While most teams don't like having their bye weeks this early in the season, it may have been a blessing in disguise for the Detroit Lions. They needed some time to assess their defensive flaws ahead of a big divisional game.
Dan Campbell and company will have an additional win to build on as they prepare for the red-hot Green Bay Packers. Matt LaFleur's team is dominating on defense, though they should have a tougher time doing so against Drew Petzing's offense.
Nevertheless, this team might have some trouble on the other side of the field. The win over the Dallas Cowboys reaffirmed what most Packers haters feared: Matthew Golden and Christian Watson are the most dangerous wide receiver duo in the league right now.
The Lions' secondary might struggle against Packers' playmakers
The Packers' offensive game plan vs. Dallas was pretty clear. They kept it short here and there, but they gave Jordan Love the green light to sling the football downfield, pushing the ball to try to expose the Cowboys' shaky secondary.
Notably, that resulted in Matthew Golden (6-104-1) and Christian Watson (3-64) combining for 168 receiving yards and one touchdown. The Lions' secondary isn't much better, so they should expect a similar approach from the Packers' offense.
Golden's second-year breakout is real. The former first-round pick has had some pretty egregious drops, but he's a massive vertical threat with his quick twitch and acceleration, and he's up to 30 receptions for 501 yards and three scores.
Watson, on the other hand, is much more physical and a ball-winning type of guy, but he can also be explosive and go off for big gains. He didn't even need to be that involved to reach 60 yards, and he's up to 29 catches for 538 yards and six touchdowns.
The Packers have alternated between their two pass-catching stars to make some noise in the passing game. The Lions looked better in their last game, but Jacoby Brissett isn't Jordan Love; this will be a big step up in class.
At least, getting some time to rest and prepare for this home game should give the Lions a bit of an edge. Moreover, failing to make the most of that additional time could cost defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard his job, as he managed to live for another day after a tough first month, but he shouldn't be in the clear yet.
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