Week 13 presents a key Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions matchup that could make a major impact on the NFC standings. This will be the second time these teams have met this season. It will also be the second consecutive Thursday Night Football game for both squads.
The Packers and Lions should both be thankful to have won on Thanksgiving. Now, they can carry that winning momentum toward a pivotal NFC North contest.
Detroit got the best of Green Bay last time by a score of 24-14. Will it be repeat, or will the Packers get some revenge?
Key Players for the Packers
Last time these team played, Green Bay had an injury concern for their quarterback. But now, Jordan Love appears to be as healthy as he has at any point during the 2024 season. Going forward, the key will be to keep things that way.
Pass protection is paramount from a health standpoint. Also, strategically, a big part of the Packers’ plan relies on the offensive line. Love, frankly, loves to throw the football deep downfield. In order to do that, he needs to have a clean pocket.
Green Bay has a solid offensive line. During their Thanksgiving game, the Packers starters got their Pro Football Focus grades highlighted on screen. Entering that match, Zac Tom was ranked second in the NFL at the right tackle position. Tom has been excellent all season as a strong-side protector for Love.
One major question for Green Bay is the health of their All-Pro cornerback. Jaire Alexander hasn’t played since Week 8. His presence would certainly help cover the Lions’ talented pass-catchers.
Should Alexander miss even more time, then Detroit’s wide receivers will likely line up against Kesean Nixon and Carrington Valentine.
Even without Alexander, the Packers should not overreact and make sweeping schematic changes. If they commit too many players to help in coverage, Detroit will simply run the football. However, if Green Bay loads the box, there will be some advantage matchups for their opponents.
Key Players for the Lions
Balance is arguably the most difficult aspect of playing defense against Detroit. Not only a balance between running and throwing, but also among the position groups.
Take wide receiver for instance. The Lions’ pass-catching corps is comprised of complementary components. Amon-Ra St. Brown operates best in the slot. The combination of St. Brown’s quick separation, ability to catch, and yards after reception skills make him the perfect slot receiver.
Meanwhile, Jameson Williams is a a classic wideout. His speed is truly lethal for defenses. Lined up as a outside wide receiver, Williams wins his routes at a different area of the field than St. Brown. Opposing secondaries needs to defend well at every level. If not, Detroit’s passing attack can dominate.
Looking at the Packers passing defense, one weakness is covering tight ends. Last time the Lions played in Green Bay, Sam LaPorta only caught two passes for 28 yards. However, his three targets tied him for second on the team. Passing production was low as Jared Goff only threw 22 attempts.
The rainy conditions may have contributed, but Williams was also absent from that contest. So expect more throws, both towards the boundary, and towards the tight end.
Defensively, Detroit is depleted with several significant injuries to key players. This even forced the Lions to trade for former Packers’ edge rusher Za’Darius Smith. He will be tasked as one of Detroit’s primary pass-rushers for the remainder of the season.
Keys to Win the Game
While the blindside protection is arguably the most important aspect of pass-protection, the right tackle still has a tremendous responsibility. During Green Bay’s section of this article, right tackle Zac Tom was referenced. His presence will be key for keeping the quarterback clean.
Looking at the other side of the football, the exact same thing could be said about Penei Sewell. This contest will feature arguably the two best right tackles in the NFL.
The Packers pass-rush will certainly have their hands full with the Lions offensive line. One interesting matchup we might see is offensive tackle vs defensive end. Specifically, it will likely be Rashan Gary who is often lined up opposite of Sewell. Gary is arguably Green Bay’s best edge rusher. But even so, it be be very difficult to provide pressure on Sewell’s side.
Both quarterbacks are prone to making mistakes, especially under pressure. The offensive line that can keep their quarterback clean will have a better chance at limiting turnovers. It what could be a small margin of victory, the turnover battle could be key.
