For the Packers, the path to slowing down Detroit starts in the middle of the field, and it runs straight through Jahmyr Gibbs.
Gibbs is the engine of the Lions’ offense, the player who can tilt everything if Green Bay loses track of him. Detroit has been a far different team depending on whether Gibbs is producing.
In the Lions’ two losses this season, he was held under 3.5 yards per carry. In their three wins, he did the opposite: more than five yards per carry, 150-plus yards twice, and six of his seven rushing touchdowns.
That kind of split makes the matchup feel pretty simple. If the Packers can bottle Gibbs up, the rest of Detroit’s offense becomes much easier to manage. And there is recent evidence that Green Bay can do exactly that.
In two meetings with the Packers last season, Gibbs was limited to 87 yards on 29 carries, a three-yard average. Green Bay won both games, and won them convincingly.
This time around, the Packers will have to find a way without Micah Parsons and Edgerrin Cooper, who played in those previous matchups and will not be available this weekend. Still, the point remains: if the Buffalo Bills and Carolina Panthers could live with that assignment, Green Bay can as well.
The Packers’ run defense has had one clear blemish this season, the loss to Bijan Robinson. Outside of that, opponents have had very little success on the ground. The Dallas Cowboys managed only 48 yards on 15 carries, and the Chicago Bears were held to 49 yards on 14 rushes by running backs.
Game flow helped in those outings, no question. Green Bay’s strongest run-stopping tool has often been its offense, because forcing teams into the wrong kind of script changes everything. But Jonathan Gannon’s blitz looks, his stunting defensive linemen, and a disciplined approach have helped cover for the lack of Parsons and Cooper, at least for now.
In Other News...
Packers Receiver Situation Just Got More Interesting After Savion Williams Debut
The Packers receiver room keeps shifting, and Savion Williams season debut gave the staff another look at how the rookie might fit once he settles in. Activated from injured reserve on Saturday after missing the first five games with an ankle injury, Williams got his first action of the year in the recent game against the Dallas Cowboys, where Green Bays coaches came away encouraged by the impact he made.
There is still a development curve here, especially with Williams continuing to work on his route running, but the conversation around the group has changed a bit with his return. The Packers also placed Skyy Moore on injured reserve, while Jayden Reed remains on injured reserve, leaving Green Bay with more questions than answers as it tries to piece together the position and figure out how much Williams can handle right away. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Suddenly Have A Trade Deadline Debate They Cant Ignore
With the Nov. 10 trade deadline creeping closer, the Packers are being pushed into a familiar kind of roster conversation: not whether they have needs, but how aggressively they want to address them. The speculative shopping list around Green Bay stretches across linebacker, cornerback, defensive tackle and guard, a reflection of a team that has enough talent to stay in the mix but still has a few obvious spots where upgrades could matter.
Among the names being floated are Cody Barton, Donte Jackson, Daron Payne and Landon Dickerson, each tied to a different area of need and each bringing a different price point and level of availability. Dickerson is the most intriguing of the bunch because of his status, and that is where the Packers' debate gets interesting - whether to chase help now, or wait and see how the board breaks as the deadline gets closer. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Still Have A Real Problem At Left Guard vs Lions
The Packers left guard situation remains murky heading into Week 7, and Aaron Banks is still at the center of it. Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said the team wants Banks back healthy and able to hold up with consistency, but the linemans recovery from knee and toe injuries has kept him out of action and forced Green Bay to keep waiting for stability on the interior.
Banks has returned to limited practice, which at least suggests progress, but there is still no confirmed timetable for his return. For a Packers offense preparing to face Detroit, that uncertainty matters, because the left guard spot has become one of the few unresolved questions in an otherwise important stretch of the season. [Read more 🡒]