Lions Defense Shows up in W over Packers
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The Detroit Lions defeated the Green Bay Packers 15-9 on Sunday afternoon in Detroit. This makes two wins in a row now against Green Bay for Detroit, as the Lions move to 2-6. This also marks the Packers 5th loss in a row and they fall to 3-6 on the season and now sit a full 4 games behind the Minnesota Vikings in the division.
The Lions defense, which came into Sunday ranked statistically as the worst defense in the league, showed up and was able to hold the Packers to just 9 points. One of the main reasons Detroit’s defense was able to keep Green Bay off of the score board, was the three interceptions that the defense was able to force Aaron Rodgers into throwing. Rodgers is typically known as just the opposite, an elite QB who rarely beats himself by turning the ball over.
Lions star rookie, and the #2 overall pick in last years draft Aiden Hutchinson was one of the three Lions players credited with an interception against Rodgers on Sunday. After the game, Hutchinson said when talking to reporters that it was his first interception at any level of his football career.
Rodgers finished the game 22-43, with 291 passing yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. Allen Lazard had a nice day, grabbing 4 catches for 87 yards and a touchdown while the Packers running game was uncharacteristically quiet in this one. Aj Dillon and Aaron Jones who are looked at as one of the top running back duo’s in the league were held to just 59 yards on 20 attempts combined. Green Bay also lead the game in Time of Possession and Total Yards.
For Detroit, Jared Goff threw for just 137 yards in this game, his second lowest number in his season and a half with the Lions. Goff did have two touchdown passes though, while the running back tandem of Jamaal Williams and Deandre Swift did most of the heavy lifting for Detroit offensively.
Williams finished 81 yards rushing on 24 attempts, while Swift who is still recovering and not 100% from shoulder and ankle injuries, contributed in a limited fashion for the second straight week and chipped in 40 yards receiving on 3 catches as well as 10 yards on the ground. Together they combined for over half of the Detroit’s total yards.
The Lions will look to carry the positive momentum into next week when they travel to Chicago to take on Justin Fields and the Bears, while the Packers will look to get their season on track before it is too late at home against the Dallas Cowboys in week 10.
