Losing streak hits 5 as the Packers fall to the lowly Lions
In a game of mistakes, the Packers made more of them as they fell 15-9 to the lowly Detroit Lions.
Both teams moved the ball well at times in the first half, but only the Lions scored, and they did right before halftime to take an 8-0 lead. The Packers finally got on the board in the second half but missed on a game-tying 2-point conversion. Trailing 15-9 late in the game, the Packers drove into the red zone, but failed to move the ball any closer as they turned the ball over on downs and clinched their 5th loss in a row and a 3-6 record.
Thoughts about another frustrating loss:
The Lions drove the ball into the red zone on their opening possession but failed on 4th down. The Packers drove the ball back the other way and a 1st and goal situation, but a low throw by Aaron Rodgers hit a lineman’s helmet, and it got intercepted. It would set the tone for a frustrating day.
The next drive sums up this frustrating game. Allen Lazard make an awesome catch near the sidelines, and then ran almost all the way into the endzone. He was down before the goal line, but I thought it was a bad spot by the officials. It should have been closer, but that’s not what really bothered me. They ran A.J. Dillon on first and third down. On fourth down, they made David Bakhtiari an eligible receiver, and Rodgers turned around and fired a pass to him that got intercepted in the endzone. Why not run it 4 times if you are going to be aggressive? I can live with that if they ran it and failed. Of course, the ball thrown by Rodgers got intercepted. It can’t just fall harmlessly incomplete and pin the Lions at their own 1-yard line.
It also hits me why the Packers need to go for it so much on 4th down. It’s not so much that they go for it so much, although that’s a problem too. It’s that they have such questionable play calls on 4th down. Just punt the ball or go for the field goal, which they could have done on that drive I just mentioned. They finally scored a touchdown on a beautiful pass and catch to Allen Lazard in the 3rd quarter, but then they tried for the 2-point conversion instead of just kicking the extra point. Of course, they failed, and they are once again chasing points.
Detroit was trying to run out the clock, but former Packer Jamaal Williams got stuffed for a 2-yard loss on 3rd and 1. Do they punt the ball and pin the Packers deep and force their struggling offense to drive the length of the field, or do they go for it? They chose the latter and failed, giving the Packers great field position.
On 4th down, Rodgers completed a pass to Samori Toure to the 17-yard line. They had plenty of time. Instead of passing underneath and taking what the defense gives them, Rodgers passed deep all 4 times and failed all 4 times, sealing yet another frustrating loss.
Rodgers threw 3 interceptions for the first time since a game in Carolina in 2017. If you remember, it’s the game he came back after fracturing his collarbone at Minnesota. Sometimes we can give Rodgers the benefit of the doubt on his interceptions, but in my opinion, all of them were his fault.
Before the game, we were hoping that the Lions were what we needed to finally end our losing streak. It turns out it was the other way around. The Packers were what the Lions needed. Detroit didn’t play a great game either, but they made fewer mistakes than the Packers, and that was enough to win on this day.
I don’t know what to say. If the Packers can’t beat the Lions, when will they win another game? If things weren’t bad enough, their longtime interdivisional rival, the Cowboys, come into Lambeau Field this coming Sunday. It also means their former head coach Mike McCarthy comes back to Green Bay. The Packers obviously won’t be expected to win next week, but it’s so crazy, they just might pull it out. They’ve done it before in their history. I guess we’ll see.
It doesn’t look pretty for GB right now, but there is a crazy chance they just might pull it out next week. Maybe the lack of expectations is just what the Packers need at this moment. We will see next Sunday. Until then, take care Packer fans!
Go Pack Go!
@DieHardPackrFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901
