DETROIT (0-1) AT GREEN BAY (0-1):
PLACE: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
DATE / TIME: Monday, September 20, 7:15 p.m. (CT)
TELEVISION: ESPN
SERIES: Packers lead 104-72-7; Packers beat Lions 34-27, Dec. 13, 2020
LAST WEEK: Lions lost 41-33 to San Francisco 49ers at Detroit. Packers lost 38-3 to New Orleans Saints in Jacksonville, Florida
SERIES: Packers lead 104-72-7; Packers beat Lions 34-27, Dec. 13, 2020
LAST WEEK: Lions lost 41-33 to San Francisco 49ers at Detroit. Packers lost 38-3 to New Orleans Saints in Jacksonville, Florida
PACKERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (32), RUSH (32), PASS (26), SCORING (32)
PACKERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (10), RUSH (30), PASS (3), SCORING (30)
LIONS OFFENSE: OVERALL (8), RUSH (16), PASS (8), SCORING (8)
LIONS DEFENSE: OVERALL (28), RUSH (22), PASS (23), SCORING (8)
The final game of Week 2 features NFC North rivals that each lost concerning games in Week 1. The Green Bay Packers were blown off the field by the New Orleans Saints, 38-3, while the Detroit Lions were on their way to being blown out before staging a furious fourth-quarter comeback that ultimately fell short against the San Francisco 49ers.
Aaron Rodgers and company have an opportunity to get back on track in a Monday night home game, but Dan Campbell's crew showed last week that it will fight until the final whistle -- no matter how futile it seems. Can the Packers even their record at 1-1, or will the Lions plunge them into an even deeper hole?
WHEN THE LIONS HAVE THE BALL
The strength of the Lions' roster is their offensive line -- even with left tackle Taylor Decker out. Rookie Penei Sewell acquitted himself nicely in the switch back to his natural side of the line (he'd struggled at right tackle during the preseason), while the interior linemen cleared the way for D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams to rush for 93 yards on 20 carries, or about 4.7 a pop.
Meanwhile, the Saints ran all over the Packers last week, with Alvin Kamara and Tony Jones taking their 31 carries for 133 yards. Green Bay's style of defense invites opposing offenses to run the ball and try to be patient while matriculating it downfield. If you can find success against light boxes, there are opportunities to be had. It's typically easier said than done, but Green Bay will be without the best defender among its front seven, with Za'Darius Smith going on injured reserve earlier this week.
Without Smith, it'll also be more difficult for Green Bay to get pressure on Jared Goff, who is among the quarterbacks most affected by pressure in the entire league. The Packers still have Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Jonathan Garvin and Kenny Clark to push the pocket, but none has the ceiling or consistency of Za'Darius Smith, who has been among the NFL leaders in pressures in each of his two seasons with Green Bay.
The issue for the Lions is that even if Goff has time, their receivers on the outside leave a lot to be desired. Kalif Raymond led the group in snaps last week, followed by Amon-Ra St. Brown and Trinity Benson. Tyrell Williams played a lot early, though, and if he can make a go of it Monday night, he could see a lot of coverage from shutdown Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander. Attacking Kevin King on the opposite side has occasionally proven fruitful for opposing offenses in the past, but Chandon Sullivan could also be vulnerable in the slot.
Detroit's best two pass-catchers are likely Swift and T.J. Hockenson, which means the Packers' linebackers and safeties will have to be at the top of their respective games. De'Vondre Campbell, Krys Barnes, Adrian Amos, and Darnell Savage will have their work cut out for them with two very different weapons testing their capabilities on pretty much every snap.
Swift and Hockenson hauled in 16 of 21 combined targets last week, gaining 162 yards and and each player notching a score through the air. The Packers gave up two touchdowns to Saints tight end Juwan Johnson in Week 1 and another to Kamara. The opportunities for the Lions to create plays should be there against a defense that has often had issues containing backs and tight ends in the pass game.
WHEN THE PACKERS HAVE THE BALL
I hope Matt LaFleur just burned the game tape of Green Bay's 38-3 loss to the Saints. There's nothing the Packers can really take away from it that will be useful to them the rest of the season anyway. (Green Bay's third possession of the game didn't come until there was just 1:07 left in the second quarter. It's understandable that the Packers lacked rhythm.)
Here, they have an opportunity to bounce back in a big way. The Lions gave up 104 yards on 19 carries to sixth-round rookie Elijah Mitchell, allowed Jimmy Garoppolo to complete 17 of 25 passes for 314 yards and a touchdown and yielded an additional score to Trey Lance.
