Packers secure gritty away win behind Lukas Havrisik’s historic 61-yard rocket
The Green Bay Packers have dominated at Lambeau Field this season, winning all three of their home games, but they’re still chasing their first road victory as they face the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Kicker Lucas Havrisik provided a highlight moment Sunday, drilling a franchise-record 61-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.
With one second remaining in the first half, Havrisik blasted a 61-yard field goal, setting a new franchise record for distance. It marked the Packers’ first-ever make from 60 yards or beyond, eclipsing Mason Crosby’s previous record of 58 yards that had stood since 2011.
Havrisik’s long field goal at the end of the half narrowed the gap to 13-6 heading into the break.
The first-place Packers seemed to have a straightforward task against a Cardinals squad that had dropped four straight games. Yet those losses were decided by just nine points, and the Cardinals came out sharp, showing energy on both sides of the ball.
Lukas Havrisik and the Packers win on the road
The Packers offense came alive after halftime, pulling even at 20-20 early in the fourth quarter when Jordan Love connected with tight end Tucker Kraft for a 7-yard touchdown. The Packers then grabbed a 27-23 advantage late in the game on Josh Jacobs’ 1-yard run into the end zone.
Along with his historic kick, Havrisik also converted a 31-yard field goal. He has taken over kicking duties while Brandon McManus remains sidelined with a right quad injury. Havrisik was perfect on two field goal attempts in Green Bay’s Week 6 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, carrying that momentum into his record-breaking outing against Arizona.
The Packers let a late lead slip away in a 13-10 defeat to the Cleveland Browns and also ended up in a 40-40 stalemate with the Dallas Cowboys. This time, though, their hard-fought road win over the Cardinals likely provided some much-needed momentum and satisfaction.
Green Bay will stay on the road in Week 8 for a matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Former Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers will surely be eager to show his former team that he remains a capable and driven leader.
BREAKING: Detroit Lions May Finally Get Their Maxx Crosby Wish
If there’s one NFL player the Detroit Lions salivate over more than anyone else outside of the Motor City, it’s Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders. While Crosby has repeatedly said that he wants to stay in Las Vegas for his entire NFL career, things change, and one can never say never in the NFL.
Crosby would be a perfect fit for the Detroit Lions. The edge rusher is a Michigan native, born and raised in Lapeer, and played football at Eastern Michigan, so this would be a warm homecoming for him. It would be incredible to see Crosby paired with fellow Michigan edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, too.
So, Crosby is with the Raiders and has a new head coach in Pete Carroll, formerly of the Seattle Seahawks. How is going over there? Not very well. The Kansas City Chiefs went up against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, October 19, and the result was dismal for the Raiders, with a final score of 31-0.
Maxx Crosby Need to Consider Detroit Lions
Crosby excited the Chiefs game in the first half with back and knee injuries. Crosby also appeared on the injury report before the game, but it didn’t seem like it would get in the way of his performance or abilities. After the loss, Carroll said that the knee that he left the game over was impacting Crosby before the game.
Hopefully Crosby is well again soon, but honestly, with the Raiders now 2-5 after losing to the Chiefs, does he even want to be with Las Vegas anymore?
Right around this time last season, in a feature for Sports Illustrated, Christian Booher and John Maakaron said something interesting about Crosby’s possible “interest” in coming to Detroit.
“According to a source with knowledge of the situation, there is natural interest from Crosby’s side in joining the Lions via a trade,” they stated. So, if the interest was there then, it could be there again. Keep your eye on this one.
Crosby has four sacks this season, according to ESPN. He also came into the matchup against the AFC West rival Chiefs leading the NFL with 10 tackles for loss, according to Pro Football Stats. With Crosby in Detroit, the team’s theme song could be “We Will Rock You.”
Detroit Lions vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Lions play the Buccaneers on Monday, October 20, for Monday Night Football. In the NFL’s preview of the game, they discuss the challenges the Lions, and Jared Goff, have against the Bucs’ “stringy” defense.
“The Lions QB leads the league with 14 pass touchdowns and a 75.9% completion percentage entering Week 7,” Christian Gonzales notes in a feature published on Sunday, October 19. “Detroit’s matchup against Todd Bowles’ defense is an intriguing one with Goff being one of the best this season versus the blitz. The Bucs defense has a 35.5 blitz percentage (fifth-highest in the NFL), while Goff leads all QBs with a 137.1 passer rating against the blitz, according to Next Gen Stats.”
So, what does that mean for the Lions? “The Lions have an NFL-high five players with multiple receiving TDs,” Gonzales adds. “And don’t forget the Lions’ lethal running game with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery.”
So, the Lions are looking solid heading into this matchup. But, the Bucs are no joke, and they’re currently one of the most feared teams in the NFL.
