5 takeaways from the Detroit Lions’ Thursday night win over the Green Bay Packers

The Detroit Lions and Inexperienced Bay Packers are at all times good for some theatrics, and this version of “Thursday Night time Soccer” was actually a efficiency.

For the second time in 2024, the Lions defeated their NFC North rival and never solely maintained their lead within the division, but in addition booked themselves a playoff ticket. The Lions would love for that to be the primary seed, however with a good playoff race forward of them, any victory is an efficient victory.

Allow us to look at some takeaways from the Lions’ unimaginable twelfth win of the season.

One other week, one other defensive starter out

I’m genuinely speechless at this level: the Lions misplaced one other beginning defender to harm. Alim McNeill briefly left the primary half for a concussion analysis, however returned and completed the half seemingly okay. That proved to not be the case, nevertheless, as McNeill was dominated out early within the third quarter earlier than even taking the sphere. The official ruling is a head harm, however the precise extent of the harm remains to be unclear.

McNeill was one of many few entrance seven starters nonetheless wholesome for this Thursday night time tilt, alongside Jack Campbell. Now we have gone on and on about all the injured defensive gamers, however dropping McNeill particularly is brutal for Detroit. McNeill was arguably the anchor conserving the defensive entrance intact. With out him within the lineup and already lacking DJ Reader, the Lions had been struggling to include Josh Jacobs up the center because the operating again tallied three touchdowns on the night time.

The Lions can ill-afford to lose one other key defensive participant, so all eyes will probably be on the upcoming harm report. There’s optimism that Reader and others will return earlier than lengthy, however for a group determined for some well being, this was one more blow.

Patrick stars

It was a very long time coming for Tim Patrick. For a lot of weeks, he had been a strong contributor within the Lions offense, from clutch catches to downfield blocking. However he was nonetheless lacking the elusive landing from his Lions resume—his final landing in any uniform was again in 2021 with the Denver Broncos.

How a couple of pair of touchdowns? As an alternative.

Patrick’s yardage complete was modest (43 yards), however he notched himself two important touchdowns, each within the crimson zone. The primary got here on fourth down with the Lions determined to reply a Packers landing when Inexperienced Bay took their first lead of the sport. The second got here on a 3rd down after back-to-back stonewalled runs close to the objective line. Patrick additionally had an vital 11-yard reception on the ultimate drive to assist Detroit push their means into discipline objective place.

It was one other balanced passing assault from the Lions (six gamers tallied 5 or extra catches), however there is no such thing as a query that Patrick was a pivot a part of this victory.

The Lions don’t win this recreation with out Dan “Gamble”

It’s the character of soccer {that a} group can go four-of-five on fourth down and the one unsuccessful play is a giant speaking level. Dan Campbell will get loads of criticism for the failed fourth-and-1 on the Detroit 31-yard line, however additionally it is that mentality that gained Detroit the sport. The analytical crowd backed the choice anyway:

Going ahead, there needs to be nearly no state of affairs the place the Lions are making the unsuitable name by going for it. They’ve the play calling to plot a profitable play they usually have the personnel to make these performs work. Success or failure comes right down to execution. On the failed try, two or three Lions gamers missed their block. If even a type of connects as deliberate, Gibbs possible pushes ahead for a primary down.

If the Lions had a extra conservative coach, then the Lions fall brief towards the Packers. They turned two simple discipline objectives into touchdowns. In a 34-31 win, simply a type of selections erring on the protected aspect as a substitute ends in a tie at finest or loss at worse. The ultimate drive additionally deserves optimistic consideration. After a questionable holding penalty, the Lions had second-and-17 on the Inexperienced Bay 37. Threat-averse coaches run the ball twice and try an extended discipline objective and provides Inexperienced Bay an opportunity to get the ball again. As an alternative, Campbell dials up a long-range move that Amon-Ra St. Brown practically takes for a primary down, falling simply shy (although I’d be curious to see a clearer replay).

When you’ve got an aggressive head coach, there’ll inevitably be performs that go awry. But the nice from that decision-making mindset offsets the negatives that occur—and when you’ve got a gifted offense just like the Lions, these performs turn into simpler due to the belief they’ve.

The Soiled Dozen (or so) defenders

For as a lot as we focus on the accidents, the gamers organising deserve much more consideration. It was removed from a fantastic defensive efficiency, however there have been moments of promise from a number of new faces throughout the roster. Up entrance, Pat O’Connor stood out with some bull rushes en path to essentially the most snaps of his NFL profession. Jonah Williams was one other optimistic be aware for a depleted defensive entrance. Signed only a few days in the past, Jamal Adams had some blitzes out of his field function. Ezekiel Turner was arguably the perfect Lions defender on the day, together with an exceptional third-down deal with of a scrambling Jordan Love. Trevor Nowaske had a gorgeous play during which he blew up a Tucker Kraft block.

None of those gamers had been anticipated to be contributors at the beginning of the season—the truth is, lots of them weren’t even on the roster till lately. Regardless of loads of accidents, the Lions are nonetheless discovering gamers able to manning a succesful protection.

A tough day from the inside offensive line

It’s uncommon that you just see Frank Ragnow battle like he did towards the Packers, and his compatriots inside weren’t a lot better. The Lions had been struggling to run up the intestine all through the night time, resulting in lots of their dire fourth down makes an attempt. On a pivotal third-and-1 to probably shut out the sport, the road received blown up and David Montgomery received stopped. On the very subsequent daring fourth down try, Glasgow stepped on Jared Goff’s foot and practically doomed the entire play, however an extremely athletic handoff resulted in a primary right down to seal a game-winning kick.

Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs each had dashing averages properly under their typical requirements (3.6 and a pair of.9 yards per carry, respectively). When you play Jeremy Reisman’s favourite recreation of eliminating a participant’s longest rush, Montgomery had 13 carries for 38 yards (minus an extended of 13) and Gibbs had 14 carries for 23 yards (minus an extended of 20). You’ll be able to credit score the Packers run protection and fault the operating backs, however I feel as a complete, the offensive line wanted extra push up entrance.