An already-thin secondary was further depleted by the season-ending injury to Jeff Okudah, who suffered a ruptured Achilles and gave up a 79-yard catch-and-run touchdown to Deebo Samuel. Without him, it's Amani Oruwariye, Ifeatu Melifonwu and AJ Parker who will likely get the majority of the reps at corner. That's a lot of opportunity for Rodgers and Davante Adams, in particular, to eat. (Melifonwu is probably the best fit to defend Adams due to his combination of size and athleticism, but that's a lot to ask of a rookie cornerback in his second NFL game.) Detroit also showed vulnerability to the deep pass in Week 1, which could give the Packers a chance to hit a big play to Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who saw eight targets but gained only 17 yards in the opener.
There's further opportunity for Aaron Jones and/or A.J. Dillon to get going after the duo combined for only 28 yards on nine carries last week. Green Bay has typically run the ball quite well during LaFleur's two-year tenure, so last week looks a lot like an aberration. Detroit drafted both Levi Onwuzurike and Alim McNeill to help shore up its run defense, but that didn't work out so well against the Niners, who run the same style of offense as do the Packers. (LaFleur's Shanahan-style run game features a lot of zone rushes.)
If the line can keep Rodgers well protected and give the backs more room to run than they did last week, the Packers should not have much trouble moving the ball up the field against a defense that was carved up by a similar stylistic offense with worse quarterback play a week ago.
LIONS NOTES:
QB JARED GOFF passed for 338 yards & 3 TDs vs. INT for 92.6 rating in Week 1. Has 26 games with 300+ pass yards since 2017, 3rd-most in NFL. Completed 21 of 27 attempts (77.8 pct.) for 174 yards & TD vs. 0 INTs for 105.9 rating in his only career start at GB (1/16/21 NFC-D w/ LAR). • RB D’ANDRE SWIFT had 104 scrimmage yards (65 rec., 39 rush), career-high 8 receptions & 3rd-career TD catch in Week 1. Had rush TD in last meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. NFC North with rush TD. RB JAMAAL WILLIAMS had 110 scrimmage yards (56 rec., 54 rush), rush TD & tied his career high with 8 catches last week. Spent 4 seasons (2017-20) with GB & had 2,946 scrimmage yards (1,985 rush, 961 rec.) & 18 TDs (10 rush, 8 rec.) in 60 games. • TE T.J. HOCKENSON had 8 receptions for team-high 97 rec. yards & TD catch last week. Had 6 catches & rec. TD in last meeting. Has 5+ catches in 3 of his past 4 vs. NFC North. WR QUINTEZ CEPHUS had 3rd-career rec. TD in Week 1 & aims for his 3rd in row with TD catch. • LB JAMIE COLLINS had 7th-career FR in Week 1. Has sack in 2 of his 3 career games vs. GB. Aims for his 4th in row vs. GB with 5+ tackles. LB TREY FLOWERS had 10th-career FF last week. LB ROMEO OKWARA has sack in 2 of his past 3 vs. NFC North. DB TRACY WALKER had 7 tackles & 2nd-career sack in Week 1. Aims for his 3rd in row with sack. Has PD in 3 of his past 4 vs. GB. CB WILL HARRIS had career-high 7 tackles in Week 1.
QB JARED GOFF passed for 338 yards & 3 TDs vs. INT for 92.6 rating in Week 1. Has 26 games with 300+ pass yards since 2017, 3rd-most in NFL. Completed 21 of 27 attempts (77.8 pct.) for 174 yards & TD vs. 0 INTs for 105.9 rating in his only career start at GB (1/16/21 NFC-D w/ LAR). • RB D’ANDRE SWIFT had 104 scrimmage yards (65 rec., 39 rush), career-high 8 receptions & 3rd-career TD catch in Week 1. Had rush TD in last meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. NFC North with rush TD. RB JAMAAL WILLIAMS had 110 scrimmage yards (56 rec., 54 rush), rush TD & tied his career high with 8 catches last week. Spent 4 seasons (2017-20) with GB & had 2,946 scrimmage yards (1,985 rush, 961 rec.) & 18 TDs (10 rush, 8 rec.) in 60 games. • TE T.J. HOCKENSON had 8 receptions for team-high 97 rec. yards & TD catch last week. Had 6 catches & rec. TD in last meeting. Has 5+ catches in 3 of his past 4 vs. NFC North. WR QUINTEZ CEPHUS had 3rd-career rec. TD in Week 1 & aims for his 3rd in row with TD catch. • LB JAMIE COLLINS had 7th-career FR in Week 1. Has sack in 2 of his 3 career games vs. GB. Aims for his 4th in row vs. GB with 5+ tackles. LB TREY FLOWERS had 10th-career FF last week. LB ROMEO OKWARA has sack in 2 of his past 3 vs. NFC North. DB TRACY WALKER had 7 tackles & 2nd-career sack in Week 1. Aims for his 3rd in row with sack. Has PD in 3 of his past 4 vs. GB. CB WILL HARRIS had career-high 7 tackles in Week 1.
