Week 3 Detroit Game: A Must-Win?

PackerfaninCarolina

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Well, just a few years ago, putting a home game against the Lions in the must-win/urgency category woulda been unthinkable. It's not feeling that way now though, not after putting up an offensive stink show against them at home last year, needing a miracle hail mary to beat them in Detroit last year, and then of course last night's game that looked like more of the same. Not sure if you try to attack them more with the running game, or screen/TE outlets to go at them, but I expect them to do more man-to-man press kind of coverage with Slay and Lawson like they did last year, and right now you just wonder if it isn't better to try and take the ball out of Rodgers's hands to go at them.

Either way, I feel we can't afford to lose this one. This isn't like last year when we were 6-2 at the time and had enough gems still left in the schedule to dig out more wins, we got tougher competition heading into October with an improved Giants team, and even a Cowboys team we'd better not overlook, and then Atlanta coming up not long after. I don't think we can afford going downhill at 1-2 against a divisional opponent at home, we got to get confidence back and get our act together if we're going to make another division title run and it's got to start this next week.
 

C-Lee

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I wouldn't say it's a MUST win. We started out the 2014 season 1-2, and we all know how well we played for the remainder of that year.

The only thing that we 100% need to see is a dramatic improvement offensively. We have arguably the best QB in the league, and it's been painful to watch this offense since week 7 LAST season. Step it up, guys.
 

King of Jeans

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yes. we need this game. ANOTHER home loss to a division rival would be devastating. Not to mention we would be going into the bye 1-2 with so many questions and then we play the Giants who have looked pretty decent so far. It's a must-win.
 

mongoosev

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We need a BIG win as a confidence booster and prove that our wins are not just flukes. This is a must win because its our home opener and against a divisional rival. To go into this game after losing to Minn because of poor execution we better play like the favorites most analysts picked us to be.

I'd like to think, actually I know, this team is in a funk and will come out of it but going into week 3 with this much uncertainty, it's hard to say if they can overcome these obstacles this fast. Better now then never.
 

thisisnate

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Probably a "must win" for a lot of fans. Probably a "must win" for exactly zero people within the Packers organization.
 

MichiganSportsTalk

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Me: Lions must have just gotten complacent after Indy, and they blew it against the Titans. Surely this was a wake up call and they will bounce back in week 3. Who do they play and where again?

(Looks at schedule)

Me: Dammit....
 

sdh09e44

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It's as big of a must win as a week 3 game can possibly be. The losses because of terrible offensive production snowballed last season and never truly were fixed. Last season we were spotted 6 games before the offense went cold, that's already not going to be the case this season. They have to get it right ASAP or this will be a long disappointing year.

The offense needs to figure out how to beat the press coverage schemes teams have been constantly doing against them. Also maybe start thinking about defending other teams that way cause it works. Cause that is where last night's game was lost. It wasn't the lines, it wasn't the run game or run stop, it was lost in the pass game both ways. And that's troublesome cause last season that was the biggest issue. The WRs not being able to get open and beat the db. But the defense kept us in it. This team is screwed if the secondary takes a step back from last season.

But bottomline, seeing the offense struggles from last season reappear last night IS and should be alarming to the entire team.
 

NelsonsLongCatch

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Like last year when they lost? Or in 2014?

Yes. The Packers have been a better team than the Lions for a very long time. The Packers won something like 20 straight games against the Lions at home until the loss last year. The Packers should beat the Lions on Sunday.

1992 Dec 6 Green Bay Packers 38–10 Detroit Lions 49,469 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1993 Nov 21 Green Bay Packers 26–17 Detroit Lions 55,119 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1994 Nov 6 Green Bay Packers 38–30 Detroit Lions 54,995 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1994 Dec 31 Green Bay Packers 16–12 Detroit Lions 58,125 Green Bay, Wisconsin
1995 Oct 15 Green Bay Packers 30–21 Detroit Lions 60,302 Green Bay, Wisconsin
1996 Nov 3 Green Bay Packers 28–18 Detroit Lions 60,695 Green Bay, Wisconsin
1997 Nov 2 Green Bay Packers 20–10 Detroit Lions 60,126 Green Bay, Wisconsin
1998 Sept 6 Green Bay Packers 38–19 Detroit Lions 60,102 Green Bay, Wisconsin
1999 Nov 21 Green Bay Packers 26–17 Detroit Lions 59,869 Green Bay, Wisconsin
2000 Dec 10 Green Bay Packers 26–13 Detroit Lions 59,854 Green Bay, Wisconsin
2001 Sept 9 Green Bay Packers 28–6 Detroit Lions 59,523 Green Bay, Wisconsin
2002 Nov 10 Green Bay Packers 40–14 Detroit Lions 63,313 Green Bay, Wisconsin
2003 Sept 14 Green Bay Packers 31–6 Detroit Lions 70,244 Green Bay, Wisconsin
2004 Dec 12 Green Bay Packers 16–13 Detroit Lions 70,497 Green Bay, Wisconsin
2005 Dec 11 Green Bay Packers 16–13 (OT) Detroit Lions 70,019 Green Bay, Wisconsin
2006 Dec 17 Green Bay Packers 17–9 Detroit Lions 70,472 Green Bay, Wisconsin
2007 Dec 30 Green Bay Packers 34–13 Detroit Lions 70,869 Green Bay, Wisconsin
2008 Dec 28 Green Bay Packers 31–21 Detroit Lions 70,141 Green Bay, Wisconsin
2009 Oct 18 Green Bay Packers 26–0 Detroit Lions 70,801 Green Bay, Wisconsin
2010 Oct 3 Green Bay Packers 28–26 Detroit Lions 70,729 Green Bay, Wisconsin
2012 Jan 1 Green Bay Packers 45–41 Detroit Lions 70,294 Green Bay, Wisconsin
2012 Dec 9 Green Bay Packers 27–20 Detroit Lions 70,382 Green Bay, Wisconsin
2013 Oct 6 Green Bay Packers 22–9 Detroit Lions 78,200 Green Bay, Wisconsin
2014 Dec 28 Green Bay Packers 30–20 Detroit Lions 78,408 Green Bay, Wisconsin
2015 Nov 15 Detroit Lions 18-16 Green Bay Packers 78,526 Green Bay, Wisconsin
 
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Carl

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Did posters forget we played two games this year and not just yesterday?

