Game Changing Play of the Week: Kevin King Helps Seal Another NFC North Victory for Packers
Kevin King's interception ultimately sealed the game for the Packers and got them off to a 2-0 start in the NFC North.
By TimBackes
What a wild game! The Packers escaped week two with a 21-16 victory over the Minnesota Vikings that should have been nowhere near as close as it was, thanks largely to the defense clamping down on the Vikings the majority of the game. Were it not for a few big plays the Vikings had on offense, they would have been utterly shut down. Even with those big plays, the Packers’ defense managed to hold a five point lead in the fourth quarter, something you could not imagine trusting this team to do in recent years.
A big part of the Packers’ ability to hold on to the lead was a crucial interception in the corner of the endzone by Kevin King late in the fourth quarter. That is our Game Changing Play of the Week.
The play
Kevin King will take that! @King_kevvoo #GoPackGo #MINvsGB
FOX
NFL app // Yahoo Sports app
Watch on mobile: https://t.co/y8YLGKmeTf pic.twitter.com/rBT0QHU3oH— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2019
Simply put, this is a ball Kirk Cousins should have never, ever thrown.
It’s first and goal, there are five minutes to go in the game, and it’s a one-score ball game. The decision to let this ball float into double coverage is absolutely moronic, especially when you’ve been pounding the rock on the ground against a gassed defense. There’s a time and a place to throw one up for grabs and let your guy (in this case Stefon Diggs) make a play, and this truly wasn’t it.
Credit Dean Lowry with a pressure here. Lowry quietly had an excellent day, and got in Cousins’ face here just enough to make him rush his decision making. You’ll see he’s actually got Adam Thielen open underneath on the right for a play that probably won’t be a touchdown, but at least gets the Vikings closer. But thanks to Lowry’s pressure, that possibility disappears.
Watching this live, I actually thought Cousins was winding up to throw it out of the back of the endzone here—pretty much the only good play he could make. Instead, he gets greedy and tries to force it into a well-covered Diggs.
BJ Goodson comes back to get in front of Diggs, but Kevin King has him absolutely blanketed already. It’s a bad pass, and King is in great position. But he doesn’t just knock the ball down—he goes up for it himself and makes what’s not an easy grab, holding on to complete the process after hitting the ground.
King’s interception killed off the last real chance the Vikings ended up getting at points, essentially sealing the victory for the Packers. Sure, the offense ended up going three and out right after this, but the defense never let the Vikings threaten again.
On Kevin King
You’ve gotta feel good for King. This is a guy who’s been the favorite whipping boy of Packer fans on the internet for the last several seasons due to his poor luck with injuries, combined with the fact that online Packer fans latched on to T.J. Watt because they have an unhealthy obsession with former Badgers that almost equals their unhealthy obsession with backup white wide receivers.
So far through two games, King has been a steady contributor. There have been a couple plays he’d probably like to have back, but he’s been greatly helped out by a) being healthier, b) having significantly more help in the secondary from a more talented pair of safeties and c) having a much better pass rush to give him an extra boost.
It’ll be fun to watch this young secondary progress through the season, and I hope King continues to stick it to the haters.
Honorable mentions
Other plays that may have been in the running for Game-Changing Play of the Week:
-The official review that led to a Vikings touchdown being taken off the board for offensive pass interference
-The Darnell Savage tip to Preston Smith interception
-The Geronimo Allison fumble (had the Packers lost)
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE.
__________________________
Tim Backes is a lifelong Packer fan and a contributor to CheeseheadTV. Follow him on Twitter @timbackes for his Packer takes, random musings and Untappd beer check-ins.
__________________________
Comments (15)
4thand1
September 16, 2019 at 04:28 pm
TY Cousins..............how do you like me now!! WTG KK.
BrockSamson
September 16, 2019 at 09:13 pm
Hey Dick, when race is at issue everybody should stamp out stupidly where ever it is. And people who shoehorn race into a story when it's not at issue should be told to shut up. We have no shortage of stories about this issue or places to find them. Unless you can point out a reason why you thought the need to passive aggressively call Packers fans racist in a story that even if true was not part of Kevin King great play. To add for no reason race in this story only weakens the power of actual stories about issues of race. Your not alone in this as turning on nearly any cable sports show and at some point a guest, panelist, Co host will do this same thing and 100% of the time the person that for this is like you white. The fight against racism is important and to long in coming. When a complete race baiting douche like you jams it in a story it works against what I'm assuming your goal is. Racism needs to be confronted, what it doesn't need is a boy who cry s wolf. And finally you suck the structure of your story is nonexistent and your writing was weak and other than chastising Packers fans.for the fondness of Jeff Janis and the fact that Kevin King has been up till now a disappointment you made no point. You should apologize to Packers Nation for calling them racist for no reason at all.
ricky
September 16, 2019 at 05:00 pm
Two games, two division rivals, two wins. So far, so good. But two games the offense played well only sporadically. Two games the defense played really well, but was on the field too much, which showed especially when the Vikings were running the ball down the Packers throats late in the game. Two times opposing QB's made stupid throws to the end zone that resulted in game tilting interceptions. The offense needs to get it together ASAP.
