Packers vs. Lions Q&A: One-dimensional Lions still offer challenge to NFC North On Sunday
Youth Aaron Rodgers Jersey , the Green Bay Packers face off against the Detroit Lions for the first time this season. Chris Perfett of Pride of Detroit was kind enough to answer some of our questions about the Lions and provide insight into their strengths and weaknesses.APC: Through four weeks, we have seen one extremely ugly performance from the Lions (Week 1’s 48-17 home stomping to the Jets), one impressive showing (Week 3’s 26-10 upset of the Patriots), and two hard-fought losses (Weeks 2 and 4). The sample remains small, but do you have a feel yet for what Detroit will be in 2018?APC: Though the Vikings generally garner more attention for their receiver tandem of Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen, the Lions offer a deeper group headlined by Golden Tate, Marvin Jones Jr., and Kenny Golladay. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Detroit’s receiving corps and how do you think the group compares to others in the league?APC: After the first quarter of the season, the Lions defense ranks 24th in points allowed (28.5 per game) and 27th in DVOA. Meanwhile, Ezekiel Ansah hasn’t played since the season opener and Quandre Diggs reportedly has a broken hand. What do you make of this unit, and how do you think it matches up with the Packers offense?APC: If you were game planning against the Lions, how would you attack them on offense? On defense?APC: Finally, it’s prediction time. Which team wins on Sunday and why?We’d like to thank Chris and Pride of Detroit for answering our questions. Be sure to check out our Q&A session over there, as well as their fantastic coverage of all things Lions. As always, keep your internet machines tuned to Acme Packing Company this Sunday for our comprehensive game-day coverage of Packers versus Lions.Football Outsiders: Top-half finish is a good goal for Mike Pettine’s Packers defense Although there were some notable free agent signings and draft picks affecting the Green Bay Packers’ offense his offseason
Womens Jimmy Graham Jersey , the biggest changes to the team’s roster — and its coaching staff — came on the defensive side of the football. Brian Gutekunst brought an old friend back in the secondary, then spent his first three draft picks on defense in an effort to rebuild a unit that had gradually slipped from great to average to awful over Dom Capers’ tenure.Now, with Mike Pettine at the helm, fans’ expectations are much different for this group in 2018. But are they reasonable? We asked Scott Kacsmar of Football Outsiders what he thinks the Packers’ defense will look like this season as a result of these changes.Be sure to check out the 2018 Football Outsiders Almanac for more insights into the Packers and the rest of the NFL.APC: With new defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, several significant additions (Muhammad Wilkerson, Jaire Alexander, etc.), and some noteworthy departures (Morgan Burnett), what do you expect from the Packers defense in 2018?Scott referenced the Packers’ use of high draft capital in the secondary, and that is absolutely true; Pettine will have plenty of talent to mold this year. Indeed, every one of the Packers’ draft picks at defensive back over the past two years has specific athletic abilities to salivate over. Josh Jackson showed excellent lateral quickness and explosiveness at the Combine this year and improved his 40 time into the high 4.4s at his Pro Day; Jaire Alexander ran a 4.38 in Indy and had even better agility times than Jackson. Josh Jones has 4.41 speed, absurd for a 6-foot-1, 220-pound player, and Kevin King had one of the best overall Combines by a cornerback in recent memory.Yes, the success of the secondary will be based largely on how that athleticism translates onto the football field; however
Youth Antonio Morrison Jersey , Scott echoes APC’s stance that the defensive line should be this team’s strength. With two Pro Bowlers (Wilkerson and Daniels) and one soon-to-be Pro Bowler (Clark) manning the three-man line, that is as impressive a group as can be. Clark posted 4.5 sacks last year, all of which came in the season’s final five games. Daniels posted five sacks of his own, and Wilkerson is two years removed from a 12-sack season in New York.As for Pettine himself, the Jerry Hughes callback provides an exciting precedent. In three years with the Colts, Hughes recorded five sacks. Both Hughes and Pettine arrived in Buffalo in 2013, and Hughes posted ten sacks and a pair of forced fumbles. Pettine also did great things with Cleveland’s Paul Kruger in 2014, when Kruger increased his sack numbers from 4.5 the year before to 11. Clearly, Pettine has shown an ability to motivate and develop veteran pass-rushers, and if he can do the same with Nick Perry — even on a lesser scale — that bodes poorly for opposing quarterbacks.As Scott notes, an elite defense isn’t necessary for the Packers to be a contender, at least not with Aaron Rodgers under center and throwing to an elite wide receiver. Remember that the two most recent NFC Championship appearances that the Packers made were made with defenses ranked 20th in DVOA (2016) and 16th (2014). As long as the offense does not regress to 2015 levels — which was the result of a multitude of injuries to the receiving corps — climbing into the 10-14 range should be more than enough to give the Packers a real shot at a deep playoff run.
