The Green Bay Packers probably had no business winning that game, but they did, beating the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field Monday night 23-22, scoring the game's final 10 points with the last three coming as the clock hit zero on Mason Crosby's game ending 23 yard field goal.
The defense got scorched with two bombs that started Detroit's first two series, a 66 yard flea flicker from Matthew Stafford to Kenny Golladay that led to a Matt Prater field goal and after three and out stop, Stafford hit Marvin Hall for 58 yards behind a stumbling Kevin King that set up Kerryon Johnson's 1 yard touchdown run on 4th and goal that gave Detroit a 10-0 lead eight and a half minutes into the game.
The Packers turned the ball over three times without producing a takeaway, an almost certain recipe for losing.
Aaron Jones, off his huge game in Dallas, coughed up a fumble in the first quarter that set up another Prater field goal and Lambeau was awfully quiet staring at a 13-0 scoreboard. Jones would drop a wide open touchdown on the next series and give way to Jamaal Williams who just came out of the concussion protocol and put on a determined performance. He got the Packers on the board with a seven yard shovel pass from Aaron Rodgers with 7:31 left in the second quarter. The Packers were going to settle for a field goal when the Lions somehow had 12 men on the field giving the offense a first and goal at 8. It wouldn't be the last painful penalty for the visitors.
The other two turnovers belonged to young Darrius Shepherd, the feel good story of training camp who had a rude awakening as the team's new return man after Tremon Smith was waived Monday to make room for tight end Evan Baylis on the roster. Shepherd muffed a punt with a gunner bearing down on him and Detroit cashed in with a Prater field goal. Early in the 4th quarter, Shepherd was open on a third and 7 pass inside the five when he stumbled and the ball caromed off his helmet into the hands of Justin Coleman who returned the interception 53 yards to set up Prater's 5th field goal of the night, from 54 yards out that made the score 22-13 with 12:17 to play.
Shepherd was playing receiver too because the Packers were losing pass catchers all night. Davante Adams was inactive for the second straight week with his turf toe injury and Geronimo Allison suffered a concussion on a bang bang play with Tracy Walker on the first snap of the third quarter. Both players were diving for a low pass and their helmets connected. Walker was flagged but it was a tough call. Marquez Valdes-Scantling also had to leave the game briefly with a leg injury. That left Rodgers with perimeter targets of Shepherd, Jake Kumerow and the ultimate unlikely star of the game, Allen Lazard.
In need of two scores in the 4th quarter, Rodgers drove the Packers 79 yards in 7 plays. Another penalty on Detroit's defense wiped out a third and 10 sack at midfield and Rodgers took advantage. He tried a deep shot up the left sideline for Lazard that didn't connect but went back to the same call on the next snap. The former Jacksonville Jaguar who was cut at the end of Packer camp pulled down a perfect throw with tight coverage for a 35 yard touchdown, his first as a pro.
The Packer defense, knocked to the mat early, allowed just 63 yards in the second half and got one last stop with 6:46 to play.
Rodgers went back to work, hitting Lazard three more times on the drive. Another defensive penalty wiped out a third down incompletion at the 16 yard line with 1:36 left. The Lions had used their timeouts to save some clock for a last ditch possession and when Jamaal Williams took a handoff on first and 10 from the 11, Detroit backed off to let him score but Williams alertly sat down at the three to keep the clock rolling.
Rodgers took a pair of knees to set up Crosby's walk off chip shot that set off a wild celebration. The veteran kicker, along with holder J.K. Scott and long snapper Hunter Bradley all went Lambeau leaping into the south end zone stands.
The victory keeps Green Bay atop the NFC North at 5-1 and Head Coach Matt LaFleur was almost exhausted as he met reporters afterward:
The Packers outgained the Lions 447-299 but persistent problems still haven't been solved. They were just 4 of 12 on third down and only 1 for 4 in the red zone. Rodgers finished 24 of 39 for 283 yards with a pair of scores and his second interception of the year. Lazard wound up as the team's leading receiver with 4 catches for 65 yards. Williams and Jones each had four receptions and veteran tight end Mercedes Lewis had two impressive grabs for 25 yards each.
Williams was strong on the ground with a game high 104 yards on 14 carries inlcuding a career long 45 yard burst that set up Crosby's first field goal just before the half. That made it 13-10 Detroit when it felt like it should have been far worse.
Give the defense a tip of the cap however. Given a bye week to come up with big hitting plays early, the defense dug in, continually forcing the Lions to settle for five Matt Prater field goals, including two from 51 and 54 yards. They limited Detroit to 56 yards on the ground and sacked Stafford three times. Preston Smith had a sack and a half, Za'Darius Smith got another and Kyler Fackrell had a half sack.
The inactive players were Davante Adams, Darnell Savage, Dexter Williams, Robert Tonyan, Cole Madison and Adam Pankey.
Green Bay is now 3-0 against division rivals and they won't see them again until the final three games of the season. After the Oakland Raiders come to town next Sunday the home friendly first half (5 of 7 games) will end. The Packers will have just one more home game before December (Carolina on November 10). Somehow, LaFleur's first team is finding improbable ways to bank the victories now which could be invaluable down the stretch.
Continue Reading @ Mark Daniels
Mark Daniels wrote: