Packers halfback Aaron Jones (aka “Showtyme” by his Instagram account), scored 4 TDs, 3 by air and one by land, as Green Bay pulled away from Division rival, the Detroit Lions, Monday night at Lambeau Field.
The game was a tale of 2 halves. Detroit, efficient in the first half behind QB Jared Goff, who was 14 for 17 with 2 touchdown passes. Green Bay tried to keep pace as Rodgers threw to Jones for 2 of his 4 scores on the night.
The Lions fell apart in the second half as they failed to score and turned the ball over 4 times (twice on 4th downs), once on a lost Goff fumble, and an interception by new Packer ILB De’Vondre Campbell. Meanwhile, the Packers scored TDs on their first three drives in the second half which secured the game. Green Bay is now in a 2-way tie with Chicago for first place in the NFC North. Detroit and Minnesota are both 0-2.
The game turned on the Packers’ first drive in the 2nd half. On 3rd & 12 Rodgers hit Davante Adams with a perfectly placed 50-yard pass on the right sideline and the Packers rolled from there. “Anytime you’re in 3rd and long, those are tough to convert, and it was a great route…and Aaron delivered. He couldn’t have put it in a better spot,” Packers coach Matt LaFeur said after the game.
“Sometimes it takes just one play,” Rodgers said of the throw to Adams.
The Facts:
Lions 17 Packers 35
Turnovers 2 0
Sacks 1/10 3/28
3rd DN 4/9 5/9
Rushing 108 96
Passing 236 227
Tot Yards 344 323
Penalties 9/58 5/50
The Feelings:
Joy, relief, and Green and Gold dreams of the Playoffs are again the mood of the Packers’ fans after the win. Coming off the blowout loss, Green Bay was desperate for a victory, and, losses at Lambeau, especially to Divisional opponents, are frankly not digested well by the fanbase.
Jones talked about his team’s play from week to week, “We needed to come out and play our brand of football…just, executing and coming off the ball fast,” Jones said in his post-game presser.
Green Bay next plays Sunday night in San Francisco. Detroit will host Baltimore Sunday at noon.
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