Burning questions in the Detroit Lions 42-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field Sunday:
It was a bright start for the Lions when they scored on the first two possessions to take a 14-3 lead, but it went downhill in a hurry to make the Lions' won-loss record 0-2 with their 11th straight loss and with a lot of questions that need answering about the future.
Question: Bottom line: What was it?
Answer: It wasn't any single statistic or individual performance, or even the 31 straight points the Packers scored to wipe out a 14-3 deficit and take command of the game.
It was the total domination by the Packers. It was one-sided, and the Lions didn't really fight back with any authority once the Packers got on their roll.
The Packers played better, and they played smarter.
Bottom line: They outclassed the Lions, and that should be hard to swallow.
Q. Turning point: What was it?
A. There really wasn't a turning point, but there was a deciding point. It was the 75-yard touchdown run by Aaron Jones on the first play of the second half. That stretched the Packers' lead from 17-14 to 24-14.
The Lions were still in the game after the Packers scored a touchdown with 14 seconds left in the first half to take a 17-14 lead. They needed to make a defensive stand to start the second half, but they did just the opposite.
Q. The Aarons: Which one hurt the Lions more – Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, or Aaron Jones, the running back?
A. They both hurt the Lions – but not as much as the Lions hurt themselves with breakdowns on both sides of the ball and penalties.
Rogers was methodically efficient – 18 for 30, 240 yards and two TDs. Jones was spectacular – 168 yards rushing and two TDs, 68 yards receiving and one TD.
But as well as they played, the most damage to the Lions was done to themselves with their performance.
