The Packers come into week 5 at 1-2 and are desperate to get going on a good run that can establish them as serious division contenders. Most expect them to be there or there abouts come the end of the season, but their opening three weeks of play will have worried fans and players alike. They know they have to get things fixed up quickly and start winning games.
On the positive side the Packers have not been blown away by anyone, and in both matches they have lost they have been just short. However, that will also be one of the most worrying things about the opening of their season – they have not been able to get on the winning side of close games. All Super Bowl champs through the season have had to win playing badly, or have the habit of claiming wins when things could go either way. However, the Packers at the moment are coming out on the wrong side of close results – and it is those few points that can be the difference between their season being a success or turning into heartbreaking mediocrity.
In week 3 they lost 30-34 to Cincinnati in what should have been a win. In week 1 they lost 28-34 to San Francisco in another game they feel they should have won. Sandwiched between those two losses was a 38-20 win against Washington.
It is not the offense that is worrying for the Packers – they amazingly rank number 2 in the NFL for points scored per game at 32.0 points. They are also ranked third for total yards per game (454.7 yards) and yards on pass (326.7 yards). However, they are still down at 1-2. They seriously need to plug the gaps in their defense if they are to turn their high points totals into wins.
The Lions meanwhile are 3-1 and enjoying a good start to the season. They claimed an impressive 40-32 win over Chicago last week, and will be confident that they can take down the Packers today and take advantage of their lackluster defense.