PACKERS NOTES:
QB AARON RODGERS has 25 TDs (24 pass, 1 rush) vs. 3 INTs for 118 rating in 9 career home starts on Monday. Has 2+ TD passes in 6 of his past 7 on MNF. Has 50 TDs (46 pass, 4 rush) vs. 8 INTs for 106.2 rating in 22 career starts vs. Det. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Det. with 2+ pass TDs vs. 0 INTs & 105+ rating. Has 51,378 pass yards & can surpass HOFer JOHN ELWAY (51,475) for 10th-most pass yards in NFL history. • RB AARON JONES had 946 scrimmage yards (135.1 per game) & 6 TDs (4 rush, 2 rec.) in 7 home games last season. Has 25 TDs (22 rush, 3 rec.) in 26 career home games. Had career-high 236 scrimmage yards (career-best 168 rush, 68 rec.) & 3 TDs (2 rush, 1 rec.) in last home meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row on MNF with 100+ scrimmage yards & TD. • WR DAVANTE ADAMS has 90+ rec. yards & TD catch in 3 of his past 4 vs. Det. Has 35 receptions (8.8 per game) for 414 yards (103.5 per game) & 4 rec. TDs in his past 4 on MNF. Aims for his 3rd in row on MNF with 10+ receptions & 100+ rec. yards. Since 2016, leads NFL with 58 rec. TDs. TE ROBERT TONYAN had 98 rec. yards & career-high 3 TD catches in his last game on MNF (10/5/20 vs. Atl.). Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Det. with TD catch. • LB ZA’DARIUS SMITH aims for his 3rd in row at home vs. Det. with sack. Had 9.5 sacks in 8 home games in 2020. Has 7.5 sacks in his past 3 on MNF & aims for his 3rd in row on MNF with 3+ sacks. CB JAIRE ALEXANDER has PD in 3 of his 4 career games vs. Det.
ON THE AIRWAVES: TV: ESPN: Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick, Lisa Salters (field reporter) RADIO: Westwood One: Kevin Harlan, Tony Boselli. Milwaukee's WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since November 1929, heads up the Packers Radio Network that is made up of 49 stations in four states. Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play), two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (analyst) and three-time Packers Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro John Kuhn (sideline) will call the action. The broadcast is also available on Sirius Satellite Radio (XM 225, Streaming 811 WTMJ feed).
FIGHT FOR CALIFORNIA: Both Rodgers (selected No. 24 overall, 2005) and Lions quarterback JARED GOFF (No. 1, 2016) are former starting quarterbacks at the University of California. Both were drafted in the first round and both led their teams to a Super Bowl in their third seasons as an NFL starter (Rodgers in 2010, Goff with the Rams in 2018).
WEEK 2 NFL SCHEDULE
(All times Central)
Thursday, September 16
New York Giants 29, Washington, 30
Sunday, September 19
New Orleans 7, Carolina 26
Cincinnati 17, Chicago 20
Houston 21, Cleveland 31
Los Angeles Rams 27, Indianapolis 24
Denver 23, Jacksonville 13
Buffalo 35, Miami 0
New England 25, New York Jets 6
San Francisco 17, Philadelphia 11
Las Vegas 26, Pittsburgh 17
Minnesota 33, Arizona 34
Atlanta 25, Tampa Bay 48
Dallas 20, Los Angeles Chargers 17
Tennessee 33, Seattle 30
Kansas City 35, Baltimore 36
Cincinnati 17, Chicago 20
Houston 21, Cleveland 31
Los Angeles Rams 27, Indianapolis 24
Denver 23, Jacksonville 13
Buffalo 35, Miami 0
New England 25, New York Jets 6
San Francisco 17, Philadelphia 11
Las Vegas 26, Pittsburgh 17
Minnesota 33, Arizona 34
Atlanta 25, Tampa Bay 48
Dallas 20, Los Angeles Chargers 17
Tennessee 33, Seattle 30
Kansas City 35, Baltimore 36
Monday, September 20
Detroit at Green Bay ESPN 7:15
