• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Rodgers, Packers eye second straight win

Sep 9, 2008 - 7:00 PM Green Bay (1-0) at Detroit (0-1) 1:00 pm EDT

DETROIT (Ticker) -- So far, so good for quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the post-Brett Favre Green Bay Packers.

Rodgers and the Packers try to start the season with two straight wins when they visit the Detroit Lions in an NFC North contest Sunday.

Rodgers, 24, was named the starting quarterback when Favre retired in the offseason, but he was forced to go through a tumultuous summer when the three-time MVP decided to return to the NFL.

Rather than welcome Favre back, the Packers traded him to the New York Jets, handing the reins of the offense to Rodgers, who had played in only seven games during his first three seasons in the league.

But, the lack of experience hardly showed in the season opener. Rodgers completed 18-of-22 passes for 178 yards and one touchdown while rushing for a second score as the Packers posted an impressive 24-19 victory over the rival Minnesota Vikings on Monday.

The team's first-round pick in 2005, Rodgers finished with the second-highest completion percentage (81.8 percent) in history for a quarterback making his first start.

"The things I really wanted to get done tonight - to make quick decisions, not hold the ball - I felt like I did those things well," Rodgers said. "It's good to get the first one under your belt and move forward now."

Moving forward is exactly what the Lions hope to due on Sunday after a dreadful 34-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, who dominated Detroit despite the debuts of rookie quarterback Matt Ryan, left tackle Sam Baker and head coach Mike Smith.

The Lions surrendered 474 yards, including 318 on the ground, as the Falcons averaged 8.3 yards per play.

"It's tackling - it comes down to that," Detroit head coach Rod Marinelli said. "Anybody can see that. The fits were OK but we've got to wrap them up and get more hats on the ball. That's something we've emphasized and emphasized but we didn't do it.

"(It's) one game - it's the first game. I don't like it, not at all. But beyond this, we're going to go back and go to work. But we've got to keep a tight locker room and we've got to come out and perform and execute."

Rookie Kevin Smith rushed for 48 yards and one TD on 16 carries in his NFL debut, while quarterback Jon Kitna completed 24-of-33 passes for 262 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

Smith, who fell 62 yards short of former Lions great Barry Sanders' NCAA career rushing record at Central Florida, wasn't concerned with his statistics as he tries to carve out his role in the offense.

"I'm just trying to help, no matter what the yards are," Smith said. "I try to help the offense, help the play-action game to get the ball outside."