Dominant Lions Defense Sends Message to Packers, NFC North

Bullied by Aaron Rodgers for so many years and during so many losses, the Detroit Lions defense turned the tables and became the oppressor Sunday afternoon during a suffocating 19-7 win over the Green Bay Packers. 

Once unbeaten in games he started and finished against the Lions, Rodgers threw for only 162 yards and led just one scoring drive. The Lions' injury-ravaged defense effectively outscored Rodgers and the Packers offense, providing Detroit with nine points on a fumble return for a touchdown on Green Bay's second play from scrimmage and a safety forced by emerging star DeAndre Levy.

A contest billed as a shootout finished as a pitcher's duel, and the Lions nearly threw a complete-game shutout. Detroit Lions shared Jim Caldwell's thoughts on how the defense played:

What a reversal of fortune for the Lions against the Packers quarterback. 

Over his 10 previous games against Detroit, Rodgers averaged 255.9 passing yards and posted a passer rating of 111.0. The Packers averaged 27 points per game and won nine of the 10 games, with the only loss coming when Rodgers was knocked out of the contest with a first-half concussion back in 2010. 

Dominance wore a different shade Sunday. 

The Lions forced five punts, scored seven points on their only takeaway, responded to a Matthew Stafford interception with an immediate safety and turned the Packers over on downs late in the fourth quarter.

A Green Bay offense with the season goal of running 75 plays a game had just 51. And those 51 plays resulted in only 223 yards or just 4.4 per play. The Packers, with a healthy Rodgers, hadn't been held to under 250 yards during the regular season since October 2012.

Also, Green Bay's seven points marked just the second time in a game Rodgers started and finished that the team failed to score in double digits and the lowest total overall (previous low: nine, vs. New York Jets in 2010). 

Rodgers' 162 passing yards were his second-lowest in a finished start (142, vs. Minnesota Vikings in 2008). 

Quarter	Plays	Yards	Result
1	2	3	Fumble
1	3	2	Punt
1	5	8	Punt
1	9	59	Touchdown
2	1	-1	Safety
2	9	35	Punt
3	5	20	Punt
3	8	32	Punt
4	9	70	Turnover on Downs

Meanwhile, the Lions also took away Eddie Lacy (11 carries, 36 yards, fumble), Jordy Nelson (five catches, 59 yards) and Randall Cobb (three catches, 29 yards). Lacy rushed for almost 1,200 yards last season. Nelson led the NFL in catches, targets and receiving yards through two weeks. Cobb had three touchdown receptions. Eliminating the three rendered Green Bay incapable of sustaining drives. 

Sunday's result would have been impressive with a full cast. Factor in the injuries and Detroit's performance was nothing short of Herculean. 

The Lions entered Week 3 with Darius Slay, Rashean Mathis, a free-agent signing and a practice-squad call-up at cornerback. James Ihedigbo did not play. Ziggy Ansah and Nick Fairley were both questionable but played. Middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch and safety Don Carey both left the game with injuries in the first half.

A defense with that many cracks could have fallen apart against any quarterback. Instead, the remaining pieces glued themselves together and delivered a statement win against one of the game's best. 

In the second half, the Lions allowed just 122 yards over three drives, and the Packers didn't score. 

On the other side of the ball, Detroit finished the game with three straight series featuring 10 or more plays. The final half-hour of football included just six total drives between the two teams, but the Lions held the ball for almost 20 of those minutes. 

Rodgers is as worthless on the sidelines as any other quarterback. 

It's not that he or the Packers were any good between the white lines against the Detroit defense, especially in adverse situations.  

Rodgers marched the Packers 59 yards to score after Stafford's first interception, but the Lions responded to each of the next two turnovers. 

After a glorified punt set up the Packers at the 1-yard line, Levy—arguably the most underappreciated linebacker in the game—knifed into the backfield and helped drop Lacy in the end zone for a safety. Later, Stafford's fumble in the red zone led to nothing more than a punt from the Packers offense. The Lions scored on their next possession. 

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Two chances at game-changing swings for the Packers were instead moments of impetus for Detroit. Green Bay won the turnover battle (3-1) but still lost the game by 12 points, a testament to Detroit's dominance. 

The calendar still reads September, but it's possible the Lions will eventually look back on Sunday's result as the moment this team rid itself of the Rodgers curse and—in the process—gained the confidence needed to overthrow the kings of the NFC North. 

The Packers, thanks in large part to Rodgers, have won three straight division titles. The Lions have never won the NFC North since realignment in 2002.

Nothing can be won or lost in Week 3. But beating Rodgers in such impressive fashion is certainly a start. 

The past six years are littered with remnants of Rodgers' bullying of the Lions. On this day, Detroit imposed its own style of torment—sending the Lions to the top of the division and Green Bay to its third 1-2 start in as many years. 

Zach Kruse covers the NFC North for Bleacher Report. 

Follow @zachkruse2