With a matchup against the Packers at Lambeau Field Sunday, 2022, the Detroit Lions season comes to an end.
If the Rams can beat the Seahawks in the early hours of Sunday’s day, then the Lions-Packers Week18 contest will become a play-in to the playoffs for Detroit.
Green Bay needs to defeat the Lions in order to secure a place in the NFC playoffs.
There is no better way to close the season for either team than this.
You can bet that the matchup is a hot topic for both sides, particularly Aaron Rodgers, Packers Hall of Fame quarterback.
Rodgers “owned” the Lions throughout the years. He has been 18-7 in 25 career games against Detroit and has thrown for 6,346 yard, 53 touchdowns, and only 11 interceptions. His passer rating is 105.8.
In recent times, Detroit has not been treated with respect by Rodgers, the always optimistic Rodgers.
Even though he lost to the Lions and threw three picks at them in their most recent NFC North meeting (in Week 9, Rodgers found a way of disparaging Dan Campbell’s team. Rodgers said to reporters after the loss, “We cannot lose a match like that against that team. No.” That’s going be a long time.
The long-time Green Bay signal-caller may not realize that the Lions are not your grandfather’s Lions.
The team’s Campbell-led version is fiercely competitive and packs quite the punch. It has the chance to spoil Rodgers’ Packers Week 18
Detroit rookie EDGE James Houston is one reason why this has happened.
(c) Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
Houston was a six-round selection of the Lions in April (No. Houston, a sixth-round pick of the Lions this past April (No. 217 overall), began the season with Detroit’s practice team. Before the Thanksgiving Day match with the Bills, he was added to the active roster. Since then, he has been the “sack-master”.
The Jackson State graduate had a record-setting three sacks, as well as a forced fumble in his last game against Justin Fields (the Bears). The 6-foot-1, 245-pounder, has produced eight sacks in his six NFL career games. This is the most ever recorded sack total in league history.
Houston, a result of his stellar start to the ’22 season, is now the fifth NFL player and first since Von Miller (2011) to have at least six sacks in six consecutive career games.
The best thing about Houston is the fact that he has started to focus on the preparation, the package,” Todd Wash, Detroit’s defensive line coach said Wednesday. He didn’t receive a lot practice reps when he was on practice squad or other similar activities. He’s learning the system and getting practice reps as he gets more active roster time. He executes really well. He’s an asset to his ability to both play strong-side linebacker (SAM) and defensive end (D3) on the first and second downs.
Houston is a rising star who has formed an explosive pass-rushing team with Aidan Hutchinson, a fellow pro first year (who now has 7.5sacks).
My job is simply to get sacks. That’s all I do. Houston stated that he was just playing football after the Lions beat the Bears at Ford Field.
Rodgers, who is certainly as intelligent as he wants people to believe, has been studying Houston film this week and won’t take the Lions lightly on Sunday.