3 Keys to Victory for Lions against Packers
Get your popcorn ready.
The Detroit Lions (8-8) will square off with the Green Bay Packers (8-8) on Sunday Night Football to close out the 2022 season.
It can't get much better than that for a Lions team which has won seven of its last nine games.
Here are the three things that Dan Campbell's squad must do to come out on top Sunday at Lambeau Field.
Limiting productivity of Packers' ground game
Forget Aaron Rodgers (I'm only half kidding)... the Lions have to worry more about finding a way to curtail the production of Green Bay on the ground.
Coming into this Week 18 contest, the Packers, led by their backfield tandem of Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon, have amassed 2,010 rushing yards (the 13th-highest total in the league this season).
Additionally, Green Bay produced 163 total rushing yards in its 41-17 thrashing of the Minnesota Vikings a week ago. Jones accumulated 111 of those yards (on 14 carries), while Dillon found the end zone on a short-yardage opportunity in the fourth quarter.
If I'm a Lions fan, I'm fearing that the Packers' run game will experience a similar level of success Sunday night. Remember, the Jones-Dillon duo is going up against a Detroit defense that has allowed the fourth-most rushing yards this season (2,388 yards).
While the Lions' chances of stopping the run don't look great, if Campbell's squad finds a way to do so, it certainly increases Detroit's odds of capturing the Week 18 victory.
Run, run and run the football some more
The Lions got back to the ground-and-pound -- and in a big way -- a week ago against the Chicago Bears. They, in fact, totaled a season-best 265 rushing yards, with Jamaal Williams leading the way with a game-high 144 of those yards. Additionally, Williams and D'Andre Swift each found the end zone once.
On Sunday night, Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson should have the same gameplan -- specifically one that focuses heavily on establishing the ground game.
A major reason why: Green Bay has permitted the seventh-most rushing yards (2,268) during the 2022 campaign.
Additionally, if the Lions can control the clock via the legs of Williams and Swift, it'll importantly keep Jones & Co. off the field. And, that might end up being the best form of defense for Detroit in this Week 18 contest.
Get the ball in the hands of Detroit's skill players
The Lions only mustered 15 points in their first meeting with the Packers earlier this season.
Remember, though, that in that Week 9 tilt, Detroit was without three of its top four receivers -- DJ Chark, Josh Reynolds and Jameson Williams.
Additionally, since then, Jared Goff has really come into form. In fact, over the veteran signal-caller's last eight games, he has thrown for 15 touchdowns and zero interceptions, while completing 66.91 percent of his passes.
Simply, the seventh-year pro is playing some of the best football of his NFL career. And, he's got the numbers to prove it.
He's thrown a near career-best 29 touchdowns, while amassing a QBR of 62.5 (the second-highest QBR of his career). In case you were wondering, those numbers are both better than the ones belonging to Rodgers in the same exact two stat categories (25 passing TDs and 39.6 QBR).
And, Goff has surely been helped out by the emergence of Chark in recent weeks. In Chark's last five games, he has amassed nearly 75 receiving yards a game (74.8), and has gone over 90 yards three times.
In this Week 18 matchup, expect Goff to continue to target Chark heavily. And, maybe, just maybe, Detroit's success on the ground will open up the play-action pass and lead to a deep shot or two to Jameson Williams.
How sweet would it be to see Williams help propel the Lions to a win at Lambeau Field to close out the '22 season.
