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Green Bay Packers #23 Skyy Moore's punt return against New York Jets (September 2026)
Green Bay packers receiver Skyy Moore runs a 63-yard punt return down the New York Jets' sideline (Sept. 20, 2026).
Matt LaFleur should send a big bouquet of flowers to defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon after Sunday’s overtime comeback win against the New York Jets. LaFleur’s offense was once again stymied, this time by Jet’s head coach Aaron Glenn, but a virtuoso performance by Lukas Van Ness and safeties Evan Williams and Xavier McKinney saved the day.
The game started on a sour note when Packer slot receiver Jayden Reed suffered a serious neck injury on the second play of the game. Reed had to be placed on a backboard and rushed to the hospital. A few plays later right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele suffered a serious knee injury and was ruled out. We do not know the true severity of either injury but it’s safe to assume the Packers will be without either for the foreseeable future.
No one could muster much of an offense in the New Jersey rain as the teams traded punts on their first three drives, but the Packers finally broke through midway through the second quarter as Jordan Love found Marshawn Lloyd for a six-yard touchdown; Lloyd's first career touchdown with the NFL. The Jets responded immediately to tie the game on a five-yard run from former Badger Braelon Allen.
Touchdown Drive
The Packer offense would continue to sputter to start the second half, but midway through the third quarter the Jets managed to put together a 70-yard touchdown drive culminating in a five-yard touchdown pass from Geno Smith to Garrett Wilson. At the start of the fourth quarter after forcing a Jets punt, Marshawn Lloyd gave the ball right back with a fumble from the Packer 16. Fortunately, the Packer defense was up to the challenge and held the Jets to a field goal, giving New York a ten-point lead with only eleven minutes remaining.
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The Packer offense finally responded with a long touchdown drive of their own, though they were aided by a 38-yard pass interference penalty called on Jets corner Azareye’h Thomas while locked up with Matthew Golden. After a bizarre sequence where the officials ruled that a helmet to helmet hit on Love was offset by a holding penalty on Anthony Belton, taking a Love touchdown scramble off the board, Love found Christian Watson in the middle of the end zone for a three-yard score.
The defense once again held, forcing an Austin McNamara punt, which was returned by Sky Moore for 63 yards. Moore was just inches away from taking it all the way, but the Packers would settle for outstanding field position still trailing by three. And settle they did as Matt LaFleur called two unsuccessful runs and a short throw before Trey Smack tied the game with a 34-yard field goal, leaving plenty of time for the Jets.
Defense to the Rescue
And yet again, the defense came to the rescue, this time stuffing Braelon Allen on a fourth-and-one carry from midfield with 1:11 remaining. And yet again, the offense was bewildered by the defense and the weather, gaining just five yards before Jordan Love was sacked while attempting a Hail Mary as regulation expired. In overtime the Packer defense took over, sacking Geno Smith twice, with a half a sack each going to Van Ness, Brandon Cisse, Dani Dennis-Sutton, and Barryn Sorrell, forcing a punt. Finally, mercifully, the Packers managed to drive to the New York eight, where Trey Smack ended the affair with a 26-yard field goal.
It was an extremely ugly game filled with penalties and poor coaching decisions on both sides. The offense has a lot of work to do before a short turnaround on Thursday Night Football against the Atlanta Falcons. However, in a weird twist of the standard Packer narrative, the defense has been outstanding for two consecutive weeks even without star pass rusher Micah Parsons, and even the special teams’ unit chipped in this week to help complete the rally.
Had the Packers dropped this game to go 0-2 while looking poor in the process, it may have been time to panic. It very well may still be time to panic, as the offensive line is now even thinner. That said, they can at least rely on a solid defensive performance and competent special teams, and at 1-1, they’re still in the hunt among the other NFC North teams.
