5 takeaways from the Packers’ win over the Seahawks

SEATTLE – The Packers got their first win in Seattle in 16 years by a score of 30-13 on Sunday night at Lumen Field to improve to 10-4 on the season.

Here are five takeaways from the great country triumph:

1. A quick start goes a long way in this build.

The Packers came out like gangbusters, scoring touchdowns on their first two drives of the game, sandwiched around a defensive stop that included a third-down sack — one of seven sacks by the defense on the night.

Running back Josh Jacobs was the workhorse early, getting the ball via run or screen pass on nine of the 10 plays on the opening TD drive, which he capped off with a short dive. He was on his way to 136 total yards from scrimmage with more than 80 in the first quarter.

Then receiver Romeo Doubs, back after missing two games with a concussion and wearing a Guardian hood over his helmet for extra protection, finished the second drive by catching a slant and drawing two defenders into the end zone.

“It was great,” QB Jordan Love said. “That’s something we really haven’t seen since Rome, where we ran guys over and put the team on our backs. It shows how much he loves it and is willing to fight to get those extra yards and get that touchdown.”

The Packers were up 14-0 and in complete command.

“I like the confidence of our guys,” head coach Matt LaFleur said. “We came out and started fast. We knew that was going to be a key to the game to take the crowd out of it as much as possible.”

Green Bay had not scored two TDs on its first two possessions since a late November win over Kansas City last year, and that was the reverse of the punt-punt-fumble start to the Week 14 loss at Detroit the previous Thursday evening.

“It’s definitely something we’ve focused on all week, talked about all week, starting fast,” Love said. “That’s when we’re at our best, start fast, get the ball, put up points and go from there.”

2. A few key players returned to the lineup and made their presence felt.

First was Doubs, who also scored the game’s final touchdown on a diving catch in the back of the end zone. He had three receptions for 40 yards and both of Love’s TD throws as the QB was an efficient 20-of-27 for 229 yards and a 123.8 passer rating.

“What about that catch, the other touchdown catch?” LaFleur said, referring to Doubs. “It was a big play. I love how Rom works. He’s been pretty consistent for us and he’s coming through. It was cool to have him back out there.”

The other was rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, who had missed the last three games with a hamstring injury but stood out both as a pass rusher and in coverage all night.

Cooper finished with five tackles, a sack, two QB hits and two passes defensed to go with his first career interception, which came in the fourth quarter and preceded the second Doubs TD that put the game away. Cooper’s performance was also timely with the Packers losing linebacker Quay Walker to an ankle injury during the game.

“He’s just a hell of a player,” LaFleur said of Cooper, while also crediting defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley for how he uses Cooper and position coach Anthony Campanile for how he’s coached him and all the linebackers. “It’s been fun to watch and witness his growth.

“Coop’s a hell of an athlete, man, and he’s just scratching the surface of what he can be in this league.”