Whether or not Jordan Love suits up for Sunday’s showdown in Titletown against the Detroit Lions, Packers coach Matt LaFleur knows he’ll have his hands full.
On Monday, LaFleur called the Lions “arguably the best team in the NFL.”
“They’re really, really good and we knew that,” the coach added. “We knew that going into the year, and it’s not shocking to me. It’s a team we’re obviously very familiar with, and we’re going to have to play at our best.”
The Packers broke a four-game losing skid to the Lions with a 29-22 road win in Detroit on Thanksgiving last season. The division rivalry has been a matchup of streaks in recent years, with the Lions winning four consecutive from 2017-2018, then the Packers took five consecutive (2019-2021) before Dan Campbell’s club went on the four-game run.
You’ll get little argument from most with LaFleur’s assessment of the 6-1 Lions, who have rolled over opponents in recent weeks. Detroit has averaged 43 points over the past four games. Sunday, the Lions put up 52 points despite earning just 225 total yards of offense, the fewest total yards by any team to score 50-plus points in an NFL game in the Super Bowl era.
The Packers have been impressive in their own right. LaFleur has his club at 6-2 despite Love’s injury issues, which thrust Malik Willis into a critical role for 2.5 games. Green Bay is 3-0 in those three games, a sign of LaFleur’s coaching prowess.
Love’s status will be key for Sunday’s NFC North showdown. He’s considered day-to-day after an MRI revealed a strained groin on Monday. The secondary also has questions early in the week. Rookie safety Evan Williams exited last Sunday’s win in Jacksonville in the first half with a hamstring injury, and All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander tweaked his knee late. Wednesday’s injury report will better indicate their availability for Sunday.
