(Photo: Clutchpoints)
Intriguing Game- NFL, Week 13
Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions
Packers (7-3-1):
I’m still trying to get a feel for who they really are. I’ve been asked about them on and off all season, what their issues are, and I think I finally have an answer. They struggle to run the football, and Jordan Love isn’t capable of consistently taking matters into his own hands. Even before the season, I remember saying I wanted to see them establish Josh Jacobs more and create better offensive balance. Everything is there for them — a strong offensive line and a nice group of receivers. It’s wild how one player’s absence can impact an entire unit, and the loss of Tucker Kraft has been extremely noticeable. Jordan was targeting him more and more, and Kraft had become the chain-mover for this offense when they needed to keep drives alive. Defensively, they’re still a strong unit, but they aren’t invincible. They can be had at times. I won’t pin the Packers’ issues on the defense, though, because that group shows up every week. A perfect example was their Monday night game against the Philadelphia Eagles a few weeks ago. The defense kept them in it all night long — it was the inconsistency of the offense that hurt them, and that’s exactly why they lost that game. The last time they truly impressed me offensively was their Week 4 tie against the Cowboys. Today, they’ll face a division rival to kick off the Thanksgiving Day slate of NFL action.
Lions (7–4):
This is a battle-tested group, and Sunday’s game against the New York Giants proved that. Before I jump into Week 12, let me go back to the previous week in Philadelphia on Sunday night. Do you remember when I said I was unsure about Dan Campbell becoming the full-time offensive play-caller? He’s a risk-taker — that goes without saying — but he went for it on fourth down five times, and they didn’t convert a single one. Sometimes, when the opportunity presents itself, you take the points. Personally, I’d be more content with three than trying to extend a drive and coming away with nothing. In Week 12, things looked grim at times, and the Giants had their way early. But if you’ve watched the Giants as much as I have, you know they don’t hold leads — and it happened again. This is a strong Lions offense, and they are even better when Jahmyr Gibbs is the focal point. He’s a top-three running back in the league in my eyes. When I watch him, I see a stronger version of Chris Johnson, with a little Alvin Kamara mixed in. They’re also getting reinforcements on the offensive line with Frank Ragnow coming out of retirement to return. This is still the team you have to take down if you want to get anywhere in the NFC North, and if everything clicks, they’re primed for a playoff run. This afternoon, they welcome the Green Bay Packers to town.
Packers X-Factor: Edgerrin Cooper
I raved about this guy last season, and he’s becoming a key component of this Green Bay defense. Edgerrin has the skill set to become the best middle linebacker in the league five years from now. Today, you’ll notice that this Lions offense thrives in space — and that’s where Edgerrin comes in: he eliminates space. Detroit lives off misdirection, motioning backs and receivers, and quick passes to St. Brown and Gibbs. Cooper has the sideline-to-sideline speed and short-area explosiveness to blow up their timing and spacing concepts.
Lions X-Factor: Jahmyr Gibbs
As I mentioned earlier, Detroit’s offense is simply better when Jahmyr is getting touches — both carries and receptions. He’s the biggest swing player in this matchup, and the Packers struggle against explosive backs like him. Detroit will use motion to stretch Green Bay’s defense, and that’s going to stress the linebackers and safeties tasked with keeping up. I can also see Gibbs punishing Green Bay when they over-blitz — slipping into the flat and making his presence felt in the receiving game.
Final Thoughts:
These two teams met in Week 1, and the Packers imposed their will as we got an early glimpse of what that defense could become. Weeks and months later, they meet again, and both teams look very different from that first meeting. The NFC North race is incredibly intriguing — a three-team battle between the Lions, Packers, and Bears. For Green Bay, the first key is limiting the Lions’ run game early and often. Don’t let Gibbs get going. If he does, Detroit will feed him until you adjust. Next, the Packers need to disrupt Goff and force him to hold the ball longer than he wants to. Generate pressure off the edge, ruin Detroit’s timing, and force them out of their comfort zone. If Green Bay stops the run, the Lions will feel pressure to abandon it. For Detroit, ball security is paramount. This is a hungry Green Bay defense that loves forcing takeaways. They must pressure Jordan Love, collapse the pocket, and force hesitations or hurried throws. And offensively, the Lions need to stay balanced — keep the Packers guessing and off-balance throughout the game. This is the appetizer before the turkey is done.
