Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are so used to beating the Detroit Lions. But what do you know, the Lions now have two consecutive wins against the Packers. They beat the Packers back in January and then again on Sunday to the tune of a 15-9 score. It probably says more about the current state of the Packers than of Detroit's, but at the end of the day, the Lions got the better of Green Bay. A win against Rodgers is always welcome for any team, especially the Lions, who needed something to boost their morale after just a 1-6 start to start the season. With their win against the Packers, the Lions also snapped a five-game losing skid, and it would not have likely been possible without these three figures playing a huge role for Detroit.

3. Shane Zylstra

We start it all off with tight end Shane Zylstra, who had just been elevated by the Lions from the practice squad on Saturday. Zylstra was actually promoted to the Lions' main roster together with his brother, wide receiver Brandon Zylstra, so Sunday's showdown with the Packers was the first time ever that the siblings played football together. The Lions are not a full week removed from trading TJ Jockenson to the Minnesota Vikings, leaving an opportunity for Zylstra to play Sunday versus Green Bay.

Zylstra is unlikely to be a name that NFL fans will get familiar with, but against the Packers, he was able to have his 15 minutes when he scored a short touchdown pass from Jared Goff late in the second period. That was the first score for either team in the game, and greatly set the tone in favor of the Lions the rest of the way. It was the only target he'd see all game long.

Obviously, Zylstra is on a high after his touchdown and the Lions win.

Via the Associated Press:

“It is obviously a great feeling to be able to help this team win a game,” Shane Zylstra said. “But to play with my brother is very special. This is something we’ve talked about for a long, long time.”

Another tight end came away with the other Lions touchdown against the Packers, with James Mitchell finding the end zone in the fourth quarter to push Detroit's lead to nine points. But it was Zylstra's score that had a bigger impact, given its influence in the game's complexion.

2. Lions offensive line

The Lions' offensive line did not really play spectacular football against the Packers, especially in the first half when it was called for penalties that stalled their drives. Quarterback Jared Goff completed just 14 of his 26 passes and had an interception, but he did throw for two touchdowns and also avoided getting sacked for the first time in five games. In fact, it was just the second time this season that he was not thrown to the ground by the opposing team's defense.

Detroit's pass protection is way, way far from perfect and it's going to need plenty of fixing to become a reliable unit, but at least for the Packers game, it protected Goff in the pocket nicely and bought him enough time to find his tight ends who both delivered for the team. Detroit walked into this game against the Packers ninth in the NFL in scoring with 24.7 points per outing and seventh overall with a 4.94 percent offensive sack success rate, and while the Lions weren't able to score a bunch of points, Goff was kept safe and their rushing attack was given enough room to burst and burn rubber for 117 yards.

1. Kerby Joseph

There was no other Lion who shined brighter in Week 9 t than rookie safety Kerby Joseph. No contest. Joseph helped the Lions neutralize Rodgers, who finished the game with a stat line that was not Hall of Fame-worthy at all. Rodgers went 23 of 43 for 291 passing yards and a touchdown and three interceptions. Two of those picks were by Joseph. Drafted in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft (97th overall), Joseph finally had the signature game of his young pro career by recording his first two interceptions off of an all-time great quarterback. Prior to their win against the Packers, the Lions only had two interceptions this season. Their 0.87 defensive interception rate was just 29th overall in the NFL.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell is not too surprised that Joseph finally had a breakout performance in Week 9.

Via Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News:

“For three weeks now, he has not come off the field and we’re just letting him grow, because he’s been so close. … The first time he missed one of those interceptions, he was about an inch away, and then the next one he was about half-an-inch away, and so now, he’s starting to feel it.