The 1-6 Detroit Lions attempt to climb out of the NFC North basement when they host the 3-5 Green Bay Packers in Week 9. A win over Green Bay would be a huge lift to a Lions team in desperate need of some positive energy and results.
It’s not out of the question for Dan Campbell’s Lions to pull off the win. Green Bay has lost four games in a row. The Packers rank near the bottom of the league in scoring and also sport one of the worst run defenses.
If the Lions are to pull off the upset in Ford Field, it will require a strong team performance. These four Lions in particular need to have strong games in order for Detroit to extend the win streak against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers to two games.
Alim McNeill
The Lions nose tackle hasn’t had a stellar season, making little impact on the stat sheet. Through seven games, No. 54 has just nine tackles and has yet to record a sack.
That can change on Sunday against Green Bay. He’s got perhaps the most favorable matchup McNeill will draw all season in young Packers left guard Zach Tom and (to a lesser extent) center Josh Myers.
Tom is a college tackle playing out of position and disadvantaged stylistically inside. He’s a finesse tackle now facing guys like McNeill who can physically move him around, especially in the run game. Myers isn’t exactly a power player either, though he at least has some pretty solid pass protection footwork to compensate.
This is a game where McNeill can have a huge impact if the second-year DT can shut down the run between the tackles effectively. Any interior pass pressure would be a welcome bonus, but the key for McNeill is to control the gaps and not let RB Aaron Jones get momentum breaking through the line.
McNeill doesn’t need to have the 14-tackle afternoon Jets DT Quinnen Williams did in New York’s win over Green Bay, but he has the ability to control the inside of the field up front. If McNeill has a strong game, it helps the LBs and safeties behind him be more effective and free to make plays around the outside.
Ben Johnson
Unfun fact: The Detroit Lions have not scored a single point after halftime in their last three games. They’ve been outscored 40-0 in the second half in those three games, all losses.
While the spotlight shines on head coach Dan Campbell, the primary culprit here is rookie offensive coordinator Ben Johnson — the team’s primary offensive play-caller. Over those three dismal second halves, Johnson has been unable to come up with answers to the in-game flow or adjustments opposing defenses have made to shut down the points. Plays that produced in the first half simply aren’t working the second time through the order.
There should be opportunities against the Packers, who are 23rd in second-half scoring defense in the last three games and 20th on the season. Perhaps Johnson can mix up the play-calling rhythm, or maybe mix in a gadget play or two. I humbly suggest something like this from the last meeting with Green Bay.
Tra Blake
You might be asking, who is Tra Blake and why is he important?
Blake will be the referee for the Lions vs. Packers game, a series with a disturbing litany of impactful, poorly officiated games. Who can forget Trey Flowers being called for illegal hands to the face on a crucial late-game play where he clearly never touched David Bakhtiari above the shoulders? Or Greg Jennings slamming into Brandon McDonald as the Lions CB tried to intercept the ball, only for McDonald to be called for a game-altering pass interference call? Or Kyle Vandenbosch’s roughing the passer on a play where Aaron Rodgers fell down without being touched?
Sadly that’s an incredibly small sample of the officiating injustices favoring the Packers over the years in games against Detroit. Not that Green Bay often needed the help, but officiating competence would be a welcome change for most Lions fans.
Enter Blake. The rookie referee is working his first game involving either team. Blake’s crews have been notoriously flag-happy; in seven games his crew has thrown 100 flags. No crew has assessed more offensive holding penalties per play than Blake’s crew, and they’re also near the top in roughing the passer and unnecessary roughness calls.
Let’s have a fairly called game, Mr. Blake…
Penei Sewell
Sewell has had quite a week. He welcomed a baby boy into the world, missing practice for two days to be with his girlfriend as she went through labor. That comes on the heels of one of the worst games of Sewell’s career. He gave up a sack, three QB hits and committed two penalties in the Week 8 loss to the Dolphins.
Now Sewell draws Rashan Gary, the Packers’ top defensive threat. Gary has emerged as a top-flight pass rusher. He moves around the formation a lot but will primarily face off against Sewell, who normally has been one of the NFL’s best right tackles. Gary’s quickness off the snap and ability to win inside present challenges for Sewell.
The Lions offense is in major trouble if Gary can get pressure in Jared Goff’s face. But if Sewell can hold up strongly against Gary in pass protection and also be his typical bulldozer self in the run game, Detroit’s offense will have chances against a Green Bay secondary that isn’t playing well.
