For Tucker Kraft of the Packers, the Lions have been "a thorn in my side." And Kerby Joseph has been a menace to some of Kraft's fellow tight ends.
Considering some of the hits the Lions safety has laid on players like Tyler Higbee of the Rams and T.J. Hockenson of the Vikings, Kraft said this week he's hoping to "get my hands on" Joseph in Thursday night's game in Detroit.
"I don’t have too many tidbits on Kerby. I know he’s a dangerous player," Kraft said, via Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. "He can flip games. He’s a good DB. I might not agree with some of the places he likes to lay contact. He’s taken some of my brothers out of the game, and I think about that, too. So if I get a chance to get my hands on him, you know, playing football."
Both Higbee and Hockenson suffered torn ACL's on low -- but legal -- hits by Joseph last season. Hockenson later said himself that he doesn't bear any ill will toward Joseph, his former teammate in Detroit, instead blaming the NFL rules for incentivizing tacklers to aim low.
But it sounds like Kraft wants to take matters into, well, his own hands.
Kraft, a former third-round pick, is having a strong season in year two with the Packers. He has 49 catches for 480 yards and six touchdowns -- third among NFL tight ends -- through 12 games, already surpassing his final numbers from last year.
But he's 1-3 in his career against the Lions.
"Since I’ve been a Packer, Detroit’s been a thorn in my side, personally," Kraft said. "So every chance I get to play them and beat them is a chance I’m not going to take lightly. I’m eager to play them every time."
Kraft said the Packers' goal Thursday night is to establish their physicality on offense early in the game and take a lead to quiet the crowd.
"Ford Field gets loud, the big rectangle that place," he said. "It’s a place where the atmosphere thrives and the defense will play good behind that, so we’d like to establish our offense as soon as we can so we don’t have to use silent cadence. Hopefully we get some of their fans leaving early like we did last Thanksgiving. We’re ready."