Odds Lions Beat Packers in Week 9
On Sunday, the Detroit Lions will square off with Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers for the first time this season.
The Packers, which are losers of four straight, lost four games all of last season.
Additionally, Rodgers & Co. have already dropped five games this year (3-5). It's the most losses they've suffered in a single season since 2018.
During the 2018 campaign, Green Bay went just 6-9-1, and it ultimately cost former Packers head man Mike McCarthy his job. McCarthy, now the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, was fired before the '18 season concluded.
Fast-forward to 2022, and Rodgers is in the midst of a career-worst year.
Through eight games, the four-time All-Pro quarterback has thrown for just 13 touchdowns and 1,800 yards.
Additionally, he's recorded a career-low QBR of 38.3, which ranks a measly 27th out of 33 qualified passers. This comes a season after he led the league in QBR (69.1).
Rodgers has also thrown for no more than 203 yards the past two weeks, a sign of the fact that the longtime Packers signal-caller hasn't been himself thus far in 2022.
Junfu Han, USA TODAY NETWORK
It all adds up to Green Bay being only 26th in the NFL in points scored per game through eight weeks (18.1/game).
Despite Rodgers' struggles this season, the Lions still know they will have their hands full with the 10-time Pro Bowler Sunday.
"I think what, he won MVP last year, correct? He’s still got it all. And, I think he’s still all there," Detroit rookie EDGE Aidan Hutchinson said about Rodgers earlier this week. "I know that media’s talking, a lot of people are talking about him. But, man, (he’s a) talented guy. So, we’re prepared and getting ready to just play our game against him."
Lions head coach Dan Campbell understands that part of stopping Rodgers involves limiting what he does with his legs when a play breaks down, even with Rodgers' mobility no longer being as great at 38 years old.
"That’s where he’s always been dangerous," Campbell told reporters this week about Rodgers' scrambling ability.
The second-year Detroit head man later added, "We have to be disciplined in our rush, pocket integrity, rush integrity. We have to push the pocket. You can’t get greedy and start thinking inside that you’re going to get one. Just do your job, push the pocket. Outside, we cannot rush by him. We have to close it in on him and make him make more of a more difficult throw. So, it’s easy to say it’s hard to do, but we’ve just got to stay disciplined to it."
Despite Rodgers not being his usual self, it doesn't mean this Week 9 matchup -- even with it being at Ford Field -- favors the Lions. Detroit is still allowing a league-worst 32.1 points a game, and hasn't won a game this season since Week 2 against the Washington Commanders.
On top of all that, T.J. Hockenson, the team's leading receiver this year (395 yards and three touchdowns), was dealt to the Minnesota Vikings at the trade deadline Tuesday. Meanwhile, fellow pass-catcher Josh Reynolds, who's dealing with a back ailment, is doubtful for Sunday's contest.
It doesn't spell a ton of success for Campbell's squad in this Week 9 tilt.
At this juncture, I'm willing to give the Lions a 35 percent chance of pulling out the win this week.
