Packers-Jaguars Matchups: Who Has Advantage at Lambeau Field?

The Detroit Lions are 6-1. The Green Bay Packers are 6-2. Who has the advantage in this huge NFC North showdown? Here is a look at the matchups.

Jacob Westendorf | Oct 29, 2024

Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt (95) chases Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) last season. / Wm. Glasheen-Imagn Images

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Green Bay Packers

As the villain from Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, Bane once said: “Let the games begin!”

The Green Bay Packers (6-2) will be playing for first place in the NFC North on Sunday, with the Detroit Lions (6-1) invading Lambeau Field and looking every bit like a juggernaut.

Their offense is a blend of explosive and tough.

Their defense can make big plays.

Their special teams showed off their prowess in Sunday’s blowout against Tennessee Titans.

The Packers, as has been the case for most of the year, did not play their best game but had enough to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

The big question coming into this week is not whether they can play their best game. It’s whether they’ll even be able to put their best foot forward.

Jordan Love left Sunday’s game with a groin injury. Malik Willis has been admirable in his absence, but the Lions are a different beast than a run through the AFC South.

Safety Evan Williams left the game with a hamstring injury and cornerback Jaire Alexander sustained a knee injury on the final defensive snap. Their ability for Sunday is in question.

Even if they all play, the Packers will need to put together their A-game, something they have yet to do this season.

“They’re really, really good. And we knew that,” LaFleur said of the Lions on Monday. “We knew that going into the year, and it’s not shocking to me. It’s a team we’re obviously very familiar with and we’re going to have to play at our best. And it all starts with the preparation. We’re going to have to have a great week of practice.”

Here is a look at this week’s matchups.

Pass Offense

When Jared Goff was traded to the Lions, conventional wisdom said he was just a throw-in as part of the Matthew Stafford blockbuster. Goff would be a placeholder for the Lions until they were able to draft a young quarterback to lead them into the future.

Goff didn’t get the memo.

He’s been a perfect fit in Detroit with coach Dan Campbell and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.

Goff has completed nearly 75 percent of his passes. The Lions have scored 172 points the last four weeks – most by a team since 2019 – and a large chunk of that credit goes to Goff, who has almost as many touchdowns (10) as incompletions (13) during that span.

If there is such a thing as an MVP candidate in late October, Goff may be the leader in the clubhouse.

According to Pro Football Focus, Goff has the best passer rating in the NFL on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. At the same time, the Lions are second in the NFL at piling up yards after the catch.

Amon-Ra St. Brown is an assassin from the slot. Sam LaPorta has been the best tight end from his draft class.

One break the Packers caught this week was not having to deal with Detroit’s prolific deep threat, Jameson Williams. Williams, who will be serving the final game of a two-game suspension, is averaging more than 21 yards per reception.

The Lions’ passing offense may not be as spread out as Green Bay’s, but it is more prolific.

Conversely, Green Bay’s defense has been up and down.

A week after tormenting Houston’s C.J. Stroud at Lambeau Field, they allowed Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence to throw for more than 300 yards.

They’ll need to be better on Sunday or it could be a long day.

Advantage: Lions

Rush Offense

The Lions call Jahmyr Gibbs, part of their two-headed monster at running back, Sonic.

It’s a fitting name, because once he starts moving, he could be gone in a blink.

He’s accompanied in the backfield by a sledgehammer, David Montgomery.

Both have been successful against Green Bay. Montgomery scored three times in Detroit’s 34-20 blowout win at Lambeau Field last season, while Gibbs averaged almost 5.0 yards per carry in two games against the Packers as a rookie.

Gibbs is coming off a monster game against the Titans. He only had 11 carries, but he made the most of them, with his 127 yards including a 70-yard touchdown.

The Packers were good not great against Jacksonville’s Tank Bigsby. Green Bay missed seven tackles against him, according to PFF.

There are not many teams that are better than the Lions at forcing missed tackles.

The Packers had tackled well this season. If they don’t get back to that standard, this game could get out of hand.

Advantage: Lions

Pass Defense

This matchup is hard to break down because of the uncertainty at quarterback for the Packers.

Willis has been a godsend. Would they be in position to take first place in the NFC North without him?

The answer is a resounding no.

Willis has been every bit as impressive as LaFleur described following Sunday’s win, when he replaced Love early in the third quarter and led the game-winning drive.

The Packers have asked Willis to play extended minutes in three games. They’re 3-0 in those games. That’s more than they could have asked for when they traded a seventh-round pick for him at the end of training camp

In those three games Willis has not turned the ball over once and has a 130 passer rating.

The other reality is that the bottom of the AFC South is a different animal than the one he’s going to face if he starts against the Lions.

The Lions have won six games. The three teams Willis beat have won seven combined.

Even if Love plays, the Lions have a propensity to take the ball away.

Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch have combined for nine of the Lions’ interceptions. Love added to his league-leading total with another interception on Sunday.

If Love plays, he cannot afford to turn the ball over. Nor can the Packers. The margin for error is much thinner against an elite team like the Lions.

The Lions are in a bit of a transition rushing the passer. Aidan Hutchinson was a leading candidate for Defensive Player of the Year with 7.5 sacks when he sustained a broken leg on Oct. 13. The Lions have 20 sacks, with Alim McNeill (2.5) a distant second behind Hutchinson.

They’re still able to get after the quarterback, but everyone in their rotation has moved up in the pecking order with Hutchinson sidelined.

With the uncertainty at quarterback, we’ll give the edge to Detroit.

Advantage: Lions

Rush Defense

Josh Jacobs carried the Packers to victory vs. the Jaguars, toting the rock 25 times for 127 yards and two touchdowns.

When Willis has had to play, Jacobs has been the focal point of the offense and the hero in two of those wins.

Much like the storyline with Willis, the Lions present a different challenge for Green Bay’s rushing attack compared to previous opponents.

Detroit ranks fifth in the NFL in rush defense, giving up 101.9 yards per game, though it’s 22nd with 4.66 yards allowed per carry.

Something that could be encouraging, however, is the Jaguars were a highly ranked rush defense coming into Sunday’s game but Jacobs ran all over them.

Perhaps Detroit will be more up to the task. This is strength on strength, and Willis adds to the run game if he’s asked to go. This is a slight advantage, but one that goes in favor of Green Bay thanks to the brilliance of Jacobs.

Advantage: Packers

Special Teams

Brandon McManus made his mark early with the Packers by drilling a 45-yard field goal to beat the Texans. For an encore, he made another game-winning field goal against the Jaguars, though this one was much shorter.

McManus has yet to miss a kick in his two games with the Packers. He’s been a stable presence, which is all the Packers could have asked for after their experience over the last season-plus.

Otherwise, Green Bay’s special teams were relatively non-descript in Sunday’s game. The Lions, however, played a starring role against the Titans. Kalif Raymond had punt returns of 90 yards (for a touchdown) and 64 yards (to set up a touchdown) and Khalil Dorsey added a 72-yard return on a kickoff to set up a touchdown.

Rookie Lions kicker Jake Bates has been perfect on field goals and missed only one extra point.

Of course, something to always monitor when playing against Campbell is his aggressive nature on special teams.

Campbell tried a fake punt against Green Bay last year at Ford Field, but it failed.

He will not be shy if he sees an opportunity.

Overall, Detroit has been much better and more explosive on special teams, which gives them the edge.

Advantage: Lions

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— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) October 29, 2024

Published Oct 29, 2024

JACOB WESTENDORF