Packers-Lions Key Matchup: Lukas Van Ness vs. Dan Skipper

Dan Skipper will look to keep Jared Goff upright against Packers.

Jan 14, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions offensive tackle Dan Skipper (70) celebrates after a 2024 NFC wild card game against the Los Angeles Rams at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images / Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions continue to be unable to catch a break on the injury front.

For a second straight week, the Lions will be without veteran left tackle Taylor Decker, who injured his knee in the second half of Detroit's Week 12 contest with the Indianapolis Colts. 

In his place, reserve lineman Dan Skipper, a fan favorite of the Lions faithful, is expected to get the start Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers. 

It puts Skipper in the unenviable position of having to serve as the blindside protector for Detroit signal-caller Jared Goff.

The 30-year-old produced a decent effort in relief of Decker on Thanksgiving against the Chicago Bears. The 6-foot-9, 317-pounder permitted zero sacks, a single quarterback hit and three hurries vs. Chicago, earning a 61.8 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus for his efforts. 

It was a commendable performance from the career backup offensive tackle. Yet, for the 2024 campaign as a whole, he has failed to be as consistently reliable.

In fact, on 90 pass-blocking snaps this season, he has produced only a 51.0 PFF pass-blocking grade. Plus, he's logged an overall mark of 50.9 on 207 total snaps, ranking just 107th out of 131 qualified tackles.

Subsequently, he will likely have his hands full against the Packers’ pass-rushing unit, which secured five sacks a week ago against the Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa. 

On Thursday, Skipper should receive a healthy amount of one-on-one reps against Green Bay EDGE Lukas Van Ness. 

Van Ness, a 2023-first-round pick of the Packers, is coming off a one-sack, three-pressure performance against the Dolphins. Additionally, he's totaled two sacks, a forced fumble and five pressures the last two weeks. And during this same stretch of games (vs. San Francisco and Miami), the Iowa product has ranked second in pass-rush productivity, per PFF. 

“I think we feel confident,” Van Ness told Green Bay reporters this week. “We’re starting to put it together, and really just work as a four-man unit out there. And again, we have a new week in front of us so a new set of challenges, but just continue the momentum and keep working.”

For the season, the 23-year-old Van Ness has compiled three sacks, seven QB hurries and 12 total pressures. Plus, he's earned a 64.1 PFF pass-rushing mark for his efforts.

Head-to-head against Skipper Thursday, I believe Van Ness will go sack-less. However, I do believe that he still will find a way to amass a QB hurry and two total pressures.