Home is the place your coronary heart is, and for the Detroit Lions that’s Ford Field as they overcame the Green Bay Packers 34-31 on “Thursday Night Football.” The Lions lead within the NFC North received greater, as they’re 12-1, the Minnesota Vikings are 10-2 and the Green Bay Packers at the moment are 9-4. The win clinched a playoff look for Detroit as effectively, so for back-to-back seasons, the Lions are headed again to the postseason.
This recreation was the story of two halves, because the Lions appeared to be in management within the first half, up 17-7 going into the break. In lower than 4 minutes to start out the second half although, the Packers shortly took the lead, 21-17. The Lions overcame the interception Goff threw to start out the second half and continued to reply all the things Green Bay threw their means.
Check out my winners and losers within the massive win in opposition to the Packers
Winners
Jameson Williams
Williams had a huge impact on Thursday. He was the main receiver for Detroit, ending with 5 catches for 80 yards. Williams has actually solely performed Green Bay as soon as as he was restricted in 2022 as he was recovering from that ACL, so the Packers nonetheless don’t have a lot expertise going up in opposition to him. He got here up with an enormous 19-yard catch within the fourth quarter to assist transfer the chains and the Lions received nearer to subject aim vary.
Newcomers and depth
With the Lions down a number of starters and depth items, they’ve made quite a few signings from observe squads and free company. They have additionally moved gamers up from their observe squad onto the lively roster to assist them out. Linebacker Kwon Alexander had two tackles, and linebacker Mitchell Agude had a deal with as he was referred to as up from the Lions observe squad.
Safety Jamal Adams helped carry some strain on the Packers offensive line and serving to slowing down the operating recreation, ending the sport with only a deal with. Defensive lineman Pat O’Connor did effectively as he had a play the place he timed the snap completely and disrupted the throw by Packers quarterback Jordan Love. Defensive finish Al-Quadin Muhammad had 4 tackles as he continues to get extra taking part in time for Detroit.
Defensive finish Myles Adams had three tackles, linebackers David Long Jr. and Ezekiel Turner every had a deal with. Defensive finish Jonah Williams didn’t file a deal with, however he did get a QB hit. The greatest query heading into this recreation was if Detroit’s defensive depth may maintain up and so they did in order I simply gave you 9 gamers that weren’t on the Lions 53-man roster who performed tonight and made significant performs. While all of them won’t proceed to be on the roster as others return, the group will be glad about all they’ve carried out for them.
Za’Darius Smith
Facing up in opposition to his former group, and my x-factor heading into the matchup, made his presence identified from the primary play of the sport for the protection. Smith shortly received to Packers quarterback Jordan Love and sacked him for a seven-yard loss. Smith has been the most effective addition this group has made by way of commerce or free company/observe squad in the course of the season. When the group wanted somebody after defensive finish Aidan Hutchinson went down, they received the very best alternative.
Smith completed the sport with two tackles, a deal with for loss, and a sack. He is the Lions’ finest go rusher on the group now, and regardless of the group’s depleted defensive position, he’s nonetheless making performs and impacting the protection.
Tim Patrick
Williams wasn’t the one vast receiver to affect this recreation, it’s protected to say Tim Patrick had the most important affect of all of them. Patrick not solely scored his first landing as a Lion, however he additionally scored twice and each touchdowns had been big-time performs. The first was a fourth-down go that gave Detroit the lead 24-21 within the third quarter. The second gave Detroit the 31-28 lead within the fourth quarter.
Patrick did greater than rating, ending with six catches for 43 yards and two touchdowns. He made another useful catches for the Lions offense and has crammed into the WR3 function properly. When Detroit had vast receiver Josh Reynolds, Goff would search for him on third downs and clutch performs. As the season has progressed, Patrick has turn out to be that participant for Goff makes the Lions offense deadly.
Losers
More accidents
Lions defensive deal with Alim McNeill left the sport within the first quarter to get examined for a concussion. He returned to play, however would miss the second half with a head damage. The protection has been lacking extra gamers than some other unit, so dropping one other beginning defensive participant isn’t what you needed right here. That means the whole beginning defensive position for the Lions is now coping with accidents and never taking part in, which isn’t what you need in December a month earlier than the playoffs.
The offense wasn’t alone in coping with an damage as proper guard Kevin Zeitler missed a number of performs and would later return, he may need one thing occurring sooner or later weeks now. The Lions are already down left deal with Taylor Decker, so having one other beginning offensive lineman coping with a nagging damage isn’t nice. The protection has been examined closely with accidents this season, whereas the offense hasn’t had as many obstacles with them, their offense makes them explosive so something limiting that hurts Detroit vastly.
Run blocking
The Lions are a run-heavy group that wants it to work for the passing recreation to open up and the play-action performs to be arrange. The final time Detroit performed Green Bay, Detroit ran for 124 yards, averaging 3.9 yards per carry, and received a landing. This time, Detroit ran for 111 yards, averaging 3.3 yards per carry, and scored as soon as. No matter who was operating the soccer for Detroit, there wasn’t a lot going for them.
Running again Jahmyr Gibbs led the group with 15 carries for 43 yards, whereas David Montgomery had 14 carries for 51 yards and the landing. Whether Detroit tried to run it to the skin or up the center, there wasn’t a lot success. The longest run by the Lions was a 20-yard run by Gibbs. If your longest run accounts for just below 20 p.c of your complete manufacturing, that’s not good. The Packers have a superb run protection and it confirmed this week in opposition to the Lions.
