The Packers are feline frisky after a win against the Jaguars propelled them to 6-2 on the season. Now they’re back home at Lambeau Field to take on the 6-1 Detroit Lions. Another cat team, but this one with much bigger stakes. Here are six things to keep in mind during this NFC North clash for first in the division. 

1. All They Do Is Win

Per the Elias Sports Bureau, “this is the first time since Dec. 8 1996 (10-3 Green Bay vs. 12-1 Denver) where both teams enter a game at Lambeau Field in Week 9 or later with a .750-plus winning percentage.” 

The Lions come to Lambeau Field on a five-game win streak, while the Packers are enjoying a four-game win streak of their own. The teams combined have three losses this season, and each loss has been by five points or less. In the division rivalry, the Lions were on a four-game win streak against the Packers before Green Bay snapped the streak on Thanksgiving last season with a 29-22 win. 

Worth noting, this is only the second division matchup for both the Lions and the Packers, with each team facing the Vikings once already. Per the dope sheet, Sunday’s contest is the first of five NFC North games the Packers will play in their final nine games. It’s the first time since 2015 that five of the final nine games will be against the division, with Green Bay on a bye next week before traveling to Soldier Field to face the Bears in Week 11. 

2. The Pride of the North? 

This Lions offense is putting the rest of the league on notice. Detroit is first in the NFL in points for, averaging 33.4 points per game. The team is first in rushing touchdowns with 13, and third in passing touchdowns with 15. In Detroit’s last four games, the Lions have put up 42, 47, 31, and 52 points. They boast a plus-91 point turnover differential in that four-game stretch. 

Per CBS, the Lions have 25 touchdowns with only 20 incompletions in the last five games. They’re the first team since the merger with more touchdowns than incompletions in a five-game span. 

On the season, Jared Goff has 13 touchdowns to only four interceptions with 1,695 yards. His completion percentage of 74.1% is the highest of his career by a significant margin. He’s averaging nine yards per attempt, which is also a career-high. His 115.3 passer rating is once again the best of his career, and if it stands would be the third time he’s finished a season with a passer rating over 100.0 (the first two times coming with the Rams). 

What makes this offense challenging is that Goff isn’t the only one throwing touchdowns. Both running back David Montgomery and receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown have thrown touchdown passes this season, too. It’s an offense that needs to be defended from every angle, but more on that in just a bit. 

3. Ready to Pounce

While the Lions are scoring at an electric rate, their defense is keeping pace, too. The team is eighth in points against, allowing an average of 19.1 points per game. They’re tied for second in the league (with the Packers) with 10 interceptions, but the Lions have done it in one less game. Detroit has also officially surpassed the Packers in turnover differential with plus-10, while Green Bay isn’t far behind at plus-seven. 

While Packers safety Xavier McKinney leads the NFL in interceptions with six, two Lions are right in the thick of the interception race, too. Kerby Joseph has five picks this season while Brian Branch has four. Joseph and Branch have a combined 18 passes defensed in addition to their combined nine interceptions. The only other player on the Lions with an interception is linebacker Trevor Nowaske who has one. 

The pass rush was dealt a blow when star rusher Aidan Hutchinson suffered a gruesome leg injury. There’s some optimism he could be back just in time for a Super Bowl appearance, if the Lions were to make it that far, but he’s looking at a four-to-six month recovery time. Before his injury, Hutchinson had 7.5 sacks with 17 quarterback hits. No one else on the team has more than 2.5 sacks or seven QB hits. The Lions have 20 total sacks this season, averaging just under three per game. 

For comparison’s sake, the Packers have 21 sacks this season, but Devonte Wyatt leads the team with three sacks, despite missing three games. Rashan Gary leads the team with seven quarterback hits.

When it comes to third and fourth down conversions, the Lions defense ranks first and second, respectively, allowing third down conversions only 30.7% of the time and fourth down conversions only 33.3% of the time. In the red zone, Detroit is ninth, allowing touchdowns on 47.4% of attempts. 

4. Ground and Pound

If the Lions and Packers decide to keep this one on the ground, they have the running backs to make it happen. Josh Jacobs is fourth in the NFL with 667 rushing yards and has three touchdowns on the season after a two-score performance last Sunday against Jacksonville. Green Bay’s offense is fourth in the league in rushing attempts (257) and fifth in rushing yards (1,255), averaging 156.9 yards per game and 4.9 yards per attempt. Jacobs also had a season-long run last week on his 38-yarder against the Jaguars. 

