How many receptions will Golden Tate add to his total tonight in Lambeau?
Green Bay welcomes Detroit to Lambeau Field for an NFC North showdown on Monday Night Football. The Packers are clinging to the second spot in the division, but they seem to be on the downswing with Aaron Rodgers on the shelf. Meanwhile, the Lions have been unimpressive after a 2-0 start, but their games are always exciting with Matthew Stafford slinging the ball around the field. Will the Lions come away victorious and move into a second place tie or will the Packers find a way to get it done without Rogers and continue their push to the playoffs? With the help of Remarkable! let’s discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each team.
Lions
Matthew Stafford is always an exciting quarterback to watch and several numbers reflect that. He has a passer rating of 105.2 on third down (72 pass attempts) this season, fourth best among QBs (League Avg: 81.9). Although Stafford clutches up on third down, he’s struggling to make a positive impact in the fourth quarter. He has completed just 53.5 percent of passes (38 completions/71 attempts) in the fourth quarter this season, third worst among QBs (League Avg: 60.7 percent).
Golden Tate and Marvin Jones Jr. are two of Stafford’s favorite targets this season. Jones Jr. has averaged 15.7 yards from scrimmage per touch (408 yards/26 rouches) this season, ninth best among WRs (League Avg: 12.5). While Jones Jr. is a strong receiver, Tate is the number one option. This season, Tate has:
- 43 receptions on 55 targets (78.2% Reception Pct) (best of 72 Qualified WRs in NFL; League Avg: 58.6%).
- 13 receptions on 3rd down (tied for 5th most among WRs in NFL).
- Gained 239 yards after the catch on plays under center (2nd most among WRs in NFL).
Tate leads all receivers in receptions this season and hopes to add to that total tonight.
Defensively, the Lions have shut down opposing teams on third down. They have allowed just 29 rushing yards (fewest in the NFL), while forcing four fumbles (second most) on third down this season. When offenses are in the Red Zone against the Lions, they do not have much time. In fact, opposing QBs have been hurried on 11.7 percent of dropbacks on plays in the Red Zone this season, fifth best in the NFL (League Avg: 7.2 percent). Despite all those stellar numbers, they will need to shore up their defense on the road. The Lions have allowed 26.5 point per game (106/4) on the road this season, fourth worst in the NFL (League Avg: 21.4).
Packers
Brett Hundley will start his second NFL football game. Will he rise up to the occasion? If he does, he will be thankful for his very impressive wide receiver corp. The key piece in that group is Jordy Nelson. This season, Nelson has:
- Averaged a touchdown every 4.3 receptions (26 Rec/6 TDs) (best of 72 Qualified WRs in NFL; League Avg: 13.2).
- 7 first down receptions in close and late situations (tied for 6th most among WRs in NFL).
- Averaged 3.7 first down receptions per game (22/6) (10th best of 72 Qualified WRs in NFL; League Avg: 1.6).
Aaron Jones established himself as the marquee running back for this team after the injury to Ty Montgomery earlier in the season. Jones has averaged 5.6 yards per carry (346 yards/62 carries) this season, second best among RBs (League Avg: 4.0). Nine of those 62 carries (14.5 percent) have been for 10 or more yards (League Avg: 9.6 percent). Jones might rack up touches this week with the untested Hundley at the helm and Montgomery still playing through a rib injury. Montgomery had 11 carries two weeks ago, but only five last week.
In Week 1, the defense allowed just nine points, but injuries have ravaged Green Bay’s secondary in the weeks following. The DBs have missed 14 tackles this season, third most in the NFL. Opposing quarterbacks have completed 66.5 percent (151 completions/227 attempts) of passes against them this season, fifth worst in the NFL. When the defense need stops, they’ve been hard to come by. The Packers have allowed first downs on 30.1 percent of plays this season, fourth worst in the NFL (League Avg: 27.4 percent).
Can the Packers overcome injuries and find a way to win in Lambeau Field or will Matthew Stafford and the Lions escape victorious? Tune in tonight to find out!
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