GREEN BAY, Wis. — Over a day of fighting, brouhahas and post-play pushing and shoving, the Patriots delivered their hardest punch with a pass.

Four plays into his 2-minute drill, Mac Jones was perfect Thursday against the Packers’ starting, snarling defense. He took a shotgun snap at midfield with more than a minute to go, bounced in the pocket and glanced left. Go time.

Jones calmly uncorked a bomb down the sideline for DeVante Parker, who had pulled away for Green Bay cornerback Rasul Douglas. On Wednesday, Douglas had tortured Jones by nearing picking him off twice in team periods. Now, it was time for payback.

Parker cradled Jones’ pass in stride and inside the 5-yard line, then crossed the goal line as the Patriots’ sideline exploded. Everything else fell away. The fights, the ejections and any prior mental mistakes or missteps. Jones had driven a dagger into the heart of Green Bay’s defense to cap the offense’s best practice of training camp.

This was a moment. The Patriots saw it. They felt it.

Two drives later, Bailey Zappe beat the buzzer on his own 2-minute drill, and the Pats’ sideline again spilled out onto the field in celebration. Jones and Zappe also combined to take eight “sacks” during team periods — an ongoing concern — but together with their much-maligned receiving corps, they’d also sent a message. Not to the Packers, but themselves: maybe we can do this after all.

Elsewhere at practice, Ezekiel Elliott surprised with his participation, Bill Belichick’s defense stood tall late against the Packers’ 2-minute drill, injury scares hit on both sides of the ball and a rookie receiver shredded Green Bay’s secondary.

Here are the Herald’s complete practice observations.

Left practice: WR Tyquan Thornton, DL Keion White

Returned: None

Absent: OT Conor McDermott, CB Jonathan Jones, TE Mike Gesicki, RB/WR Ty Montgomery, RB Pierre Strong, OL Cole Strange, OL Kody Russey, LB Ronnie Perkins

Limited: DL Carl Davis

PUP: OL Mike Onwenu, DL Trey Flowers, S Cody Davis

Non-Football Illness: OT Calvin Anderson

Notes: Thornton left practice with medical personnel after laying out for a long catch during initial 11-on-11s. He did not return, White laid on the field for 20-30 seconds after one snap during the Packers’ initial 2-minute drill and received medical attention. He remained on the sideline for the rest of practice.

McDermott’s absence was the only other change from Wednesday’s attendance. The veteran swing tackle missed his first practice of the summer. Jones has now been out for two full weeks. Onwenu again appeared in street clothes, while all of the other absentees were nowhere to be seen. Backup offensive lineman Bill Murray shed his red, non-contact jersey and replaced McDermott at right tackle in team periods.

Arguably the play of the summer.

In addition to his final touchdown, Jones connected with Tyquan Thornton on another bomb earlier in practice. He finished 13-of-17 overall, including one drop, a red-zone touchdown to Kendrick Bourne and a 4-of-4 performance in his 2-minute drill. One of Jones’ best training camp practices as a pro.

Mac Jones trying to ‘chase the standard’ Tom Brady set with Patriots

Note: The passing stats below were tallied during competitive 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 periods only. The stats in parentheses represent the quarterbacks' camp-long performance.

When in doubt, find Pop.

The sixth-round rookie set a team record in training camp by catching nine passes in team periods, including two touchdowns from Bailey Zappe. Douglas only caught one ball from Mac Jones, but the design of the play was more telling: a screen where he was the only intended target. The kid is already a made man.

Dugger snatched his fourth interception of training camp by jumping a Jordan Love pass intended for tight end Luke Musgrave in the end zone. Dugger is tracking to

Two days earlier, Elliott arrived in Green Bay with new teammates and coaches and barely any knowledge of the Patriots' offensive playbook. On Thursday, he fully engaged in team drills, taking six hand-offs and catching one screen pass. That's one heck of a day for someone who just spent five months as a free agent.

Jennings got ejected midway through practice for retaliating against Packers undrafted rookie Keshawn Banks, who threw a punch during a punting period. Jennings covered at least 20 yards before leveling Banks in the back of the head and neck. Both players were kicked out.

Like most Patriots O-linemen this summer, Murray found himself in a trying position Thursday. He played right tackle on the offensive line that worked with Bailey Zappe. It was new position for Murray, a right guard and newly converted defensive tackle. He committed two false starts in team periods.

Patriots already excited about ‘special things’ Ezekiel Elliott can bring

The Herald's Doug Kyed contributed to this report.