Detroit Lions, Matthew Stafford send Green Bay packing
By Matt Bosko
The Detroit Lions put together a complete performance and defeated the Green Bay Packers 30-17 on the road on Monday Night Football.
Lambeau Field has traditionally been a house of horrors for the Detroit Lions.
That was not the story on Monday night.
Matthew Stafford was in total control had the Green Bay Packers’ defense on their heels all night. The franchise quarterback, who was able to sit in the pocket comfortably for most of the game, finished 26-for-33 passing for 361 yards and two touchdowns.
While the running game was once again a problem, wide receivers Golden Tate and Marvin Jones were reliable targets for Stafford all night.
Jones accounted for both of Stafford’s touchdowns, hauling in a total of seven catches for 107 yards.
Tate finished with a game-high 113 yards on seven catches of his own.
On the flip side, the Lions defense checked in with another solid performance. Quarterback Brett Hundley was under pressure early and often, and was sacked three times. The Packers ran the ball only 16 times for 77 yards, while their receivers struggled to get open against the Lions’ defensive backfield.
Red Zone, Running Game Struggles Continue
Although the Lions’ offense seemed more proficient than in recent weeks, they again struggled to find the end zone inside the 20 yard line.
Near the end of the third quarter, Stafford connected with TJ Jones for a 12-yard gain down to the one yard-line. The Lions ran the ball on three consecutive plays thereafter, none of which yielded a touchdown.
Two drives later, the offense again stalled from the Packers’ two yard-line.
Part of those struggles are due to inefficiency in the run game. Abdullah, who carried the ball 21 times for 48 yards and an early touchdown, was benched in the fourth quarter after his second red zone fumble.
As a whole, the Lions ran the ball 33 times for just 64 yards.
Next: Watch Lions' touchdown celebrations vs. Packers
In all, the Lions (4-4) came away with a crucial road win against a divisional opponent. They will look to build on their strengths and work on their weaknesses as they prepare for next week’s match up against the Cleveland Browns.