It was a game of strange contrasts.

Jared Goff threw for 145 yards, while Jordan Love had 273. The vaunted Detroit running game had 138-yards, roughly equal to the Green Bay ground game. The Packers defense gave up only 17-points to a team that’s scored over 40 and 50 points in recent games. Yet, Detroit won by 10, and the game didn’t feel that close.

The Packers have plenty of talent to play with Detroit and the best teams in the league. But let’s not kid ourselves. Detroit beat Green Bay convincingly, while not playing close to their best game–because they didn’t have to. All they had to do was let Green Bay self-destruct.

Talent/Execution

The Packers committed 10-penalties, mostly in key moments. Green Bay receivers dropped multiple passes, many of which could have been first downs or scores. The ultimate gut punch came late in the first half when Love threw an ill-advised pass on 2nd and 1. The pick-six interception all but sealed their fate. Like a few of his other critical interceptions, the smart choice would have been to throw it away, but Love tried to make a play when he just didn’t need to.

When it comes to pure talent, there’s not much difference between the top 6-8 teams in the NFL. Green Bay is part of that elite group. But talent doesn’t equate to winning. Teams like Detroit, Kansas City and Baltimore aren’t making the unforced errors, or make fewer of them, than have riddled Green Bay in 2024.

Mistakes and missteps

It comes down to consistent coaching that teaches players the right and wrong thing combined with players sustaining their concentration to make those right choices as they do their job. The more coaches and players execute those fundamentals and maintain that concentration, the fewer penalties, dropped balls, missed assignments and logic defying turnovers. It sounds so simple, but with 53-players and 15-20 coaches there are many human variables that can screw up the outcome.

The Packers head into the bye at 6-3, in the thick of playoff contention. They have enough talent. But at the moment, their fundamentals and concentration are only good enough to beat weaker opponents, but not good enough to hold up against top tier opponents. Is it the coaches or players jobs to fix? Yes, both.

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