Packers Keys to the Game (at Lions)

The Green Bay Packers (3-5) will travel to face the Detroit Lions (1-6) at noon on Sunday at Ford Field in Detroit. FOX will televise the game.

History

In a series that dates to 1930, when the Packers routed the Portsmouth Spartans 47-13, Green Bay leads 103-73-7. Including playoffs, it’s 105-73-7. Detroit won the last matchup, 37-30, in last year’s finale at Ford Field. The Packers played their backups for the second half of that game, which helped the Lions snap a five-game skid in the rivalry.

Coaches

Green Bay — Matt LaFleur, 42-15, fourth season. Detroit — Dan Campbell, 4-19-1, second season; he went 5-7 as interim coach of the Dolphins in 2015.

When the Packers have the ball

You’ve probably heard of the irresistible force paradox: What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? Well, this would be the opposite. The Packers rank 26th in scoring. With four rookies in the starting lineup, the Lions rank 32nd in points allowed.

If Green Bay’s horrendous offense can’t get going in this game, it might never get going. The Lions have allowed 32.1 points per game — 5.1 points worse than ay other team. They’re across-the-board terrible: 32nd in total defense, yards allowed per play, passing yards per play and third down.

Of the main statistical categories, Detroit’s best is passing, where it’s merely 27th. Campbell fired defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant on Monday.

“I think Aubrey is a hell of a coach,” Campbell said. “I’ve got a ton of respect for him. It was a tough decision, but we’re in a production-based business and after seven weeks I felt like this change needed to be made.”

Detroit’s base defense is 4-3. The front consists of defensive ends Aidan Hutchinson and Josh Paschal and defensive tackles Isaiah Buggs and Alim Mitchell. Hutchinson was the second pick of the draft and Paschal was the second-round pick.

Hutchinson has 4½ of the Lions’ 11 sacks. He splits his time between the left and right sides. Paschal has been starting for Charles Harris, who has been out with a groin injury. Harris had 7½ sacks last season.

Malcolm Rodriguez, another rookie, and Alex Anzalone are the primary linebackers. Anzalone has a team-high 55 tackles. Rodriguez, an undersized but fleet-footed sixth-round pick, is third with 47 tackles but first with five tackles for losses.

The secondary consists of Jeff Okudah and Amani Oruwariye as the corners, A.J. Parker in the slot and DeShon Elliott and rookie third-round pick Kerby Joseph as the safeties.

Okudah, the oft-injured 2020 first-round pick, has started every game and is tied for the team lead with three passes defensed. Oruwariye, who had a breakout season last year, has not been as good this year. He’s given up four touchdowns, according to Pro Football Focus. Elliott, who is second with 48 tackles, has one of the team’s two interceptions.

When the Lions have the ball

The Lions boast a formidable offense. At times, anyway. They rank ninth with 24.7 points per game. After scoring a total of six points in road losses to the Patriots and Cowboys, they scored 27 in Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins. All 27 of those points, however, were in the first half.

They’re fourth in total offense and yards per play, fourth in rushing per play and seventh in passing per play. They are bad on third down (23rd with 37.4% conversions) but great in the red zone (third, 72% touchdowns).

“We literally just have to do our jobs like we did in the first half, and everything takes care of itself,” left tackle Taylor Decker said, a line that might be used by any member of Green Bay’s offense. “We just have to play a complete game. We have to play for 60.”

The offensive line of Decker, left guard Jonah Jackson, center Frank Ragnow, right guard Evan Brown and right tackle Penei Sewell is a force. You get what you pay for; Decker, Sewell and Ragnow were first-round picks and Jackson was taken in the third. They’ve given quarterback Jared Goff ample time and cleared the path for running backs D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams.

Brown is playing for Halapoulivaati Vaitai, who is on injured reserve following back surgery.

Goff is 11th in passer rating (93.2). He’s been so much more productive compared to last year, his yards per attempt up to 7.5 from 6.6 and his yards per game up to 272 from 231.8.

Williams, the former tag-team partner of Aaron Jones in Green Bay, has rushed for 464 yards and a career-high eight touchdowns. Swift, who returned from an injury last week, has averaged a robust 7.4 yards per carry. Swift, especially, is a dynamic threat as a receiver. He caught 62 passes last year. Behind that line, they will test Green Bay’s porous run defense.

Amon-Ra St. Brown, Josh Reynolds and Kalif Raymond are the primary receivers. D.J. Chark, one of their big free-agent signings, is on injured reserve and first-round pick Jameson Williams is still out following the ACL sustained last year at Alabama.

St. Brown is a stud. He’s caught 35 passes for 344 yards and three touchdowns despite missing time with injuries. Spanning the end of 2021 and the start of 2022, he caught eight-plus passes in an NFL-record eight consecutive games.

Reynolds and tight end T.J. Hockenson are tied for second on the team with 26 receptions. Hockenson, who has receptions of 81 and 58 yards this year, was traded to the Vikings at the trade deadline.

Special teams

In Football Outsiders’ rankings, Detroit is 19th and Green Bay is 31st.

Michael Badgley is the kicker. Already the team’s third kicker, he’s made all four field goals and all three extra points.

Jack Fox is the punter. He has a big leg (49.5 average) but gives up a lot of returns and a lot of return yardage (13.5 average). Can Green Bay’s Amari Rodgers field the ball and take advantage?

Raymond handles punt returns and backup running back Justin Jackson is the primary kickoff returner. They’ve had minimal success, though Raymond has big-time speed and averaged 11.2 yards last season.