Packer Central

Stock Report: Sky Falling as Packers Get Blown Out By Lions

Sunday's game was supposed to be a showdown between two of the league's best teams. Instead, there was a clear reminder as to who was in charge in the NFC North, and it is not the Packers.

Jacob Westendorf

Green Bay Packers punt return Keisean Nixon (25) is tackled by Detroit Lions linebacker James Houston (41) and linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during the first half at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.
Green Bay Packers punt return Keisean Nixon (25) is tackled by Detroit Lions linebacker James Houston (41) and linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during the first half at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Sunday’s game between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field was supposed to be a showdown between two heavyweights fighting for first place in the NFC North.

When the game started, it looked like we were well on our way to an old-fashioned slugfest that would make Wayne Fontes and Mike Holmgren proud.

Instead, the only slugging that took place was the mighty fist of the Lions across the chin of the Packers.

When the Packers fell behind 24-3, they had been outscored at Lambeau Field 44-6 in the last two years against the Lions.

By the end of the game, there was a clear reminder as to which of these teams is among the league’s elite.

Perhaps befitting of a game that was not truly close after halftime, our stock report would have you to believe the sky is falling.

That starts with the $220 million man.

Falling Stock

Jordan Love

Yes, Jordan Love was playing hurt. That’s admirable. The toughness of any NFL player is admirable.

The reality is, once you step between the lines, those things do not matter anymore.

The other reality is that a groin injury did not force Love to throw a terrible interception.

With the team trailing 10-3 late in the first half, Love uncorked his league-leading 10th interception of the season.

Kerby Joseph was on the receiving end of this one, and returned it for a touchdown. That made the score 17-3, with the Lions set to get the ball to begin the second half.

They scored, and the game was over for all intents and purposes.

Love entered the season as an MVP candidate. He received a healthy $220 million extension based on his play to close out the 2023 season.

Yes, the highs have been high, but Matt LaFleur often says that taking care of the football is the quarterback's first job.

Love has been both reckless and careless.

Some of these mistakes are not going to matter against the middling teams of the NFL, but they’ve certainly mattered in games against the league’s best.

Jordan Love was paid this offseason to play well in, and win games like the showdown against the Lions.

In the big games that have taken place in the 2024 season, he’s done neither.

Penalties

If we were ranking issues that surround the 2024 Packers, penalties might be at the top of that list.

It was fitting that the game started with a penalty on a big kickoff return from Keisean Nixon.

That was the first of eight penalties that would be assessed against Green Bay in the first half alone.

Each penalty appeared to be more costly than the last.

None were bigger than an encroachment that could have been called on TJ Slaton or Karl Brooks on the Lions’ first possession of the game.

On fourth-and-goal from the 5, it looked like the Lions had no intention of running a play until Green Bay made a mistake.

As has often been the case, the Packers obliged and made the mistake the Lions were looking for.
The next play was a touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown.

The bleeding would not stop there.

The Packers appeared to get off the field, trailing 17-3 on the first possession of the second half.

Fittingly, Detroit’s drive was extended by a Green Bay penalty. This time, it was defensive holding by cornerback Keisean Nixon.

Overall, the Packers were penalized 10 times. Simply too many mistakes were made against the league's best team.

Super Bowl Contender Status

The Packers think they’re Super Bowl contenders.

They’ve talked about it openly since the spring.

Sure, they’re 6-3, but have they really proven themselves deserving of being called a contender?

Their best win of the season came at home against the Houston Texans, who just lost to the New York Jets.

Never mind the fact that the Texans were missing some of their best players during that two-point victory.

Removing that from the equation, four of Green Bay’s other five wins have come against teams that were either riddled with injuries (Rams), or looking at picking in the top half of the NFL Draft.

They’ve played three teams that look to be on track for the NFC playoffs.

They lost their opener to the Philadelphia Eagles.

They’ve been embarrassed by the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions at home.

This game was a culmination in what looks to be a sobering reminder for those that occupy 1265 Lombardi Ave.

They’ve seen what the league’s elite looks like. With the number of mistakes and unforced errors they make, the Packers do not belong in this weight class.

Preston Smith

Is Preston Smith long for Green Bay?

NFL insiders have been reporting that there have been calls made asking about his availability before Tuesday’s deadline.

Lukas Van Ness took a larger chunk of snaps. Arron Mosby saw the field this week, as well.

Those snaps appeared to come at the expense of Smith.

Time will tell if the Packers are trying to phase Smith out, but he cannot feel secure as Tuesday’s deadline approaches.

Dontayvion Wicks

Another tough day for Wicks in the drop department. He had two vs. Detroit, both of which proved to be massive.

One came on a third down that could have extended a drive.

The other came in the end zone with the Packers trailing 24-6 early in the fourth quarter.

Wicks’ second drop of the day would be followed by Josh Jacobs getting stuffed on fourth-and-1, which ended any chance the Packers had at a comeback.

Rising Stock

Arron Mosby

There were not many positives, but Mosby seeing the field alone would have been one of them.

Add in that he helped lead the charge for an early stop against Detroit’s offense.

Mosby combined for a sack with Rashan Gary to force a Lions punt.

It was the first of Mosby’s career.

Josh Jacobs

Where would Green Bay’s offense have been without Josh Jacobs on Sunday?

At the start of the game, it looked like Jacobs was in line for another big day where he could help carry the Packers to victory.

Unfortunately, the rest of his team did not get the memo.

Jacobs’ teammates made mistakes that made it impossible to fully lean into a run-heavy approach the Packers clearly wanted to employ with conditions being as they were throughout the game.

That didn’t stop Jacobs from having a big day. His only mistake of the game may not even be attributed to him.

He was stopped on a 4th-and-1 early in the fourth quarter on what was a comedy of errors between lack of execution and poor play calling.

Through the first nine games, Jacobs has been the team’s best player on offense. Another feather in the cap of Brian Gutekunst.

More Green Bay Packers News

Packers-Lions: Live updates | Packers-Lions: Highlights | Packers-Lions inactives | Packers wary of Lions’ trickery | Packers-Lions in a monsoon | Three reasons why Packers will beat the Lions | Three reasons why Packers will lose to Lions | Q&A with Salute to Service nominee, Lukas Van Ness

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Jacob Westendorf
JACOB WESTENDORF