The Green Bay Packers will play their third game in 12 days and look to score a big win in the NFC North when Matt LaFleur's team plays the division-leading Detroit Lions on Thursday night at Ford Field.
In the opening game of Week 14, the 9-3 Packers – who have won three straight games and seven of the last eight games – take on the 11-1 Lions. Can Green Bay break Detroit's 10-game winning streak atop the NFL and get back into the division race with four games to go?
Here are five keys to the Packers' win over the Lions in Week 14:
Win the revenue battle
In the first meeting early last month, Jordan Love hit a game-winning pick-six to end the first half as the Lions played a largely error-free game. Last year at Ford Field, the Packers scored three takeaways, including a defensive touchdown. The Lions are averaging over 40.0 points per game on turnovers this season, so protecting the ball will be crucial in the return game. If the Packers can play a flawless game and get a takeaway or two, they have a real chance to escape Ford Field with a win.
Keep breaking tackles
The Packers are beginning to impose their will as a physical, tackle-breaking offensive unit. Can Josh Jacobs, Tucker Kraft and Jayden Reed continue to make tackles indoors at Ford Field? The Lions are banged up on defense and may not have the same physical strength that has powered the group all season. Therefore, the Packers have to take the fight directly to the hosts on Thursday evening. Set the tone early. Both teams have played three games in 12 days, so the more physical team will have a big advantage, especially early on.
Attack the left tackle
Lions left tackle Taylor Decker is not expected to play with a knee injury, so the Packers will have to find a way to attack the backup, which will likely be Dan Skipper. Can Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness and the other pass rushers consistently win from the right edge? Keeping pressure on Jared Goff is a must. A few early wins against skipper or left tackle could force the Lions to adjust their game plan offensively. Gary had 2.5 sacks in his last four games, while Van Ness had a sack in two straight games.
Walker vs. Sonic and Knuckles
Packers linebacker Quay Walker is coming off one of the best two-game stretches of his pro career. Now he faces the best running back duo in football, Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, as well as a dynamic play-action passing offense with tight end Sam LaPorta. Can Walker continue to play quickly against the run without giving up big plays in the middle of the field? This will be Walker's biggest test of the season. It will officially be Walker's breakthrough second half of the year if the 2022 first-rounder is once again a dominant, game-changing player on Thursday night.
Win the red zone
In the first meeting, the Packers scored 1 for 4 touchdowns in the red zone and managed just six points on their first three plays inside the 20. Since the bye, the Packers have come alive in the red zone. The trend must continue Thursday night at Ford Field. The Packers should be able to move the football against a banged up defense, but finishing drives with touchdowns will be difficult on the road. Offensively, the Lions only had 2 of 5 touchdowns in the red zone against the Bears, so it's possible Detroit's offense made a small mistake inside the 20. The Packers need to capitalize and find an advantage in the red zone.