Lphill
September 16, 2019 at 05:53 pm
Well if Allison holds onto the ball on that drive , and if the Packers take the field goal instead of going for it on 4 th down it could have been at least 31 to 16 at the least so it’s a good win , the offense is a work in progress , I think the chiefs scored all their points in the same quarter as well . Just early season growing pains.
Bearmeat
September 16, 2019 at 06:14 pm
"because they have an unhealthy obsession with former Badgers that almost equals their unhealthy obsession with backup white wide receivers."
OH SNAP! Calling it like it is! You're going to get hammered for this.
Samson
September 16, 2019 at 08:05 pm
Calling it "like it is" isn't always necessary... All the more difficult issues on this planet don't need to be dragged into what is mostly a game & a diversion for most... Why not stick to the game of football?
jeremyjjbrown
September 17, 2019 at 02:31 am
Although it's nonsense to pretend that passing on Watt for King and Beagel has worked out well for the Packers.
Hopefully King ends up having a better career than Watt, but not at all so far.
Samson
September 16, 2019 at 08:08 pm
"unhealthy obsession with former Badgers that almost equals their unhealthy obsession with backup white wide receivers"
Don't get me wrong, you are mostly right... but.... to drag race into the picture means you (as someone who publishes your analysis for many to read) have an ulterior motive that isn't even remotely related to football.... If you truly want to make a statement regarding race.... Try publishing your thoughts somewhere else. ... This is still a football kinda site. --- Even PFT tries to stay away from the race issue, sort of.
ThxJackVainisi
September 16, 2019 at 08:11 pm
Didn't Rodgers say the O has played 2 good quarters out of 8? Lucky the D hasn’t been absent for even one quarter. Actually, its not luck at all as Gutekunst and Pettine et al look to be acting intentionally. It's early but I love the new D and I like the direction the O is going. I also love Scott's performance - particularly in the clutch.
I agree with Lphill: I think the game changing play was Allison’s fumble even though they won. That changed the tenor of the game – even a FG would have continued the momentum and Cousins’ desperation throw before desperation time would have been moot.
Regarding the obsession with backup white WRs, I’m not going to hammer anyone because I thought that may have been an element in the support for Jeff Janis by a few and I don't think there's anything wrong with saying/writing that, samson as Janis was a Packer. I thought Janis’ problem was he didn’t have a knack for the game as a WR. But “knack” is color blind. For example, the reason I would like to see Kumerow on the field more (he was in on O Sunday) is because I think he has the knack to read Ds and get open. I think that because I’ve seen it. And I’ve heard Rodgers praise him and I don’t believe that has anything to do with his skin color. Remember Rodgers was effusive in his praise for Davante Adams while some Packers fans still weren’t sure (and some even suggested giving up on him). Speaking of knack, when it’s combined with great physical attributes you get a player like Adams.
Pierre
September 16, 2019 at 08:55 pm
Rodgers started out with quick completions and drives resulting in 3 TDs, playing really sharp. After that Rodgers could not even get into Viking territory and the offense punted after eight straight very ineffective drives. Rodgers played like he was shell shocked at QB and afraid to throw downfield to his receivers in a timely manner. There’s no way Packer receivers were all completely blanketed by Viking defenders for 20-25 plays over 3 quarters. Rodgers ineptitude in providing no offensive threat the whole second half of a game at home is hard to explain and put a lot of pressure on the Packers’ defense to hold on for the win. Somehow they did that and got the win but Rodgers inconsistency is very concerning in terms of his QB skills as the decline may be real with his age.
croatpackfan
September 17, 2019 at 02:08 am
I believe, by time, many Packers fans will see that main problem was not Mike McCarthy, but Aaron Rodgers. The moment he kept the ball searching for big plays was the moment Packers offense stale...
There is no question about scheme, or WR can not get open, or OL is bad and Aaron has no time to wait something to develop down the field, or ... It is just his addiction to "Hail Mary" type of throws. He need that, he want that so badly that it became his obsession to the level he is hurting the team!
That is how I see...
atundraman
September 16, 2019 at 11:22 pm
I held my breath.
I remember Calvin Johnson.
I remember when a catch was NOT a catch.
We dodged a bullet.
Next time HOLD ONTO THE BALL FOR A LOOOOOOONG TIME before celebrating.
Go Pack Go!
croatpackfan
September 17, 2019 at 02:17 am
Hey Al, I believe "game changing" move from CheeseheadTV is remodeling web page to this what we have now. It is worse than jointly G-Mo and Corey and Aaron fumble, I'm unhappy because this new look will surely turn down some of very valuable members of this community. I understand need for change, but, please, search for a better look and search should be very,very urgent...
Please...
ShooterMcGee
September 17, 2019 at 07:38 am
My first thought was that he dropped the interception. After seeing the replay I was certain he didn't catch it. How in the world did they not overturn the call? Let's just say we caught a break.
Cartwright
September 17, 2019 at 09:48 am
As much as Jaire is being praised for his play should Kevin King stay healthy top ten is a cinch. His absence or presence during the season will be the difference between having a good or great defense. No TJ Watt, it will be TJ Who?