Packers: Offense fights back in key divisional win vs. Lions

Many will point to Aaron Rodgers’ numbers as evidence he’s not the same player he once was. Forget the stats. Watch the Green Bay Packers’ game-winning drive and you will see one of the finest quarterbacks of all time work his magic.

In a game where the Packers turned the ball over three times and trailed 13-0 in the second quarter, Aaron Rodgers and the offense stepped up when they needed to the most.

With 6:46 remaining in regulation and the Packers down by two points, Rodgers orchestrated a perfect 14-play, 77-yard drive that ended with a Mason Crosby game-winner as time expired.

Championship teams win ugly. The Packers did that on Monday night against the Detroit Lions.

Credit where credit is due. The Lions came to play. And when Matthew Stafford found Kenny Golladay for 66 yards on the opening play of the game, it showed that Matt Patricia’s team had a plan to be aggressive. They came to win.

But Mike Pettine’s defense did its part. They only gave up one touchdown in the end, and even that was inches away from being an impressive goal-line stand. Instead, the Lions had to settle for five Matt Prater field goals, and that allowed the Packers to remain in the game.

Green Bay didn’t have Davante Adams on the field, then lost Geronimo Allison to a scary hit. Marquez Valdes-Scantling also left the game briefly but was able to return. Despite that, the offense found a way to get it done in the end, making the most of the opportunity given to them by some fine defensive play.

Allen Lazard deserves a ton of praise. He stepped up with four catches for 65 yards and one of the touchdown catches of the season. When the Packers needed a receiver, Lazard stepped up.

Let’s talk about the defense. The Lions had their way early on, but the Packers’ defense fought back, even when defending short fields. Za’Darius and Preston Smith combined for 2.5 sacks. Who else?

The Packers were strong against the run, allowing just 2.6 yards per carry in total, while also not allowing a single passing touchdown.

Dropped catches, fumbles and other mistakes looked to have cost the Packers in a key divisional game. Instead, they found a way to win.

And that’s the sign of a good football team.