Green Bay Packers: 3 Matchups to Watch in Week 15

The Green Bay Packers will match up with the Panthers in prime time Saturday night, and they’ll have to win these matchups to win the game.

Last week, the Green Bay Packers did enough in their crucial matchups to win the game against the Detroit Lions. The first of those matchups was the Packers’ linebackers against Lions’ tight end T.J. Hockenson. Hockenson caught six passes for 43 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. He was probably the most talented tight end that Green Bay has seen this year, and he had a good but not great game. His six catches and touchdown make this one a slight loss for the Packers, but his longest reception was just 11 yards, so he didn’t do too much damage in the middle of the field, which was a big concern coming into the game.

The next one was the Packers’ special teams vs. Jamal Agnew, the Lions’ return man. For most of the game, they held him down. He did not return either of the two Green Bay punts, though one was a touchback, and he had only returned one kick to the 19. Then, he took one 71 yards to the Green Bay Packers’ 33-yard line, which gave the Lions some life. They were so close to having a good special teams game for the first time in weeks, but they couldn’t finish it off.

Finally, was Davante Adams against the Lions’ depleted cornerback group. Jeff Okudah and Desmond Trufant were out, and Adams took advantage. He made his presence known early, embarrassing Amani Oruwariye on a back-shoulder catch, scooting past safety Duron Harmon, and scoring a 56-yard touchdown on the Packers’ first play from scrimmage. He finished with seven catches for 115 yards and a touchdown. Davante Adams get another easy matchup win.

The Lions kept themselves in the game by getting the ball to Hockenson and making one big special teams play. Fortunately, Adams and the rest of the offense did enough to propel the Packers to a win.