There are so many reasons to believe the Green Bay Packers are playing the high-flying Detroit Lions at the worst possible time.
It stands to reason that your best chance to keep pace with them on the scoreboard is with a healthy quarterback. Jordan Love is clearly not healthy, but it sounds like he will start on Sunday. Whether he will finish is another story.
The injury list doesn’t end there; it’s just getting started. The Pack will be without rookie revelation Evan Williams at safety, causing a chain reaction in the secondary, which may also be without Jaire Alexander. He’s listed as questionable but didn’t practice all week.
If Love plays, it will likely be with Elgton Jenkins at center. Josh Myers is doubtful with a wrist injury. That means rookie first-round pick Jordan Morgan is in line for his first start, probably at right guard. Sean Rhyan will slide to the left side as he did a couple of weeks ago when Myers went down. Three changes on the line: not ideal.
Josh Jacobs is listed as questionable with an ankle injury. He’ll likely start, but it’s hard to believe they’ll lean on him as a workhorse. The Packers will call upon Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks to try to keep the chains moving against a formidable Detroit run defense.
Why else is this a bad time to play the Lions? Well, they’re firing on all cylinders right now, coming off a 52-point game where Jared Goff threw for less than 100 yards. Even their special teams are lighting it up.
When their best player, Aidan Hutchinson, went down with a season-ending injury, it’s like the whole team raised its level of play to compensate. And they’re playing with a chip on their shoulders, keeping their foot on the pedal for 60 minutes. They’ll run trick plays with a four-touchdown lead; they don’t care whose feelings they hurt. Just ask Xavier McKinney.
Okay, so what is working in the Pack’s favor for this huge divisional matchup? Well, let’s start with good old Mother Nature. Detroit will finally play its first outdoor game of the season at Lambeau on Sunday, and it sounds like we’re in for early November Packer weather. Temps in the low 50s, some rain, windy — exactly what you want to throw at the red-hot Lions. Goff has been a different quarterback when playing in the elements, and he’s not 100% either. He’s nursing an ankle injury that limited him in practice this week.
That’s pretty much all I got on the Pack’s side of the ledger. To make matters worse, there will probably be more Lions fans on hand than usual since this is a Gold package game, and the Milwaukee fans tend to be more willing to give up their tickets.
It’s unfortunate timing that the Pack’s two big divisional home games this season have been far less than 100%. Love returned from injury against the Minnesota Vikings and is dealing with another one as the Lions come calling. With the bye next week, the team will have an opportunity to get healthy as they get set for the second half of the season, but that does them no favors on Sunday.
If Green Bay were healthier, this would be a good time to face the Lions — everyone’s pick to come out of the NFC right now. They’re due for a flat performance. But with so many key guys out or less than 100%, the only way I see the Pack springing the home upset is by getting multiple turnovers, winning on special teams, and getting 60 minutes from Love.
That seems like a lot to ask.
Lions 33
Packers 27
