Green Bay Packers vs Detroit Lions: 5 Matchups to keep your eyes on

4. Packers’ D-Line vs Lions’ O-Line

For Green Bay, their ability to rush the passer has been some of the best in the league. They have totaled 15 sacks through three weeks, and they have 33 quarterback hits. They’re also the only team with two players in the top 10 in sacks, with Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith having 5.5 and five respectively. Against a Detroit team that is tied for fourth with just seven sacks allowed, those pressures may be harder to come by.

Graham Glasgow is currently graded as the third-best guard in football, and center Frank Ragnow is the NFL’s top-graded center. They’ll have their hands full with Kenny Clark, Montravius Adams and Dean Lowry, but, if they can get the run game going, it can stop the pass rush in its tracks as it did against the Philadelphia Eagles. Detroit is in the middle of the pack in the running game as they’re 13th in rushing yards per game at 120.5.

When the Lions were able to slow down the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4, they ran the ball right at them en route to 35 carries for 186 yards on a healthy 5.3 yards per carry. The Packers aren’t the Chiefs, but they’ve struggled to defend the run with an average of 5.27 yards per carry. When Green Bay can force turnovers and get out to a lead, they’re able to be successful. If Detroit takes care of the football and dominates the clock, life could be difficult for Green Bay.