3 Keys For The Green Bay Packers To Defeat The Detroit Lions

The Green Bay Packers travel to Detroit Thursday at noon (CST) for a huge NFC North battle.

Green Bay is 7-3-1 and has won two straight games. Detroit is 7-4 and gunning for a third straight divisional title.

Both teams trail Chicago (8-3) in the division and need a win to stay in the hunt for an NFC North title.

Here are three keys for Green Bay to make its Thanksgiving a festive one.

1. Make Goff move

Detroit quarterback Jared Goff is a wizard with a clean pocket. When the heat is turned up, though, and he’s forced to make plays outside his comfort zone, Goff is just a guy.

When Green Bay defeated Detroit, 29-22, on Thanksgiving in 2023, it had three sacks and 12 pressures of Goff. That pressure led to Goff fumbling a career-high three times, including one that former Packers safety Jonathan Owens returned for a touchdown.

“Making him feel uncomfortable and making him throw the ball a little bit earlier than what he thought, that helped us today,” Green Bay defensive end Rashan Gary said of slowing Goff.

Detroit won both games in 2024, and the Packers managed just two sacks in those two games.

When Green Bay defeated the Lions, 27-13, in Week 1 of this season, though, it had four sacks, hit Goff nine times and intercepted him once. Goff’s passer rating was a mediocre 88.6.

“I can’t remember too many games that I’ve been a part of where there was nine TFLs and four sacks,” Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur said. “So that’s a credit to the defensive line.”

The Packers’ defensive line will need to be every bit as good on Thursday.

2. Ground and pound

Detroit is second in the league in scoring offense (29.6) and fourth in yards per game (378.5).

The best way to keep that high-powered offense off the field is by running the ball, then running it some more.

Green Bay’s running game has been inconsistent all season. But the Packers ran the ball a season-high 65.6% of the time against Minnesota Sunday.

Green Bay finished with 142 rushing yards and held the ball 37 minutes, 15 seconds left.

Afterwards, LaFleur was asked if the Packers imposed their will in the run game.

“I thought there were moments where we absolutely did that,” he said. “They had a lot of guys up there on the line of scrimmage and they were bringing blitzes and safety blitzes and trying to move the front. A couple times, they got us, but I thought, all in all, our guys did a really good job up front.”

The Packers had Jordan Morgan and Anthony Belton alternate at right guard early in the game, then went with Belton the entire second half. The 336-pound Belton is 25 pounds heavier than Morgan and brings more beef in the run game.

If Green Bay wants to keep Detroit’s offense on the sideline for large stretches, leaning on the run game and playing bully ball might be the way to go.

“It was definitely a gritty game, a grimy game,” center Sean Rhyan said after the Minnesota victory. “I mean we knew it would be that kind of game with how much different stuff they throw at you on defense. Even with the mistakes, we were successful running the ball.”

They’ll need to do the same Thursday.

3. Electric Gibbs

Matthew Stafford and Drake Maye might be the frontrunners for MVP this season.

But Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs is arguably the most dynamic player in football.

Gibbs had 264 scrimmage yards in Detroit’s 34-27 win overtime win over the New York Giants Sunday. Gibbs set a Lions single-game franchise record among running backs, and became just the seventh player in NFL history to produce a game with 260-plus scrimmage yards, two rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown.

Gibbs finished with 219 rushing yards, including a 69-yard TD run on the first play of overtime that proved to be the game-winner.

“Gibbs is electric,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said afterwards. “When he found a crease, he was headed to the house. This was not about first downs and picking up a few yards. This guy is going to the house, and he’s got the juice to make it happen. He’s a difference maker.”

Added quarterback Jared Goff: “That dude is as good as they come in this league. He’s making his claim across the league as one of the best players regardless of position. We’re lucky to have him. He’s so electric.”

Green Bay held Gibbs to 19 rushing yards in Week 1, the second-fewest of his three-year career. Gibbs did catch 10 passes that day, but he was held to 31 receiving yards in large part because the Packers had speedy linebacker Edgerrin Cooper following him everywhere he went.

It’s highly unlikely the Packers will keep Gibbs to numbers like that again. But if Green Bay can limit him to around 100 total yards, that would be a win.