A lot had been said of the Green Bay Packers' ability to give the Detroit Lions' secondary trouble, and rightfully so. Before the game, not many people would've argued that Kelvin Sheppard's cornerback room was the worst in football.
The Packers arrived at Ford Field with an MVP candidate at quarterback and the most explosive wide receiver duo in the league this season. Christian Watson and Matthew Golden posed a massive threat to the Lions' shaky secondary, at least on paper.
That's why, after watching Roger McCreary keep Golden in check throughout the entire game, Lions fans should send Brad Holmes a thank-you note for bolstering the nickelback spot with this signing.
Roger McCreary just had his best game with the Lions
While the Lions' outside corners drew never-ending criticism, McCreary has actually taken care of business pretty well in the slot. He faced his toughest challenge yet on Sunday, and he stepped up like the best of them.
McCreary limited Golden to just one reception on four targets. Yes, that catch went for 22 yards and a first down, but we're talking about a player who entered the game with 30 catches for 501 yards and three touchdowns, and he was coming off back-to-back games with 100+ yards.
He was primarily responsible for holding Golden to just five catches on 11 targets for 38 yards and no scores. The Lions did an amazing job of containing the Packers' most explosive weapon in the passing game, and much of that was due to McCreary sizing him up and limiting him between the numbers.
Also, while he allowed Christian Watson to get a reception on the only opportunity they were matched up and Jordan Love looked his way, that catch went for just eight yards, three of them after the catch, and he didn't secure a first down.
The Lions' defense is slowly but steadily getting better. Even with a sloppy defense, this team has held its own and now sits at a solid 4-2 record after seven weeks. To make things even more encouraging, they'll get Kerby Joseph back at some point in the season.
The Lions signed McCreary to a one-year, $1.21 million deal this offseason, and while it may have been one of their most overlooked moves after spending a flurry of cash on contract extensions, he's already proving to be a home-run signing and someone who should get a long-term deal after the season.
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