Thursday Night Football: Green Bay Packers v. Detroit Lions

The Green Bay Packers (7-4) played on Thursday Night Football last week and lost 17-13 to the Chicago Bears (5-6).  Tonight they return to play another division rival on Thursday Night Football as they head to Detroit to face the Lions (4-7).  Detroit is anchoring last place in the NFC North, but they are on a three-game winning streak as they try to resurrect the season.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers are in second place in their division behind the Minnesota Vikings (8-3), and have the tenth-ranked running game in the league behind Eddie Lacy.  However, they continue to look for ways to get their passing game back up to speed, as it is currently one of the worst in the NFL, according to THIS article:

Coach Mike McCarthy said the Packers' pass offense is "close." Will this be its breakout game?

The answer to that question could decide more than just Thursday's game against the resurgent Detroit Lions. The answer could decide the Packers' fate this season.

"We did some good things. There were a few plays here and there that, had the result been different, the result of the game would've been different," Packers play-caller Tom Clements said of the team's offense in general and its passing game in particular.

Heading into a critical Week 13 game at Ford Field, the 7-4 Packers need a win to avoid falling two games behind the Vikings in the NFC North title race. A win, coupled with a Vikings loss to Seattle on Sunday, could move the Packers back into a tie for the division lead.

The Packers' passing game finds itself in an unaccustomed position: in the bottom 10 of the league's pass rankings. It's the result of a seemingly inexplicable fall from a reputation for being one of the most explosive and consistent passing attacks in the league for the last several years.

"We've had opportunities. We've had guys open. We've had some drops, we've had some missed throws," Clements explained.

As the season turns into December, time for fixing what's wrong is running out. A loss in Detroit could put the Packers in a desperate position just to make it into the postseason.

Detroit Lions

The Lions are rolling with a three-game winning streak after demolishing the Philadelphia Eagles (4-7) in a 45-14 blowout to kick off last week's trifecta of NFL football on Thanksgiving.  Detroit has a fairly easy remaining schedule after tonight: @ Rams (4-7), @ Saints (4-7), 49ers (3-8), @ Bears (5-6).  Three of those teams are dead last in their division right now.

Glover Quin's Blog

Check out what the former safety for the Texans had to say on his blog after he was injured last week.  Here's a sample:

I never really thought about my 95 consecutive starts as an ironman streak or anything. I've just always prided myself on playing every single game. Even in high school and college, I always wanted to play every game and every single play. I've played through broken hands, broken arms and broken ankles. Obviously, I was a lot younger then too. But I don't think of it as an ironman thing. I guess I just love to play and I hate when I can't play because I want to be out there to help the team win.

I miss that guy!

Here is the comparison from NFL.com:

That's your preview for tonight's game.  The comments section is open, and the usual rules apply.

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