Detroit Lions
Four Reasons the Detroit Lions Can Win in Green Bay
Detroit Lions

Four Reasons the Detroit Lions Can Win in Green Bay

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 8:37 p.m. ET

Dec 3, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) and Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) after the game at Ford Field. Green Bay won 27-23. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Lions fans typically have little to look forward to when the Lions travel to the other side of Lake Michigan to face the Green Bay Packers. After all, Jason Hanson played 22 seasons in Detroit and never won a game in the state of Wisconsin.

But the 2015 Detroit Lions broke the 24-year drought, and the team had the Packers swept last year if not for Jim Caldwell’s coaching malpractice on the Hail Mary.

Can this year’s Lions continue the strong play against the Packers? It seems daunting with Ziggy Ansah and DeAndre Levy both out, but there are still reasons for optimism the Detroit Lions can pull the road upset.

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Matthew Stafford in Command

Even with last week’s “down” performance, Lions QB Matthew Stafford continues to impress. No. 9 has been one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks since Jim Bob Cooter took over the Detroit Lions offense. Witness:

Stafford has great command of Cooter’s quick-hit, spread-the-wealth passing game. He’s rarely made the wrong decision with his route options, and the accuracy and mechanics are both above reproach.

Moreover, I’ve been impressed with Stafford’s leadership. Detroit needed a more demonstrative leader and Stafford has stepped it up, as I wrote about after the win in Indianapolis.

Lack of Packer Weaponry

While the debate in Wisconsin rages over Aaron Rodgers’ perceived decline, what is fact is the great Green Bay QB doesn’t have a lot of help at his disposal. Even with Jordy Nelson back from his 2015 knee injury, the Packers lack a quality depth and variety of offensive weapons.

Nelson has been merely okay in his return, catching 11 passes for 105 yards and 2 TDs in his first two games back from ACL reconstruction. His hands look fine but the burst off the line and out of breaks isn’t quite what it used to be. Still, he’s a viable No. 1 wideout that will challenge the Detroit Lions hit-and-miss secondary.

Randall Cobb underwhelms as the second option. He’s a playmaking guy but just hasn’t made plays after the catch; only one of his 11 receptions tops 18 yards and he averages less than 2 yards after the catch so far.

The Detroit secondary has some coverage issues, but the corners–notably Nevin Lawson–do tackle well. And beyond Nelson and Cobb, Green Bay’s paucity of receiving options is dire. Davante Adams might be the most unreliable wideout in the league, but he’s the only other WR with more than one target all season. Tight ends Jared Cook and Richard Rodgers have one reception longer than 8 yards between them.

Then there are the running backs. Eddie Lacy runs like you would expect a guy pushing 250 pounds to run, powerful but not very elusive. Though he’s averaging 4.3 yards per carry, the figure is misleading. Just two of his runs account for 40 percent of those yards, and just four of his 28 carries gained more than 5 yards. Backup James Starks has been even less effective, gaining just 11 yards on 10 carries.

Eric Ebron

I know, I know. He’s not been worth the No. 10 overall pick in 2014.

Get over it, haters.

Ebron has been the most reliable receiving option this year. He’s the only receiver who doesn’t have a drop. He was great against Tennessee, the bogus pass interference call that wiped out his touchdown catch included.

Through two games the Detroit Lions tight end has nine receptions on 12 targets for 99 yards and a TD. He’s also shown improvement as a blocker in space, helping to spring Theo Riddick and Ameer Abdullah to a few extra yards with nice blocks on second-level defenders.

The Packers had no answer for Jacksonville’s Julius Thomas in the opener, and Ebron is a faster version of the Jaguars tight end. With an injury to CB Sam Shields, expect Green Bay to use their safeties more on the outside to help try and contain Golden Tate and Marvin Jones. That should create opportunities for Ebron, and thus far in 2016 he has delivered.

And by the way, the player then-GM Martin Mayhew really wanted to draft in place of Ebron was Justin Gilbert, a corner who barely sees the field for Pittsburgh after being in real danger of not making the worst NFL team since the 2008 Detroit Lions went winless, this year’s Cleveland Browns. Be grateful for Ebron, folks…

Green Bay is banged up too

Detroit is struggling to keep 11 healthy players available to field a viable defense, but the enemy Packers are also in pretty rough shape…

Green Bay already pronounced starting CB Sam Shields out as well. That means the Packers will face a diverse Lions attack without half their starting secondary and the only viable outside pass rushing threat.

Pair this with a revamped Detroit Lions offensive line, where Riley Reiff at right tackle has spearheaded a rushing attack that ranks third (3rd!?!) in yards per carry, and the Lions offense should find a lot of success at Lambeau Field.

Will it be enough? We’ll find out Sunday at 1 PM!

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