Not many times in the last – well, ever – have the Green Bay Packers had to look up in the NFC North Division to see the Detroit Lions on top of the standings.
As of Monday morning, October 9, 2023, that’s the way it is.
The Lions routed Carolina, 42-24, and are 4-1, including a win at Green Bay earlier this season.
They’re all alone atop the NFC North.
So, even though it’s only week five, the Green Bay Packers really need a win Monday night to keep pace with Detroit, as they visit the Las Vegas Raiders in Vegas (Packers and Raiders try to avoid season sliding away when they meet Monday night).
The Packers (2-2) have been off since that Thursday night 34-20 home loss to the Lions, and the Raiders have had issues of their own.
After winning their season opener in Denver, they’ve lost three straight games, and had to deal with a concussion protocol issue with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
Neither the Packers nor the Raiders have been particularly good this season at running the ball – that AP story points out that Raiders’ back Josh Jacobs only has 166 yards so far this season, and the Packers are 30th in rushing yards per game – but Green Bay does know this: even though it’s his first year as a starter, the Packers have got a fighter in quarterback Jordan Love.
Love led the Pack back from a 17-0 deficit to beat the Saints, 18-17, earlier this season, and they did give the Lions all they wanted before taking that loss.
So far this year, Love is 74-of-132 for 901 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions.
