For the second straight week, things got off to a rocky start for the Green Bay Packers (2-0), but they settled down and did what they had to do to come back and defeat their division rival, Detroit Lions (0-2) 42-21. It’s also the second straight week the Packers scored 40 plus.
The Lions scored on their first two drives. The first coming from running back Kerryon Johnson on a one-yard run. After a Packer field goal to bring the score to 7-3, the Lions scored on a four-yard pass from Matthew Stafford to Marvin Jones Jr for a 14-3 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Aaron Rodgers connected with running back Aaron Jones for a two-yard score to cap off a nine-play, 75-yard drive to bring the score to 14-10. After both teams traded punts, the Packers took the lead right before halftime when Rodgers threw for his second touchdown to tight end Robert Tonyan for 11 yards.
The Lions missed a field goal as time expired to leave the score at 17-14. The Lions helped kept the Packers second touchdown drive alive with two costly penalties. The first was holding, followed by a horse-collar tackle.
The Packers got the ball to start the third quarter, and the first play Jones scored on a 75-yard run to give the Packers a 24-14 lead. After trading punts again, Stafford was intercepted deep in his own territory for a pick-six by Chandon Sullivan for seven yards giving the Packers a 31-14 lead.
After a Packer field goal, the Lions got within 13 when Stafford found Marvin Hall for 24 yards shortening the lead 34-21. The Packers answered, however, when Jones scored on a 14-yard run. The Packers converted on a two-point conversion and held on for the 42-21 final.
The Packers suffered from several dropped passes again this week. Rodgers finished 18/30 for 240 yards and two touchdowns. Jones carried 18 times for 168 yards and two touchdowns. He also led the Packers in the passing game with four receptions for 68 yards and another score. Davante Adams didn’t play much of the third quarter and missed the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury.
Rashan Gray had 1.5 sacks for Green Bay along with four tackles. Christian Kirksey had 12 tackles for Green Bay.
For the Lions, Stafford was 20/33 for 244 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. He was also sacked four times. Adrian Peterson had seven carries for 41 yards, and Johnson finished with 32 yards on eight carries with the touchdown early in the game. Tight end T.J. Hockenson had four receptions for 62 yards.
Next up for the Packers is a prime-time game Sunday night against the New Orleans Saints (1-0 as of this article).
