Josh from Newhall, CA

Man, I thought we had that for a minute! Offensively, the only thing I felt was really an issue was taking a bit to adjust to the blitzing in the first half. Defensively, it felt like the Lions won with play-calling. They kept on catching us in a blitz with their screen plays and we never adjusted. Nothing drastic is needed; just continue to learn and adapt. Does it seem like we're so close to the mountain top and just need one last surge? I'm optimistic.

Watching Detroit as much as I have now, what impresses me most about the Lions is how efficient they are at running their schemes with minimal hiccups. Detroit didn't have more than 28 yards on any of their 76 plays but kept moving the ball forward. That's the sign of a really good football team the Packers must find answers for if they get a third crack at the Lions.

Mark from Westminster, CO

This game stung the most for me because I saw much of the Packers' philosophy ring hallow. We need to start fast. Defer? We need to get off the field on fourth down. Touchdown? Touchdown? We play today's game. Last game the Lions scored at half. I wasn't sure we'd get the ball back 11 minutes in Bears game. Give the ball to the Lions with 4:35 left. Campbell stuck to his philosophy, and they won. The Packers monkeyed with their philosophy and lost. Plays? Players? Or coaches' decisions?

Matt LaFleur cited the first game against Detroit (when the Packers took the ball and scored on a 30-yard Brandon McManus field goal) as his rationale for deferring. I don't argue at all with LaFleur's logic. Possessions were at a premium like the Packers predicted and LaFleur wanted the ball coming out of halftime. It almost worked, too.

Gary from Louisville, KY

Hey guys, I seem to remember that in last year's Thanksgiving game the Lions had multiple failed fourth-down conversions and last night they went four out of five. That's pretty much your ballgame.

That's why it was my "Key to the Game."

Matt from Havana, IL

I've noticed that Tucker Kraft is turning into some sort of an antihero. I'm wondering if you know when Mitchell & Ness is coming out with a No. 85 home jersey.

Kraft isn't an antihero. He's the heartbeat and everything great about football. Kraft's kip-up after getting laid out by two Detroit defenders was about as badass as it gets, especially after Kerby Joseph predictably tried to drive his helmet into Kraft's knee. When you get Shawn Michaels retweeting your clip, you know you're doing something right, and Kraft's logic was sound – he didn't want the Lions getting any pleasure out of knocking him to the ground.

Brian from Sugar Land, TX

Fourth down...what do the analytics show? Success comes fairly often. Three teams have a success rate of 80 percent or better. The leaguewide odds are better than even to convert. The gamble appears really in where one attempts a fourth-down play with a reasonable distance to gain.

The only one I disagreed with was Campbell going for it from the Detroit 31 while his team was leading 24-21 in the third quarter. NFL Network's Kyle Brandt defended Campbell's aggressiveness in a thoughtful way, but I'd still argue it was a bit too bold in that situation. On the two fourth-down touchdowns, I kept thinking about LaFleur saying how passing plays on goal-to-go are usually there right away or not at all. Goff quickly hit Jahmyr Gibbs and Tim Patrick and that was pretty much the game.

Richard from Canton, GA

I look on Dan Campbell's decision to go for it on fourth at the end as the ultimate acknowledgement of Jordan Love and the offensive talent. Even without a timeout, they have a good chance to get three. Wouldn't you agree?

Frequent readers know I'm always in favor of doing what the opponent wishes you wouldn't. It was a tie game, too.

Jake from Orem, UT

Hey Mike/Wes, thanks for all you guys do. That was a tough loss to Detroit, but I think there's a lot to build on for the stretch run. Specifically, the defense is to be commended for their work against some of the top running attacks the past three weeks, holding each to 3.3 yards/carry or less. In addition to getting healthy in the secondary, what do you think needs to be done to solidify the pass defense?

Getting healthy is paramount. The Packers need Jaire Alexander. Being down two corners and then losing two safeties is also less than ideal. Still, you gotta get off the field and the Packers struggled to do so. As we've said time and time again, Goff is phenomenal at taking what you're giving him, and he made throws when he needed to.

Mike from New Orleans, LA

Maybe this is too much math for the Inbox, but today's (yesterday's if this is posted) question has me curious. What is the Packers' record with and without Alexander? I would hope we lose a hell-of-a-lot-more sans my guy.

The Packers are 8-8 without Alexander the past two years (5-5 last year and 3-3 this season).

Jeff from Montclair, VA

A lot of finger-pointing at the defense in Friday's II. But what about the O-line? Against a beat-up defensive front that lost more players as the game went along, this top-tier line looked pedestrian, at best. Those first few drives were maddening. Did the coach address this at all? Happy Saturday!

Regardless of who was or wasn't available, Detroit's defensive line came to play. The Packers allowed too much pressure on Jordan Love, particularly early on, and didn't clear enough lanes for Josh Jacobs, who again had to work for his yards.

Eric from Erie, PA

Last week, I wrote "10" needed to air out the ball because the Lions would play to defend Jacobs. I felt like they definitely tried to do that. I would like to understand why the Packers weren't attacking the middle of the field like the Lions did, and honestly, I don't understand why we aren't defending it better ourselves, it's been a glaring weakness. Glad to see Dontayvion Wicks catch the ball, finally. One last note, I like the sixth seed, it's got a nice path to the SB, I will lose two to win the last one.

That may have been Wicks' best game of the year. Listen, the Lions did exactly what I thought they would in stacking the box and playing a lot of single-high, man coverage. The Packers hit a few explosives off it but not enough.

