Detroit Lions buried the Green Bay Packers like a great team should
Free Press sports writer Jared Ramsey tackles three questions after the Detroit Lions' 24-14 win over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday.
Are the Lions the class of the NFC?
Most teams would wilt a bit after one of their best defenders was ejected in the first half. But, these Lions didn't flinch after safety Brian Branch hit the locker rooms for an early shower because of an unnecessary roughness penalty on a helmet-to-helmet hit on Bo Melton in the second quarter.
The defense got the stop on the next set of downs and Green Bay's Brandon McManus hooked his field goal attempt wide left. The Lions burned the rest of the first half clock and got a field goal of their own to go up, 10-3, and then they received a gift from Green Bay. Jordan Love misfired on a screen before the end of half, and Kerby Joseph jumped in front and housed the interception for a two-touchdown lead at halftime.
Then, the Lions buried the Packers like a great team should. Jahmyr Gibbs carried it six times for 51 yards and converted a fourth-and-1 for a 15-yard touchdown for an insurmountable three-touchdown lead.
The Lions were unfazed by the wet conditions, unlike the Packers, and had clinical execution in the most important moments to run away from what looked like Detroit's toughest competition in the NFC. The Lions are now 5-2 against the Packers under head coach Dan Campbell with three straight wins in Green Bay and have road wins this season over the top two teams in the NFC North.
Did Jared Goff and the Lions continue their elite efficiency?
The Lions marched right down the field on the opening drive and hit their first fourth-down conversion in the red zone. Amon-Ra St. Brown ran a motion into a fade route in the corner of the end zone, and Goff hit him with a back-shoulder throw; St. Brown twisted to snag the ball while tapping his toes for the touchdown. And then he continued the acrobatics with a headstand.
The Lions only had two other scoring drives in the drawn-out and muddy contest. But the end-of-half field goal and the start of the second-half touchdown, sandwiched by Joseph's heroics, were more than enough.
Goff came prepared for the elements with two gloves and continued his remarkable streak of avoiding incompletions. Goff completed 18 of 22 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown, while the running backs combined for 138 yards on 28 carries.
The Lions got the ball back with four minutes left after Green Bay's final touchdowns and ground out the first downs necessary from David Montgomery, who finished with 73 yards on 17 carries. Then, Detroit got in victory formation and were serenaded with decently loud "JA-RED GOFF" chants from the Lions contingent in attendance.
How did the Lions defense weather Brian Branch's ejection?
Branch added on to St. Brown's icy pregame arrival with an emphatic, not-safe-for-work gesture back toward the booing Green Bay fans and the others on the defense picked up the pieces around him to hold the Packers in check. Despite gaining 411 yards to Detroit's 261, the Packers could not execute in the red zone and lost the turnover battle.
Joseph tied for the NFL lead in interceptions when he broke free from the block on the screen to grab Love's errant pass and raced down the left sideline to put the Lions up two touchdowns. And Brandon Joseph stepped up as a serviceable replacement next to him in the back line.
Josh Jacobs had his way early against Detroit's defense with 10 carries for 89 yards in the first half, but Green Bay had to abandon the run after falling behind, and he finished with just 95 yards on 13 carries. Love bounced back with some nice throws after the mistake, but was clearly hampered by the groin injury and had a few missed throws, fumbled snaps and bad drops from his receivers. The Lions generated some pressure from the interior thanks to Alim McNeill, but finished with no sacks, amplifying the calls for a trade to boost the pass rush.
Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for the Detroit Free Press. Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22, and email him at jramsey@freepress.com.