The Packers are set to battle the Detroit Lions this Sunday at Lambeau Field. The two teams have each won 6 games so far and the victorious team Sunday evening will control the NFC North. Green Bay left Jacksonville last Sunday with several key players banged up which has many questioning who will be available against Detroit. Regardless of who plays, one thing is for certain, winning the time of possession is a must for the Packers.
Green Bay has won the possession battle in 4 of their 6 wins this season. In the two wins the Packers did not, the Rams had 5 more minutes of possession and the Texans had 2:30 more minutes of possession so a rather close margin. The Packers dominated the time of possession during Malik Willis’ two starts which is worth noting if he starts against the Lions. Knowing that Jordan Love’s status is up in the air, running the ball will be a priority for LaFleur. If the Packers have success on the ground, they can sustain long drives.
The Lions come into Green Bay with arguably the hottest offense in the NFL. Detroit leads the NFL in points per game. The Lions are averaging 33.4 PPG including 43.3 PPG in their last three games alone. It goes without saying that the less time Jared Goff and co see the field, the better for the Packers. LaFleur has always preached the importance of the football and that level of importance will be at an all time high on Sunday.
The Packers Converting On Critical Downs Will Be the Key
The biggest key to controlling the football and winning the time of possession is converting on critical downs. The Packers are coming off a poor performance in regards to executing on third down and executing in the redzone. Against the Jaguars, the Packers converted on 3 of 11 third down opportunities. Additionally, the Packers were 2-6 in rezone trips. The two trips the Packers scored touchdowns on were set up by a fumble recovery at the 5 yard line and a pass interference call that gave Green Bay the ball at the 3 yard line.
The margin of error when it comes to winning in the NFL is extremely slim. It gets even smaller when playing a dominant team like Detroit. If the Packers win on Sunday, it will be a result of solid execution in the redzone and third down. Green Bay cannot afford to leave points off the board. The Packers must find a way into the end zone in order to beat the Lions. If the Packers are finishing drives, they are more than likely sustaining drives which is the critical element of winning the time of possession battle.
The Packers have an opportunity to enter the bye week as the first place team in the NFC North. Green Bay can do that by possessing the ball. In order to do that, it will require the Packers to execute on critical downs and score in the redzone. Like Matt LaFleur preaches, the ball is everything and the Packers must control it in order to beat the Detroit Lions in this massive Week 9 matchup.
