Packers shut down in Detroit

Week 3
September 21, 2014 - 12 p.m. - FOX
Ford Field
Detroit, Michigan

Packers 7 - Lions 19

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense was stifled against the potent Lions defense.  The Packers scored only seven points against the Detroit Lions.  Seven points is the lowest amount of points scored in a Packers game that Rodgers has completed in the Rodgers era in Green Bay.

Photo credit: Paul Sancya

The defense came to play on Sunday.  Pressure was applied all day long on Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford.  The defense forced Stafford into three turnovers including the first interception by first round draft pick Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.  Newcomer Julius Peppers also got involved in the turnover mix with a strip sack and fumble recovery.  Looking at the last three years, you would be hard pressed to find a Packers game where the defense out shined the offense.  Unfortunately, that very fete took place.

The second offensive snap for the Packers resulted in an Eddie Lacy fumble returned by Don Carey 40 yards for a Detroit touchdown.  Later in the half, the offense even gave up their second safety of the season.  The offense really did nothing until the defense stepped up with the Clinton-Dix interception.  The offense drove the field 59 yards and found the end zone with a Rodgers toss to Andrew Quarless.  That was it from the Packers offense.   The Packers had 223 yards of offense.  Rodgers finished the game 16/27 for 162 passing yards.  Lacy rushed for only 36 yards on 11 carries.  Jordy Nelson hauled in five balls for 59 yards.

The offense appears to be in a worry of trouble.  Aaron Rodgers has struggled through the first three games, other than the second half against the New York Jets, with inaccurate passes.  The rushing game has gone missing in action for all of the running backs for the Packers.  Other than Jordy Nelson, there hasn't been another playmaker on offense to show up this season.  The play calling from Mike McCarthy has been puzzling.  Just about everything that could be wrong with the Packers offense is indeed, wrong.

The Packers hit the road again next week in Chicago.  Hopefully we see some major adjustments on offense and some consistency from the defense.

Detroit Lions  2-1
Chicago Bears  2-1
Green Bay Packers  1-2
Minnesota Vikings  1-2