Green Bay Packers beat Washington Commanders 27-18 on Thursday Night Football as Tucker Kraft erupts

Tucker Kraft turned Thursday night into his breakout. The Green Bay Packers beat the Washington Commanders 27-18 at Lambeau Field, improving to 2-0 behind a 404-yard night on offense, a composed Jordan Love, and a defense that smothered Washington early. Kraft delivered the best game of his young career: six catches, 124 yards, and a touchdown, his first 100-yard performance. Washington fell to 1-1, fighting back late behind Jayden Daniels but never catching up.

Green Bay’s plan looked balanced from the jump. Love spread the ball, Matt LaFleur leaned on tempo shifts and motion, and Josh Jacobs kept the chains moving when it mattered. On the other side, Micah Parsons changed the math. His presence off the edge and on interior stunts tilted protections, helping Green Bay bottle up Washington’s first seven possessions for just three points.

How the game unfolded

Green Bay grabbed control early at 7-0 and never really let go. Love worked the short game to settle in and then pushed downfield to Kraft, who kept finding space up the seam and on crossers. By halftime, the Packers had built a 14-3 cushion thanks to two red-zone touchdowns, including a strike to Romeo Doubs and Kraft’s score in tight coverage.

The third quarter was about field position and patience. A methodical drive ended in a field goal for a 17-3 lead, and it felt like Green Bay had the rhythm and the line of scrimmage. The offensive line protected well enough for play-action to pop, which is where Love found some of his cleanest windows. Jacobs handled the dirty yards, shrinking the game against a defense that had to respect Kraft over the middle.

Washington finally found a spark in the fourth. Daniels used his legs to extend plays and leaned on quick-hitters to get the ball out. The Commanders punched in points in bunches, cutting the deficit to a single possession and forcing Green Bay to answer. The Packers did exactly that—stacking 10 points in the final period, including a time-chewing march that ended with points and a late stop on defense to seal it.

Daniels deserves credit for the poise he showed after the sluggish start. He moved safeties with his eyes, took the easy throws, and picked his spots as a runner. But Washington’s early drought was costly. Too many empty possessions, too many long fields, and not enough balance until late put them in a hole they couldn’t escape.

Kraft was the night’s swing player. He won leverage at the snap, ran through would-be tackles, and gave Love a mismatch answer any time Washington sat in zone. Doubs chipped in a touchdown and several chain-movers, and the backs kept the Commanders honest. That blend—tight end dominance, perimeter timing, and enough downhill runs—was the through-line of Green Bay’s control.

Green Bay’s defense showed teeth. Parsons demanded double-teams and still disrupted plays, forcing hurried throws and muddy pockets. The front swarmed to the ball, and the back end was sound on early downs, keeping Washington behind schedule. Even when the Commanders rallied, the Packers tackled well enough to prevent explosives and forced the one late stop they had to have.

• Scoreboard by phase: 7-0 after one; 14-3 at halftime; 17-3 after three; 27-18 final.
• Total offense: Green Bay 404 yards, built on balance and play-action.
• Breakout: Tucker Kraft, 124 yards and a touchdown on six receptions.
• Defensive tone-setter: Micah Parsons’ pressure helped limit Washington to three points on its first seven drives.

What it means

For the Packers, this was a clean early-season statement. Love looked in command—timing, ball placement, and answers against pressure were all there. Kraft’s leap matters, too. If he keeps winning between the numbers, Doubs and the wideouts will see lighter coverage, and Jacobs will run into better boxes. The offense felt sustainable, not just explosive.

Defensively, the identity is forming. With Parsons dictating protections, Green Bay can mix coverages and send creative pressures without living on the blitz. The tackling and angles were sharp, especially on Washington’s early screens and perimeter looks. That travels, which matters as the schedule tightens.

For Washington, this is a measuring-stick loss with real teaching tape. The offense needs cleaner opening scripts and better answers to edge pressure; moving the pocket sooner and leaning on tempo helped in the fourth and should show up earlier next week. Daniels’ late surge is encouraging—his processing sped up, and the ball came out on time—but he can’t be asked to rescue every drive. Finding more on early downs, especially on the ground, will help.

Washington’s defense will revisit its plan for tight ends. Kraft found too many clean releases, and those intermediate gains bled clock and morale. The tackling tightened up late, but the damage was done. The Commanders are 1-1 with plenty on the table, yet they’ll want to fix the slow starts before they pile up.

Bottom line: Green Bay handled the night on its terms—balanced offense, a playmaking tight end, and a pass rush that knocked the timing out of Washington’s passing game. The Packers walk out 2-0 with a blueprint that looks repeatable. The Commanders showed fight, especially their young quarterback, but they spent three quarters chasing a game the Packers controlled from the opening series.