Game one wasn't a bad offensive game. Why does the bad one in week 2 mean so much more? I haven't seen anyone mention the Vikings happened to play a hell of a game defensively, which was certainly a part of it also.
 
D

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I don't consider the game vs. the Lions a must-win but the offense has to show significant improvement.

Did posters forget we played two games this year and not just yesterday?

Game one wasn't a bad offensive game. Why does the bad one in week 2 mean so much more? I haven't seen anyone mention the Vikings happened to play a hell of a game defensively, which was certainly a part of it also.

While the offense didn't turn the ball over at Jacksonville the unit for sure didn't perform at a high level against the Jaguars either.
 

Curly Calhoun

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Well, just a few years ago, putting a home game against the Lions in the must-win/urgency category woulda been unthinkable. It's not feeling that way now though, not after putting up an offensive stink show against them at home last year, needing a miracle hail mary to beat them in Detroit last year, and then of course last night's game that looked like more of the same. Not sure if you try to attack them more with the running game, or screen/TE outlets to go at them, but I expect them to do more man-to-man press kind of coverage with Slay and Lawson like they did last year, and right now you just wonder if it isn't better to try and take the ball out of Rodgers's hands to go at them.

Either way, I feel we can't afford to lose this one. This isn't like last year when we were 6-2 at the time and had enough gems still left in the schedule to dig out more wins, we got tougher competition heading into October with an improved Giants team, and even a Cowboys team we'd better not overlook, and then Atlanta coming up not long after. I don't think we can afford going downhill at 1-2 against a divisional opponent at home, we got to get confidence back and get our act together if we're going to make another division title run and it's got to start this next week.


Divisional game at home - that's about as big as it gets in week 3. Hate to head into the bye 0-2 in the division, so, yes, this one's important.

A win here will get the bad taste out of the Monday-nighter out of everyone's mouth. If the Panthers take care of the Vikes Sunday in Carolina, GB would be back in first place.
 

Carl

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I don't consider the game vs. the Lions a must-win but the offense has to show significant improvement.



While the offense didn't turn the ball over at Jacksonville the unit for sure didn't perform at a high level against the Jaguars either.

It certainly wasn't a bad game. Twenty seven points is not bad at all.

The point is, a lot of the forum has started a panic attack over a tough road game we lost by three points and are just going by that game as if week 1 didn't even happen.
 
H

HardRightEdge

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Must win?

No.

1-2 is not the end of the world. In 2014 the Packers lost to Detroit in week 3, starting 1-2 and finishing 12-4. In 2013 they started 1-2 then reeled off 4 straight wins before Rodgers went down. Last season it was a 6-0 fast start, but the momentum could not be maintained.

NFL football is fairly messy in these first 3 weeks. Clicking by week 4 is what you want to see with something better than 0-3.

However, losing to a depleted Lions team, going 0-2 in the division, and kicking off a 4 game home stand on a sour note would be an unsatisfying circumstance. Of course, unjustified fan panic would ensue.

I'll say this much: Stafford looks a lot better spreading the ball around to a group of decent if not fear-inspiring receivers than leaning on Megatron. Conversely, Detroit has a 112.7 passer rating against, having faced Luck and Mariota.

This could be a shootout if the Packers don't clean up some things in coverage. Stafford has a history of being susceptible to making mistakes under pressure (either from the rush or the scoreboard), but if the evidently new and improved Stafford can control the ball through the short passing game, he could give the Packers some trouble.
 
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MichiganSportsTalk

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They could be thin at LB as well. Levy in particular has been a heck of a ballplayer when healthy.

http://www.espn.com/blog/detroit-li...ents-who-could-fill-in-for-many-injured-lions

Yeah... They ended up with 2 healthy LBs during the Titans game. Both Williams (filling in for Levy) and Van Noy got hurt. They had a converted DE playing LB for part of the game. Needless to say, it was rather ugly to watch. No idea what they are going to do on Sunday other than play nickel on every down and sacrifice a goat to Cthulu before the game in hopes that no more LBs get hurt.
 

MichiganSportsTalk

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I'll say this much: Stafford looks a lot better spreading the ball around to a group of decent if not fear-inspiring receivers than leaning on Megatron.

...but if the evidently new and improved Stafford can control the ball through the short passing game, he could give the Packers some trouble.

Much to the surprise of no one outside of Detroit, Stafford regressed back into a ***** machine against the Titans. The finesse and short game they used against Indy vanished almost entirely. Personally, I hope that was a wake up call for him, but it's the Lions. The only certainties are that I will be hoarse from yelling by the 3rd quarter, and 27% of my family's grocery budget will be going towards the amount of alcohol required to make watching the Lions bearable.
 
H

HardRightEdge

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Hey, I live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, I have friends and family that are Lions fans. Believe me, this is a must win game!
Maybe for the Lions from the perspective of Lions fans. From my experience, fans think every game is must win when their team is not in first place with a comfortable lead.
 

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