Week 3 Detroit Game: A Must-Win?

[XPack]

Unless we already have the play off spot in the bag, every game is a must win for me. Don't really think we can catch up later is the kind of mentality players or fans need to have this early in the season.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

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

On the other hand the Packers averaged only 4.9 yards per play. That's pedestrian at best.

 

[HardRightEdge]

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.

Well, there's been sharp spike in beer consumption, with a moderate increase in peppermint schnapps, up in the northland going back to the middle of last season. There's a fan crisis of confidence in the Packers not having been able to simply outscore opponents. I tend to be more circumspect in these early days given what I see in a much improved defense heading in the right direction provided Shields and Guion are on the field. For this coming game, question marks with those 2 players could give Stafford a window of opportunity.

 

[PackAttack12]

Not a must win, but it's a pretty big game. Facing a potential 1-3 start by playing the Giants in Week 5 is not something I am particularly comfortable with. Hopefully Shields will be able to go.

 

[C-Lee]

Sunday's loss reminded me of the Lions loss in 2014.

Which game did Aaron play worse in? (serious question)

 

[MichiganSportsTalk]

...provided Shields and Guion are on the field. For this coming game, question marks with those 2 players could give Stafford a window of opportunity.

We (Lions fans) thought the same thing with Indy's secondary seemingly all getting leprosy before week 1, but it seems like they never challenged them at all. They threw deep maybe 3 times, and even then it felt more like they were doing it to keep the defense from cheating short on them. When Calvin Johnson retired, the chuck it and pray style of offense left with him. I'm sure they will still take their shots, but it's going to be a long day for the Lions if they think they can try and stretch the field all day. Everyone knows what Rid**** and Tate can do in space, Boldin is still pretty reliable, Ebron looks much improved. Jones is the only real question mark for me. Not terribly impressed after 2 weeks.

My gut feeling is that if the Lions do what they did in Indy, they have a real shot at a win. If they try and run the same offense they did against the Titans, they will take and early lead in the 1st, lose it in the 2nd and never take it back.

 

[PackerfaninCarolina]

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.

A panick attack? No, but a sense of urgency? Yes. Why? It's not based on 1 week of football, it's based on the trend we've seen in Rodgers's composure as of late going back into last year, and still there, maybe a little less so in week 1, but certainly on full display week 2.

My heart and my head tell me we will beat Detroit, at least I hope, but after last year, it sure as hell is no sure thing. That's what the thread is getting at.

 

[PackerfaninCarolina]

Sunday's loss reminded me of the Lions loss in 2014.

Which game did Aaron play worse in? (serious question)

I'd have to get NFL Gamepass to go back and see that one, so I don't know. He didn't play good in either one, but I think the concern is the elements to Rodgers's game that seem to be on a worse trajectory right now than they were then. Can he right the ship this next game? I think he can, but will he? We can only find out. We got maybe our toughest tests in October this season, will be a critical month to get through on the winning side of most if not all the games.

 

[C-Lee]

I'd have to get NFL Gamepass to go back and see that one, so I don't know. He didn't play good in either one, but I think the concern is the elements to Rodgers's game that seem to be on a worse trajectory right now than they were then. Can he right the ship this next game? I think he can, but will he? We can only find out. We got maybe our toughest tests in October this season, will be a critical month to get through on the winning side of most if not all the games.

We need this game to be our "Shhh.... Relax" game.

It's like Aaron Rodgers is Austin Powers in The Spy who Shagged Me... HE LOST HIS MOJO! He's gotta get his swagger back, everything about him looks off.

 

[PackerfaninCarolina]

We need this game to be our "Shhh.... Relax" game.

It's like Aaron Rodgers is Austin Powers in The Spy who Shagged Me... HE LOST HIS MOJO! He's gotta get his swagger back, everything about him looks off.

Couldn't have said it better

 

[PackerDNA]

Personally, I'm getting a bit tired of the 'relax' theme- added to today by Ty Montgomery telling the fans to 'chill out'.
Hey, how about you guys raise your intensity level and do your jobs? They're starting to sound like a bunch of under performers who don't give a **** and don't want to hear about it.

 

[MichiganSportsTalk]

They're starting to sound like a bunch of under performers who don't give a **** and don't want to hear about it.

