The Detroit Lions head into Week 7 with a lot on the line against the Green Bay Packers, and this one feels like the kind of game that can shape the rest of their season.
It’s one of just two meetings with Green Bay this year, and the second one looms in Week 18 on the road in what figures to be a cold, snowy, windy setting. That makes this matchup at home feel especially important. The Lions can control more of the variables here, with weather and health being the big ones, and letting this one slip away would make that final meeting look even more urgent in a division that already feels tight.
The Packers come in with a 4-2 record, but that mark doesn’t tell the full story. They’ve been slow out of the gate, their record could just as easily be 3-3, and they’re dealing with some health issues of their own. Even so, there are still matchup problems here for Detroit, and a few Lions could find themselves in tough spots because of the way Green Bay plays.
Jahmyr Gibbs is the first name that stands out. On paper, this should be a strong spot for him, since Green Bay has posted a success rate of just 26 percent when stopping the run.
But as SideLion Report's Bo Underwood recently pointed out, Gibbs has not had much success against the Packers in his career. Whether it’s the extra heat that comes with a divisional game or Green Bay simply rising to the occasion, he still hasn’t put together the kind of overwhelming performance Detroit wants from him in this matchup.
Even without Micah Parsons in tow to disrupt everything, the Packers are still likely to key in on Gibbs, and Cade Mays' success in his first game this year could be important in helping offset that.
Ennis Rakestraw Jr. could also be in for a difficult afternoon. He’s quietly been one of the better corners in the league in press coverage, rarely giving receivers room to breathe downfield.
More often than not, teams are aiming their attention at D.J. Reed instead, and that has led to more mistakes than clean stops on Reed’s end.
But if Jordan Love starts pushing the ball deep, Rakestraw may be forced into a lot of difficult reps, tracking either Matthew Golden or Christian Watson while trying to stay disciplined and avoid penalties. That’s a lot to ask, and it could wear on him if the Packers keep coming at him vertically.
Then there’s Blake Miller, who may run into a breakout-caliber challenge on the edge in Dani Dennis-Sutton. The rookie Penn State pass rusher has been climbing for Green Bay, giving the Packers more juice in their trenches as they wait on Micah Parsons' recovery. Dennis-Sutton’s pressure numbers have been eye-opening, and if that trend continues, Miller could spend a long afternoon dealing with one of the Packers’ most disruptive young defenders.
In Other News...
Lions Pass Rush Could Finally Flip A Frustrating Jordan Love Trend
Jordan Love has made a habit of staying in control against Detroit, but the Lions have reasons to think this matchup can look different. Love has never topped 300 passing yards in seven career starts against the Lions, and his high-water mark in the series came last season at 273 yards. Even as Detroit has dealt with its own issues defending the pass this year, the one area that can alter the script is the front seven, where the Lions have enough rush to make life uncomfortable on any quarterback.
Jordan Loves protection has become a bigger concern, too, with Green Bays offensive line hit by injuries in recent weeks. For Detroit, that creates a possible opening to turn a familiar frustrating trend into something more meaningful by getting after Love before plays can develop downfield. If the Lions can make him work under pressure, they may finally have the kind of defensive edge that has been missing in this matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Secondary Pressure Suddenly Falls On Ennis Rakestraw Against Packers
Ennis Rakestraw has barely had a chance to settle into a real role in the Lions secondary this season, working mostly as an outside cornerback in limited defensive snaps. Even in that small sample, he has given up five catches on 11 targets and a 63.8 passer rating against him, but his coverage has still been steadier than what Detroit has gotten from some of its other cornerbacks.
Now the spotlight is shifting quickly. With Week 7 bringing a trip to face the Packers, Rakestraw is set for a much bigger workload, and the way he handles that assignment could carry more weight than just one afternoon in Green Bay. A solid showing against Christian Watson and Matthew Golden would give the Lions a better read on what they already have, while also shaping how urgently they need to pursue more help at cornerback. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Campbell Finally Addressed Sam LaPortas Contract Frustration
Sam LaPortas frustration over not getting a contract extension had enough traction to draw a response from Dan Campbell, and the Lions coach made it clear the team is treating the situation as part of the normal churn around a young star. Campbell addressed the media and framed LaPortas comments as the kind of thing that can surface when a player has been waiting on a deal, rather than a sign of anything deeper going on around the tight end.
Inside the building, the message is apparently calm rather than alarmed, with Campbell stressing that the remarks are not being taken personally. He also said LaPorta remains focused and ready to play, describing the comments as pent-up frustration and not something that says anything about his character, which is about as direct a line as a coach can draw without turning the issue into a bigger story. [Read more 🡒]