Cheesehead
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- Mar 19, 2019
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GREEN BAY – This game changed in a hurry.
The Packers scored a touchdown 14 seconds before halftime and then another just 12 seconds into the third quarter, taking control of what became a 42-21 victory over the Lions on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
"That totally turned the tide," Head Coach Matt LaFleur said of the TDs sandwiching intermission.
The runaway victory appeared like anything but at the start, and it gave the Packers a 2-0 record with two division wins to start the season for the second straight year.
Trailing 14-3 in the earlygoing, the Packers cut it to 14-10 but looked like they'd have to settle for a small halftime deficit. Then a Za'Darius Smith sack and a Lions penalty while backed up gave Green Bay one more shot to score with a minute left before the break.
Two costly Detroit personal fouls preceded a laser of an 11-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to Robert Tonyan for a 17-14 lead. The Packers then took the second half kickoff and scored on their first play – a 75-yard touchdown run by Aaron Jones that highlighted his monster day – and the Lions never recovered.
"I've talked about it over the years, how monumental those opportunities to double up can be, to go from a down four to up 10 in not much time," Rodgers said. "We scored in 45 seconds, 50 seconds and we scored on one play. Next thing you know we're up by 10 points. That was important."
Indeed it was, and when nickel cornerback Chandon Sullivan added a 7-yard pick-six midway through the third quarter on another huge Lions blunder near their own goal line, it was 31-14 and the rout was on.