The Detroit Lions Wasted Little Time Getting Out To A Big Lead Today. They Took Advantage Of All Their Opportunities And Got A Huge win At Ford Field Against The Rival Green Bay Packers.
First Quarter
It was a bizarre start to this one. Deja vu for the Detroit Lions as they had to punt on the opening drive after a couple of good runs by rookie Kerryon Johnson. The ensuing punt was ruled to have touched Green Bay’s Kevin King and was grabbed by Jamal Agnew, giving Detroit the ball at Green Bay’s one-yard line. After review, the call stood and LeGarrette Blount punched it in to give Detroit the early 7-0 lead.
On the next drive, Green Bay converted a couple of third downs before stalling on Detroit’s 23-yard line for a 41-yard field goal attempt by the usually reliable Mason Crosby. Luckily for Detroit, Crosby sent it wide left and the Lions managed to keep Green Bay off the board on their opening drive.
Two plays later, Stafford connected with Kenny Golladay for a 60-yard pass that set up another LeGarrette Blount touchdown. It was a beautiful start for the Lions and immediately after Detroit’s second TD, Romeo Okwaka stripped Aaron Rodgers giving the Lions a pending red zone possession and a 14-0 lead headed into the second quarter.
Second Quarter
Detroit took a three-score lead 12 seconds into the second quarter via a Matt Prater field goal and the Green Bay sideline was looking pretty grim early in this game. In dire need of some points, Green Bay’s running game continued to expose a lackluster Lions run defense, but once again Detroit was bailed out by a missed Crosby field goal and was able to hold their 17-0 lead. Detroit punted on the next drive and Rodgers led the Packers back down the field only to have Crosby miss a third field goal. Detroit would follow that with another punt.
What a steal Da’Shawn Hand has been. He strip-sacked Rodgers with 53 seconds left in the half and set up a Marvin Jones touchdown. That score put Detroit up 24-0 going into the halftime break. What a way for this game to go. It started bizarrely and continued to go that way for the entire first half.
Third Quarter
Green Bay came out fighting to start the second half. They knew they had a mountain to climb and responded with a converted fourth down and eight points on their opening drive. The Lions were bailed out by a 15-yard taunting penalty on the ensuing drive, but Matt Prater’s 55-yarder to put the Lions back up three scores sailed wide right. All of a sudden it seemed that the Packers had all of the momentum in the game.
Green Bay continued to put the pressure on the Lions by converting yet another 4th down and punching it in. Fortunately for Detroit, the Packers failed the two-point try and the Lions kept a two score lead at 24-14 headed into the final quarter of play.
Fourth Quarter
The Lions wasted little time stretching out their lead once the demon that is the third quarter was over. Stafford connected with Golladay for a 5-yard touchdown to put Detroit up 31-14. That’s the score that really put the game away for the Lions.
To add a bit of a cherry on top of this Lions victory, Crosby missed his fourth kick of the game in the final quarter. This time it was a PAT that hit the upright after a touchdown pass to Devante Adams that brought the Packers within 11.
Green Bay would drive down the field in around 50 seconds and gave Crosby another shot at a field goal and he would make it, finishing the game 1-5 on field goals and 0-1 on extra point attempts. Detroit would win the game 31-23.
Biggest Surprise
The biggest surprise of this game has to be the entire first half. Nobody expected Detroit to get all the breaks that they did and head into the half with the largest lead that a team has ever had against Rodgers after two quarters. Crosby missed three makeable field goals and Rodgers fumbling twice are just things that don’t happen every week. Don’t discredit the Lions though. Opportunistic football is winning football and that’s what the Detroit Lions played today.
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