The Detroit Lions will hit the road for a Monday Night Football matchup with the Green Bay Packers this week, bringing a division rivalry matchup to primetime television.
Both teams are searching for their first win of the 2021 season after suffering defeats in week one, although their outlooks will be very different.
The Detroit Lions almost pulled off the comeback of the century against the San Francisco 49ers last Sunday, bringing a 41-17 scoring differential with 1:54 on the clock to a one-score game and a chance to win the game before a turnover on downs ended their prospect.
The Jared Goff-led offense was hit and miss for most of the newcomer’s debut and finished 23rd in Real Quarterback Rating, although they were fifth in Offensive Rusher Rating. This came primarily from the efforts of former Packer Jamal Williams, who wound up with 54 of the team’s 116 yards and a touchdown.
The most intriguing question heading into the Lions’ Monday night matchup is which version of their offense is going to show up: the one that was held to 14 points for nearly an hour or the one that scored 14 points on the vaunted Niners defense in one minute.
On the other end, Detroit’s defense was very bad across the board, finishing in the bottom-third in Defensive Real Quarterback Rating, Defensive Rusher Rating, and Defensive Hog Index. They are in for a serious test on the road and against the reigning MVP of the league, who has dominated the NFC North since he took over as the full-time starter.
The team with the worst Real Quarterback Rating in the NFL in week one was the Green Bay Packers; that trend is unlikely to continue, although it could be a sign that Super Bowl expectations are too high for a team that went through a tremendous amount of turmoil this offseason.
Even more surprising was the fact that the other Aaron of Green Bay’s offense, Aaron Jones, was just as ineffective as his star QB, leading the team to another last-place finisher in Offensive Rusher Rating.
The feud between members of the team, specifically Aaron Rodgers, and the front office was well-publicized this offseason, but what has flown under the radar is the fact that the Packers have now lost Corey Linsley and Bryan Bulaga from their offensive lineman; with David Bakhtiari also being out with an injury, this team could struggle to produce on offense at a much greater level than expected.
The Packers’ defense also did not have the same pop in week one that it did last season, which could prove to be trouble in an improved division.
Although the Lions played better than the Packers in week one, they were saved by their performance over the final two minutes. They have much less talent than the Packers do, are less experienced, and are also disadvantaged by being on the road.
If Green Bay loses this game, there is a serious conversation to be had; teams that start 0-2 have a historically difficult time making the playoffs, and for a reigning MVP to suffer such a treacherous start would be practically unheard of.
Expect the Packers to round back into form while receiving pushback from the visitors, who showed a backbone in their last game.
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Tanner Kern breaks down the biggest news from the NFL world, discusses fantasy football stategy, and gives his future bets for the 2022 season on the debut of the CHFF Show.