Lions Stun Packers, Deliver Potential Knockout to Season

The Green Bay Packers lost their fifth consecutive game, a 15-9 loss to the Detroit Lions as Aaron Rodgers threw three interceptions and failed on a do-or-die final drive.

DETROIT – The Green Bay Packers are used to playing meaningful games in December and do-or-die games in January with an eye on the big prize in February.

On Nov. 6, 2022, with two months remaining in the regular season, their season unofficially ended.

The Detroit Lions – the worst team in the NFL by record and defensive ineptitude – beat the Packers 15-9 on Sunday at Ford Field. A train wreck of a season officially has gone off the rails. The Packers fell to 3-6 with their first five-game losing streak since 2008. 

The Packers got a last chance with 2 minutes remaining. With the Lions trying to run out the clock, Preston Smith and Quay Walker stopped Jamaal Williams for minus-2. That set up a fourth-and-3. Smith beat left tackle Taylor Decker and Walker got through on a blitz to force an incomplete pass.

So, Green Bay took over at its 43. A fourth-and-2 prayer to Samori Toure was answered, with the rookie making acrobatic, tumbling catch for 32 yards to the 17 with 55 seconds remaining. Toure was stripped but the ball eventually bounded out of bounds before it could be corralled by cornerback Jeff Okudah.

However, Rodgers threw four consecutive incompletions, the last of which was in the vicinity of Sammy Watkins. The Lions took a knee, the seconds ticked away and the 2022 season might have hit 0:00.

Rodgers just wanted to play with his No. 1 offense. Mostly, he did. The No. 1 offensive line started for the first time this season. Top receiver Allen Lazard was back. So was explosive rookie receiver Christian Watson. And it didn’t matter.

Rodgers threw three interceptions. He had thrown only two in his last 10 starts against Detroit. The first was from the 5-yard line and the second was from the 1.

Adding injuries to insults, left tackle David Bakhtiari missed most of the second half but was in for the final drive. Rookie receiver Romeo Doubs was injured on the first play and Watson suffered a concussion in the third quarter. Aaron Jones missed most of the second half with an ankle injury. Rashan Gary was carted to the locker room with a knee injury.

While the obituary for this season might wind up reading Nov. 6, it might as well have been March 17. That’s when the Packers traded Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders. Through nine games, Green Bay’s offense never has looked anything like the vintage form that produced so many touchdowns, wins and playoff berths. 

Even against Detroit, which entered the game ranked 32nd in total defense and scoring defense, everything looked impossibly hard. Rodgers finished with a 53.5 passer rating and three killer interceptions. For every big play, there is a self-inflicted wound or missed opportunity.

Game ball

Lions rookie safety Kerby Joseph recorded two interceptions along with 10 tackles and a big breakup on a deep shot to Samori Toure early in the third quarter.

Questionable call

On fourth-and-3 of a scoreless game, Aaron Rodgers threw a beautiful deep ball to Allen Lazard against Will Harris. Lazard wasn’t open by more than a whisker but the ball was perfect. Lazard had the ball until losing the ball just a bit as he hit the turf. Lions coach Dan Campbell challenged and won. Rather than the Packers being in scoring position, the Lions drove 61 yards to the opening touchdown

Superior stat

Until Sunday, Rodgers had never thrown three interceptions against Detroit. In fact, he had only one game of two interceptions (2010) and just two interceptions in his last 10 starts against the Lions. In his previous four starts, he had 11 touchdowns vs. zero interceptions.

Turning point

You could point to either of Rodgers’ red-zone interceptions. But let’s fast forward. With the Packers having pulled within 8-6, they had the Lions facing a third-and-15. Jared Goff’s pass was incomplete but cornerback Keisean Nixon was flagged for defensive holding. The Lions parlayed that into an insurance touchdown.

Looking ahead

The Packers will host Mike McCarthy and the Dallas Cowboys next week. Kickoff is set for 3:25 p.m. Sunday. Dallas is 6-2 and coming off its bye.

With Dallas, Tennessee and Philadelphia coming up, who knows when they will win another game.

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