Lions’‘D’ will give Rodgers a chance to bounce back
Though Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been downplaying his Week 1 meltdown against the Saints, he knows critics won’t be quieted until he returns to form.
Rodgers catches a break this week in facing the Lions, who seem in no hurry to shake off their label as the NFC North’s worst team.
Weak Lions or not, on Monday night, Rodgers needs to show some fire — even a spark — that was missing Sunday against the Saints in the 38-3 shellacking. Some fans began to wonder if the seemingly checked-out Rodgers was tanking on purpose.
“If we’re starting to freak out after one week,” Rodgers told reporters Thursday, “we’re in big trouble.”
Rodgers is coming off a miserable performance in which he went 15-for-28 for 133 yards with two interceptions and no touchdown passes. His 36.8 passer rating was the lowest in a season opener by a reigning MVP quarterback.
It was the worst loss of Rodgers’ career as a starter — regular season or playoffs — and only the third time the Packers have scored three or fewer points in one of his starts. It was also only his third career game with no touchdown passes and multiple interceptions.
“It’s not acceptable, but it’s just one game,” Rodgers said. “We’re not going to be held prisoner mentally by that poor performance. Like I said, we’re not going to change a ton of things. I don’t think there needs to be wholesale preparation changes, schematic changes. We had a clunker, and we’ve got to play better. I expect that we will on both sides of the ball.”
The Packers have won their last four games against the Lions and are favored by 11½ points, according to FanDuel SportsBook.
The Lions ranked last in the NFL in points allowed per game, yards allowed per game and yards allowed per play last season. Detroit, which lost 41-33 to the 49ers, was the only team to allow more points than Green Bay in the opening week.