Tomorrow is the beginning of Week 4 of the NFL Season. The Green Bay Packers will face the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:15. The Lions come into this game as 1.5 point favorites. The Green Bay Packers are coming off a thrilling 18-17 win over the New Orleans Saints. Detroit defeated the Atlanta Falcons 20-6. Both teams enter this game 2-1. Here is a preview of tomorrow night’s game.
Can the Green Bay Packers Defense Contain Detroit’s Offense?
The Lions come into this game averaging 24 points a game. That’s not a bad number but it certainly won’t scare opposing defenses. So why then would this be a issue for the Green Bay Packers defense?
The issue is Jared Goff is really good at getting the ball out of his hands quick. For the most oart, it’s three steps back and then the ball is out. You’ll see a lot of passes less than 10 yards past the line of scrimmage.
Goff can do this because Detroit has athletic receivers such as Amon-Ra St. Brown and Josh Reynolds. Both know how to get open. Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry is known for playing his corners soft on opposing receivers. The opportunity of dink and dunk could be there all night for the Lions.
Detroit also has an athletic rookie running back in Jahmyr Gibbs. With the injury to David Montgomery, Gibbs should be the lead back. The Packers struggled with Bijan Robinson of the Falcons in week 2 who was also an athletic back.
Green Bay Packers Returning to Full Strength?
The Packers were without some key players on last week such as Aaron Jones, Jaire Alexander and Christian Watson. It’s been mentioned Jones and Watson could play tomorrow, but we will have to wait and see on that.
If the Green Bay Packers have those players ready and active, I think this is a different game. When healthy, the Packers offense is full of talent. Watson can out-run any corner in the league and Jones is what makes this offense go. Add in the production of Romeo Doubs and rookies Jayden Reed and Luke Musgrave and you have a potentially potent offense.
Prediction
As a Packer fan, A 3-1 start for this young Green Bay team would be best case scenario in what has already been a roller coaster season. These are games you have to take advantage of early on the schedule. Teams get better and stronger as the year goes on.
However, there seems to be too much question surrounding the injuries. I know a home division game is really important early in the season, but I can see Green Bay holding these players out until next week. It seems to be too early to take a chance and potentially have a longer lasting injury that could have been avoided. I think the Detroit receivers are too much and Green Bay struggles to get off the field on third down. Give me the Lions tomorrow night.
Detroit Lions 27 Green Bay Packers 20