The Green Bay Packers are coming off of a new in week 4 and now the team will be playing a division rival in the Detroit Lions in a game that Aaron Rodgers and company needs to get things back on track after starting 1-2 this season.
The Packers have a couple teams to catch in the division, as Detroit and Chicago are tied for the lead in the NFC North and the teams will be looking to battle each other all season. The Packers have this game at home after suffering a tough defeat at the hands of the Bengals before the bye and Rodgers will be looking to get the offense moving quickly, with names like Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson set up for big days.
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The rushing attack will be the most interesting thing to watch for the Packers, as James Starks will be out with a knee injury while Jonathan Franklin and Eddie Lacy are expected to get most of the carries. Starks was leading the team with 187 yards and a touchdown before getting injured and now Franklin will come in after rushing for 100 yards last week, making it two games in a row that the Packers have had 100-yard rushers after having none since back in 2011. The rushing attack will need to be consistent to play against the Lions, as Reggie Bush has helped transform the offense.
Bush has been a factor in the passing game and he has already rushed for over 250 yards this season. Randall Cobb is the top wideout for the Packers, making over 20 catches for nearly 300 yards with two touchdown scores. The Packers opened the season with a loss to the Niners before defeating the Redskins and now the team will play a stretch against AFC and NFC North opponents coming out of the bye, playing Detroit, the Ravens on the road, Cleveland at home and the Vikings on the road before hosting the Chicago Bears on Monday night football in what could be one of the biggest games of the season.
The team has back to back games against the NFC East with the Eagles and Giants next and then the team plays the Vikings and Lions in consecutive weeks and those games could be huge in deciding the division. The team has another huge game against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 14 on Sunday night football and then the team plays against the Steelers and on the road against the Bears to finish the season. The Packers are ranked in the top 10 in both passing and rushing yards per game, but the defense has been terrible against the pass, giving up over 300 yards per game. The defense is in the top 10 against the run, averaging less than 100 yards allowed per game.