The Packers used 21 unanswered points in the first half and 24 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to roll to a 48-25 victory over Detroit at Ford Field on Sunday. Detroit’s sixteen points in the fourth quarter made for a combined total of 40 points scored between the two teams in the final 15 minutes. The Lions gave the Packers a run for their money, but in the end Green Bay left Detroit with a huge victory that pushed the team to 2-0.
After going three and out on the first series, the Packers scored touchdowns on their next three possessions, the first of which was a 15 play drive that ate up over eight minutes of the clock and resulted in James Jones’ first touchdown of the year. Rodgers also completed first half touchdown passes to Donald Driver and rookie Jordy Nelson. Greg Jennings was the benefactor of a fallen Lions cornerback when he caught a 62 yard pass that set up Driver’s touchdown. Rodgers finished the game 24 of 38 for 324 yards.
After the game, McCarthy said he felt comfortable with the aggressive approach his team used with a quarterback making only his second NFL start. “I think the play calling reflected it,” said McCarthy, who is now 5-0 against the Lions. “We kept pushing the envelope, and I think that speaks volumes about the coaches and everybody involved having confidence with Aaron to stay aggressive, and I thought he managed it very well.”
The Lions put together perhaps their highest quality drive of the day at the end of the first half. Jon Kitna completed passes of 14, 12 and 22 yards as the Lions worked their two-minute drill almost to perfection. The drive stalled, though, after a holding penalty negated a first down that would have given the Lions first down and goal to go with 30 seconds to work with. Detroit had to settle for a Jason Hanson field goal, instead.
Hanson also connected on field goals of 49 and 53 yards on the Lions first two drives of the second half, cutting the Packers lead to 21-9. The second field goal was only made possible by an Aaron Rodgers fumble on the Packers preceding drive. Rodgers was guilty of holding onto the ball a little too long at various points throughout the ballgame, and this time he paid for it. The Packers defense held their ground, however, and actually pushed the Lions back a few yards to set up the long field goal.
At the beginning of the fourth quarter, it seemed as though the game was slipping away from the Packers. Lions receiver Calvin Johnson first beat Charles Wooden, making a juggling catch and finishing the play off with a dunk of the football over the crossbar on the goalpost. On the next Packers possession, the Packers went three-and-out, before a high--but catchable--snap went over the head of punter Derrick Frost, giving the Lions two points and the ball. The safety trimmed the Packers lead to just six points at 24-18. It didn’t take long for the Lions to capitalize as the Lions exploited a mismatch when Tramon Williams lined up in coverage on Calvin Johnson. Johnson’s second touchdown came on a pattern similar to his first touchdown. He caught the ball on an “in” pattern and eluded tacklers on his way to a 47 yard touchdown that gave Detroit the lead.
From there, the Packers took control of the game. Rodgers hit Jennings on a 60 yard catch and run that led to a Mason Crosby field which gave the Packers a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. The Packers intercepted three of Kitna’s next six pass attempts, taking two back for scores that clinched the victory. Charles Woodson, who was playing on an injured toe, intercepted two passes and scored on one of them. McCarthy was very impressed by the effort.
“(He) didn’t even practice all week and to go out and perform at the level he did today, I just can't say enough about him…he turned that game around in the fourth quarter.”
McCarthy was equally content with how his team responded to the quick turn of events that led to Detroit taking the lead. “I just didn't want to see any panic,” McCarthy noted. “Guys stayed up, no one blinked, and I think it really showed the character of our football team the way they responded.” It truly could have been a disaster, but instead the NFL’s youngest team turned the tide the other way and took control of the game away from the Lions.
The win allowed a lot of Packers fans to breathe a sigh of relief. The game truly was played much closer than the outcome would indicate, but the Packers were in control the majority of the game. Coming off of a difficult Monday night game against the Vikings and on short rest, the Packers played up to their potential and won a game they absolutely had to have to become pace-setters in the NFC. Next Sunday night, the Packers will take on a Dallas team that will be coming off of a short week after playing Philadelphia on Monday night.
Offense: B+ - The Packers put together three very nice series in the first half, and, while not as productive in terms of points, played solid in the second half. Brandon Jackson finished off the game well after Ryan Grant struggled to gain any yardage (20 yards on 15 carries). Rodgers was mostly good other than underthrowing Jennings after his defender slipped and scrambling out of the pocket more than was necessary at a few points. Packers receivers made some good plays but also dropped some easy balls. The line held up well, and it seemed as though the Packers were actually using this game as a practice in inserting Daryn Colledge at right guard for a while.
Defense: B+ - A couple of late scores boosted this performance rating up a full letter grade. The defense did a much better job of containing the big play. Although Calvin Johnson reeled in two long touchdown passes, the Packers did not give up a play over 20 yards other than Johnson’s touchdowns. The defense did a good job of holding the Lions to a field goal after the Packers’ only turnover on their own 30 yard line.
Special Teams: C+ - The botched snap on the punt obviously could have played a much bigger role than it did in this game. Outside of this play, Frost did a good job of punting the ball and preventing any big returns. Mason Crosby tacked a few more touchbacks onto his 2008 total and was two of two on field goal attempts. The coverage units were solid and helped the Packers to win the field position battle.
Overall: B – The Packers did put on a pretty impressive show for their fans today. At the same time, they were playing a pretty bad team. They took care of business and turned the game into a route, but there are certain facets (dropped passes, blown coverages, the running game) that need to be corrected and improved if the Packer would like to remain among the elite in the NFC. Considering the circumstances (young team with a new quarterback playing on short rest), the Packers can be very satisfied with their effort.
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