GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers will face their biggest challenge of the season Sunday when they host the Detroit Lions.

The Lions (6-1) have the best record in the NFC. They have won five in a row and lead the NFL in point differential. They are coming off a 38-point win over the Titans in which their seven touchdowns came on a 70-yard touchdown run, a 90-yard punt return and five drives of less than 30 yards.

Yes, Green Bay is better than Tennessee. But the Lions are much better than the Texans and Jaguars, who the Packers beat on field goals last game.

Here are three reasons why the Packers will lose to the Lions.

1. The Lions’ unstoppable offense

The Lions are No. 1 in the NFL in scoring, No. 3 in passing yards per play, No. 5 in rushing yards per play. They are seventh on third down and in the red zone. They have the fourth fewest turnovers, with just one lost fumble this season and no interceptions since Week 3.

Jared Goff is the hottest quarterback in the NFL. Running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs provide thunder and lightning in the backfield. Amon-Ra St. Brown is an elite receiver and Sam LaPorta is on his way to becoming an elite tight end. And the offensive line, led by right tackle Penei Sewell and center Frank Ragnow, is as good as it gets.

Green Bay’s defense took a beating last week in Jacksonville, but two takeaways were the difference in a 30-27 victory.

“I just think we’re getting better overall on defense,” defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said. “I think we will be even more consistent, but our guys play faster, they are more physical, we take the ball up front. They start to understand the pattern and technique better from the start. I think our linebacker play has been better. It will be good to have Quay (Walker) back.

The big problem will be Goff against a Packers secondary that won’t have rookie safety Evan Williams (hamstring) and might not have cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee; didn’t practice all week).

Goff is on a radiator. Over the last five games, Goff has completed 83.0 percent of his passes with a passer rating of 146.5, the best marks for a quarterback over a five-game span in NFL history. The Lions have scored more touchdowns than Goff has thrown incompletions during this stretch. He’s thrown 10 touchdowns with just 13 incompletions over the last four games.

The team’s preferred secondary of Alexander and Keisean Nixon at corner, Javon Bullard in the slot and Xavier McKinney and Williams at safety had played well. Once Williams went out in the second quarter last week, the Packers couldn’t handle the Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence.

How will they handle Goff and St. Brown if Alexander is inactive? Alexander has allowed a catch in each of the last three games. The pressure will be on cornerbacks Eric Stokes, who has struggled, and Carrington Valentine, who has barely played, to fill the cornerback spots if that’s how the Packers align.

Among players who have played in 56 games in their career, St. Brown ranks fourth in receptions. Since the start of the 2023 season, he is second in receiving yards and first downs and third in receiving yards. He has caught a touchdown pass in five straight games.

“He’s so competitive,” Packers defensive passing game coordinator Derrick Ansley said. “You can feel it on the tape. He has a strong build and is lower to the ground, so you really have to attack him and get on his body.

2. Lions big-play defense

The Packers have feasted on takeaways all season.

The Lions too.

Detroit is tied for second in takeaways (15) and interceptions (10). While Green Bay’s Xavier McKinney is first with six interceptions, Lions safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch are second and third with five and four interceptions, respectively.

“Anytime you can create pressure on the quarterback, you create throws that may not be the right decisions or just throws that are quicker than normal,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “Both of these guys have phenomenal ball skills. These guys make really good plays that most safeties don’t make, right down to catching the ball in tough situations.

“Joseph does a really good job of just reading the quarterback’s eyes and being in the right place at the right time. Yeah, they make a good duo there. They do a very good job. »

As a 2022 rookie, Joseph had three interceptions and five passes defended against Aaron Rodgers in the two matchups. Branch had 15 tackles and two tackles against the Packers as a rookie last year.

Of course, one of the biggest problems this season has been Jordan Love’s overly aggressive play. Despite missing two and a half games, no quarterback has thrown more interceptions than Love’s nine.

“Joseph and Branch are definitely ballplayers,” Love said. “They have a knack for making those big plays. We saw these guys. We love them, and you always have to be smart with the ball, be picky, make good reads. I know who these guys are, they’re very good players, very talented and it’s not surprising that they make important plays there.

Also note: the Lions defense is first on third down (30.7% conversions) and ninth in the red zone (47.4% touchdowns). Green Bay on offense is 15th on third down (39.0%) and 25th in the red zone (50.0%). The Packers can’t afford to lose these two areas.

3. Lions’ explosive special teams

Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia took an unusual approach during his Thursday press conference. He brought a sheet of paper with notes, making sure to highlight each of the challenges brought by Detroit’s special teams.

It took him about 90 seconds to get out.

“I will obviously start with the big challenge of this week at home with the arrival of the Lions,” began Bisaccia. “It really starts with their head coach.”

Dan Campbell emphasizes special teams and coordinator Dave Fipp has built an explosive unit in his fourth season.

Last week against the Titans, Kalif Raymond had a 90-yard punt return touchdown, a 64-yard punt return to set up a touchdown and a 44-yard punt return that was canceled by a penalty. Additionally, Khalil Dorsey had a 72-yard kickoff return.

“He’s difficult to deal with,” Bisaccia said of Raymond. “He has great speed. He’s playing fearlessly right now. He plays with a lot of confidence and can definitely go the distance. Then on the other side, on the kickoff return, Dorsey did a hell of a job. He had two very big comebacks. He also has enough speed to go the distance.

Punter Jack Fox is No. 1 with a net average of 47.3 yards. Kicker Jake Bates, who was a hot commodity after the UFL season, is 11 of 11 on field goals and 27 of 28 on extra points; Bisaccia didn’t think Bates missed the extra point.

With Fipp and Campbell, the Packers have to be on the lookout for a fake at all times; the Packers stopped one last year at Ford Field in a crucial play.

The Packers’ coverage units have been solid this season, ranking seventh in punts and 14th in kickoffs. But they haven’t faced special teams with the Lions’ overall strength, and the rain could create a slick field that would work to the returners’ advantage.

“These guys are as good a team as we’ve played,” Fipp said of the Packers. “They’re super talented, they’re big, they’re physical, they’re tough.

“They play arguably one of their best players there on punt return, No. 11 (Jayden Reed). We all know who 25 (Keisean Nixon) is. These guys across the board are really good. So for us, we have to go out there and expect them to do their best, and we have to play our best one more time.

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