{"id":427,"date":"2024-10-28T14:53:25","date_gmt":"2024-10-28T14:53:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=427"},"modified":"2024-10-28T14:53:25","modified_gmt":"2024-10-28T14:53:25","slug":"breaking-news-5-earl%ce%b3-ke%ce%b3s-to-the-packers-vs-lions-showdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=427","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING NEWS: 5 Earl\u03b3 Ke\u03b3s to The Packers Vs. Lions Showdown"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Detroit<\/p>\n

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (right) and Detroit quarterback Jared Goff meet after a … [+]<\/span> game in Sept., 2023.<\/p>\n

Will he or won\u2019t he?<\/p>\n

That will be the No. 1 question surrounding Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers this week.<\/p>\n

Love suffered a first quarter groin injury Sunday that eventually knocked him from the Jacksonville game early in the third quarter. The Packers rallied without their franchise quarterback, though, and defeated the Jaguars, 30-27.<\/p>\n

That sets up a Week 9 showdown at Lambeau Field between the top two teams in the NFC.<\/p>\n

Detroit, which leads the conference with a 6-1 record, travels to Green Bay (6-2), which is tied for the second-best mark in the NFC.<\/p>\n

Here are five early keys to one of the biggest games of this NFL season.<\/p>\n

1. Love on the rocks<\/h2>\n

\"NFL<\/p>\n

Love\u2019s groin injury will consume airwaves and dominate the headlines all week. After the Packers defeated the Jaguars, Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur was asked about the extent of Love\u2019s injury.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo idea,\u201d LaFleur said. \u201cBut obviously high level of concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody could see him struggling to move around. And it got to a point where we didn\u2019t feel like, and he didn\u2019t feel like he could protect himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

The NFL Network reported that Love will undergo further testing Monday, but appears to have avoided a long-term injury. Green Bay has a bye week after its game with Detroit, which means if Love sits out, he would have three full weeks to heal before the Packers travel to Chicago on Nov. 17.<\/p>\n

If Love can\u2019t go, No. 2 Malik Willis has proven to be an extremely capable backup. Willis went 2-0 earlier this year when Love was out with an MCL sprain, then rallied the Packers to a victory over Jacksonville Sunday.<\/p>\n

2. Great Goff<\/h2>\n

\"Packers<\/p>\n

Detroit quarterback Jared Goff, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft, is having his best season.<\/p>\n

Goff leads the NFL in passer rating at 115.3 and in completion percentage 74.1. Goff has thrown 13 touchdowns, four interceptions and has thrown for 242.1 yards per game.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe deals the ball,\u201d Tennessee coach Brian Callahan said of Goff. \u201cJared, I think, is an underrated quarterback. He is probably playing the position as good as anybody in football right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

During the Packers\u2019 29-22 win over the Lions on Thanksgiving last year, they showed the way to slow Goff is to get him off his spot. Goff was sacked three times and hit 12 times that day.<\/p>\n

Green Bay will need similar pressure again to try containing one of the NFL\u2019s hottest quarterbacks.<\/p>\n

3. Offensive fireworks<\/h2>\n

Goff is just one piece of the NFL\u2019s finest offense.<\/p>\n

The Lions, who have won five straight games, lead the league in scoring at 33.4 points per game. And Detroit is averaging a remarkable 43.0 points per game in its last four outings.<\/p>\n

Second-year man Jahmyr Gibbs is the NFL\u2019s most explosive running back. Gibbs is sixth in the NFL in rushing (591 yards) and averages a whopping 6.4 yards per carry, but splits time with veteran David Montgomery to keep both backs fresh.<\/p>\n

Together, the duo has combined for 1,006 rushing yards and 14 total touchdowns.<\/p>\n

The offensive line is the NFL\u2019s best, where right tackle Penei Sewell, right guard Kevin Zeitler and center Frank Ragnow are all Pro Bowlers.<\/p>\n

The receiving group \u2014 led by wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown (41-408-5) and tight end Sam LaPorta (20-272-2) is deep and gifted. But the Packers catch a break that speedster Jameson Williams is serving the second of a two-game suspension for \u201cviolating the league\u2019s performance-enhancing substances policy.\u201d<\/p>\n

4. Defense has claws<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s been a decade since the Lions had a top-10 scoring defense. In fact, over the last five seasons, Detroit\u2019s highest finish is 23rd<\/sup> and its average finish is 28th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

But this Detroit roster is loaded and the Lions rank eighth in scoring defense, allowing 19.1 points per game.<\/p>\n

The Lions\u2019 strength is a run defense that ranks fifth, allowing 101.9 yards per game. And while Detroit certainly misses Aidan Hutchinson (broken leg), its depth has allowed it to go 2-0 without its Pro Bowl defensive end.<\/p>\n

Linebackers Jack Campbell and Alex Anzalone are difference makers, while safeties Kerby Joseph (five interceptions) and Brian Branch (four INTs) are both in the midst of terrific seasons.<\/p>\n

Green Bay could have success going after corners Carlton Davis (30 catches allowed) and Terrion Arnold (22 receptions allowed) \u2014 who have allowed a combined 52 catches and don’t have an interception.<\/p>\n

5. All three phases<\/h2>\n

The Lions\u2019 special teams have been extremely good this year, as well.<\/p>\n

Kalif Raymond had a 90-yard punt return for a touchdown Sunday and is averaging 16.6 yards on his 19 punt returns.<\/p>\n

Detroit has only attempted six kickoff returns, but is averaging 35.5 yards per attempt \u2014 highlighted by a 72-yard return from cornerback Khalil Dorsey.<\/p>\n

Kicker Jake Bates is 11-for-11 on field goals and 27-of-28 on extra points, while punter Jack Fox ranks among the league-leaders in gross (52.5) and net (47.3).<\/p>\n

There\u2019s very little these Lions don’t do well.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe play with three units and when a couple of them are humming at the right time, it can bail out one of your units,\u201d Detroit coach Dan Campbell said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Detroit, which leads the NFC with a 6-1 record, travels to Green Bay (6-2), which is tied for the second-best mark in the conference.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":428,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,6],"tags":[53,49,48,52,51,45,50],"class_list":["post-427","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-detroit-lions","category-green-bay-packers","tag-aidan-hutchinson","tag-detroit-lions","tag-green-bay-packers","tag-jahmyr-gibbs","tag-jared-goff","tag-jordan-love","tag-malik-willis"],"yoast_head":"\nBREAKING NEWS: 5 Earl\u03b3 Ke\u03b3s to The Packers Vs. 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