The Green Bay Packers couldn’t overcome an embarrassing first half and fell 34-20 to the Detroit Lions on Thursday night at Lambeau Field.
Matt LaFleur’s team took an early 3-0 lead but then allowed 27 consecutive points to end the first half. A pair of touchdown drives to open the second half weren’t nearly enough for the Packers to make up the deficit.
Buy Packers TicketsThe defeat in primetime dropped the young Packers to 2-2 after four games.
Here’s what went right, what went wrong and what it means for the Packers moving forward:
What went right
— Rudy Ford’s interception. The Packers ran a twist with Devonte Wyatt and Quay Walker, and Wyatt’s late pressure forced Jared Goff into a mistake. Ford jumped his pass and immediately put the Packers into the red zone.
— Two touchdown drives (and two stops) to open the second half. Jordan Love hit Christian Watson for a touchdown and then ran in a 9-yard touchdown to cut the the Lions’ lead to 27-17 early in the fourth quarter. The defense also delivered back-to-back stops, but the comeback attempt fizzed after a Packers punt.
— Romeo Doubs caught a career-high nine passes.
— Watson returned to the lineup and delivered a 24-yard catch to set up the Packers’ first scoring drive of the second half. He also scored his first touchdown of the 2023 season.
— Quay Walker had a disastrous special teams penalty late, but he also tallied a career-high 19 tackles, including 10 solo stops and a tackle for loss.
— Keisean Nixon hasn’t done anything of value as a kick returner, but he did set up points with a 34-yard punt return in the fourth quarter.
— Rookie kicker Anders Carlson continued his perfect start, connecting on both field goal attempts, including a 50-yarder in the fourth quarter.
— Rookie Jayden Reed produced a big play for the fourth consecutive game to start his NFL career. He had a 44-yard catch to end the third quarter. He’s created a catch of at least 30 yards or a touchdown in all four games.
What went wrong
— Just about everything in the first half following Rudy Ford’s interception on the Lions’ first series. The Packers ran three plays and had to settle for a field goal. From there, the offense punted four times, had a turnover and ended the half on a sack. Meanwhile, the Lions produced over 200 yards and scored on four straight possessions to end the first half, creating a 27-3 advantage.
— Pass protection. The Lions produced five sacks and 11 total quarterback hits. The pressure started early and never really ceased, and Jordan Love was affected all game. Five different Lions players had a quarterback hit.
— In his return, Aaron Jones carried five times for 18 yards and caught one pass for -4 yards. Six total touches.
— The run defense. The Packers gave up 211 rushing yards on 43 attempts, including 121 yards and three scores from David Montgomery. Kalif Raymond gashed the Packers for 40 yards on a gadget play.
— More negatives from the special teams: The Packers committed several more penalties on special teams, and Quay Walker’s unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on a late field goal attempt essentially ended the game. This is a poorly coached and executed third phase for the Packers.
— Rookie tight end Luke Musgrave left with a concussion. He’ll enter the league’s protocol in Week 5.
— Turnover battle lost: The Lions won the turnover battle over the Packers 5-1 last season. On Thursday night, the Lions won it 2-0. Both turnovers were Jordan Love interceptions.
What it means
The 34-20 loss means the Packers are 2-2 and staring up at the Lions in the NFC North standings after four weeks. Matt LaFleur’s team is nothing if not young, inexperienced and inconsistent. The rollercoaster ride of the last three weeks has been jarring. Consider the third quarter (going up 24-12) to fourth quarter (losing 25-24) in Atlanta, the first three quarters (falling behind 17-0) to fourth quarter (winning 18-17) vs. New Orleans, and even the first half (falling behind 27-3) into the second half (cutting lead to 27-17). This team can turn it on but can also get stuck in reverse for long stretches. Maybe that’s just to be expected for a young team. Despite all the highs and lows, the Packers are 2-2 and entering a stretch with just one game (Monday, Oct. 9) between now and mid-October. Can the Packers continue to improve and become more consistent, or are the first four games a sign of how the 2023 season is going to play out? Thursday night was a reality check — the Packers need to get a lot better to compete with the NFC’s best.
What's next
A chance to lick their wounds and get healthy before heading to Sin City. The Packers have some soul-searching to do after one of the worst first-half performances in the team’s recent history and a decisive home loss to a division rival. But fortunately for Matt LaFleur, playing on Thursday night provides extra time — not only to digest what happened against the Lions, but also to prep for the Raiders and get his team healthier entering Week 5. The Packers and Raiders will face off on “Monday Night Football” from Las Vegas on Oct. 9. The Raiders are already 1-2 and could be desperate for a win come next week.
