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Can Lions break Lambeau curse? - NBC Sports

Can Lions break Lambeau curse?

Detroit eyeing first win in Green Bay since 1991 on Sunday Night Football

Getty Images

GREEN BAY, WI - JANUARY 01: Matthew Stafford #9 and Rob Sims #67 of the Detroit Lions walk off of the field after Stafford threw an interception to the Green Bay Packers with 30 seconds on the clock at Lambeau Field on January 1, 2012 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Lions 45-41. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Matthew Stafford; Rob Sims

But after clawing their way to 4-4 after a slow start, the Lions are floundering with four-straight losses, including the last three at home after leading with two minutes left in the fourth quarter. Detroit is the first team to do that since at least 1983, according to STATS LLC.

Now the Lions head to Green Bay for a Sunday Night Football showdown with their NFC North rivals. The Lions haven't won at Lambeau Field since 1991. The Packers' 21-game home winning streak against Detroit is the longest in the league.

One edge the Lions seem to have on the Packers this time around is overall team health. Detroit should get safety Louis Delmas and tackle Corey Williams back on defense. Left tackle Jeff Backus returned last week.

Play smart and disciplined: This seems as big a chore as any for Jim Schwartz's Lions. They just seem to be getting in their own way closing out games, whether it's the coach himself throwing a challenge flag when he isn't allowed to, Matthew Stafford getting sacked in field-goal range or players are getting inopportune penalty flags. The Lions have talent. They've been close in most of their losses. They just have to figure out a way to execute better down the stretch. They'll never win at Lambeau Field making dumb mistakes.

Packers

Shut down Johnson: Doesn't matter how many players you need to do it, but the Packers can't let Calvin Johnson beat them up again. He had five catches for 143 yards in the last meeting to help give Johnson 38 receptions for 661 yards in November. If you take away Johnson from the Lions, who have no running game, and make Stafford beat you with only a pair of tight ends, Rodgers stands a very good chance of winning the game without much problem. The Packers should probably start with promising rookie Casey Hayward and a safety over the top and adjust from there. Tramon Williams has been too boom or bust for the Johnson assignment this time around.

leftProtect Rodgers: Suh, Fairley and Company will be hunting down Rodgers as many times as possible. With Alex Green the only viable running back left - former Packer Ryan Grant has returned but may not be ready for much game action - Rodgers is going to have to move the team behind a banged up offensive line. There should be plenty of opportunities for Rodgers to throw against a porous Lions secondary, but he needs the time to do it. Whoever starts at right tackle, be it Lang or Barclay, has to hold their own against end Cliff Avril (four sacks since Nov. 18). Rodgers also has to play to his surroundings. He can't hold the ball behind a shaky line. Rodgers needs to mix it up, keep plays alive with his feet, but should not linger in the pocket.

Find pressure somewhere: The Packers' pass rush resides with Matthews, Wilson and Nick Perry on the injured list, but they're going to have to do a better job against Stafford, who has averaged 340 yards the past three weeks. Guys like Erik Walden, Dezman Moses, Frank Zombo and Vic So'oto will need to affect Stafford or else he'll carve up the Packers secondary even if he doesn't have many good downfield options at this point. Stafford's passes really start to get errant the more pressure he's under. Packers need to find that pressure somewhere or else it will be a shootout.