By playing their best all-around game of the season on Thanksgiving against the Packers, the Lions have made a big statement that they’re the team to beat in the NFC North.
The Lions’ victory was even more one-sided than the 40-10 final score indicated. The total yardage differential of 435 yards was the most in any game in the NFL in the last eight years.
Matthew Stafford had three turnovers but also had 330 passing yards and three touchdowns, and Reggie Bush and Joique Bell both had big days running the ball for the Lions. Calvin Johnson had six catches for 101 yards and a touchdown, even though it was a relatively quiet day by Megatron’s standards.
Ndamukong Suh had his third consecutive noteworthy Thanksgiving, but this time it was noteworthy for a good reason: Suh sacked Matt Flynn for a safety that broke the game open. (Last year he was fined after kicking Matt Schaub in the groin on Thanksgiving; two years ago he was suspended after stomping on Evan Dietrich-Smith on Thanksgiving.) The Lions’ defensive line dominated the Packers’ offensive line all day, perhaps making Green Bay guard Josh Sitton regret his comments this week.
Packers quarterback Matt Flynn was terrible, and the Packers may look back on this season as having been lost the day that Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone.
The Lions still have to keep winning if they want to win the NFC North, but with a tiebreaker edge over the Bears, Detroit has to be considered the favorite to win its first division title in 20 years.