Packers vs. Lions: Full Report Card Grades for Green Bay
The Green Bay Packers certainly aren't perfect, but in their 34-27 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday, they proved that the quick-strike, high-scoring offense that we've grown accustomed to seeing is still there.
The Packers were able to finish with the win, but they didn't put together a complete game. After a hot start in the first half, in which Aaron Rodgers threw four touchdown passes (two to Jordy Nelson), Green Bay only scored one field goal after halftime.
That was OK in the end, since the defense did what it needed to do to hold off the Lions despite missing multiple key players. Clay Matthews, Sam Shields, Morgan Burnett and Letroy Guion were all inactive to start the game, but in relying on depth, the Packers persevered.
The big difference in the first half of the game seemed to be coaching. The Packers revealed a personnel package, their Cobra package, designed to increase speed on offense by placing Ty Montgomery in the backfield, Randall Cobb in the slot and Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams outside.
The Packers offense looked unstoppable in the first half, and Rodgers was able to get the ball out extremely quickly. Credit is due head coach Mike McCarthy, who clearly made some adjustments to his game plan this week.
Let's take a look at position grades for the entire team.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Go ahead and doubt Rodgers. It gives him the opportunity to do what he did on Sunday against Detroit.
Though Rodgers did not finish his day as strongly as he began, he got off to a red-hot start, throwing for four touchdowns in the first half alone. Two of those were completions to Nelson.
Rodgers got the ball out quickly and had impressive control of his offense. On the whole, he seemed to be more patient in waiting for plays to develop rather than taking matters into his own hands.
Of course, Rodgers' legs are a strength, and he rushed five times for 22 yards. He broke away for another long run for a first down that was negated by a Bryan Bulaga holding penalty.
As ESPN's Jason Wilde pointed out, after nine attempts, Rodgers had a perfect passer rating of 158.3.
Rodgers didn't throw any touchdowns in the second half as the offense as a whole appeared to slow down. We ultimately want to see that this team can follow through and finish what it started. However, Sunday was a much-needed reminder that Aaron Rodgers is, well, Aaron Rodgers.
Grade: A-
Running Back
2 of 10
Welcome back, Eddie Lacy.
Benefiting from McCarthy's obvious incentive to establish the run game earlier and more consistently this week, Lacy saw 17 carries against Detroit.
He made the most of them, amassing 103 yards and averaging a very respectable six yards per carry. He also broke away for a 25-yard gain.
Lacy was the star of the Packers backfield; James Starks and Ty Montgomery both ended with minus-1 yards to their names.
McCarthy was pleased with his performance, saying, "I thought Eddie had a nice game. Running downhill, getting his shoulders square & getting clean looks," per the Packers' Twitter.
Grade: B+
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
In some weeks, it seems that Rodgers is only as good as his receivers, and in Week 3, they were there for him. Finally.
Rodgers connected with his favorite target, Jordy Nelson, on six receptions for a total of 101 yards and two touchdowns. Not a receiver known for blazing speed, Nelson nevertheless toasted Detroit's Darius Slay and appeared to have no issues whatsoever with his knee.
That was all in the first half, though, and Nelson did not see a single target in the second half. It's unclear how McCarthy and Rodgers could have allowed that to happen, but needless to say it's not a winning formula.
Rodgers' other pass-catchers had a quiet day, but he spread the ball out among nine of them in total. Cobb had just one reception, but it was for 33 yards.
Tight end Jared Cook dropped a big pass over the middle, but that was not the worst news of the day for him. On that play, he injured his ankle. Per Milwaukee Journal Sentinel beat writer Michael Cohen, Cook was wearing a walking boot and using crutches in the locker room after the game.
Grade: B+
Offensive Line
4 of 10
The success of the offense starts with the offensive line, from snapping the ball to run blocking, recognizing blitzes, pass blocking and everything in between.
On Sunday, this group delivered.
Rodgers took just two sacks on the day and had time to let plays develop and find his target. The line also helped him keep plays alive; in the fourth quarter, it held off a four-man rush and Rodgers scrambled for nine yards.
Lacy, meanwhile, enjoyed solid run blocking that helped him rush for more than 100 yards.
One of the only missteps on the day was when a Bryan Bulaga holding penalty called back a Rodgers scramble for a first down.
