Packers still have to face an uncomfortable reality despite an impactful win over the Bengals at Lambeau Field

The Green Bay Packers didn’t have that so-called get-right game, at least not in terms of performance. A win is a win, and it was important to get one after a month, so the 27-18 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals obviously has value.

However, those performances in Weeks 1 and 2 against the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders certainly seem far behind, and look more and more like outliers — at least based on consistency.

The defense was responsible for giving the offense time to enter the game in the first half. In the second, the offense was the key to bailing the team out when the defense was playing underwhelming football against a Joe Flacco-led offense.

It’s not the ideal of complementary football, but it worked this week. The big question is how sustainable it will be for the rest of the season.

Defensive ups and downs

The defense had two completely different halves against the Bengals. A dominant, suffocating performance before halftime, and a scary, underwhelming development against a Flacco-led offense in the second half.

After a bad performance in Dallas two weeks ago, it looked like the defense had come to play in the first half. The Bengals generated only 65 offensive yards, with 40 passing yards from Flacco. Before halftime, the Packers already had 11 pressures, including four from Rashan Gary.

The second half was the complete opposite. Flacco looked like prime Flacco, marching down the field with ease and finding his elite wide receivers, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The defense allowed a 10-minute touchdown drive to kick off the third quarter, and that was just the start of a nightmare-ish sequence.

It was the same feeling the team had late in the game against Dallas, when the offense kept scoring, but the defense kept giving up touchdowns and field goals.

The absence of Devonte Wyatt was huge, but the secondary gave the defensive structure too many problems.

Love and Jacobs overcome offensive issues

Josh Jacobs had probably his best performance of the season, which doesn't mean the offensive line helped him that much. To be fair, last year's first-round pick Jordan Morgan played the majority of snaps at right guard, and he was instrumental with impactful blocks in both of Jacobs' touchdowns.

But overall, even with all of the starters available, the line was underwhelming — and Matt LaFleur had to adjust his play-call for that reality. RPOs, screens, runs: the Packers had to face a tough reality in which the line was giving up pressures even against three-man rushes.

Jordan Love’s mobility was key to overcoming those issues, with impactful scrambles and moving the pocket to create extra time. Outside of the interception in the first quarter, that plan worked well.

And good for the Packers that recently-signed kicker Lucas Havrisik was solid replacing Brandon McManus when his number was called.

Target selection

Golden didn't have the shiny impact fans were hoping for over the first month of the regular season, but the first-round rookie had a somewhat breakout game against the Bengals. In the first half alone, he had two catches for 55 yards and two rushing attempts for 16 yards, including a big play to transform a drive that ended in a touchdown.