Packers vs. Lions: Score and Twitter Reaction from 2014 Regular Season

The Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions entered Sunday's game as two of football's most prolific offenses. Assumptions of a high-scoring game were boundless; the 51-point Las Vegas over/under was the highest of the week, per Odds Shark.

You know what happens when you assume.   

The Lions held control of the ball for 38-plus minutes and employed smash-mouth techniques on defense to hold on for a 19-7 victory at Ford Field Sunday that hit well below the under.

Detroit's only offensive touchdown came on a 26-yard Reggie Bush run in the fourth quarter, which helped ice the game. Bush combined for 99 yards on 18 touches (12 rushes, six receptions), taking back the pseudo lead back role from Joique Bell.

The Lions held Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay offense to only 223 yards, forcing short check-downs and swallowing up the run game. The Packers lost despite having fewer penalties, fewer turnovers and Rodgers' longstanding domination of his division rival. The loss drops Rodgers' career record to 9-2 against the Lions; his only previous loss came in a contest he left with an injury. 

This time, the 2011 NFL MVP was met by a Detroit defense designed to exploit Green Bay's weaknesses. Tight coverage down the field and a consistently solid pass rush forced Rodgers into short, conservative throws; he did not have a single pass of 20 or more yards. This is the first time since 2008 Rodgers has been held below 200 yards passing in two of three games.

"They don't do a lot of different things, but what they do they do well," Packers offensive coordinator Tom Clements told reporters. "They're powerful inside, and big and tall and long outside. They play wider ends, so it's hard to get outside. They try to box you in. And their linebackers are good players. It's not surprising that they've done well."

It was in many ways a mirror image of the player fans saw in Week 1 against Seattle. Viewed at the time as merely affirmation of the Seahawks' defensive depth, the Packers have now played five below-average offensive halves. 

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

"The thing about Aaron Rodgers is you have to be disciplined," Lions safety Glover Quin said, per John Niyo of The Detroit News. "He's gonna make some throws and you're gonna have to keep your composure. You can't let one throw get you down."

Eddie Lacy continued a season full of struggles, gaining just 36 yards on 11 carries. His first-quarter fumble led to a 40-yard touchdown return from Don Cary to put the Lions ahead 7-0. 

"

This just hasn't been Eddie Lacy's day. Though I'm not sure how GB ever thought he had a chance there.

— Scott Kacsmar (@FO_ScottKacsmar) September 21, 2014"

The reigning Rookie of the Year has looked plodding at times behind a mediocre offensive line, with his long gain of the season being 17 yards. It'll be interesting to see whether Lacy and Rodgers are having issues due to their matchups or perhaps because the punditry read the team's talent wrong. 

The Lions needed all the help they could get from their defense, as they continually shot themselves in the foot on offense.

Matthew Stafford three times took potential points off the board with turnovers. Stafford was picked off twice in the first half with the ball in Green Bay territory, though the first was the result of a tipped pass. He then fumbled in the red zone during a promising third-quarter drive that was seemingly putting Detroit in control.

After avoiding turnovers entirely in a Week 1 win against the Giants, the Lions have given the ball away six times the past two weeks. 

"We're still learning," Golden Tate said this week, per Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press. "We're still learning what we're trying to do. We're still trying to jell and find our place in this offense in the regular season. I think the biggest thing with that was turnovers. We had way too many turnovers the last game, which I think took away from points, especially if you miss a couple field goals."

Despite his two picks, Stafford wound up with 246 yards on 22-of-34 passing and was instrumental to lengthy drives that put the game away. Calvin Johnson matched Bush for a team-high six receptions for 82 yards. The NFL's best receiver has gone two straight games without a touchdown and five of his last six dating back to last season.

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

Rookie kicker Nate Freese took three points off the board with his fifth missed kick of the season in the second quarter. Freese, a seventh-round pick out of Boston College, had hit a 30-yarder earlier in the quarter but is just 3-of-7 in his young career. The Lions worked out three veteran kickers this week, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, but have decided to keep Freese for now.

Freese's latest miss, which was from 41 yards, might wind up being the final straw for a team with NFC North title aspirations.

Detroit may enter Week 4 in sole possession of first place in the division. Minnesota and Green Bay both dropped to 1-2 this week, leaving Chicago as the lone remaining team on the Week 3 slate. The Bears, who came back from a 17-0 deficit against the 49ers last week, play Monday night against the Jets.

The Lions and Bears trade opponents next week, with Detroit traveling to New York and Chicago hosting its annual matchup with Green Bay.  

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter