The Green Bay Packers overcame a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit and a sloppy start to defeat the New York Jets 20-17 in overtime at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, September 20, 2026. The victory evened Green Bay’s record at 1-1, while dropping the Jets to 1-1 in their home opener on a cool, rainy day in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Green Bay Rallies in Fourth Quarter to Edge Jets in Overtime
Quarterback Jordan Love completed 16 of 29 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns, finishing with a 91.9 passer rating. Despite committing 14 penalties for 133 yards and losing a fumble, the Packers avoided the critical errors that plagued them earlier in the contest.
A Game of Defensive Struggles and Missed Opportunities
The first quarter featured scoreless defense, with Jets punt returner Isaiah Williams surviving two fumbles and incurring two penalties. Green Bay broke the deadlock in the second quarter when Love connected with Christian Watson on a 20-yard touchdown pass to cap a 64-yard drive. The Jets responded before halftime, leaving the score tied 7-7 at the break.
In the third quarter, Jets quarterback Geno Smith engineered a drive that ended with a touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson, giving New York a 14-7 lead. After forcing a Packers fumble, the Jets settled for a short field goal by Jason Sanders to extend their advantage to 17-7 with just over 11 minutes remaining in regulation.
Fourth-Quarter Comeback and Overtime Winner
Trailing by 10 points, the Packers mounted their most effective offensive sequence of the day. A long pass interference penalty against New York helped set up another touchdown pass to Watson, cutting the deficit to 17-14. Later, Skyy Moore returned a punt 66 yards to the Jets’ 19-yard line, setting up a short field goal that tied the game at 17-1.
After the Jets failed to convert on third and fourth downs near midfield late in regulation, regulation ended deadlocked. In overtime, Green Bay’s defense sacked Smith twice to force a quick three-and-out.
Taking over on their own 34-yard line, the Packers marched into scoring range behind:
- An 11-yard run by running back Kaleb Johnson
- A 15-yard swing pass to running back Chris Brooks, which included an additional 15 yards for a late hit out of bounds
- A 14-yard completion to wide receiver Matthew Golden
With the ball inside the 10-yard line, rookie kicker Trey Smack connected on a 26-yard walk-off field goal with 5:23 remaining in the extra period.
Match Statistics and Injury Toll
Smith finished the day 27-of-41 for 247 yards, one touchdown, and a 90.2 passer rating for the Jets. Breece Hall was limited to 29 rushing yards on 16 carries, while Adonai Mitchell caught six passes for 63 yards. The two teams combined for 27 penalties totaling 289 yards.
The physical contest took a heavy toll on the Packers, who lost several players to injuries, including wide receiver Jayden Reed (neck), tackle Zach Bako-Bewele (knee), guard Aaron Banks (toe), and guard Donovan Jennings (hand).
Looking ahead to next week’s schedule, the Jets will travel to face the Detroit Lions, while the Packers return home to host the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night.
