The last two games might represent the best two-game stretch of Quay Walker’s NFL career, and the Green Bay Packers need him to keep playing at an elite level against the Detroit Lions on Thursday night at Ford Field.
Walker, a 2022 first-round pick, was terrific in wins over the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins. Over 114 snaps, Walker produced six stops, six pressures, made 15 tackles without a miss and broke up a pass. He had a tackle for loss on Christian McCaffrey, a near interception of Brandon Allen and a crucial fourth-down sack of Tua Tagovailoa.
Walker believes he’s thinking less and playing faster. The results suggest Walker’s physical gifts are finally turning into game-changing impact. The Packers need the trend to continue Thursday night against a dynamic offense featuring two excellent running backs, a top tight end and an offensive coordinator that can torture even the best linebackers in the play-action passing game.
Walker certainly hasn’t enjoyed playing the Lions over his first three seasons.
Consider his overall grades at Pro Football Focus over a five-game sample size against the Lions:
2022 at DET: 46.0
2022 vs. DET: 43.1
2023 vs. DET: 58.6
2023 at DET: 55.6
2024 vs. DET: 50.4
Ben Johnson’s Lions offense is going to challenge Walker on every snap. Can he beat blocks and beat runners to spots in the run game? Jahmyr Gibbs is dynamic. David Montgomery runs through people. They are a huge challenge to contain in the run game, especially considering the strength of the Lions offensive line. The passing game is no different. Johnson dials up play-action at all the right times for Jared Goff. Sam LaPorta is a dangerous pass-catching weapon. Gibbs can do everything out of the backfield. Montgomery is productive in the screen game. And the Lions love throwing quick to Amon-Ra St. Brown or attacking the middle of the field off run action.
All this is to say Walker must be at the top of his game — like he’s been the last two weeks — in the rematch against the Lions on Thursday night.
The Packers will likely be without rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper for a third consecutive game due to a hamstring injury, putting even more pressure on Walker to be the stopper in the middle of the field.
It took 2.5 seasons, but a breakout from Walker appears building. He was instrumental to two of the Packers’ biggest wins of the season. Can his ascendence as a player hold up against its biggest test on Thursday night?
