Madison

Packers earn high marks on both sides of the ball in Thanksgiving win over the Lions

J.Green3 months ago

State Journal Green Bay Packers beat writer Jason Wilde grades the Packers’ performance in their 29-22 victory over the Detroit Lions on Thursday at Ford Field in Detroit.

GAME BALL: In the visitors’ locker room of Ford Field after the game, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur proclaimed that, given the total team effort Thursday’s win had been, every player was getting a game ball. So, let’s turn the tables and give our game ball to the coach. Given the circumstances, with a hodge-podge depth chart at running back, multiple marquee defensive players sidelined with injuries and a short week to game plan for an opponent that had dominated his team in their first meeting , LaFleur took an ultra-aggressive approach from the jump, kept the pressure on all day and thoroughly outcoached Detroit’s Dan Campbell to snap the Packers’ four-game losing streak against the Lions.

Offense: A

From an offensive line that rebounded from being manhandled by the Lions’ front in their first meeting (zero sacks allowed), to quarterback Jordan Love’s near-flawless performance (he had a perfect passer rating of 158.3 for a good portion of the day), to a decimated running back group doing its part (AJ Dillon had 81 yards from scrimmage), to Christian Watson (five receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown) leading a receiving corps that appears to finally be hitting its stride, the offense was fantastic. For the fourth straight week, Love played well, completing 22 of 32 passes for 268 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a passer rating of 125.5, his best single-game mark of the year.

Defense: B-plus

“The game was won up front today,” LaFleur said afterward. And while that also applied to a Packers offensive line that kept Love clean throughout the day, it was the Packers’ defensive front that won the day on that side of the ball. Led by Rashan Gary (three sacks) and a front seven that went from surrendering 211 rushing yards in the first meeting to 140 on Thursday, the defensive front forced three Jared Goff fumbles, pressured the Lions quarterback relentlessly and was in control all afternoon.

Special teams: B-minus

Rookie kicker Anders Carlson’s struggles continued as he missed another extra point — and a 63-yard end-of-the-half field-goal attempt, although it was on line and it’s hard to fault him on that one. After making his first 16 kicks (seven field goals, nine extra points) to start the year, Carlson is now 6 of 8 on field-goal tries and 7 of 10 on extra points since then. Although the Packers didn’t get anything from their return game, they did down all four of Daniel Whelan’s punts inside the 20-yard line, including one at the Detroit 2-yard line, and stuffed a Lions fake punt deep in Detroit territory.

Overall: A-minus

Winners of three of their last four — and a late interception in Pittsburgh away from being on a four-game winning streak after their four-game losing streak — there is no denying the growth the Packers have shown over the past month. To do what they did while shorthanded on both sides of the ball was remarkable. Even if it doesn’t ultimately lead them to the postseason, the turnaround from their struggles early in the year has been impressive.

Photos: View the Packers' win over the Lions on Thanksgiving Day

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