GREEN BAY, Wisc. – Dave Birkett grades the Detroit Lions’ 42-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers:
Matthew Stafford isn’t playing like the steady hand at quarterback the Lions expected after last season’s lights-out first half. He took a bad sack Sunday for the second straight week, this one right before halftime, and he threw an interception near his own goal line that was returned for a touchdown. Stafford finished 20 of 33 passing for 244 yards and two touchdowns, and he had some good moments early – like when he tucked and ran for a first down on a play when his first look, Danny Amendola, was covered. He’s not the biggest thing holding the Lions back, but he’s not playing winning football, either. Grade: D
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Kerryon Johnson looked like the 2018 version of himself on the Lions’ opening drive, carrying five times for 20 yards and a touchdown. He had a nice 4-yard run on a jump cut and ran over Adrian Amos for a first down in the second quarter. But that was about all the success the Lions got out of their backfield Sunday, disappointing considering Green Bay’s so-so run defense. Adrian Peterson, in his second game as a Lion, had a big 25-yard run in the first quarter but did not have the jets to get to the end zone. Peterson also whiffed on a block on Stafford’s pick-six. D’Andre Swift led the Lions with five catches for 60 yards but was largely a nonfactor in the running department. Grade: C
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Kenny Golladay’s absence continues to hamper a Lions passing game that was one of the most explosive in the NFL last season. With Golladay inactive for the second straight week, the Lions had one pass play of 25-plus yards in the first three quarters Sunday. Marvin Jones averaged a paltry 5.8 yards on his four catches and couldn’t hold onto two tough but catchable balls. Danny Amendola made minimal contributions for the third straight game against the Packers, and Marvin Hall had a drop in the red zone, but T.J. Hockenson had another nice day with 62 yards receiving. Grade: D-plus
Stafford wasn’t under much duress, and the Lions averaged a respectable 4.2 yards per carry rushing, but not everything was rosy for the offensive line. Oday Aboushi, filling in at left guard for Joe Dahl, committed two penalties (one declined), including one of the Lions’ four personal fouls. Aboushi did help clear the path for Johnson’s touchdown with a nice pulling block. Tyrell Crosby gave up a late sack to Rashan Gary after Stafford took an intentional grounding penalty. Jonah Jackson missed a block on one lost-yardage run, though Frank Ragnow came off his block to draw a facemask penalty on the play. Overall, the Lions offensive line was not as consistent as it was last week against the Bears. Grade: C-minus
I shouldn’t be surprised by the lack of pass rush this scheme generates now that we’ve seen it for two-plus seasons, but the Lions continue to underwhelm in that department. Danny Shelton did have five tackles, but no one on the defensive front registered a quarterback hit the entire game. Trey Flowers was a nonfactor to the point he did not appear in the box score, and the Packers’ 259-yard rushing day falls in part on the ineffective defensive line. Until that group improves, the Lions will continue to have one of the worst run defenses in the league. Grade: F
Sharing the blame for the poor run defense is a linebacking unit that had another disappointing day. Neither Jarrad Davis nor Jamie Collins could fend off blocks on Aaron Jones’ 75-yard touchdown run, when safety Will Harris took a bad angle in the back end. Davis appeared to fill the wrong hole when Jamaal Williams broke an 18-yard run on Green Bay’s next offensive play. Collins did have his first sack as a Lion – beating Lucas Patrick with a nice inside move – but Davis had no chance on Jones’ first touchdown catch and the Lions relied on their secondary to make far…