Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs had two touchdowns in a 27-18 win over Cincinnati Sunday.

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The Green Bay Packers made sure Joe Flacco’s bid at history wasn’t going to happen on their watch.

The Packers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 27-18, Sunday preventing Flacco from doing something remarkably unique.

Flacco was trying to become just the second player in NFL history to beat the same team twice in the same year while playing for two different teams.

Flacco was Cleveland’s starting quarterback last month when the Browns upset the Packers, 13-10. He was then traded to Cincinnati on Oct. 7 and had a chance to beat the Packers again.

Jack Kemp was the only quarterback to ever notch that rare achievement. Back in 1962, Kemp defeated the New York Titans (now the Jets) as the quarterback for Buffalo and the San Diego Chargers.

But the Packers — a 14.5-point favorite — spoiled Flacco’s potential party by doing just enough on both sides of the ball to prevail.

“It was never pretty, never perfect,” left guard Aaron Banks said. “But we got a win and that’s what matters most.”

Green Bay improved to 3-1-1, while the Bengals lost their fourth straight game and fell to 2-4.

“It was pretty remarkable to see a guy like Joe Flacco come in there and operate, and certainly they’ve got some really good players over there,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “But I was proud of our guys. You always get punched in the face in this league, and our guys kept responding and that’s what we need to be.”

Here’s the ‘Good, Bad and Ugly’ from Green Bay’s win.

THE GOOD

JOSH JACOBS: There isn’t much Green Bay’s Pro Bowl running back can’t do.

On Sunday, Jacobs shined despite throwing up multiple times due to the flu.

“I was mic’d up, so I don’t know if they’re going to put that in there or not,” Jacobs said afterwards. “But it was a couple times I was on the field, I was like coughing, everybody like, ‘Man, are you all right?’ I’m like, ‘We’ll figure it out.’ ”

He did just that.

After a somewhat quiet first half, Jacobs finished with 18 carries for 93 yards and two touchdowns. It was the fifth time since Jacobs has been a Packer he’s had multiple touchdowns in the same game.

Jacobs also caught five passes for a team-high 67 yards.

“It’s amazing, man, 8-ball,” wideout Romeo Doubs said of Jacobs who wears No. 8. “He’s going to do what he’s got to do. That’s somebody who you would fight for, obviously. I ain’t got too much to say, man, it’s 8-ball.”

Tight end Tucker Kraft agreed.

“Josh is everything you need in a teammate and a leader,” Kraft said. “He’s gonna come out there and give it his best every single opportunity he gets and that’s just the relentless effort he brings, the way he practices, it’s just all so contagious.”

Jacobs had a 3-yard TD run late in the first half that gave Green Bay a 10-0 lead. On that play, center Elgton Jenkins and left guard Aaron Banks cleared a big hole for Jacobs.

Jacobs then had a 14-yard TD run on the first play of the fourth quarter to give Green Bay a 17-7 lead. Jenkins and right guard Jordan Morgan cleared a huge hole, and Jacobs shot up the middle for a huge score.

“I think our O-line did a great job just creating some holes in the run game,” Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love said. “But (Jacobs) is just a good playmaker when he gets the ball and he’s not making the first man bring him down and he’s finding ways to keep getting extra yards. He’s just one of those guys, just hand the ball to him, let him go eat.”

FINISHING THE DEAL: Packers coach Matt LaFleur was unhappy at halftime, after his team struggled to finish drives and had 10 points.

That wasn’t a problem in the second half, when Green Bay scored on all three of its drives and didn’t punt.

Green Bay’s first drive of the second half was a 9-play, 66-yard march that Jacobs finished with a 14-yard TD run. The Packers then put together a 6-play, 62-yard TD drive midway through the fourth quarter that Tucker Kraft capped with a 19-yard TD pass from Jordan Love.

Then with Green Bay protecting a 24-18 lead, it marched into field goal range and got a game-sealing 39-yarder from Lucas Havrisik.

LUCAS HAVRISIK: The Packers signed Havrisik on Saturday in case kicker Brandon McManus (quad) couldn’t go.

McManus went through a series of pregame tests before the Packers decided to make him inactive. Havrisik then made both of his field goals and all three of his extra points.

Havrisik’s 39-yard field goal with 1:52 left gave Green Bay a two-score lead and largely sealed the Bengals’ fate.

“They told me to treat it as if I was playing,” Havrisik said. “I did my best job to think I was playing and really not thinking of anything else. I’m not so sure what time they told me because I had my mind set that I was going to play. I just went with the flow and treated it as a regular game.”

The 26-year-old Havrisik was undrafted coming out of Arizona in 2022. Havrisik spent time on the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad in 2022, and on the practice squads of both Cleveland and Indianapolis in 2023.

