptions this season. Jacobs is third in the NFL with 944 yards entering Week 13.

Another Thanksgiving assignment

This marks the second straight year the Packers have followed up a Sunday game by playing on Thanksgiving. They’re hoping to match the success they had last year, when they won 29-22 at Detroit four days after beating the Los Angeles Chargers at home. “We know what we have to do,” Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker said. “Just from us getting a whole bunch of mental reps, we’re going to come out and play fast on Thursday.”

Productive tight ends

Miami’s Jonnu Smith has 188 yards receiving on 15 catches with three touchdowns over his past two games. During Miami’s three-game winning streak, Smith has more catches (18) and targets (23) than Tyreek Hill (15 catches on 18 targets) and Jaylen Waddle (13 catches on 18 targets), Miami’s two leading receivers last season. The Packers have their own quality tight end in Tucker Kraft, who scored his sixth touchdown of the season Sunday.

LaFleur’s milestone

Green Bay’s victory over the 49ers improved LaFleur’s regular-season record to 64-30. He has tied Bill Cowher, Mike Holmgren and Andy Reid for the second-highest win total by a head coach in his first six NFL seasons, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The record is owned by George Seifert, who had a 75-21 regular-season record from 1989-94, his first six seasons as the 49ers coach.

Key matchup

Packers RB Josh Jacobs vs. Dolphins run defense: Jacobs rushed for three touchdowns Sunday and has seven total touchdowns (six rushing, one receiving) over his past five games. He has rushed for 944 yards this season to rank third in the NFL, behind only Philadelphia’s Saquon Barkley and Baltimore’s Derrick Henry entering Week 13. The Dolphins allow 106.9 yards rushing per game to rank ninth in the NFL.

Key injuries

Dolphins: CB Kendall Fuller will likely miss his third straight game because of a concussion… LB Anthony Walker Jr. could miss the game after suffering a hamstring injury last week. Coach Mike McDaniel said he doesn’t expect the injury to keep Walker out for an extended period of time… OL Isaiah Wynn (quad, knee) was activated from the physically unable to perform list on Monday and could make his season debut… Packers WR Romeo Doubs left the 49ers game with a concussion… Packers CB Jaire Alexander (knee) has played only one half of football in the past three games. He didn’t play at all Sunday… Packers LB Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring) also didn’t play Sunday.

Series notes

Although the Dolphins lead the series, the Packers have won the past three matchups and six of the past eight. Miami beat Green Bay eight straight times before the Packers finally beat them for the first time on Sept. 14, 1997… The Packers intercepted Tagovailoa three times in their most recent meeting. Miami’s Jaylen Waddle had five catches for 143 yards and a touchdown and Tyreek Hill had four catches for 103 yards in that game… Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel and Packers coach Matt LaFleur worked together as assistants with Houston (2006-08), Washington (2011-13) and Atlanta (2015-16).

Stats and stuff

This is the Dolphins eighth time playing a game on Thanksgiving. Miami last played on Thanksgiving in 2011 when it lost at Dallas 20-19. The Dolphins are 5-2 on Thanksgiving… The Dolphins haven’t beaten the Packers since 2014 and have not won at Lambeau Field since 2010… A win would give the Dolphins their eighth victory over an NFC opponent under coach Mike McDaniel…  The Dolphins are 3-2 in their past five games since Tua Tagovailoa returned from a concussion in Week 8. During that span, they’re second in the NFL in third down conversions (55.0%), first in fourth down efficiency. They’ve outscored opponents 145-107, and their 29 points per game during that span is tied for fifth. By comparison, they averaged just 10 points per game without Tagovailoa and were the worst scoring offense in the NFL… RB De’Von Achane needs 65 scrimmage yards to reach 1,000 total yards for the first time in a season… WR Tyreek Hill needs one receiving touchdown to reach 80 and become one of four active players to catch 80 TD passes… The Dolphins have held opponents under 100 yards rushing in five straight games… This marks the first time in five decades that the Packers have played on Thanksgiving in back-to-back years. The Packers won 29-22 at Detroit last Thanksgiving. The Packers faced the Lions every Thanksgiving from 1951-63… This marks just the second time since 1923 that the Packers have played at home on Thanksgiving. The other time was a 17-13 loss to the Chicago Bears in 2015… The Packers are 4-0 against AFC teams this season, with all the previous matchups coming against the AFC South. They won 30-27 at Jacksonville, 24-22 at home over Houston, 16-10 at home over Indianapolis and 30-14 at Tennessee… LaFleur has a 64-30 regular-season record. He’s tied for second with Bill Cowher, Mike Holmgren and Andy Reid for the most wins by a head coach in his first six NFL seasons, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. George Seifert won 75 regular-season games with San Francisco from 1989-84, the first six seasons of his tenure… The Packers have won six of their past seven games but they remain third in the NFC North, one game behind Minnesota and two behind Detroit. At 8-3, the Packers have the best record through Week 13 of any team to be third or worse in its division since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger… The Packers have scored 83 points off turnovers this season. Only the Buffalo Bills (84) have scored more points after takeaways.

Week 13 NFL Schedule
All times Central

Thursday, November 28 — Thanksgiving
Chicago Bears 20, Detroit Lions 23
New York Giants 20, Dallas Cowboys 27
Miami Dolphins 17, Green Bay Packers 30

Friday, November 29
Las Vegas Raiders 17, Kansas City Chiefs 19

Sunday, December 1
Los Angeles Chargers 17, Atlanta Falcons 13
Pittsburgh Steelers 44, Cincinnati Bengals 38
Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars, 12:00 p.m., FOX
Arizona Cardinals 22, Minnesota Vikings 23
Indianapolis Colts 25, New England Patriots 24
Seattle Seahawks 26, New York Jets 21
Tennessee Titans 19, Washington Commanders 42
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers, 3:05 p.m., FOX
Los Angeles Rams 21, New Orleans Saints 14
Philadelphia Eagles 24, Baltimore Ravens 19
San Francisco 49ers at Buffalo Bills, 7:20 p.m., NBC

Monday, December 2

Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos, 7:15 p.m., ESPN