Insider Insights: Packers vs. Lions
The Green Bay Packers will host the Detroit Lions on Sunday night with a chance to get to the playoffs. Let’s get to know the foe with the help of John Maakaron of SI.com’s All Lions.
1. Detroit’s offense didn’t do a darned thing in Round 1. Can you take us through just how different that group is for the rematch with D.J. Chark and Jameson Williams back from injuries and the Lions ranking among the best offenses in most categories?
The Lions, like many NFL teams, go as their quarterback goes. At Ford Field, Jared Goff is playing among the best signal-callers in the league. At home, he’s got a 109.3 passer rating with 23 touchdowns vs. three interceptions. However, on the road, his rating is 87.6 with six touchdowns vs. four interceptions.
More than just the receivers, Goff has developed a strong rapport with the young tight ends on the roster. Last week, the Lions set a team record for touchdown passes tossed to tight ends in a single season. And that’s with T.J. Hockenson dealt at the trade deadline.
The return of DJ Chark has opened up the deep passing game, or at least the threat of a deep passing game, as many locally are clamoring for Goff to launch it deep to Chark and Jameson Williams even more. There’s reason to do so: Of 32 quarterbacks with at least 25 deep passing attempts, Goff is 10th in completion percentage and seventh in passer rating, according to Pro Football Focus.
2. Packers coach Matt LaFleur on Monday said the Lions and Eagles have the best offensive lines in the NFL. Who’s the best player, who’s the weak link and how has that group handled top interior guys such as Kenny Clark?
Penei Sewell, the seventh pick of the 2021 draft, is among the best right tackles in the NFL and is only getting better. According to Pro Football Focus, he’s allowed only two sacks – none over the last seven games – and has brought a physical identify the team has been coveting.
Center Frank Ragnow is by no means a bad player, but he has been severely limited and hampered this season by a nagging toe injury. The line’s ability to get to the second level and combo block opens up holes for the running backs D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams. I am looking forward to seeing how the Packers attack Detroit's offensive line in Week 18.
3. Everybody knows about No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson but James Houston is on an unbelievable roll. What’s Houston’s story – he wasn’t on the field for the first game – and what’s made him such a breakout star?
Many have asked that same question, as the rookie sixth-round pick did not make the team coming out of training camp. In his weekly radio interview, coach Dan Campbell expressed that Houston worked all season on the practice squad to enhance his pass-rush moves, as he was regularly losing reps to players like left tackle Taylor Decker and right tackle Penei Sewell in camp. Working with Detroit's offensive line and coaching staff built up his confidence and forced the young rookie to fine tune his moves.
The 225-pounder has been a menace down the stretch. In six games and just 82 pass-rushing snaps, he’s got eight sacks. No rookie in the NFL – not even Hutchinson – has more. According to Pro Football Focus, he ranks fourth among edge defenders in pass-rush win rate. He had three sacks and a forced fumble last week against Chicago.
4. Detroit’s defense is terrible in just about every way. Actually, no qualifier needed. Statistically, it is terrible in every way. Not that Green Bay’s offense has been great – and the Lions crushed that group in Week 9 – but what does the defense need to do to win this game?
In the latest stretch of games, Detroit's defense has forced a significant number of turnovers. Starting with the Green Bay game, Detroit has won seven of its last nine games. In those seven wins, it’s created 13 takeaways. Hutchinson, Houston and safety Kerby Joseph, who had two interceptions in the first game, seem to always be around the football, giving Aaron Glenn the beginnings of a core group of defensive players to build around.
The Lions are going to want to pressure Aaron Rodgers and make his life a nightmare on Sunday night, because the secondary is still a work in progress, as cornerback Jeff Okudah has seen limited defensive snaps the past two weeks.
5. The Lions have been mostly irrelevant for three decades. Not anymore. At 8-8, are they on schedule? Ahead of schedule? And with a top-10 pick coming from the Rams, is the future as rosy as it seems?
Yes, the future is finally bright in Detroit. The Lions are building the right way, as the offensive and defensive lines have added talent. The team has yet to see what rookie receiver Jameson Williams brings to the table, but he has the makings of a superstar young wideout. After getting strong contributions from their 2022 draft class, having an additional first-round pick in the 2023 draft is giving everyone confidence the defense will add the necessary talent to bring the unit up to speed to match the success of the offense.
Packer Central’s Bill Huber contributed to this report.
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