5 things to watch as the Green Bay Packers play the Detroit Lions in their home opener Monday night
Here are 5 things to watch as the Green Bay Packers play the Detroit Lions in their home opener Monday night at Lambeau Field:
1. Packers defense faces off against Jared Goff again
It was just eight months ago that the Packers faced Lions quarterback Jared Goff in a win-or-go-home meeting. They held him to 21 of 27 completions for 174 yards and a touchdown and sacked him four times. This time around, he’ll be playing in a different offense where he’ll get to stay in the pocket more and spread the ball around the field. It’s doubtful coach Dan Campbell wants him throwing 57 times like he did in the Lions’ 41-33 loss last Sunday to San Francisco because while Goff put up big numbers, he averaged only 5.9 yards per attempt and threw a pick-six. Defensive coordinator Joe Barry was on the Los Angeles Rams' staff in that January meeting when the Packers last faced Goff so, he has an intimate knowledge of his strengths and weaknesses. “I’ve got all the respect in the world for Jared Goff both as a football player and as a guy,” Barry said. “So, it will definitely be weird. ... I think there's subtle little insights that I've been able to give to our guys.”
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2. Aaron Rodgers, offense seeking more snaps
All week, coach Matt LaFleur and his assistants talked about having just 12 snaps prior to the first-half two-minute warning in Week 1 and so if there’s an obvious goal this week, it’s to finish the half with more than 17 plays. They were unable to get the run game going and fell behind so quickly they were forced into throwing the ball to try to catch up. “You kind of like getting the ball a couple of times, three, four times a quarter,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “And that's how you can get into a flow offensively even if you're not converting every drive into points. At least you're kind of on and off the field, not sitting down forever on the sidelines, standing up pacing and all the different things that kind of keeps your body in the moment. I think we just got to keep staying patient.”
3. With Za’Darius Smith out, the spotlight is on Rashan Gary
The Packers took outside linebacker Rashan Gary in the first round knowing he would be a starter at some point. The back injury to Za’Darius Smith means Gary isn’t a part-time player anymore. He’ll play on the edge and he’ll have to take Smith’s snaps as a middle rusher in the dime package. Last week, he played 37 snaps and this week those numbers will be considerably higher. Gary had a quarterback hit and two pressures against the Saints and will be counted on to keep the heat on Goff. “Rashan is a great edge rusher, does a lot of great things,” outside linebacker Preston Smith said. “And I believe having him on the opposite side of me, it will help out a lot. And he definitely will demand some attention from his abilities.”
4. Drayton wants his special teams units staying aggressive
In the Saints game, the Packers had a chance to change the momentum early when outside linebacker Jonathan Garvin broke through the line and nearly blocked Blake Gillikin’s punt. Special teams coach Maurice Drayton said Garvin should have reached out with his arm to try to block it because even if he hit Gillikin’s leg, it only would have been a 5-yard penalty and that would not have given the Saints a first down. Drayton said people should expect the Packers to go after blocks. “We stay away from the roughing calls, which is a larger penalty, and we'll give them a first down in that situation, but we're going to be more aggressive,” he said. “I think it's known that we're going to be, so teams are going to have to protect against us. We're going to get after him (the punter) a little bit.”
5. Former GM Ted Thompson honored at halftime
The Packers’ home opener will feature a halftime tribute to former general manager Ted Thompson, who died in January. Thompson’s name will be placed on the northeast façade inside Lambeau Field to honor his years with the organization, which included 13 as the team’s general manager. Players will also wear special decals on their helmets and other members of the organization will wear pins and buttons with his initials on them to honor his legacy. “I've said this, I always have a lot of love and appreciation for Ted because I was his first draft pick,” Rodgers said. “That was always a special bond between us. You know, there's something special about that feeling where you just kind of know that the GM has got you and wants you to be here and wants you to be successful. I always appreciated that.”