Green Bay Packers lose to Detroit Lions 7-3 
BY ROB DEMOVSKY RDEMOVSK@GREENBAYPRESSGAZETTE.COM DECEMBER 12, 2010

DETROIT Aaron Rodgers took another blow to the head, and the Green Bay Packers took a blow to their ego, if not their playoff chances.

In a shocker in front of 57,659 fans, many of them Packers supporters who braved wintry conditions to make it to Ford Field, the Detroit Lions knocked out the Packers starting quarterback before halftime and used their third-string quarterback to eke out a 7-3 win that snapped a streak of 19 straight NFC North Division losses.

Even before Rodgers sustained his second concussion of the season when he refused to slide at the end of an 18-yard scramble in the second quarter, the Packers appeared to lack the gumption necessary to beat the last-place Lions.

Just two first downs and 68 total net yards of offense in the first half prevented the Packers from coming close to scoring in the first half. Throw in three turnovers, including two while Rodgers was still in the game, and the Packers were doomed. Despite a solid showing by coordinator Dom Capers defense, the Packers were manhandled in the trenches by the Lions worthy defensive front.

You hoped that we were past this by now, Packers linebacker Clay Matthews said. If we can take away anything, hopefully its a real wake-up call, especially coming into these last three games. Weve got to play some of our best ball, and let the chips fall where they may.

With three games remaining, the Packers sit at 8-5 heading into next Sunday nights road test against the New England, who have drilled their last two opponents (the New York Jets and the Chicago Bears) by a combined 81-10.

Chicagos loss meant the Packers remained a game back in the NFC North, but their stumble in the Motor City could hurt them in the tiebreaker scenarios. It was the Packers second division loss, and the Bears (9-4) havent lost to an NFC North foe. Even if the Packers beat the Bears in the season finale at Lambeau Field on Jan. 2 and end up with the same record, they could lose the title because division record is the second tiebreaker after head to head.

That wont be sorted out for three more weeks, but it shouldnt take Packers coach Mike McCarthy that long to figure out what went so terribly wrong Sunday against the Lions (3-10).

I didnt like the way we started, McCarthy said. They were playing faster than we were, and there was no reason behind it. We had so many fans in the stands so the atmosphere, everything (was good). I didnt see any signs of this during the week of preparation. I thought the week of preparation was a good week. It wasnt a great week, but I thought they were definitely dialed in. I made a point of this type of game (Saturday) night in the team meeting. Thats whats so frustrating to me, to come over here and the importance of a division game and to start the game way we did.

We need to quit having these types of lessons, particularly this late in the year. But the positive part about it is everything that we still want to accomplish is in front of us.

It was a scoreless game when Rodgers took a combination hit from safety Amari Spievey and linebacker Landon Johnson late in the first half. Rodgers struggled to get to his feet. Although he stayed in for three more plays, he was ruled out because of a concussion, likely sustained when Johnson hit him high after Spievey had him low.

Rodgers also sustained a concussion on the Packers final offensive play in the Oct. 10 overtime loss at Washington. He recovered in time to start the next week against Miami, another overtime defeat, but thats no guarantee he will be cleared to play against the Patriots. Rodgers wasnt available to reporters after the game.

On Sunday, Rodgers backup, third-year pro Matt Flynn, led one scoring drive, a field goal that gave the Packers their only lead after the first series of the third quarter. But with a chance to win the game with a fourth-quarter comeback, the drive stalled at the Lions 31-yard line.

Flynn had two possession after the Lions went ahead 7-3 on a 13-yard screen pass for a touchdown from Drew Stanton to tight end Will Heller with 7:55 remaining. One of four sacks allowed by the Packers stalled the first drive, but the second had one real possibilities.

Starting at his 9-yard line with 3:58 to play, Flynn converted a third-and-11 from the 8 with an 18-yard deep in to James Jones. A 14-yard screen to Dimitri Nance and a 9-yard slant to Greg Jennings got the Packers to their own 49-yard line at the 2-minute warning. Flynn hit rookie tight end Andrew Quarless for completions of 11 and 8 yards to set up a second-and-2 from the Lions 32 with 1:29 to play. After running back Brandon Jackson gained just a yard on second-and-2, Flynn threw high and incomplete for Donald Driver on third and 1, when the ball slipped out of his hand.

The Packers hopes died when on a called shot play to Greg Jennings on a fourth-and-1 deep route, Flynn overthrew him for what would have been the go-ahead touchdown with less than a minute to play.

When it came off my hand, I thought it came out well and thought it was going to be a good ball, Flynn said. But obviously it wasnt.

Flynn made two critical errors an interception in the end zone in the third quarter and a botched handoff on a third-and-1 play early in the fourth quarter that stalled a drive.

On the interception, a second-and-goal play from the 9, Flynn tried to hit Donald Driver on a slant but didnt see linebacker DeAndre Levy, who picked it off in the end zone.

We had a blitz on and I checked us out of it (because) they didnt give us the look that we wanted, said Levy, the former Wisconsin Badgers standout. I saw the route, Driver kind of shuffled up the line, and with that I figured he was going to slant and go straight the goalpost, so I stepped in the lane, and it came to me. Good thing I caught it. I dropped a lot of balls in practice this week.

Flynn completed 15 of 26 passes for 177 yards, no touchdowns, one interception and a passer rating of 62.5 in his first meaningful, extensive action of the season.

Overall, I thought I did pretty decent, Flynn said. But I cant make those couple of mental mistakes, turning the wrong way on the third-and-1 and then the interception to Driver.

Still, the Packers had a chance to win because the defense held up for about as long as could be expected, even against a third-stringer like Stanton, who completed just 10 of 22 passes for 117 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

We let them stay in the game, gave them too many opportunities, said Packers linebacker Desmond Bishop, who had a team-high 10 tackles. Its only so long before they cash in and call the perfect play and score a touchdown, and thats what happened.