Official week 17 lion game

[longtimefan]

The Lions defense has been unbeatable the entire year, with the exception of their loss to the Patriots. What did the Patriots do to beat the Lions defense? Whatever they did, I think MM and Rodgers need to sit down and watch a whole lot of film of that game. Replicate the Patriots gameplan. Everything we tried in week three failed. I have confidence that our defense will play solidly, I'm more afraid of the offense sputtering, much like they did against the Bills. The Lions have a similar defense.

Merged with the official thread

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I think our defense is playing much better than earlier in the year. I think they'll be just fine no matter who is playing center.

Our defense wasn't the problem in the week 3 matchup as it only allowed 10 points to the Lions. They scored on a fumble return TD and a safety as well.

I don't think they'll be "fine". Raiola was a leader on that team. A team captain too. You're really downplaying a position on the Lions that is important. Raiola is their best and most consistent offensive lineman. Their OL was suspect to begin with, but taking away their best offensive lineman compounds that issue even further. It'll most certainly have an effect on them.

Raiola has been terrible all season and is for sure not the Lions best offensive lineman. I agree that it will be a tough assignment for a rookie to make the protection calls on the road in an important game but I don't think they will really miss Raiola that much.

 

[Jdeed]

Our defense wasn't the problem in the week 3 matchup as it only allowed 10 points to the Lions. They scored on a fumble return TD and a safety as well.
Raiola has been terrible all season and is for sure not the Lions best offensive lineman. I agree that it will be a tough assignment for a rookie to make the protection calls on the road in an important game but I don't think they will really miss Raiola that much.

They will miss their starting Center....any team would when replaced by a guy who has never started at Center in the NFL.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

They will miss their starting Center....any team would when replaced by a guy who has never started at Center in the NFL.

I don't think it will be a cakewalk for Swanson but Linsley proved it's possible to do a decent job.

 

[Dan115]

Can our O line protect Rodgers?

 

[Jdeed]

I don't think it will be a cakewalk for Swanson but Linsley proved it's possible to do a decent job.

In the most important game of the year at 15 F against your division foe yeah ok........

I just want to make this clear...there is a BIG difference between taking over in Training Camp and playing all year and being stuffed into the last game of the year as the starting Center without ever having played a game at Center.

Anyhow Thats not the Packers worst worries.

Suh breathing down Rodgers neck all game is whats gonna be.

Covering CJ as well.

The Lions just need to hold GB in the first qtr to make a game of it even with missing 2 starters on the O line. The Defense is just that good that it can shut down teams completely.

 

[Carl]

I'm keeping my prediction I made about a week ago.

Packers 26 Lions 19

 

[MichiganSportsTalk]

I'm keeping my prediction I made about a week ago.

Packers 26 Lions 19

I'd say that sounds about right. Lions offense would have to have their best game of the year to win. Nothing about the previous 15 games suggests that they will go on the road in freezing weather and rack up a bunch of points.

 

[Air2theThrown]

Raiola is not the Lions best OL. If anything he's their worst. Him and Sims are about the same.

Stafford has been calling protections for most of the year. They took that responsibility off of Raiola in perpetration of his retirement after this season.

Swanson has seen snaps at center this year but they were limited. He's played 3 full games as a starting OG where he performed very well.

In my opinion he's way better then Raiola in run blocking and no worse in pass blocking.

We loose veteran leadership with Raiola out.

My concern is how will he do snapping to Matt in the shot gun and hurry up offense?

 

[Mklangelo]

We loose veteran leadership with Raiola out.

You also loose a thug. Just one of several on your squad.

It's a recurring theme we have seen with Detroit over the years.

I fervently hope we put the lions in their place. The Lions have no class. That is my opinion.

You have not arrived.

 

[Jdeed]

Raiola is not the Lions best OL. If anything he's their worst. Him and Sims are about the same.

Stafford has been calling protections for most of the year. They took that responsibility off of Raiola in perpetration of his retirement after this season.

Swanson has seen snaps at center this year but they were limited. He's played 3 full games as a starting OG where he performed very well.

In my opinion he's way better then Raiola in run blocking and no worse in pass blocking.

We loose veteran leadership with Raiola out.

My concern is how will he do snapping to Matt in the shot gun and hurry up offense?

Expect a mistake or two......from Swanson.

