Green Bay Packers beat Commanders 27-18: Week 2 Thursday Night Football recap and analysis

Prime time in Green Bay gave us a little bit of everything—an unbeaten clash, a rookie quarterback trying to punch back, and a tight end turning broken tackles into first downs. The Green Bay Packers handled the Washington Commanders 27-18 at Lambeau Field on Thursday night, improving to 2-0 and leaning on a clean, balanced plan that kept them in front all evening. Washington slipped to 1-1 but showed plenty of fight late, the kind that made last year’s push so interesting.

The numbers that frame the night are simple. Green Bay rolled up 404 total yards and never looked rattled. Washington managed only three points across its first seven possessions, then surged in the fourth quarter to make it tight before the Packers slammed the door. Tucked inside that arc was the breakout from tight end Tucker Kraft—124 yards and a touchdown on six grabs, the first 100-yard game of his career, and the kind of performance that changes how defenses plan for Green Bay’s offense.

Why this game mattered

This wasn’t just another early-season game. Both teams entered at 1-0 after strong opening wins, so the prime-time stage doubled as an early NFC measuring stick. Green Bay had extra juice after a big offseason swing: the addition of Micah Parsons to a defense already showing teeth. The Packers wanted to declare early that the North runs through them. Washington, now on the road in a short week, wanted to prove last year’s progress wasn’t a one-off.

The quarterback duel was the headline coming in. Jordan Love had a sharper Week 1 box score—better completion rate, more touchdowns—while Washington’s Jayden Daniels piled up more total yards and used his legs to tilt the field. No picks for either in their openers, which set up a clean, decisive game if one of them stayed mistake-free. In Green Bay, in the noise and the cold September air that always feels a little like November, Love got that edge.

History added a little flavor. It was only the third time Washington faced Green Bay in Week 2, and the all-time series tilted toward the Packers coming in (Washington at 16-20-1). Add in Lambeau under the lights at 8:15 p.m. ET, and it felt like the kind of stage where early narratives harden into real expectations.

How the game was won

Green Bay didn’t overthink it. They spread the ball, mixed tempo, and kept the Commanders out of rhythm. Love’s control at the line showed up in the little things—disguised protections, quick answers on second-and-long, taking what was there instead of forcing hero throws. That approach kept drives alive, and the Packers’ 404 yards reflected a steady drumbeat rather than one or two splash plays carrying the night.

Kraft did the heavy lifting after the catch. Washington defenders bounced off him in space, and he turned checkdowns into chain-movers. He worked the seams, found the soft spots behind linebackers, and ran through arm tackles in the flats. For a defense that had to respect Green Bay’s perimeter speed and the run action, Kraft became the clean outlet that turned manageable downs into firsts. When Green Bay got in close, Washington had to pick a poison—and Kraft kept making them pay.

The Commanders’ offense took a while to find rhythm. Seven possessions, three points. That tells you how difficult their early downs were and how often they sat behind the sticks. Credit Green Bay’s front for that. With Parsons anchoring a pass rush that demands double teams, the Packers could stay lighter in coverage and still generate pressure. Even when Parsons wasn’t finishing plays, he altered them—quarterbacks hurry reads when No. 11 flashes in their periphery, and coordinators call differently when he forces protection changes.

Daniels battled anyway. The rookie absorbed hits, extended plays, and gave Washington life in the fourth quarter. His poise showed up once the quick game settled him down. He found rhythm throws, used his legs to reset launch angles, and chipped away at the deficit. One score later, it was a one-possession game, the sideline buzzing, and the script wide open.

Green Bay’s answer was the kind you file away for later in the season: a composed drive that leaned on balance and Kraft again. The Packers didn’t need a haymaker. They needed a few first downs, a clock-friendly run here, a safe completion there, and a red-zone snap that didn’t risk catastrophe. They got all of it, and Washington ran out of time.

Coaching choices stood out in a few spots. Green Bay used motion and bunch looks to force softer coverage on Kraft, then hit him on crossers where he could break tackles. They were patient on early downs, which saved Love from too many obvious passing situations. Washington’s staff adjusted late—more pace, more defined reads for Daniels—but the early drought left them very little margin for error.

Want the night in a few bullets?

• Score: Packers 27, Commanders 18.
• Total offense: Green Bay 404 yards, a steady flow rather than a one-play spike.
• Breakout: Tucker Kraft, six catches, 124 yards, one touchdown—first 100-yard game.
• Story of the start: Washington had three points across its first seven possessions.
• Standings: Green Bay to 2-0; Washington to 1-1.

There was a tone set by the trenches, too. Green Bay won enough on the edges to corral Washington’s run game early and force Daniels into long-yardage snaps. That’s where a defense with speed and range can tee off. You saw linebackers flying to the flats and safeties squeezing windows before throws could develop. On the other side, Green Bay’s line kept Love mostly clean and gave the backs lanes that mattered even if they weren’t breaking explosive runs.

Field position did its part. Washington’s early stalls tilted the field in Green Bay’s favor, if only a step or two at a time. Those short fields don’t always lead to touchdowns, but they flip the math. Suddenly the defense can play downhill, the offense can call with confidence, and the opponent is driving into a headwind. That’s what the Packers felt all night.

What does it mean for both sides? For Green Bay, 2-0 under the lights with a defense playing fast and an offense that can win left-handed is a strong early signal. This wasn’t a one-man show. When Kraft is a problem, perimeter speed gets freer releases and the run game becomes more efficient. Love doesn’t have to force deep shots because the intermediate game is doing its job. Add a pass rush that mandates attention, and the whole structure looks stable.

For Washington, the loss stings, but there’s real substance in the late push. Daniels handled a rough start, settled down, and put them in position to make it a final-possession game. That matters. Short weeks on the road are tough for any rookie quarterback, and he still showed the tools that made Week 1 pop. Clean up the early-down issues, lean into the quick game sooner, and the offense will breathe.

The schedule also gives both teams a different rhythm now. Thursday night games mean a mini-bye for the winner and a much-needed reset for the loser. Green Bay can use the extra days to get healthier and layer more of the playbook onto what already works. Washington can use the film to fix protection calls and first-15 sequencing, especially when the opening script stalls.

Zoom out and the stakes are obvious. September wins don’t clinch anything, but they do change how teams are scouted and defended by Halloween. With a defense that can heat up any pocket and a tight end who just demanded a bigger slice of the plan, Green Bay looks like a real NFC factor. Washington still looks like a playoff threat, and nights like this will harden a rookie quarterback in the right ways.

Lambeau under the lights has a way of revealing a team’s baseline. The Packers’ baseline right now is balance, toughness, and a quarterback who keeps the ball out of harm’s way. The Commanders’ baseline is grit, speed at quarterback, and a defense that fights even when the field tilts against it. Put those two together, and you get what we saw—Green Bay in control for most of the night, Washington flashing late, and a score that felt fair to how the game flowed.

Circle the night for Kraft, though. Breakout games don’t just fill a box score; they change how coordinators call it and how defenders see it. He’ll get more attention going forward, which will open space elsewhere. That’s good news for Love and a headache for everyone else on the schedule.