The Green Bay Packers walked into Ford Field and got a game that never felt like just one opponent. Between the officiating, the drops, the missed kicks and the turnovers, Week 7 in Detroit turned into one of those ugly, maddening losses that hangs around long after the final whistle.
Detroit won it with a walk-off field goal and moved to 4-2, but the path there was crowded with chaos. The Lions gave the Packers plenty of chances to seize control, yet Green Bay could never cleanly take advantage. By the end, a few calls had swung against the Packers, and that was enough to decide it.
Matt LaFleur came out swinging. The Packers were aggressive early, going for it on fourth down before later settling for a kick inside the red zone, and Trey Smack missed.
That miss was only part of a brutal night for the kicking game. Smack now has more missed field goals from inside the 35-yard line than the rest of the league combined, and that’s a huge problem.
The Lions also did something they hadn’t done in 14 games: they went the length of the field and scored a touchdown on their opening drive. It was the kind of start that should have settled them in, though their offense never truly looked smooth beyond that. Even so, they found enough moments to survive a messy game that kept tilting back and forth.
Green Bay had its own self-inflicted wounds. Josh Jacobs dropped what could’ve been a game-winning touchdown, and there were other drops mixed in for Jordan Love’s receivers. Injuries kept piling up, too, forcing the Packers to use a third-string center who had never even played a snap at the position.
The officiating was a massive part of the story. Lions fans can point to a call or two that went against them, but there’s little question the officials left a heavy imprint on the night.
There was the official who got involved in a play that had been blown dead, then threw a flag from his back after taking contact. There were also the roughing the passer calls that looked flat-out wrong.
On top of all that, Detroit seemed to keep getting the benefit of free 15-yard swings.
In the end, the Lions cashed in with the game-winning field goal. The Packers, who looked like they had to beat the odds just to stay alive until the final second, finally ran out of rope.
It had the feel of the Minnesota Vikings game from Week 1, only worse. Green Bay had every chance to leave Detroit with a win. Instead, everything that could go sideways did.
Now the Packers have a short week ahead of a matchup with the Carolina Panthers, who dropped to 3-3 after getting blown out by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In Other News...
Jonathan Taylor Feels Like The Packers Debate Fans Can't Ignore
Jonathan Taylor keeps coming up as the kind of player Packers fans cant help but imagine in green and gold. The Colts running back has the rsum to spark that kind of chatter, and his blend of production and age makes him easy to picture as a fit in Green Bays backfield if the team ever wanted to add another proven weapon around Josh Jacobs.
The problem is that this conversation is still rooted in speculation, not movement. Green Bay would need the right trade setup to make it work, and the contract side of it adds another layer to the debate as fans weigh whether the idea is realistic or just the sort of offseason buzz that keeps a big-name player attached to the Packers until something more concrete changes. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Roster Crunch Just Got Real Ahead Of Lions Game
The Packers tightened their roster for a crucial divisional matchup by activating running back Josh Jacobs, defensive lineman Jordon Riley and receiver Coleman Owen to the active roster before facing the Lions. Green Bay also elevated edge defender Arron Mosby from the practice squad for game-day duty, a sign the team is making its final adjustments with injuries already thinning out the available group.
Even after those moves, the numbers remain tight. The Packers have 54 players available for a 48-man game-day roster, which means more trimming still has to happen as they sort through several players listed as out or questionable. With the roster math getting crowded and the injury report still shaping the plan, the last few decisions could end up being just as important as the additions. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Face A Jonathan Taylor Question Fans Will Definitely Debate
Jonathan Taylor suddenly looks like the kind of name that can reshape the running back market before the NFL trade deadline, with Indianapolis reportedly open to moving him after the dismissal of general manager Chris Ballard. ESPN and NFL Network have both linked four teams to the situation, including the Packers, as Green Bay weighs whether a talent like Taylor is worth pursuing with its current backfield in mind.
For the Packers, the appeal is obvious enough to make the conversation linger. They can be evaluated against a handful of other rumored suitors based on roster need and backfield structure, which is exactly why this is the sort of possibility that invites a long fan debate in Green Bay. The question is not just whether Taylor would help, but how much sense he makes compared with the other places where his name is circulating. [Read more 🡒]