 

[Croak]

My official statistical (where I pull my predictions out of the end that went over the fence last) prediction; Packers 27-Lions 24 in a nail biter.

 

[Mklangelo]

My official statistical (where I pull my predictions out of the end that went over the fence last) prediction; Packers 27-Lions 24 in a nail biter.

Not to worry. It's where all predictions come from.

 

[packerfan4ever]

We shot ourselves in the foot the first time. I think our online will run with Lacy Arid will be up to this game our dline will get it together, because they all will be wearing get loud thirsts fans will, be crazy good pack 30lions 20.

 

[Jdeed]

Raiola is not the Lions best OL. If anything he's their worst. Him and Sims are about the same.

Stafford has been calling protections for most of the year. They took that responsibility off of Raiola in perpetration of his retirement after this season.

Swanson has seen snaps at center this year but they were limited. He's played 3 full games as a starting OG where he performed very well.

In my opinion he's way better then Raiola in run blocking and no worse in pass blocking.

We loose veteran leadership with Raiola out.

My concern is how will he do snapping to Matt in the shot gun and hurry up offense?

And, for the first time in his career, Matthew Stafford will take a professional snap from someone not named Dominic Raiola.

 

[Mondio]

This dirtbag is getting way too much credit. This game is still about our Oline and their Dline and hoping our special teams doesn't find a way to screw this up. How many turnovers did we have in week 3 and still didn't our offense didn't do anything with the extra opportunities.

 

[Sky King]

The Lions get at least one less unsportsmanlike penalty, so Caldwell will be happy. Swanson gets a chance to earn a shot at the long-term starting position at center, so you know he'll be happy. And Raiola has some free-time to heckle Christmas carolers in and around Detroit. A trifecta.

 

[mradtke66]

Also would like to see more screens...has mM not noticed they actually work with Lacy?

Part of how screens work is by matching coverage and taking advantage of blitzes.

If the defense is rushing 4, no one is blitzing. More guys in coverage. It becomes a numbers game.

Cover-1 or Cover-0 are great defenses to screen. Of course, they are also great defenses to send Nelson long and beat single coverage.

Cover-2-man is a great defense to screen, because you can run everyone but the guy who has the HB deep. Numbers are in your favor.

Cover-2-zone and Tampa-2 are trickier, as both an OLB and CB are in the area of the screen. They shouldn't blow up many, but they will stop some. And then slow it down enough for the MLB and safety to clean up.

Cover-3 is harder to screen against because everyone in the backend has their eyes on the quarterback and all three linebackers and the SS are close to the line when the finish their drops.

Quarters (Cover-4) is great, because the entire backend is dropping deep, but we shouldn't see that coverage too often. It's basically prevent.

And then you have rushers that aren't trying to kill Rodgers, but keep him in the pocket, ala the Patriots. If they're not hard charging, they'll be able to feel getting let through and flow to the screen.

 

[Packerlifer]

Shades of 1993 all over again.

This game is bringing back memories of the last time both teams were in this position. Ironically it was getting over-shadowed a little bit by the Badgers in the Rose Bowl that same week, but none the less was kind of important.

Packers and Lions met in Detroit for the NFC Central title come W17 of the 1993 season. Both teams 9-6. Detroit came out on top in that game 30-20 giving them ironically what was their last division title.

This set up a rematch in the WC round the following week in Detroit where the outcome was a little different.

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This was the Packers first playoff win since '82 and even though they went to Dallas the following week and got smacked 35-9 by the start of Dallas' dynasty years, it was the start of sending both franchises on pretty opposite paths. Packers continued to have success in the 90's winning that SB while the Lions wallowed away in mediocrity with Barry Sanders before he retired and that continued into the 00's including 0-16 in 2008 while the Packers continued to field competitive teams and winning another title in 2010.

Now we're back here. Packers are the reigning division champions with the Lions fielding their best team in years with a legitimate chance to end a lot of misery against a team that has historically had their number since Favre came to town. The pressure is obliviously more on the Lions to end the streak and the Packers were in this same position a year ago going into that Chicago game and are 7-0 at home this season.

If we can protect the football and don't have the multitude of drops we did in Buffalo, this should be a win imo, but it won't be easy. I'm predicting 27-20 Packers, but crazier things have happened. Everything is in our favor with this game, and with a much needed first round bye on the line, hopefully this team shows up.