Grade: A-
Defensive Line
5 of 10
The Packers defensive line is quietly becoming one of the league's best.
Let alone the fact that the Packers, who ranked first in the league against the run heading into Week 3, had not allowed 100 rushing yards on the season until the third quarter of Sunday's game, the Packers have also been able to make life unpleasant for opposing quarterbacks.
The line had nine tackles for loss on Sunday, holding Theo Riddick to just nine yards on 10 attempts.
Kenny Clark, the rookie out of UCLA, drew the unenviable task of having to start in place of the injured Guion at nose tackle against Detroit. He finished with four tackles and, most importantly, was not a liability.
Daniels and rookie Dean Lowry each had a tackle for loss.
Grade: B+
Linebacker
6 of 10
The Packers linebacking corps may have been missing Clay Matthews to start the game against Detroit, but it did not miss a beat.
Packers linebackers showed up all over the field Sunday, getting after Detroit's Matthew Stafford and contributing on run defense.
Nick Perry, who is making his case to be re-signed after his one-year contract expires in March, led the team with two sacks and added another two tackles for loss.
Fellow outside linebacker and rookie Kyler Fackrell also recorded a sack, his first as a pro.
On the inside, second-year player Jake Ryan had two tackles for loss. He was everywhere against the run and showed nice speed to close out plays in coverage.
Rookie inside 'backer Blake Martinez showed his toughness when the stitches on his nose burst open, sending blood rushing down his face. He went to the locker room to get re-stitched and then returned to the field.
Grade: A
Secondary
7 of 10
There's no two ways about it: The Packers secondary is in rough shape.
The Packers entered their matchup against the Lions already missing starters Sam Shields and Morgan Burnett.
Then there was the scary moment when starting cornerback Damarious Randall went to the locker room with an unknown injury, as ESPN's Jason Wilde reported. Randall did return to the game, but his play has yet to match the luster it showed in Week 1.
Randall did have the team's only interception of Stafford, which was the high point of his game. He gave up a deep pass to Marvin Jones down the sideline to the tune of 38 yards. Randall was leaving Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in coverage of Jones, but the Lions had other ideas.
Meanwhile, Quinten Rollins has been asked to do more as a result of the injuries but didn't seem up for the challenge, whether he was in the slot, in the nickel or on the perimeter.
Hopefully, Randall's game is suffering due to the loss of Shields as the lead corner. The bye week comes at a good time for Green Bay's secondary.
Grade: C+
Special Teams
8 of 10
Mason Crosby finally got in on the action this week after he didn't kick a single field goal in Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings.
He kicked a pair of field goals for 36 and 46 yards, respectively, and went 4-of-4 on extra points.
New punter Jake Schum had the play of his career so far as a Packer when Brett Goode snapped the ball way too high. Schum still managed to snag it and punt it away, avoiding disaster. He averaged 41.5 yards per punt.
There wasn't much to speak of in the way of returns against Detroit. Ty Montgomery returned one kick for 24 yards.
Grade: B+
Coaching
9 of 10
McCarthy clearly adjusted his game plan in Week 3 to try to correct some of the problems that have been plaguing the Packers this season, and you have to give him credit for that.
Further to his credit, the adjustments he made paid off, for the most part.
It started with the Packers introducing their Cobra package on offense, which puts Montgomery in the backfield with Cobb or Trevor Davis in the slot, and Nelson and Adams on the outside. The package is intended to introduce more speed on offense.
Speaking of speed, Rodgers was able to get the ball out much quicker this week, a testament to trusting his receivers and his offensive line. The play calls got back to the Packers' roots in the West Coast offense, and the timing was much crisper as a result.
Defensive coordinator Dom Capers had his second rough week in a row when it came to the pass defense, however.
The Packers deserve credit for the incredible job they've done against the run, but they've been leaky against the pass. Man coverage, zone coverage...none of it was working against Detroit and, specifically, Marvin Jones, who was this week's Stefon Diggs with 205 yards.
The Packers now have a bye to take a look at what worked in Week 3 and what didn't.
Grade: B
Final Grades
10 of 10
| QB | A- |
| RB | B+ |
| WR/TE | B+ |
| OL | A- |
| DL | B+ |
| LB | A |
| DBs | C+ |
| ST | B+ |
| Coaching | B |
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