Packers (and Refs) Beat Lions in Close Game

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PHOTO CREDIT: Evan Siegle, Green Bay Packers.

Preston Smith

The Lions started the game with a bang, hitting a 66-yard flea-flicker bomb to Kenny Golladay on the very first play from scrimmage. That play would lead to a field goal a few plays later. Some poor offense and an Aaron Jones fumble would put the Packers in an early 13-0 hole, their first significant deficit of the season.

Things would only get worse as Marquez Valdes-Scantling suffered a leg injury, and Geronimo Allison was knocked out with a concussion, leaving only Jake Kumerow, Darrius Shepherd, and Allen Lazard fully healthy at the receiver position. Fortunately, the backups came through in a big way, with a little help from the officials, and Green Bay was able to squeak out a thrilling 23-22 victory.

The Refs

Unfortunately, Clete Blakeman  and his fellow officials will be the talk of this game, as they seemingly blew several high-stakes calls, aiding the Packers in their victory. Most notably, a pair of illegal use of hands to the face penalties were called against Detroit’s Trey Flowers on third and short, providing the Packers with key first downs they otherwise would not have had. Replays showed that while Flowers made contact with David Bakhtiari’s face, he was mostly just caught in his shoulder pads. The first penalty came just three plays before Rodgers hit Allen Lazard for a 35-yard score, and the second, with just 1:45 left in the game, denied the Lions any chance of mounting a comeback. The Packers also won a controversial challenge on what was ruled a catch and fumble by Kerryon Johnson, which prompted the Lions to attempt a 54-yard field goal. 

While no one wants to see the officials involved on big plays in a close game, and the NFL needs to address the quality of its rules and officials in the offseason, the Lions also played a large part in their own demise. Detroit kicked five field goals, and they were not aggressive enough on fourth down or near the end zone. Part of their conservatism was due to running back Kerryon Johnson struggling against the Packer run defense; short yardage runs were no sure thing. After they got out to a big lead, the Lions reigned in the aggressive tendencies that put them there and allowed bad things to happen to them.

Williams and Lazard

Jamaal Williams was knocked unconscious just a few games ago, in a very scary moment against the Eagles. Williams likely would have played a major role in that game as the superior receiver and pass blocker of the Packer running backs. Having cleared the concussion protocol, Williams finally got to play the part Monday, leading the team in rushing with 104 yards on just 14 carries, while also catching four out of five targets for 32 yards and a nifty score. Williams was crucial to the team’s offensive success without a full receiving corps, and the Packer run game continues to be a model of efficiency regardless of the lead back on any particular day.

Williams also made the smartest play of the game on his final carry. The Detroit defense tried to let Williams score in order to get the ball back trailing by less than a touchdown with 50 seconds left. Instead, Williams went down on the three yard-line, which allowed the Packers to run down the clock for a game-winning Mason Crosby field goal.

As for the passing game, it’s been a struggle without Davante Adams. While Marquez Valdes-Scantling did manage to hit one big play down the field, he has struggled to provide consistent value as the number two option. Geronimo Allison and Jake Kumerow never seem to take advantage of their opportunities, and Allison left this game with a scary head injury which could keep him out for a while.

Allen Lazard, a second-year receiver out of Iowa State, finally did what the others could not, and took great advantage of his big chance with four catches for 65 yards and a touchdown. All of Lazard’s production came in the fourth quarter including a key 35-yard touchdown, and several big first downs. 

Lazard is an interesting prospect. He is huge, standing 6 feet 5 inches and weighing 225 pounds, but he also performed quite well at the scouting combine, especially on explosion drills. He’s not exactly a burner as he ran a 4.55 forty-yard dash, but according to the combine metric aggregation site Mockdraftable.com, his closest athletic comparable is actually Detroit’s Kenny Golladay. 

Lazard has a long way to go to reach Golladay’s level of consistency, but his ability to rise to the moment and demand the ball was great to see for a young receiver; Rodgers almost instant trust was even more impressive. Rodgers has occasionally gone into a shell when he’s lost his favorite targets, but if anything, Lazard opened up the offense even more.

The Packers have played very well and sit with a comfortable lead atop the NFC North. They have a few holes, and should trade for a receiver if possible, but if Allen Lazard can build off this performance the offense should only get better.