Lions Looking to Bounce Back After Tough Loss Against Packers đš
The Detroit Lions fell flat in their first game since the Washington Commanders marched into Ford Field and summarily dismissed the NFCâs top seed from playoff contention back in January.
But what the Lions lacked at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday is precisely what star Aidan Hutchinson said such a loss will help them find heading into a second consecutive NFC North division contest against the Chicago Bears next weekend.
âWeâre gonna do it how we always do it. And I know we have a good history of responding. And we have another divisional [game], I believe, next week. I think itâs going to be good for us,â Hutchinson said Monday, September 8, per Woodward Sports Network. âThereâs a lot of expectations this year. Come in, lose like that, Iâm sure a lot of people will be really down on us, and thatâs where we thrive â when everyone doesnât believe in us anymore. Iâm sure everyoneâs going to be talking, but I think what we do really well is when this adversity hits, we put the blinders on â we go.â
Lions Defense Was Decent Against Packers in Week 1, but Pass Rush Was Lacking
The Lions defense wasnât overwhelming against the Packers, but it wasnât terrible as a whole, either.
Detroit held Green Bay to 266 total yards, including less than 200 yards through the air (188) and kept the ground game in check to the tune of 3.1 yards per rush attempt (25 tries for 78 total yards). However, the Lions had trouble keeping the Packers off the scoreboard, surrendering 27 points on the afternoon, and were also unable to force a turnover.
A considerable question facing Detroitâs defense coming into the season was how the pass rush would fare. The team did not bring ZaâDarius Smith back, for whom it traded with the Cleveland Browns ahead of last yearâs midseason deadline. The Lions drafted edge rusher Ahmed Hassanein out of Boise State in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL draft, but released him on August 27.
The only other edge rushers on the roster â aside from Hutchinson, who returned to action over the weekend for the first time since breaking his leg in Week 5 of last season â are Marcus Davenport, Al-Quadin Muhammad and Tyrus Wheat. The three appeared in 19 games combined in 2024, tallying a total of four sacks between them.
Aidan Hutchinson, Lions Defense Were Unable to Make Packers QB Jordan Love Uncomfortable in Week 1
Predictably, the Lions didnât make life all that difficult on Jordan Love during his 22 pass attempts on the afternoon, tallying just two QB hits and zero sacks.
Hutchinson produced two total pressures, one hurry and one hit on Love over the course of 43 snaps played in the game.
Detroit will host Chicago at Ford Field next Sunday after the Bears fell to the Minnesota Vikings in a stunning loss at Soldier Field on âMonday Night Footballâ after entering the fourth quarter with an 11-point lead. The loser of the Lions-Bears matchup next weekend will be the only NFC North team with an 0-2 record two weeks into the season.
The Lions are currently 5.5-point favorites to win the contest, per ESPN BET.
4 Lightning Representatives Land On NHL Network's Quarter Century Team
The NHL Network released its quarter century team of players who debuted on or after Jan. 1, 2000, and the team featured four Tampa Bay Lightning representatives.
The Bolts are one of the most successful teams since 2000. The Lightning have won three Stanley Cups since 2000, tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Chicago Blackhawks, so it's no surprise the team is littered with Tampa Bay stars.
The forward group is highlighted by Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin and Connor McDavid, but finding their names in the mix were long-time Lightning captain Steven Stamkos and current superstar Nikita Kucherov.Â
In his tenure with the Lightning, Stamkos recorded 555 goals and 1137 points in 1082 games, winning two Rocket Richard trophies, including a 60-goal campaign. Although Stamkos never won the Hart Trophy, he finished second in 2011-12 and added another two top-10 finishes.Â
Kucherov remains the Lightning's offensive driver after blossoming into one of the most skilled players of all time. His 994 points are second in franchise history, and his 357 goals rank fourth, but he'll likely find his way to second on the list by the season's end.
Kucherov is a three-time Art Ross Trophy winner, a Hart Trophy winner and a two-time finalist. He also joined an exclusive club, recording 100 assists in the 2023-24 season.Â
On the back-end, Victor Hedman headlines a star-studded defense. Hedman is a one-time Norris Trophy Winner and a five-time finalist. His 171 goals and 794 points rank seventh and third among points by a defenseman since 2000.Â
Hedman is also a winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy after he notched 10 goals and 22 points when the Lightning won the Stanley Cup in 2020.
The other Conn Smythe Trophy winner for the Lightning was Andre Vasilevskiy, and he was one of the two goaltenders selected to the team. He's been awarded the Vezina Trophy once and has been a finalist four times.Â
Forwards: Patrice Bergeron, Sidney Crosby, Pavel Datsyuk, Leon Draisaitl, Patrick Kane, Anze Kopitar, Nikita Kucherov, Nathan MacKinnon, Evgeni Malkin, Connor McDavid, Alex Ovechkin, Steven Stamkos.
Defensemen: Drew Doughty, Victor Hedman, Duncan Keith, Cale Makar, Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Weber.
Goaltenders: Jonathan Quick, Andrei Vasilevskiy