Havrisik then was signed by the Los Angeles Rams midway through the 2023 season to replace struggling veteran Brett Maher. Havrisik made 15 of 20 field goal attempts with the Rams and 19 of 22 extra points, then was waived after the season.

Havrisik was on Buffalo’s practice squad last season, then made 22 of 25 field goals this spring with the Dallas Renegades of the United Football League.

When his number was called on Sunday, he came up big.

“It’s very impressive,” Packers long snapper said of Havrisik’s performance. “The wind conditions were brutal out there. They were really difficult, so to come in here and your first day hitting live opps with two guys and he’s just nails all day is pretty impressive.”

DOMINANT DEFENSIVE FIRST HALF: Green Bay’s defense was sensational in the first half, helping the Packers take a 10-0 lead at the break.

In the first half, the Bengals had just four first downs and 65 total yards. Cincinnati averaged just 3.0 yards per play and quarterback Joe Flacco’s passer rating was a paltry 59.0.

FANCY FEET: Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love, who’s not known for his rushing prowess, had seven carries for 26 yards.

“It’s just something I had that focus coming into the season, looking at what we did last year,” Love said. “I think there were some opportunities where I could’ve extended the plays and made some plays with my legs. So it’s definitely been a focus coming into OTAs, training camp where if it’s not there, trying to find ways to use my legs.”

THIS AND THAT: The Packers have had a double digit lead in all five of their games. … Green Bay held the ball for 21 minutes, 44 seconds in the first half vs. just 8:16 for the Bengals. … Bo Melton had a 36-yard kickoff return early in the fourth quarter. It was the Packers’ longest kick return of the season. … Carrington Valentine had a huge pass breakup against Ja’Marr Chase with 4:17 left. … Matthew Golden had a critical 31-yard reception on third-and-8 on Green Bay’s game-clinching drive.

THE BAD

DEFENSE WILTS: Green Bay’s defense has given up a respectable 102 points through five games (20.4). Amazingly, 80 of those have come in the second half and 63 of those have come in the fourth quarter/overtime.

“It’s about discipline man,” cornerback Nate Hobbs said. “It’s about not giving a (expletive) how many plays you’re out there. Not giving a (expletive) about none of that bro.”

Once again, the Packers’ defense struggled in the second half, allowing all 18 of the Bengals’ points, including 11 in the fourth quarter. Cincinnati scored on its first three second half drives, and missed a field goal on its fourth and final possession.

“We’ve been showing glimpses, but how can we just do it for a complete four quarters?” Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons said.

On Cincinnati’s first drive of the second half, it put together a 17-play, 78-yard touchdown march that gobbled up 10:14.

Joe Flacco capped the drive with a 2-yard TD pass to tight end Tanner Hudson, who beat linebacker Quay Walker for the score. The Bengals went 2-for-3 on third downs on the drive and 1-for-1 on fourth down.

Cincinnati put together a 9-play, 50-yard field goal drive early in the fourth quarter and closed within 17-10.

Ja’Marr Chase then hauled in a 19-yard touchdown pass on fourth down with 4:11 left. When the Bengals converted the two-point conversion, they closed within 24-18.

“It’s lining up and doing the same thing you did last play and not getting bored, not letting fatigue take over,” Hobbs said. “It’s just depending on each other and trusting each other.”

THE BEAT GOES ON: Green Bay’s special teams have been an issue all year, and put the Packers in a tough spot early.

The Bengals punted from their own 37 and Ryan Rehkow launched a 55-yard boomer. Green Bay return man Matthew Golden had all sorts of space in front of him, but made a fair catch at the 8.

Making matters worse, Bo Melton was flagged for holding, and Green Bay started on its own 4.

On the Packers’ next punt return opportunity, Romeo Doubs replaced Golden.

THIS AND THAT: Tyron Hopper had a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness on a kickoff. … Keisean Nixon was penalized 11 yards for pass interference on Ja’Marr Chase. … The Packers had just one sack — which came from defensive end Lukas Van Ness — and didn’t force a turnover.

THE UGLY

DECISIONS, DECISIONS: Love made a terrible choice on the Packers’ opening drive, trying to force a ball into Romeo Doubs.

Cornerback D.J. Turner deflected the pass and safety Geno Stone intercepted at the Bengals’ 11, then returned the pick 25 yards to the Cincinnati 36.

Love’s decision killed a promising 11-play, 47-yard drive.

“I saw Rome coming across the field with the DB on his back,” Love said. “I said, ‘Let’s go. Let’s try to make this tough throw,’ and I missed it behind. Obviously, it’s one of those areas where you’ve just got to understand the situation.

“We’re in field-goal range, we have points, so if it feels like it’s going to be a tight window or I’m not very confident in it, just throw it away, live to fight another day. Tried to make it happen, didn’t work and it came back to bite us on that play right there. Just got to learn from it.”