The Green Bay Packers suffered a brutal defeat to the Detroit Lions. It is a game in which you look at the game film and question what they were doing. All phases of the game were outmatched and out-coached, losing 34-20.
Here are this week’s studs and duds vs. the Detroit Lions.
Stud: Green Bay Packers Linebacker Quay Walker
Quay Walker was one of the few bright spots of the game. He had one mistake, costing four points and putting the Packers to rest, but that does not outweigh the type of game he had. They needed someone to step up in this game with no De’Vondre Campbell.
Walker finished the night with 19 tackles, ten solo, and one tackle for loss. He was all over the field, and the second-year linebacker showed his capabilities. If more Packers played with his type of effort, the game would’ve had a different result.
Stud: Green Bay Packers Kicker, Anders Carlson
Anders Carlson has turned it on after an up-and-down camp; fans wanted the Packers to bring in another kicker. He ended the night 2/2 with a long of 50 yards. Packers may have found another stud kicker and a lone bright spot on the special teams in this game.
You can tell what kind of night it was when you made the stud category for making two kicks.
Stud: Wide Receiver, Romeo Doubs
With the Packers playing from behind after the first quarter, they passed the ball more. They needed someone to step up, and Romeo Doubs had a game. Doubs is quickly becoming Jordan Love’s favorite target. He had 13 targets for nine receptions and 95 yards. He was the one guy consistently getting open to give Love a chance.
Dud: Rasheed Walker & Royce Newman
For the prior two weeks, Rasheed Walker has looked the part at left tackle. Last night, it looked like he had never played the position. The Lions manhandled and took advantage of the left side of the line. The Packers must change or adjust with Bakhtiari now out for the year.
Royce Newman was a surprise to make the 53-man roster and still is a surprise every time they roll him out onto the field. The numbers are not out yet on the pressures he had given up, but it seemed like he was being bullrushed into the quarterback every play. It would be. Malpractice to start him again.
For Jordan Love to succeed, these two must step up.
Dud: Kick Returning, Keisean Nixon
Last year, Keisean Nixon was magical in the kick return. He is a game-changer that can flip the game in seconds. Last night was not the night, though. He could not eclipse the 25-yard line on five returns, putting the Packers in a poor field position. With a penalty killing his lone return past the 25, it was a night to forget for the kick return. At some point, you have to take the touchback and take what you can get.
Dud: Green Bay Packers Offensive Play-Calling
Matt Lafleur has done an incredible job all year scheming guys open in this offense. They have lived and died by the intermediate routes, picking up chunk plays. Knowing what the Lions pass rush was and the state of the offensive line, I thought they would have come in with a better plan.
They started the game passing six times, and most plays were long developing. They did not do that in a game where they truly needed to establish the run. Jordan Love was sacked five times. Lafleur has done an excellent job the last three weeks, and this is one to forget.
In the first half, AJ Dillon had run more routes than Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, and Samori Toure. In a game where the Packers were down early, Dillon isn’t the guy to be used in the passing game like that.
Overall, it was a disappointing game for the offense in primetime.
Dud: Lambeau Field
If I had never been to Lambeau and did not know what it looked like, I would have thought it was a home game for the Lions. The entire stadium was blue. It is an interdivisional game, with the winning team taking a big step early towards the playoffs. It was a disappointing sight to see. The Packers fans can get mad at the players, but this is unacceptable.
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