The Green Bay Packers’ path looked easy. They just had to beat the Detroit Lions to clinch a first-round bye, with a pretty good chance at the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
The Lions had lost 11 of 12 games and eight in a row. Their defense was near the bottom of the NFL in every important statistical category, and dead last in passing yards allowed.
And in a hugely important game for the Packers that meant nothing for the Lions and their awful defense, Aaron Rodgers’ line at one point was 2-of-12 for 29 yards.