Lions Lowdown

OK, so the season is half over, the Lions are 4-4 and 2-0 against NFC North opponents after Monday night’s 30-17 win at Green Bay.

From a schedule standpoint, the tough part of the season is behind them. From a realistic view, the season typically gets tougher after the midpoint.

The Lions have a legitimate chance to win the NFC North.

Here are a few things to know:

— Of the next eight opponents, the only one to have a winning record is the Vikings who are 6-2. Next up for the Lions are the Cleveland Browns (0-8) at Ford Field on Sunday. The Lions can’t afford a letdown. If there was such a thing as an easy win in the NFL this would be the opponent.

(Photo courtesy of Detroit Lions)

— Those Vikings are atop the NFC North but can they hold on? Four of their next five games are on the road. Their next five are tough: at the Redskins (4-4), home to the Rams (6-2), at the Lions on Thanksgiving, at Falcons (4-4) and at Panthers (6-3). They also will play at Lambeau on Dec. 23 when there’s a possibility that Aaron Rodgers will be back.

— At 4-4, the Lions are tied with the Packers for second in the NFC North while the Bears (3-5) are in the basement. The Lions still can catch the Vikings to win the NFC North, but they must maintain their focus and not overlook opponents like the Browns and the Bears.

— Left tackle Taylor Decker could be back on the field on Sunday. He practiced last week for the first time since his shoulder surgery in June. Brian Mihalik has done a solid job replacing him, but Decker is the real deal. The return of Decker could help (maybe) with the run game.

— Wide receiver Kenny Golladay (remember him?) also could return on Sunday after missing the last five games with a hamstring. The rookie gives the Lions another down-field option.

— The Lions have been a better team in the final eight games of the seasons (2014-16) since Jim Caldwell took over with a 16-8 record in those games. Now is no time for a letdown.

One last look behind the numbers for the Lions’ 30-17 impressive win over the Packers at Green Bay on Monday night.

— On the opening offensive drive of the game, Matthew Stafford connected with WR Marvin Jones, Jr. on a 25-yard touchdown that marked Stafford’s 200th career touchdown pass. By reaching 200 career pass TDs in his 117th game, Stafford accomplished this feat in the SIXTH-FEWEST games in NFL history, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

— On the touchdown to Jones Jr., Stafford became just the fourth player under 30 years old in NFL history to reach 200 career touchdowns. He’s in good company with Hall of Fame QB Dan Marino (245), QB Peyton Manning (244) and Hall of Fame QB Brett Favre (218) as the only passers to accomplish this before turning 30, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

(Photo courtesy of Detroit Lions)

— Stafford earned the top mark for an NFL quarterback for the week at 88.4, according to Pro Football Focus. His pinpoint passing led to two receivers with more than 100 yards — Golden Tate with 113 yards and Marvin Jones with 107 yards and a pair of touchdowns. While under pressure last night Stafford produced a ridiculous passer rating of 131.5, per PFF.

— After the offensive line has struggled to protect Stafford in several games, they prevented the Packers defense from sacking the quarterback. They Perhaps the biggest story of the night is the Lions offensive line not giving up a single sack and just eight pressures on 35 drop-backs. The lone Packer sack came as a clean up on a broken trick play. Most surprising was the play of tackle Brian Mihalik who earned a game grade of 72.2, the second highest mark on the Lions offensive line.

— The run game continued to be ineffective. Ameer Abdullah received PFF’s lowest offensive game grade of 32.6. He had 21 carries for 48 yards, that’s an average of 2.3 yards per carry. His two fumbles were a concern.

— The Lions’ win at Lambeau represents Detroit’s fifth-straight Monday night game that has occurred on the road. Detroit now has a 3-2 record in those five road games. Overall this season Detroit is 3-1 on the road and 1-3 at home.

— The Lions didn’t punt once. The last time the Lions did not punt in a game was against Kansas City on Nov. 25, 1971. This was just the third game since 1950 that the Lions have not punted in a single game and it is the only game since 1950 that this was achieved on the road.

— In the first quarter, defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson blocked a 38-yard field goal attempt by the Packers that kept them off the scoreboard. The blocked field goal was the first of Robinson’s career and the first by the Lions since Nov. 6, 2016, at Minnesota (DT Tyrunn Walker).

 

 

The Lions couldn’t overlook the Packers minus Aaron Rodgers. They didn’t.

Detroit led start to finish, wrapping up a huge divisional 30-17 win on Monday night at Green Bay’s Lambeau Field. The last time Detroit had a double-digit win at Lambeau was in 1982.

The win boosts Detroit’s record to 4-4, tying them with the Packers (4-4) for second in the NFC North. The Vikings (6-2) are alone at the top but play four of their next five on the road.

This was a game that the Lions should’ve won and they did. It was their second win in Green Bay in the last 26 years.

(Photo courtesy of Detroit Lions)

Of the Lions’ next eight opponents only the Vikings have a winning record. They play at Ford Field on Thanksgiving.

Five reasons the Lions won:

1. Matthew Stafford had a spectacular night. He was 26 of 33 for 361 yards, two touchdowns and a 132.2 rating. He made a few pinpoint passes including the touchdown pass to Marvin Jones (seven catches, 107 yards) in the end zone in the fourth quarter. Actually the first touchdown to Jones was a good looking pass too and it was Stafford’s 200th career touchdown pass. Golden Tate also passed the 100-yard mark in receiving with seven catches for 113 yards.

2. The run game was not great, but it was sufficient. Ameer Abdullah scored his second rushing touchdown of the season (third rushing touchdown for the Lions). He had 21 carries for 48 yards. He also fumbled twice, losing one. He was their power back, their everything back. Dwayne Washington was active but didn’t get into action until late, unlike the previous week when he was the power back in the loss to the Steelers. This run game is still an issue, they averaged just 1.9 yards per carry. Not enough. Somehow Jim Bob Cooter has to find someone, anyone who can be used in short-yardage, goal-line situations.

3. Detroit’s defense looked a bit lackluster in the Packers’ opening drive, yet Green Bay was forced to try a field goal and A’Shawn Robinson got a hand on it to block it. However, when the defense came back out on Green Bay’s next possession they were fired up and quarterback Brett Hundley was rattled. The defense stayed tough for the remainder of the game. The Packers managed just 247 total yards. Quarterback Brett Hundley threw for 245 yards and no touchdowns. He was sacked three times (Tahir Whitehead, Anthony Zettel, Tavon Wilson).

4. Cornerback Darius Slay had a solid night, particularly going against Jordy Nelson while free safety Glover Quin came in like a missile on a fourth-and-2 play in the third quarter — another example of how film study pays. Slay and Quin to the Pro Bowl? It could happen with more performances like this one.

5. The Lions were 8-of-12 on third downs. Huge. Also, they were whistled for just one penalty. They never punted. It was the first game they’d gone without a punt since 1971 according to ESPN.

BONUS: Next up, the Cleveland Browns (0-8) at Ford Field at 1 p.m. on Sunday.