The Packers’ ugly Thursday night loss to the Falcons was a loud reminder that early-season chaos can swing fast in the NFL - and it also explains why the panic around the Lions may be jumping the gun.
Atlanta didn’t just beat Green Bay. It made the Packers look broken in a way that should catch Detroit fans’ attention for the right reasons.
This was a blowout by a Falcons team that, through two weeks, had looked like it might be in line for relegation. Instead, they walked in and handled Green Bay with ease.
The biggest mess for the Packers started up front. Jordan Love was under pressure all night, and the numbers showed it: a QBR of 42.6, a passer rating of just 75.4, and one interception.
Green Bay’s offensive line couldn’t keep him clean, and the problems didn’t stop there. The Packers’ defensive line also failed to slow Bijan Robinson, while the run game completely disappeared.
Green Bay finished with only 17 rushing yards.
That’s the kind of performance that should make Lions fans pump the brakes on any early-season doom talk. Yes, anything can happen from week to week, and the NFC North looks wide open after a loss like this. But the specific issues that buried the Packers aren’t the same ones Detroit is staring at as it heads into Week 3 against the New York Jets.
The schedules tell part of the story too. Detroit’s remaining path is easier than Green Bay’s, with the difference sitting between the 22nd and 26th weakest remaining strength of schedule. That gap may not sound enormous on paper, but with the Packers carrying so many obvious flaws, it looks a lot bigger in practice.
Detroit has reasons to feel better about its foundation. The Lions have a decent core on the offensive line, and Jared Goff has looked good in 2025 even with shaky line play in front of him. Green Bay couldn’t make the same kind of magic happen with Love on Thursday night.
There’s also the run defense, where Detroit has been strong enough to matter. The Lions are allowing an average of 4.8 rushing yards per game, though they still have room to tighten things up after giving up 147 rushing yards per game on average so far. Even so, that’s a manageable issue compared with what Green Bay just put on tape.
And Detroit doesn’t need to lean too hard on the run game anyway with Jahmyr Gibbs in the fold.
The Lions do have flaws. The secondary has been poor, and the defensive line has gone quiet at times.
But those are fixable problems, and it’s still only Week 3. Green Bay’s problems feel much harder to patch.
For Lions fans, that’s the real takeaway from Thursday night.
In Other News...
Aaron Glenn's Return Just Made This Lions Test Even Tougher
The Week 3 matchup at Ford Field already had enough going for it, with the Jets coming to town to test a Lions team that expects to be pushed on both sides of the ball. But the return of Aaron Glenn adds another layer to it. Glenn spent 2021 through 2024 as Detroits defensive coordinator, and now he comes back as Jets head coach with a familiar defensive identity and plenty of history alongside Dan Campbell.
Campbell and Glenn built a close working relationship in Detroit, so this one has more than just the usual regular-season edge. Campbell called it a competitive game and pointed to the challenge New York brings on defense and offense, which is exactly why this feels like more than a reunion. For the Lions, it is a chance to measure themselves against a coach they know well and a unit shaped by the same hard-nosed standards that helped define them not long ago. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Suddenly Have A Jets Problem They May Not Be Built For
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Campbell also pointed to the defensive side, where the Lions have leaned more on zone coverage while dealing with multiple unavailable safeties. Christian Izien has been getting more work in practice, and Campbell suggested other players may have to help absorb the load, which leaves Detroit trying to piece together enough back-end stability at a moment when that part of the defense is already stretched thin. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Tease A Fan Favorite Look For Jets Matchup
A familiar combination might be back in play when the Lions line up against the Jets, with Detroit teasing its blue home jerseys paired with silver pants for the upcoming matchup. It is the kind of look that has become a fan favorite in recent seasons, and one that the Lions have only brought out a couple of times since last year, including Week 11 and on Thanksgiving against Green Bay.
There is some extra intrigue around the game because Jets coach Aaron Glenn was the first coaching hire made by Dan Campbell in Detroit, a move that tied the two coaches together well before Sundays meeting. Glenn has spoken about appreciating the chance Campbell gave him and about their early discussions on changing the teams culture, so the uniform tease adds a little more buzz to a reunion that already carries some history. [Read more 🡒]