The Green Bay Packers will play their third game in 12 days and attempt to score a huge win in the NFC North when Matt LaFleur’s team goes on the road to play the division-leading Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Thursday night.
The opening game of Week 14 features the 9-3 Packers — who have won three straight and seven of the last eight games — against the 11-1 Lions. Can Green Bay snap Detroit’s NFL-leading 10-game win streak and get back into the division race with four games to go?
Here are five keys to the Packers beating the Lions in Week 14:
Win the turnover battle
In the first meeting early last month, Jordan Love threw a back-breaking pick-six to end the first half while the Lions played a mostly clean game. Last year at Ford Field, the Packers got three takeaways, including a defensive touchdown. The Lions are averaging over 40.0 points per game when they don’t turn the ball over this season, so winning the ball will be vital in the rematch. If the Packers can play a clean game and get a takeaway or two, they’ll have a real shot at escaping Ford Field with a win.
Keep breaking tackles
The Packers are starting to impose their will as a physical, tackle-breaking offensive unit. Can Josh Jacobs, Tucker Kraft and Jayden Reed keep powering through tackle attempts indoors at Ford Field? The Lions are beat up on defense and may lack the same physical edge that has powered the group all season, so the Packers need to take the fight right to the hosts on Thursday night. Set the tone early. Both teams have played three games in 12 days, so the more physical team — especially early on — will create a huge advantage.
Attack the left tackle
Lions left tackle Taylor Decker isn’t expected to play with a knee injury, so the Packers must find a way to attack the backup, who is likely to be Dan Skipper. Can Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness and the other pass-rushers win consistently from the right edge? Keeping Jared Goff under pressure is a must. A couple of early wins against Skipper or the left tackle might force the Lions to adjust the plan offensively. Gary has 2.5 sacks in his last four games, while Van Ness has a sack in back-to-back games.
Walker vs. Sonic and Knuckles
Packers linebacker Quay Walker is coming off one of the best two-game stretches of his pro career. Now he’ll face the best running back duo in football in Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, plus a dynamic play-action passing offense featuring tight end Sam LaPorta. Can Walker continue playing fast against the run while not giving up big plays in the middle of the field? This will be Walker’s biggest test of the season. It’ll officially be a breakout second-half of the year for Walker if the 2022 first-rounder is once again a dominant, game-changing player on Thursday night.
Win the red zone
In the first meeting, the Packers were 1-for-4 scoring touchdowns in the red zone and managed just six points on their first three trips inside the 20. Since the bye, the Packers have come alive inside the red zone. The trend needs to continue on Thursday night at Ford Field. The Packers should be able to move the football against a banged up defense, but finishing drives with touchdowns will be tough on the road. Offensively, the Lions were just 2-for-5 finishing touchdowns in the red zone against the Bears, so it’s possible Detroit’s offense has hit a little funk inside the 20. The Packers must capitalize and find an edge in the red zone.