There's a few more historical cases where the Packers and Lions showed down for playoffs and titles. Detroit was Green Bay's main rival in the Western Conference during the early Lombardi championship teams. They were particularly tough during the 1962 season. Lombardi chose the first Lions game that season to serve as the backdrop for his bestseller RUN TO DAYLIGHT, written by J.C. Heinz. The Packers escaped with a 9-7 win that game even though they were outplayed most of the game. Herb Adderley intercepted Lions' qb Milt Plum's ill-advised pass late in the game and returned it to set up Paul Hornung's game winning fg in the last seconds.

When they met later in their annual Thanksgiving Day game at Detroit the angry Lions manhandled the Packers 26-13; Green Bay's only loss in a repeat championship year.

In 1972, in the third to last game of the season at Lambeau, the Lions came in as favorite to win the NFC Central title. They hadn't lost to the Packers in 5 straight games. But the Pack trounced them 33-7 and went on to win the division themselves that season.

In the strike year of 1982 the Packers, who looked early like a legitimate Super Bowl contender, lost two game to Detroit that knocked them down from a first to a third seed in the playoffs. As a result, after winning big over the Cardinals 41-16 at Lambeau they had to travel to Dallas; where they lost 37-26. Had the Packers held home field advantage Bart Starr might have coached a teacm to a Super Bowl berth.

Although it wasn't a head-to-head meeting the Pack and Lions went into the final game of 1995 with the division title at stake. The Packers won it on Christmas Eve day when Pittsburgh receiver Yancy Thigpen dropped a td pass in the end zone in the last seconds to give them a 24-19 win over the Steelers.

Green Bay took the division, won a home playoff over atlanta and upset San Francisco to reac the NFC title game in Dallas. Detroit got a wild card road game at Philadelphia, where the Eagles dominated them in a 59-27 "one and done." The Lions would not see another playoff game for 14 years.

 

[Packerlifer]

www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-dope-sheet/article/Packers-Lions-Week-17-Dope-Sheet/2fad26ec-6949-

 

[brandon2348]

I believe you have to respect the Lions defensively but this is week 17 at home for all the marbles. Our offense really needs a good game against one of these defenses that rushes four and drops 7 and has success doing it. The only difference between these guys and the Seahawks is Lions have a better front 4 in the middle with "Suh" and play "cover two". The Seahawks like to play "single high safety" and are a little softer on the interior D-line.

Like I posted earlier we have the pieces to beat these guys 5 on 5 with our weapons. If the O-line plays like they have been I expect Rodgers and Co. to finally show we can beat one of these defenses. I am sure they are tired of hearing about how they can't and have problems against it. I look for a statement here Sunday.

I predict a "Rodgers, Nelson, Cobb, Lacy Show"

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[HardRightEdge]

I predict a "Rodgers, Nelson, Cobb, Lacy Show"

Add Quarless to that group. In the last meeting, he had 4 catches on 5 targets for 43 yds. and a TD. To beat a dead horse, not having an elite TE doesn't mean there isn't a competent one on the field.

 

[brandon2348]

Add Quarless to that group. In the last meeting, he had 4 catches on 5 targets for 43 yds. and a TD. To beat a dead horse, not having an elite TE doesn't mean there isn't a competent one on the field.

And not to beat a dead horse I have nothing against Quarless. He is quality and consistent at catching the ball which is most of the time all a TE has to do in this offense.

Guess you gotta throw Devante in as well as he has developed more since then.

 

[Packerlifer]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Layne

 

[HardRightEdge]

Our defense wasn't the problem in the week 3 matchup as it only allowed 10 points to the Lions. They scored on a fumble return TD and a safety as well.

The defense was a major contributor in the Detroit loss. Detroit was 11-18 on third down, their 74 snaps and 38:13 time of possession left the Packers with 51 snaps and 21:47 TOP. The Packer's 3-1 edge in turnovers and a DET missed FG helped keep in close.

Starting in the second quarter, Detroit's possessions were 43, 67, 74, 75 and 29 yds., with the last running out the clock. The defense could not get off the field.

This game launched a 7 quarter stretch, including all of the Bears game that followed, where the defense did not force a punt. I think that's the worst two game stretch of defensive play this season. Fortunately, the Bears defense left a lot to be desired.