Detroit at Green Bay (1 Viewer)

Wes Hodkiewicz has covered Green Bay for six years, most recently for Packers.com. He joined MLive for this week's beat writer breakdown to shed some light on the topic, and offer his perspective on longtime Packers guard T.J. Lang, who has become Detroit's best offensive lineman this season.

The Lions play Green Bay on Monday night at Lambeau Field (8:30 p.m., ESPN).

MLive: There's nowhere to start but at quarterback. It seems life without Aaron Rodgers has been rocky so far. How has the offense changed with Brett Hundley under center?

Wes Hodkiewicz: It's hard to say at this point, other than the Packers rolling with a ground-oriented game plan against the Saints. Green Bay got Aaron Jones going early - four carries for 70 yards and a touchdown on the opening series - but was unable to use it to open up the downfield passing game.

Hundley isn't Rodgers, but he has been in this offense for 2.5 years. McCarthy loved him coming out of UCLA and the Packers' front office felt confident enough about his abilities to trade up in the fifth round to take him in 2015. Hundley said this week he doesn't want or expect the coaches to flip the playbook to accommodate him. It'll be interesting to see what adjustments they make in his second NFL start.

MLive: Let's be real. Do the Packers have a chance to win the division with Hundley under center? 

Hodkiewicz: They do. I say that because of all the crazy things that have played out in this division over the last four years. In 2013, the Packers used three different starting quarterbacks to give Rodgers a chance to win the division at 8-7-1 in Week 17 against Chicago. They rode eventual NFL offensive rookie of the year Eddie Lacy to the playoffs that year, so the blueprint is there.

Last year, everyone left the Packers for dead when they were 4-6. Then they won the division.

I still don't see the Vikings running away with the NFC North this year. One way or another, I think that Week 17 game in Detroit will have heavy implications for who claims the North. 

MLive: Aaron Jones is a fifth-round pick who just went off for 100 rushing yards in two of his last three games. The Lions, by the way, haven't had a 100-yard rusher in 59 straight games. What has made Jones so successful so quickly? 

Hodkiewicz: He's incredibly explosive and has terrific vision. He's so sudden and decisive when he hits the hole. While most of the stuff he did at UTEP was between the tackles, he is quick enough to stretch the outside-zone, which is something the Packers really haven't had in the six years I've been covering the team.

Jones grew up in El Paso. He and his twin brother, Alvin Jr., were lightly recruited before UTEP came in with offers for both. He's flown under the radar his entire career, but his production hasn't really surprised anyone in Texas.

Like Detroit, Green Bay has had to do a lot of shuffling on the offensive line during the first half of the season due to injuries, but Jones has been productive regardless. Pass-blocking is an area of emphasis for him right now and his path forward to being a true three-down player.

MLive: T.J. Lang has been an instant hit in Detroit, both on the field and off it, as you might as imagine. I'm just curious what memories you have of him in Green Bay, either on or off the field? How much do the Packers miss him, if at all? How is he remembered? 

Hodkiewicz: T.J. Lang will go down as one of my all-time favorites in any sport, at any level, and I don't say that because he and I were best friends. I can confidently say I didn't make his Christmas card list from about 2014-15. However, I think we began to understand each other more over time and there are few players I respect more.

I said this when he signed with Detroit in March - I appreciate how he stands up for his teammates and what he believes in. He also understands how the media is a conduit to connect with fans.

As much as Lang admittedly grew off the field, he improved every season I covered him on it. There was nobody more deserving of a Pro Bowl selection than Lang last year. It's a shame he couldn't play in the game. He's always been a sturdy pass-blocker, but he's developed himself into one of the league's most well-rounded guards.

He'll be remembered in Green Bay for his professionalism. His toughness is without equal. His leadership and grit aren't easy to replace. He's a true enforcer. Off the field, T.J. will have a long, productive career in broadcasting if he chooses to go that direction whenever he hangs up the cleats.

MLive: The Packers have had their way with the Lions at Lambeau Field over the years, even with backup quarterbacks. They continue the trend if ... 

Hodkiewicz: ... they get the downfield passing game going. The one area where the Packers have been relatively healthy all season is at receiver. Jordy Nelson is 32, but still one of the savviest route-runners in the league. The Packers will move him around, too. He could see more action in the middle of the field today with Martellus Bennett doubtful. Davante Adams is blossoming as a big-play receiver. He's supremely confident and has through-the-roof athleticism. Randall Cobb is still a dual-threat in the middle of the field as well. Those three receivers and Geronimo Allison could be Hundley's best friends today.

It's also going to be on Green Bay's defense to get back playing to how it did against Seattle in Week 1. The return of Morgan Burnett from a hamstring injury should help. The Packers use him as a hybrid safety. He's lined up at practically every spot in the secondary this year in addition to linebacker in the Packers' 'Nitro' nickel defense. Sacks have been down this year, but Clay Matthews, Mike Daniels and Nick Perry are all healthy now.

Wes Hodkiewicz is a longtime veteran of the Green Bay Press-Gazette who now writes for Packers.com.