Week 5 - Cowboys - Away / Lions Preview

Packers Learning How to Be Offensive With a Lead…

The Packers, on Sunday in Dallas, had the opportunity to play with a 3 score lead for most of the game. It is a good thing for a team to have a 3 score lead and win the game. It does not really matter how it gets done as long as it does. Still the way an offense performs, starting with the play calling, with a lead like the Packers had for most of the day Sunday can be very intriguing. There is always a tendency to let the foot off the gas when a lead is built up. The best teams find ways to maintain a level of intensity and execution regardless of the score. The Packers showed signs of taking their foot off the gas but then they didn’t completely. So it is encouraging to see this team continue to execute relatively consistently for 4 qtrs. There was a dip for sure there in the 3rd where some complacency might have crept in but in the end the offense stepped up and did enough. I would argue going forward this team will only get better at handling leads. LaFleur is seemingly coming into his role as head coach just about as smoothly as could be possible. His credit line increases with every win and the buy in becomes that much more real from his players.

Offensive Production

Packers are near the 2010 benchmark where they averaged 24.2 pts/g and won the super bowl.

aaronjones
Jones carried the offensive load against the Cowboys

Defensive Production

Packers are giving up 18.6 pts/g which is a bit higher than the 2010 season where they gave up only 15 pts/g.

Next vs Lions Monday Night @ Lambeau

Looking ahead to this one I do not know much about the Lions this year except that they were in position to beat the Chiefs and they are giving up over 24 pts/g. So the Packers should feel good about their offensive prospects. Defensively they should be confident as well assuming there are no lingering injuries to either Smith Savage etc. The Smiths have absolutely changed the tone for this defense the only question is if they can keep up for an entire season. These divisional games are always hotly contested and its important for the Packers to play well. A win would be great but a decisive blowout win might go a long way to solidifying the Packers place in Super Bowl conversation. I am going to predict:

Packers 41 Lions 10

I see Rodgers having a breakout game with 3td and 400+ yards. The defense is going to get better at being effective in a prevent kind of mode.