What a satement!!! I can’t remember a time where the Packers opened the season with such a proclamation. Jordan Love and the offense set the tone from the get-go. Green Bay took the opening kickoff and marched 83 yards on 12 plays and finishing in the end zone after a 5:34 drive. The ensuing Detroit possession was a 3 & out after losing 4 yards on the drive. The Packers followed it up with another scoring drive to take command of the game.

Detroit showed some life by putting together a 16-play, 78-yard drive taking off a whopping 9:31 off the clock, but settled for 3. After that kind of drive, had the Lions scored a touchdown, would’ve snatched momentum right back, however LaFleur dialed up a shot-play and the offense executed it to perfection. One play later Jayden Reed was hauling in a touchdown grab to (for all intents and purposes) ice the game. The defense, prior to the meaningless TD, had relinqueshed 181 yards and 6 points in the first 55:38 of the game. That’s incredible considering the Lions had the #1 offense (in scoring) last season. Just a bang up job. If you read last week, you’d know my concern was the rush defense and how it would hold up witih verteran Kenny Clark being traded to Dallas. The Packers held Detroit to 46 yards rushing on 22 attempts (2.1 yards/att.). Makes it difficult to lose when you stuff the run and make the opposing team 1-dimentional.

I like to review the team stats after each game to see if anything sticks out. After a loss, I always check two items: 1. Turnovers; 2. Time of Possession. While Green Bay lost the ToP (time of possession) category, mainly due to Detroit’s 9:31 drive, they controlled the game from the onset and dictated throughout. The 1 turnover in teh game was a direct impact from newcomer Micah Parsons. He made QB Jared Goff very uncomfortable causing him to get “happy feet” which no QB likes. With Goff’s inability to create space with his legs, he had to rush throws and Parson’s quick pressure caused the Evan Williams interception.

Anything to Clean Up?

Jordan Love was amazing on the first 3 drives of the game, racking up 184 yards on 21 plays, taking off 9:41 from the clock while putting up 17 points (5.667 points/possession). Absolutely dominant, however there were 2 plays that easily could’ve swung the game away from them and put Detroit in the driver’s chair. The first was a pick-6 Love threw while targeting Tucker Kraft. Brian Branch, who took Tucker Kraft’s helmet and tossed it on the opening drive of the season, came up with a pick-6, however there were 2 penalties on the play, both against Detroit – and both were ticky-tack, at best. Detroit CB, Rock Ya-Sin, was called for defensive holding nullifying the interception. By rule, it was defensive holding, however in the playoffs the refs likely let them play. The other penalty, which Green Bay declined, was on DE Adam Hutchinson, for hitting Jordan Love during the interception return. The rule is in place to protect the QB, however Love was heading towards Branch and Hutchinson put him on the ground…it’s football and these guys are wearing pads, but I digress.

All in all, a total team win and an A+ start to the season. Big test coming up in Week 2, and a short week at that!