Packers Beat the Lions at Their Own Game
Roughly one year ago, the Lions beat the Packers in Detroit to complete a season sweep. They did so by converting 4 of 5 fourth-down attempts, which included 2 touchdowns and a key conversion late that basically sealed the win.
On Thanksgiving in Detroit this year, the Packers returned the favor. Not only did they complete a season sweep of the Lions, but they did so by converting on 3 fourth-down attempts, which also included two touchdowns and a game-sealing first down.
The NFL is cyclical.
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Green Bay’s first 4th-down conversion came in the 2nd quarter while leading 3-0. They started in a closed 1x3 bunch before motioning Dontayvion Wicks (#13) across the formation. Brian Branch (#32) followed, an indicator of man coverage:
Although, that wasn’t exactly a surprise to Matt LaFleur:
“[The Lions are] an aggressive unit. So you’ve got to plan for man and react to zone.”
The Packers were trying to get the ball to Christian Watson on an out-breaking route to the right, but the Lions had it covered as LaFleur said afterwards:
“We were trying to throw the ball to Christian in the slot. And I think it was Amik Robertson that […] had him man-to-man. And he did a good job of staying outside leverage.”
Jordan Love came off of Watson and started working his way across the field to Wicks on the outside.
“I think Jordan progressed inside […] and he got off of it and put a ball where Wicks could go get it. And he made the play.”
“Made the play” is an understatement.
This was a perfect ball by Love, but he didn’t get rid of it early in the play considering Wicks wasn’t his first read. He even pumped once before releasing the ball. That gave the deep safety time to move with Love’s eyes and almost break up the pass. It took great concentration by Wicks to haul this one in:
The Packers led 10-0 and never seemed to lose control of the game from there.
Later in the second quarter, with just over two minutes remaining in the first half and Green Bay leading 10-7, they faced another pivotal 4th down. This time it was a 4th-and-1 from Detroit’s 2-yard line.
Once again, they used motion and got a man-coverage indicator. This time it was Romeo Doubs (#87) motioning across the formation with cornerback D.J. Reed (#4) following:
Notice how Reed did not stay over Doubs after following him, however. Instead, he aligned in the slot over Christian Watson. You can also see the communication between Reed and cornerback Amik Robertson on the outside:
Those were decent indicators that they would play “Banjo” coverage, which meant Robertson and Reed would play Doubs’ and Watson’s releases instead of locking onto a receiver pre-snap and then following him.
Robertson would take whichever receiver released outside first (or inside second), and Reed would take whoever release inside first (or outside second):
The Packers attacked this coverage beautifully. Christian Watson released to the outside first, getting Robertson (the outside corner) to lock onto him: