NFL Week 14 – Recap: Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions
The Green Bay Packers seemed lost without Aaron Rodgers on Sunday when they played against the Detroit Lions. The Lions knocked Rodgers out of the game in the first half and went on to snap their five-game losing streak with a
7-3 win.
Drew Stanton threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Will Heller in the 4th quarter for the game’s lone touchdown, which proved to be the winning score. The win ended not only the Lions’ five-game losing streak but
also their 19-game skid against NFC North opponents.
Stanton had 117 yards on 10 of 22 passing with 2 interceptions for the Lions (3-10). Maurice Morris had 51 yards on 11 carries, while Calvin Johnson had one catch for 44 yards in the win.
The Packers (8-5) lost All-Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers when he was knocked out with a concussion during the first half. Rodgers was hit hard from behind by Landon Johnson and Amari Spievey in the second quarter with 2:43 left
in the first half, and was sacked on the next play. He finished the drive, but didn't come back in the game.
Rodgers had been shining against Lions. He entered the game with a 5-0 record with 14 touchdown passes and a 105.3 passer rating, but had to remain on the sidelines for the entire second half. He was replaced by Matt Flynn who
completed 15- of-26 passes for 177 yards.
“He was a little groggy after those two plays, and the medical staff and Aaron decided it was in his best interest not to go back in,” said coach Mike McCarthy. “That’s not my call, and I don’t know any specifics.”
Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers have now lost two of their last three games.
The Packers took a 3-0 lead in the second half, even without their star quarterback, and got a chance to extend it when Flynn led a confidence-building drive deep into Detroit region.
But the Lions then made an 80-yard march that included a beautiful 3rd-and-2 conversion pass to Brandon Pettigrew. After four plays, Stanton threw that 13-yard touchdown pass to Heller.
"We had the right play call when we needed it," Stanton said. "Will (Heller) did a heck of a job executing it and we got into the end zone. That's why this is the ultimate team game."
Packers tried to answer back despite having no offensive flow throughout the game. The ensuing drive was thwarted after Flynn was sacked on first down at Green Bay's 12-yard line. After a Detroit three-and-out, less than four minutes
remained on the clock. Flynn made a 4th-and-1 pass to Greg Jennings but it fell incomplete at the end zone – after which the 57 ticks remained and the Lions ran out the clock.
The Lions gathered a total of 286 yards in the game, while the Packers totalled 258.
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