GREEN BAY – The Packers just played the Lions a month ago, losing 24-14 at home to fall two games back in the NFC North race.
But a lot has changed with this Green Bay team since then. Here are five ways the Packers are better as they get set for Thursday night's rematch at Ford Field in Detroit:
- The Packers' health has improved at key spots.
For the first matchup with the Lions, quarterback Jordan Love was battling through a groin injury that had knocked him out of the previous week's game at Jacksonville early in the second half. His knee injury from back in Week 1 wasn't necessarily healed, either.
"At this point in the season, I'm definitely a little bit more healthy," Love said. "So a little bit different style of play out there, being able to extend plays more, things like that."
Better health goes beyond the QB, though. Center Josh Myers, cornerback Jaire Alexander and rookie safety Evan Williams all missed the first matchup.
Myers has since resumed full-time duty, dealing with a left (non-snapping) wrist injury. When he missed the Lions game, it marked the only time this season the Packers haven't had their preferred starting five up front, and the continuity of the offensive line has been a major plus otherwise.
"We always talk about, the healthiest teams are the best teams, I feel like," Love said. "Up front, if we keep those guys healthy, we've got five really good guys … and (we) missed Josh in that first Detroit game so I know he'll be looking to get out there."
Williams also came back from his hamstring injury after the bye that followed the first Detroit game. Alexander tried to return from his knee injury but played just 10 snaps in Chicago before exiting and hasn't been back in the lineup since.
He did return to practice Sunday, so he may be on track to resume game action, though nothing's definitive yet.
"Anytime you get (back) a premier player at their position, I think that definitely gives you a boost," Head Coach Matt LaFleur said.
- Offensive miscues are down.
A month ago, the Packers might've reached their low point with the dropped passes. Running back Chris Brooks, receiver Romeo Doubs and tight end Tucker Kraft all had drops in the first half that factored into Green Bay putting just three points on the board by halftime.
"The first time we played them, we just kept beating ourselves," Kraft said. "It's all just domino effects of mistakes. Make the least amount of mistakes, win the game."
The drops aren't gone entirely, but the Packers haven't had three in a span of just a few possessions since then.
Even more important, the offense has turned the ball over just once since the fateful pick-six by Lions safety Kerby Joseph in the final minute of the first half in Week 9 gave Detroit a 17-3 halftime advantage.
The Lions game could've been worse in the turnover department, too, with Love fumbling three times, but the Packers recovered all three.
In the three games since then, Love has thrown just one interception and no Packers have put the ball on the ground.
"Obviously the pick-six was a key changing point in that game, so keeping, having great ball security is an area we've improved on as well," Love said. "That will be a big factor going into this game."
- Red-zone efficiency is up.
The Packers went just 1-for-4 in the red zone in the first Detroit game, falling to 29th in the league in that category.
Since then, the offense has cashed in with touchdowns on 11 of its last 15 trips inside the opponents' 20-yard line, including a streak of nine in a row. That current production has allowed the Packers to climb all the way to 18th in the league and get the season percentage over 50 at 55.1%.
Detroit comes into Thursday night's rematch with the third-ranked red-zone defense, allowing TDs just 41.9% of the time, so the challenge from the first meeting remains as Green Bay looks for different results.
"That's another game where we struggled in the red zone," Love said. "I feel like we were moving the ball pretty well and struggled – struggled to put up those points. And obviously it's a good offense over there on the other side so we struggled to keep matching those points. I think that's an area we've improved on."
- The run defense and pass rush have taken steps forward.
The Packers' defense put forth a solid effort against the Lions the first time, holding one of the most productive and explosive offenses in the league to just 17 points.
Still, Detroit was very efficient, as running backs David Montgomery (17 carries, 73 yards) and Jahmyr Gibbs (11-65) combined to average 4.9 yards per carry, while QB Jared Goff threw just four incompletions (18-of-22 for 145 yards, TD) and was sacked only once.
After the bye, the defense had perhaps its worst performance of the season in Chicago, but over the last two games, the run defense has clamped down considerably. San Francisco's Christian McCaffrey had just 31 yards on 11 attempts, while Miami's De'Von Achane and Raheem Mostert combined for just 33 yards on 12 rushes.
The defense also has recorded seven sacks over those last two contests, too.
"I thought we did a hell of a job the first time," safety Xavier McKinney said of the Lions matchup. "Obviously, they're a high-powered offense and can put up a lot of points if you allow them to do so.
"We've just got to go out there with the same mindset and do what we did the last matchup – just do it better this time."
- Special teams have made a greater impact lately.
Since fixing the kicker situation back in mid-October, the Packers' special teams certainly haven't been a liability, and punter Daniel Whelan has been a key weapon in several games.
But the impact plays have risen of late, with the blocked field goal to win the game in Chicago, the punt team forcing the last three opponents to start from its own 10-yard line or worse four times, and two early momentum swings vs. Miami – Keisean Nixon's 43-yard return of the opening kickoff, and Robert Rochell's recovery of a muffed punt deep in Dolphins territory just 90 seconds into the game.
