The Thanksgiving game between the Packers and Lions proved once again what I have been saying for 20 years. It is incredible that the Packers spend millions of dollars on coaching, scouting, and watching film, and still can’t understand this. This is proven true every week of every season. Here is what happened on each Packer possession:
First Quarter
1st possession: Throw on first down and complete the pass for a first down. Throw on first down and complete the pass for a first down. Run on first down and punt.
2nd possession: Run on first down for minus-1 and punt.
The Packers ran 8 plays in the first quarter.
Second Quarter
1st possession: Throw on first down and get a first down. Run on first down for a first down. Throw on first-and-20 and get a first down. Run on first down and punt.
2nd possession: Throw on first down and get a first down. From the Lion 1, run on first down for a loss of 2-1/2, throw on second down for a touchdown.
3rd possession: 1:02 left in the half. Throw on first down and punt.
The Packers had the ball for only 9:58 in the first half (less than half the Lions’ possession time) and had 86 yards of total offense.
The tone of a game can be set in the first half, and instead of it being a rout, the score was 7-0 Packers at half. The only reason the Packers had 7 points was because they got a turnover deep in Lion territory. Had the Packer defense not held the Lions, the Packers could have been losing, as they were outgained by a lot.
Third quarter
1st possession: Run for no gain on first down, throw for 26 yards and a first down on second down. On first-and-15, throw on first down and get a first down. Throw on first down and get a first down. On first-and-fifteen, throw on first down for 19 yards and a first down. Have first-and-goal from the 7, with a penalty making it first-and-goal from the 12. Throw on first down and get a first down (penalty). On first-and-goal from the Lion 1, throw on first down and got a touchdown.
2nd possession: Throw on first down for a 65-yard touchdown.
3rd possession: Throw on first down and get a first down. Run on first down for 2 yards, stalling the drive and resulting in a field goal.
The Packers had 168 yards total offense in just the third quarter, just about double what they had in the first half, since they threw on first downs. They scored 17 points in their 3 possessions, and would have had the maximum 21 and ended the game (making the score 28-0 with 1:30 left in the third quarter) had they not run on that last first down which stalled the drive.
It is obvious week after week, season after season, decade after decade, that when the Packers throw on first down, they score, and when they run on first down, they might get a first down or two, but the drive will stall This game, like almost every other, proves this conclusively. As I’ve said for over 25 years, the same holds true for bear games. When bear opponents throw on first down, they score, and when they run on first down, they get in trouble.