Week 1 was rough all around for the NFC North division as all four teams lost and all four teams looked pretty rough. The Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears could both lose again this week but one thing is absolutely guaranteed. All four teams will not start with two losses as the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions, the other two teams in the division, meet up in what is sure to be a game to remember. In this post, we're angling our Detroit Lions Week 2 predictions ahead of their game against the division rival.
The Detroit Lions actually played much better than the Packers in Week 1, hanging with the San Francisco 49ers to the very end. Can they do it again?
Lions Week 2 Predictions for Lions-Packers
4. D'Andre Swift gets fed all game
The Lions are extremely high on Swift and we caught a solid glimpse of why in Week 1 against San Francisco. Both D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams had good games on the ground and in the air but it will be Swift taking over in Week 2. he carried the ball 11 times in Week 1 compared to nine carries from Jamaal Williams but they both caught eight passes and scored a touchdown in the game. Eventually one of the two should separate from the other and Detroit would love for it to be their young star running back.
Expect Swift to increase his touches from 19 to around 25 with more running mixed in instead of pass catching. He's good at both but Detroit is a team that seems to want to run the ball as their main offensive identity, especially with Jared Goff as their quarterback. As the season progresses and Detroit inevitably starts losing more and more they'll want to see everything Swift can do. Why not get that started against a division rival in Green Bay, a team Swift will become extremely familiar with over the years.
3. T.J. Hockenson continues his breakout season
The former 8th overall pick by the Detroit Lions, T.J. Hockenson, is still waiting to have his true breakout season. He's now entering his third season in the NFL and things haven't gone extremely well. In his rookie season, Hockenson played 12 games and caught just 32 passes for 367 yards and two touchdowns. In the following season Hockenson was much better but still not at the level of being among the best tight ends. He more than doubled his receptions, yards, and touchdowns with 67 catches, 723 yards, and six touchdowns.
New Orleans threw the ball only 20 times total against the Packers in Week 1 but the tight ends still saw a good amount of action. Juwan Johnson and Adam Trautman combined for nine of the 21 total targets and two of the five total touchdowns and neither of them are as talented as T.J. Hockenson. Goff looks to have found his favorite target for the season in Hockenson and the Packers seem vulnerable to tight ends having a big game against them. Hockenson should be set up for a big game along with D'Andre Swift.
2. The Detroit defense manages to cause 2+ turnovers from Aaron Rodgers
Until Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense prove they can get back to their 2020 form I'll believe they're still vacationing and trying out for Jeopardy! The Lions defense just lost former number three overall pick Jeff Okudah for the season but he had yet to perform close to expectations. It's still a huge loss for a defense that isn't exactly full of capable replacements for Okudah, but they'll find a way to get to Rodgers in this game. He had one of the worst games of his career in Week 1. Sure, Rodgers could turn it around completely but I doubt it.
This prediction will need a bit of luck for the Lions but causing two turnovers from Rodgers isn't impossible. We just saw it happen against New Orleans as Rodgers threw two interceptions. If the Lions can force two turnovers then they'll probably have a chance in this game like they did in Week 1. The chance they had in Week 1 to beat San Francisco was never truly believable, but somehow Detroit kept the score close. Turning Rodgers over twice could keep Detroit close in this game as well.
1. Detroit finishes the game within a touchdown
The oddsmakers have absolutely no faith in the Detroit Lions against the scuffling Packers in Week 2. The betting line has Green Bay favored by 11 points and they've been the betting favorite despite that huge spread. Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions don't care what the odds say, they're going to show their performance against San Francisco wasn't a fluke and Detroit is finally starting to turn their franchise around. They aren't a playoff team, but they can hang with the Packers in this game.
I'm still not convinced the Packers will be able to just completely erase what happened in Week 1. They came off a horrific offseason of drama and confusion just to get embarrassed in the first game of the season. There is a world where Aaron Rodgers gets immediately back to his MVP form and goes off for 40+ points against Detroit but it's not this one. Rodgers will likely get there eventually, but going from one of the worst games of his career to bouncing all the way back just seems unlikely.
Agree or disagree with our Detroit Lions Week 2 predictions ahead of their game against the Green Bay Packers?
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