5 takeaways from the Detroit Lions’ win over the Green Bay Packers

With the NFC North lead on the line, the Detroit Lions shut the door on the Green Bay Packers on their home turf.

The Detroit Lions have been making statements all season. From blowouts of the Dallas Cowboys and Tennessee Titans to close-fought battles with the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings, Detroit is proving to the league that they are serious contenders for the NFC, the NFC North, and the Super Bowl. Their speedbump this week was the Green Bay Packers, who themselves were staking a claim for the best team in the division.

After a wet game at Lambeau Field, it was Detroit that walked away with the win and bragging rights. The Lions are a stellar 7-1 to start the season after brushing off one of their biggest challenges of the season. With a tour of the AFC South on deck, let’s examine some takeaways from their latest victory.

More officiating inconsistencies

The ejection of Brian Branch will be a talking point for the rest of the week, if not longer. The debate is not about the hit, but how the NFL reacted to it in contrast to similar hits. The Lions defensive back was ejected after a helmet-to-helmet hit on receiver Bo Melton early in the second quarter.

I have zero issues with the penalty he received, nor should anyone watching football in the 21st century. Those types of hits need to be eliminated from the game, and it was a careless mistake by one of Detroit’s best defenders. He added more penalty yardage after flipping off the Green Bay sideline. Thankfully for Detroit, the drive ended with a missed field goal, but it also meant having to replace yet another starter on a defense already missing many key names. There is also a non-zero chance of a suspension, but that is pure speculation on my part.

My biggest concern with this ejection is the lack of consistency from NFL officials. We see hits on par with Branch’s (if not worse) on a weekly basis, yet rarely are there ejections. Again, I do not have a problem eliminating and punishing these types of hits, but they need to be called consistently.

There were two brutal hits on Sunday alone that were just as bad as Branch’s hit. Chris Olave of the New Orleans Saints suffered a concussion on a brutal hit from Carolina Panthers defender Xavier Woods, yet Woods stayed in the game:

Buffalo Bills rookie receiver Keon Coleman had a similar play where Miami Dolphins safety Jordan Poyer launched himself into Coleman:

Both of these plays resulted in injuries to the receivers, while Melton never entered the medical tent. Whether or not an injury occurs should not determine the punishment severity, but it is nonetheless stunning that Branch’s hit warranted an ejection while Woods and Poyer finished out their respective games.

If the NFL wants to be harsher on needless hits like that, I fully understand penalties and ejections. But as usual with the NFL, there is no consistency with officiating. When there is inconsistent officiating, it leaves us in situations like these where a majority of fans and observers are befuddled as to why an ejection occurred. It is a similar situation as determining a catch or pass interference penalty: I do not care how the NFL wishes to call it, I just want them to call it on a consistent basis.

Jack Campbell solidifying himself as a top-tier linebacker

What a stretch of games for Jack Campbell. The Lions first-round linebacker has been phenomenal in recent weeks. He not only leads the defense in tackles, he also is thriving in every facet. His run defense is borderline elite at this point, and his speed and agility make him a tackling threat from anywhere on the field. His coverage, a notable struggle in his rookie season, has seen a drastic turnaround in year two—he might be the Lions’ best coverage linebacker at this point.

It seems like Campbell is making a fantastic play on a weekly basis. His Week 9 highlight was stonewalling Josh Jacobs on a fourth-and-1 attempt to help stymie a comeback. His development has been incredibly important for the defense, having lost players like Aidan Hutchinson or fellow linebacker Derrick Barnes. With Campbell and Anzalone up the middle, Detroit can feel confident that their linebackers will be an asset, not a weakness. Contrast this with the Bob Quinn era, where it felt like the Lions were on a constant quest for a capable linebacker. The 2024 Lions have a good one, and likely a good one for many years to come.

The Lions don’t win this game without Jack Fox

We already know how elite of a punter Jack Fox is, but this is one of the rare occasions where the Lions might not have won without him. Fox did not throw for a touchdown or anything radical, but he delivered multiple booming punts to flip the field. That change of field position proved critical.

On his first kick, he punted from the Detroit 18-yard line. After factoring in a penalty on the return, Green Bay started the drive at their own 28. Green Bay would finish that drive with a missed field goal. The next Detroit punt would be from the Detroit 15, and returner Jayden Reed would fair catch the ball at the Green Bay 25. That drive ended with a field goal for the Packers. Fox’s third punt would be further up the field from the Detroit 38, getting fair caught by Reed at the Green Bay 17. The outcome of that drive? The Packers offense stalling at the Detroit 9-yard line.

The Lions defense deserves tons of credit for holding back the Packers offense, but so too does Fox. If Detroit has an average punter, the Packers are starting drives at their own 30 or 40. That yardage is the difference between field goals and touchdowns. That yardage is the difference between a 46-yard field goal and a far easier 30-yarder.

Clearing every hurdle they face

The Lions are 7-1, and despite some blowout victories, it has not been an easy road. It seems like the Lions lose some key piece of their roster each week. Not only does the team keep rolling, but they are arguably playing better despite their unofficial losses.

The team loses John Cominsky and Emmanuel Moseley long-term before the season even starts. Ifeatu Melifonwu has yet to play after suffering his own injury. Marcus Davenport and Derrick Barnes are lost for the season. The interior of the defensive line has taken a hit with the loss of Brodric Martin and Kyle Peko. Aidan Hutchinson fractures his leg after a historic start. Jameson Williams gets suspended. In today’s game, Brian Branch gets ejected early in a pivotal NFC North match.

The Lions have had so many reasons to struggle, but the team is resilient. The Branch ejection would have crippled many teams. Losing your best healthy defender for a game against a 6-2 team? Not many teams can recover from that, especially given how versatile Branch is for this defense.

While the weather conditions certainly helped a low-scoring affair, the defense stepped up in his absence. Holding the Packers offense to just 14 points on home turf is impressive regardless of the conditions. The Lions did that without registering a sack either. That illustrates a complete team effort (and some pass rushing woes, but that could be rectified soon).

Speaking of the conditions, the Lions looked like the team that plays outdoors. The Packers were dropping snaps and catches throughout the game, while Detroit played a mostly clean game. Jared Goff was playing with two gloves, but that hardly limited him, putting up another efficient outing (18-for-22, 145 yards, and one touchdown). The Lions ability to play in harsh conditions—their first outdoor game of the season, in the rain to boot—was questioned entering this game, but they again proved their resilience.

Lambeau has been officially conquered

Gone are the days of Lambeau Field being a nightmare for the Lions. Detroit has now won three games in a row on the road in Green Bay, and the changing of the guard is even visible in the crowd. Last year, the stadium was dyed Honolulu Blue as the Lions blew out the Packers. This time around, the Green Bay air was filled with chants of “JA-RED GOFF” as the Lions closed out their lead.

The Lions also conquered a different demon at the same time. The officiating crew was led by Clete Blakeman, a notorious name in Lions history. Yet despite the bad track record for Detroit, they were reasonably penalized. They finished with five penalties against, but they were all justified. For clarification, the Branch ejection was reportedly a decision made by the NFL officiating head office, not Blakeman’s crew—and Branch’s follow-up middle fingers certainly warranted a flag.

No longer does the Lions fanbase need to fear any team or official.