Getty Aaron Rodgers gestures toward a player during a 2022 game in Detroit.
The Detroit Lions handed Green Bay Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers one of the ugliest defeats in his career, and yet, the quarterback didn’t seem to be too introspective in the wake.
Rodgers threw three interceptions in the loss to the Lions, and was generally seen as the biggest reason his team ended up losing the game. Even such, he had a lot to say about the loss when joining The Pat McAfee Show.
When asked directly about the defeat against Detroit, Rodgers threw a little shade the Lions way, even though it was in indirect fashion. As he said, he thought the defeat was more about what the Packers didn’t manage to do.
“I don’t think the Lions really stopped us.. it was more about us making mistakes” ~@AaronRodgers12
“Look, no disrespect, they played great. We had 400 yards of offense on them. Moved the ball up and down the field, I threw an interception off the helmet, I threw an interception five yards short of (David Bakhtiari). I didn’t play a great game. We still made a lot of mental mistakes. I don’t think they really stopped us. We had three possessions in the first half and went up and down the field. It’s more about us than them,” Rodgers said on the show.
Even though Rodgers added the “no disrespect” caveat, his words were clearly presented with some disrespect toward Detroit intended. Green Bay did move the ball, but Rogers himself was the reason the team lost, and the Lions played a big role into forcing him to make such mistakes on the field.
It’s clear Rodgers wasn’t really ready to accept too much blame for the loss or praise the Lions for what they were able to do. Even such, Detroit got the win and moved on, and may have effectively ended Green Bay’s season in the meantime.
To that end, they got the last laugh no matter what Rodgers may say was the reason for the defeat.
Big Plays Paced Lions Defense in Week 9
Finally, the long-awaited big plays on defense came to fruition for Detroit, and it came courtesy of the team’s rookie class.
Kerby Joseph was playing defense for the Lions in the first half against Aaron Rogers and was the lucky beneficiary of an erratic pass which deflected into the air and then into his arms.
Jumpman, Jumpman, Jumpman!
#GBvsDET | 📺 FOX
It wasn’t just Joseph who was making the big plays in the red zone, though. Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson soared to make a pick on fourth down of Rodgers.
AIDAN HUTCHINSON INT
The @Lions get another goal line stop! @aidanhutch97
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The pair of picks helped keep Green Bay off the board, and the Packers weren’t able to break through with a touchdown on either drive on the one yard line. Later, Joseph would make another interception of Rodgers for his second of the day.
The Lions have needed big plays on defense all season, and they finally found a way to make it happen in a game. Perhaps this can be a springboard for the team moving forward at the expense of the Packers.
Rodgers Explains Interception Troubles in Detroit
In terms of the picks he did throw, Rodgers was more willing to look at himself rather than praise the Lions for anything they might have done defensively.
McAfee asked Rodgers to discuss the interceptions and the plays he made during the game, and as he said, some of the gaffes were simply as a result of things that happened on the field in the course of the play.
“Two of the interceptions weren’t great throws.. I’ve thrown TD passes many times & I don’t give a shit what any of these experts on TV have to say” ~@AaronRodgers12
“Two of them weren’t great throws. There’s usually more than one part to plays. There’s a lot that goes into each play that could either avoid some of that thing, or guys could screw parts of a play up and you could make a great throw and make up for all of it. Wasn’t a great throw to Dave (Bakhtiari). Wasn’t a great throw to Bobby (Tonyan) either. I throw a lot of those balls low around the goal line like that. I don’t know that on that play there wasn’t some other things that could have gone on that could have made it a different type of window. I’ve thrown touchdown passes many times and I don’t give a s*** what any of these experts on TV have to say,” Rodgers said.
The Lions won’t have another shot at Rodgers until the season finale in Week 18, but you can bet the team and their fans will be motivated to get another shot at the quarterback after this.