The Packers left Detroit with a 20-17 loss, and the margin of defeat wasn’t the only ugly part. On a night when Green Bay came close to stealing the win, the details that got away from them ended up taking center stage.
One of those details is drawing a sharp spotlight from the NFL’s official site. In its Week 7 roundup, Kevin Patra pointed directly at Green Bay’s kicking situation and didn’t soften the blow.
"Packers have a Smack problem," he flat-out says. "Green Bay rookie kicker Trey Smack missed two easy kicks, a 26-yarder on the opening drive and a 35-yarder on the last possession. The first miss was pushed right, and the second was tipped, partly because Smack didn't get enough air on such a short kick."
Patra went even further, arguing that the misses stood out even in an era where kickers are regularly pushing the range. He wrote that with kickers in the NFL today being able to notch 60-yard field goals, "it's cringeworthy that Smack missed two chippies." Ouch.
But the kicking woes weren’t the only issue he flagged. Patra also pointed to the offense, saying Green Bay didn’t do enough to help itself.
"Once again, the offense dropped too many passes, including one by Josh Jacobs that would have gone for a touchdown."
Now the Packers have to sort through the fallout and move on quickly. Their next chance comes Thursday night, when they face the Panthers on Thursday Night Football.
In Other News...
Packers Coach Weighed In On The Lions Penalty Controversy
The Packers 20-17 loss to the Lions came with plenty of extra attention on the officials, as Green Bay was flagged repeatedly and Detroit was handed 81 free yards in a game that stayed tight throughout. Matt LaFleur did not hide his frustration afterward, especially with one roughing-the-passer call, but he also stopped short of turning his postgame availability into a full-scale attack on the officiating.
LaFleur made clear he wanted the focus to shift quickly from the calls to the loss itself, saying the Packers need to move on and get ready for their next game against the Carolina Panthers. For Detroit, it was the kind of divisional win that can linger with the opponent long after the final whistle, especially when the games most debated moments keep coming back into the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Win Sparked A Postgame NFL Reaction Packers Fans Hated
The Lions 20-17 win over Green Bay was already going to leave the Packers frustrated, but the reaction afterward pushed the conversation well beyond the final whistle. Packers safety Xavier McKinney took aim at the officiating in the aftermath, and even Fox broadcaster Tom Brady raised questions about several calls, including a roughing-the-passer penalty that drew attention during the game.
What really set off Packers fans, though, came later when the leagues own social media account leaned into the celebration. The NFL posted a clip of Lions players dancing after a late offsides penalty on Green Bay, and the choice did not go over well with a chunk of the Packers fan base online. It turned a tense divisional loss into one more talking point in a rivalry that already needs no help getting heated. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Campbell Defended The Lions Gamble That Nearly Backfired Vs Packers
Late in the fourth quarter of Detroits Week 7 matchup with Green Bay, Dan Campbell made the kind of call that defines the way the Lions want to play. With the game tied and under five minutes left, he kept the offense on the field for a fourth-and-1 at his own 24-yard line instead of punting, a decision that raised eyebrows in the moment when the conversion came up short and handed the Packers a short field.
Campbell didnt back away from it afterward. He said he believed Detroit would get the first down and, even if it didnt, the defense would be able to get the ball back, and the sequence played out in a way that preserved his logic. The Packers failed to cash in on the field-position gift, the Lions were able to survive the scare, and the game still came down to a last-second field goal. [Read more 🡒]