They're being real Cutlers if you ask me....

 

[PackerfaninCarolina]

They're being real Cutlers if you ask me....

Lol, as bad as it's been, this doesn't light a candle to Cutler's antics, as far as I'm concerned. As insulting as Ty's statement may have sounded, I think he understands the importance of winning to this fanbase here, he's come from backgrounds where it was all important and that culture is not changing here. I think he just wants us to remember 2 weeks doesn't make a season.

I will say though, I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing though for fans to put a little heat on this team to up their level of play.

 

[Mondio]

I didn't hear it, but i doubt he was meaning everyone needs to ****, and more like, we're working hard and we're going to get things going, don't worry so much about it. Things take time and what you see today isn't what they'll be in December.

They obviously believe in themselves, and they should. They aren't a bunch of scrubs, and they don't strike me as a group that doesn't work or play hard either.

 

[PackerDNA]

I didn't hear it, but i doubt he was meaning everyone needs to ****, and more like, we're working hard and we're going to get things going, don't worry so much about it. Things take time and what you see today isn't what they'll be in December.

They obviously believe in themselves, and they should. They aren't a bunch of scrubs, and they don't strike me as a group that doesn't work or play hard either.

I hope you're right.
But we've been here before, and it's playing out the same again.
It always strikes me funny that every year, for a team talking about winning Super Bowls, with a bunch of guys who have been here a while and played together for 2,3 seasons or more, that they need time to get it together. Not a problem other contenders have.

 

[Jmurray]

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.

I think it is a must win. NFC foe. Division foe. Home game. We do not want to be 0-2 in conference and the division and 0-1 at home. That is a good way to get a head start on NOT making the play-offs - which would be a disaster.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

On the other hand the Packers averaged only 4.9 yards per play. That's pedestrian at best.

That's actually bad. 4.9 yards per play would have ranked dead last in the NFL last year, tied with the offensive juggernauts that were the Texans and Colts.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

I would be ok with the Packers losing the game if the team actually managed to show some signs of life on offense.

 

[Carl]

I would be ok with the Packers losing the game if the team actually managed to show some signs of life on offense.

Moving the ball well on four drives in the second half sure looked like sign of life. Too bad they killed three of them with a failed conversion and turnovers

 

[sschind]

To me a must win game means if we don't win it then for all practical purposes the season is lost with no hope of making the playoffs. At 1-2 I don't think that would be the case. A big game? yes. An important game? Absolutely. A must win game? Not to me.

 

[Kyle L.]

Any ideas on finding a lawn to camp on a day or two before the game? I have a great seat for my first game, got a cheap plane ticket, and have never owned a credit card. Applied for a CC, and it was sent to the wrong address. Sooooo now I have a monkey wrench with the rental car I reserved. I'm going to check my mail before I leave, but it doesn't sound like it will be here in time. Here comes an adventure! I'll be the guy with an orange backpack, hitch-hiking. Bleeding green and gold!

 

[OldSchool101]

This isn't a must win, but it should be a reasonable step in gaining some cohesiveness. I think erasing our O turnovers is as key as our D forcing them. don't expect to win many games turning the ball over 2 or more times.
My philosophy this week would be to focus on ball security with extra drills and challenging our team to have zero TO's..
and/or come away net positive >= +1 on the turnover ratio
I'm confident we can both do that and have a noticeable increase in production over last week. Lacy needs to step up to open the passing game.

 

[Forget Favre]

Win or lose, I'll just be happy I'm not living in Detroit.

 

[Forget Favre]

Any ideas on finding a lawn to camp on a day or two before the game? I have a great seat for my first game, got a cheap plane ticket, and have never owned a credit card. Applied for a CC, and it was sent to the wrong address. Sooooo now I have a monkey wrench with the rental car I reserved. I'm going to check my mail before I leave, but it doesn't sound like it will be here in time. Here comes an adventure! I'll be the guy with an orange backpack, hitch-hiking. Bleeding green and gold!

You don't have enough money to find a bus or cab from the airport to a cheap motel somewhere nearby?
You might find answers or post questions regarding your Green Bay visit here:
https://www.packerforum.com/forums/the-green-bay-life.16/

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

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!

I was in the U.P. for a month last weekend.