Packers vs. Jets, Final Score 31-24: Green Bay Dominates After Slow First Half Start

After a 21-3 lead, the New York Jets fell to the Green Bay Packers by the final score of 31-24. Aaron Rodgers went 25-of-42 and passed for 346 yards as the Packers flowed back into the game to register their first win of the 2014 NFL season.

Here's what happened:

First half

Things didn't start out the way Aaron Rodgers and the Packers' offense expected. On the very first play under center, Rodgers lost the ball as the Jets recovered the fumble on Green Bay's 13. Geno Smith completed a pass on 3rd and 11 to Jeremy Kerley that set up a goal line situation for the Jets. Smith shortly after scored a 1-yard touchdown on a quarterback keeper to put the Jets up 7-0 early.

On their second offensive possession, Derek Sherrod taking over for Bryan Bulaga allowed an early sack on Rodgers after Quinton Coples beat him off the line. Two plays later, Demario Davis exploded from Rodgers' left side and piled him down on a 3rd and 14 to force a punt.

The Jets then charged down the field on 6 plays, and capped an 84-yard drive after Smith hit Eric Decker down the sidelines into the end zone after the former Bronco moved past a biting Sam Shields. The touchdown put New York up 14-0 around the eight minute mark of the first.

After gaining just -1 yards on their first 2 drives, the Packers finally managed to put some points on the board. Jordy Nelson originally made a nice grab that would've set the team up near the goal line, but the Jets challenged the grab and got the call overturned. Mason Crosby connected on a 31-yard field goal as the Packers had to settle, and it made the score 14-3. In all, the Packers still went a strong 67 yards to get on the board.

After going a perfect 5-for-5 in the first on third down, the Jets converted on a 4th and 2 that eventually ended on a Chris Ivory score from 4 yards out. That made the score 21-3 at the beginning of the second as New York in total went 17 plays for 80 yards on the drive in a total of eight minutes and 28 seconds.

Green Bay went on to then put two more field goals on the board and after Tramon Williams picked off Smith, Rodgers and the offense began their sixth drive on the 3 yard line. The Packers began the drive with 1:52 left in the half with all of their timeouts.

Rodgers completed a 14-yard strike to Randall Cobb, and followed it up by then finding running back DuJuan Harris for 11. On a 3rd-and-10 from New York's 30, Rodgers found rookie Davante Adams for 24 to set up shop from the 6. After an incompletion to Jordy Nelson on a miscommunication, Rodgers bounced right back and found Cobb in the end zone for 6. After a rough start - which included them being down 21-3 at one point - the Packers cut the deficit and went into halftime down just 5.

Second half

Both teams started off slow to start the second half and ended up punting on their respective first drives. Smith slightly overthrew Decker on 3rd and 10, meanwhile Eddie Lacy was stuffed on Green Bay's first possession.
Green Bay's second drive gave them their first lead of the game as Rodgers found Cobb again for the score. McCarthy elected to go for two points, and the team succeeded after Rodgers found Cobb again to make the score 24-21. After the score, a scuffle broke lose that was originally started by Jets defensive linemen Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson. When things cleared up, the officials handed out 2 personal foul penalties on both players, and Wilkerson was tossed from the game. A huge blow for the Jets considering he's their best defensive player.

The next drive for the Jets went eight plays for 42 yards and ended in 3 after Nick Folk connected on a 52-yarder that stopped 20 unanswered Green Bay points.

First play of the next drive: Jordy Nelson hit Dee Milliner with a beautiful move and took a pass that was roughly 30 yards, and cut midfield to take it all the way to the house for 80 yards. The Packers' offense kept rolling, and put them up 31-24 over the Jets.

New York's eleventh drive of the game was the most thrilling: Geno Smith fired a bomb into the end zone that was caught by Kerley that would've been a score, but the Jets idiotically called a timeout before the snap to wipe it out. The Jets eventually converted on the next play, along with the next situation on fourth again, but Smith fired deep once again and had his pass go incomplete after throwing into double coverage. The Packers took over with 3:31 remaining and milked the clock to seal to the deal.

After once leading 21-3, the Jets couldn't score a touchdown in the second half and lost by the final score of 31-24. Green Bay's next game will be against the Detroit Lions on September 21.

Injuries

Wide receiver Eric Decker (hamstring) left during the fourth quarter and did not return.

Micah Hyde and Andy Mulumba both suffered knee injuries and were ruled out for the game.