Alex from Bozeman, MT

This one hurt a lot despite it being one of the best games of the year. There were definitely controllable mistakes again that need to get cleaned up, but I don't know that there is any one thing to blame the outcome on. What left me scratching my head is why Jayden Reed was not more involved. He's one of our elite playmakers and he had one target and no jet sweeps. I would have thought with Doubs out we would have tried to get him more involved.

I don't have an answer for you other than the Packers ran a lot of two-RB and two-TE packages. Dontayvion Wicks mostly ran the perimeter opposite Christian Watson, with most of Jayden Reed's 25 snaps coming out of "11" personnel. Still, you gotta think Green Bay wanted to get Reed more than one target and no touches.

David from Winona, MN

How was Christian Watson's route pass interference? He clearly wasn't trying to make contact, and he got run over by two different players. It wasn't nearly as bad as Ama-Ra St. Brown's push-off later, who clearly pushed Keisean Nixon to divert his route.

Ask the NFL. That's its deal to muddy the waters and then tell you where it thinks the fish are. I commend Christian Watson for saying all the right things after the game. He's a high-character individual who took ownership for his mistakes. Afterwards, Matt LaFleur said Watson needs to avoid the defender on a shallow cross while also acknowledging it was a bad play call in that spot.

Kevin from Chemung, IL

Mike, like most of Packers Nation, I'm still perseverating over the OPI, as it cost us the potentially game-winning TD. In rewatching the play, it appears that Watson didn't intentionally initiate contact, rather that Joseph ran straight into him and saw an opportunity for little theatrics. So, do we chalk it up to a mistake by Watson, timely smart play by the DB, or a judgment call by the referee that didn't go our way?

All the above, I guess? For a team that prides itself on its physicality, the Lions flopped like Magikarp any time the Packers touched them and John Hussey and his crew kept taking the bait.

Scott from Sauk City, WI

Overall, a pretty solid effort against the hottest team in the league. I won't complain about much, but my question is what in the world does Quay Walker have against the Lions? Goodness. He had come so far just to take another insanely foolish penalty. In the same week that the coaches ripped the team for bad penalties. Not a great look.

Quay needs to keep his cool, no doubt about it, but it was yet another case of a Lions player (journeyman Dan Skipper) initiating a scuffle and the officials catching the second guy because of a demonstrative reaction. Again, kudos to the Lions. They played that crew like a fiddle all night.

Jim from Sebastian, FL

While I agree that officials are doing what they do, I am concerned that the "NFL" is not correcting real problems with the bogus and ignored calls that are determining game winners and losers. While a Packers fan since 1959, I do look at other games too and see the same inconsistent application of rules that look to be favoring some teams over all others.

It took me two years covering the NFL to realize the league does not care and you can't lose sleep over it. It's just the way it is.

Lori from Woodbury, MN

I'm going to take a glass-half-full approach to this game. We lost, but we still control our playoff destiny. We held our own against a Super Bowl-caliber team, and we learned how critical every play, every block, every one-on-one battle truly is. Let's see if the Packers take this as a character-building moment. Don't sulk about missed calls; don't point fingers. Get better and play smarter. We are as dangerous as any team and can beat anybody if we play with focused fury. Go earn it!

100%. Paraphrasing LaFleur's maxim, you gotta play above the officials and the Packers did not.

Mike from San Diego, CA

On the OPI on Watson, I suppose I understand the call (even if not reciprocated for Sam LaPorta). What I don't understand is if they saw a penalty, why did it take them four seconds from contact and realizing Jacobs was going to score a TD before they threw flags?

Who knows. Who cares. He threw it. End of story.

Pat from Hudson, WI

Conventional wisdom says that Lions OC Ben Johnson will have his choice of any HC openings when the season is over, I sure hope that whatever job he takes it's far, far away from Green Bay!

I worry it'll be in Chicago.

Mike from Tampa, FL

Gents, the Packers are 8-0 against teams at .500 or worse and 1-4 against teams with winning records. The points for the Pack in those games are basically the same, but the defense gives up an average of 29 points to the good teams, but only 16 points to the bad teams. That's a two-touchdown differential based on quality of opponents! I'm with this team no matter what, but it doesn't look like we have a championship-level defense yet. Thoughts?

The stats are what they are, but I don't draw that conclusion. We're gonna find out soon enough. The Packers and their defense still have a chance to prove they can beat these teams in the regular season (Minnesota, Week 17) and potentially the playoffs.

John from Heber, UT

Wes, you had a very slick "Seinfeld" reference in your reply to Dennis from Parrish, FL. But in the very next post, you missed the opportunity to double-dip. Could have dropped in a Junior Mint. Would have been very refreshing. Instead, you took one dip and ended it.

Well, I'm sorry…Johnny. But I don't dip that way.

Al from South Milwaukee, WI

Man. The chortling by Lions fans on Packers social media tells me they don't even realize it's possible to go 15-1 (or now 16-1) and lose your first playoff game in a truly heartbreaking implosion. But last night the Pack showed us they can roll with the best of them. So, we got that going for us…which is nice.

I'm still flabbergasted by how many Packers fans were actually rooting for the Lions during last year's playoffs. It's like cheering for the Night King to overtake Winterfell because the white walkers were dormant for 8,000 years. The Lions aren't cute cubs. That team and its fanbase want to rip your heart out and devour it whole. To me, this divisional rivalry feels as real as any during my time on the Packers' beat. It's something to think about the next time you consider listing your Packers-Lions tickets on a third-party website.

Jon from Hampshire, IL

Third time's a charm? I know, I know. Rest up, recalibrate, and...just beat Seattle.

Move on and squelch the Seahawks. That's all you can do and that's all I got for this week.