For Detroit, the backfield is split between Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. Gibbs is seventh in the league with 591 rushing yards while averaging 6.4 yards per carry. He has six touchdowns on the year and is averaging 84.4 rushing yards per game. Montgomery, meanwhile, adds 415 rushing yards and is averaging only 59.3 yards per game, but has seven scores on the ground. He’s averaging 4.5 yards per attempt. As was previously mentioned, Detroit leads the league in rushing scores with 13. The team is also sixth in yards (1,097) and fifth in yards per attempt (5.1). 

Per Pro Football Focus, Montgomery, Gibbs, and Jacobs all rank in the top 10 at running back. Montgomery is fourth with an overall grade of 86.1, Jacobs is seventh with an overall grade of 84.2, and Gibbs is eighth with an overall grade of 82.9. Also worth noting, Jacobs is Green Bay’s highest-graded player on offense, while Montgomery and Gibbs are second and third, respectively, for Detroit, behind only tackle Penei Sewell. 

5. Options All Over Offense

We talked about the Lions offense and the points they’re scoring. We talked about Jared Goff and his dynamic running back tandem. And now we have to talk about the receiving core that the Packers will face on Sunday. 

Jameson Williams is serving a two-game suspension so he won’t be available for Detroit at Lambeau Field. It’s a significant blow since he was second on the team in yards (361) and touchdowns (three). But, we’re also talking about an offense that put up 52 points in his absence last week, too. The real weapon is St. Brown, who leads the team with 41 receptions, 408 yards, and five touchdowns. No other pass catcher has more than 20 receptions on the season. Tight end Sam LaPorta has 272 yards on the year with two scores, but he’s yet to eclipse 53 receiving yards in a game this season. 

Green Bay’s defense is 19th in both passing attempts and yards, allowing an average of 215.8 yards through the air per game. It’ll be a collaborative effort on Sunday to slow down Detroit’s passing attack. Behind McKinney, Jaire Alexander is second on the team with two interceptions, and the duo is tied with seven passes defensed each. Some good news, though, is that it sounds like safety Evan Williams will be available for Sunday after exiting the Jacksonville game with a hamstring injury. 

McKinney, Williams, and Alexander are three of Green Bay’s four highest-graded defenders per PFF. McKinney is third out of 85 qualifying safeties with a grade of 89.8. Williams is fifth with a grade of 87.4, and Alexander ranks 14th out of 110 cornerbacks with a grade of 74.9. 

A pleasant surprise, inside linebacker Eric Wilson earned PFF’s third-highest grade amongst 81 linebackers with an 88.0 overall score. Even with Quay Walker clearing concussion protocol and being good to go for Sunday, Wilson needs to be on the field more as an impact defender in the middle of the defense. So does Edgerrin Cooper, the Week 8 NFC Defensive Player of the Week, and the first Green Bay rookie to win the honor since Clay Matthews in 2009. 

The Packers were able to hold Houston receiver Stefon Diggs to five catches for only 23 yards, but didn’t fare as well in Jacksonville, allowing rookie receiver Brian Thomas Jr. three catches for 60 yards and a touchdown. Green Bay’s defense hadn’t allowed a second-half touchdown since Week 3, but let Jacksonville score 17 points in the second half last Sunday. The Lions have a big-play threat at every level on offense (and on defense). Green Bay is going to have to play its cleanest football of the season this week. 

6. Quarterback in Question

When Jordan Love exited last week’s matchup with a groin injury, it seemed all but certain he wouldn’t be available for Sunday’s contest against Detroit. After his MRI came back with positive results, reports have circulated since that Love is determined to play this week. 

Love’s 15 touchdowns are tied for third in the NFL behind only Baker Mayfield (21) and Lamar Jackson (17), despite playing in two less games. Love is also tied for the league lead in interceptions with nine, alongside Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes. Love has had good protection this season, only taking seven sacks, but his mobility is a larger concern on Sunday if he’s still dealing with a groin injury. 

If he’s unable to go, Malik Willis will have the opportunity to rise to the occasion yet again. Willis won both of his starts against the Colts and Titans, then was able to lead Green Bay to victory last week against Jacksonville in Love’s absence. Coincidentally, all three of Willis’ wins have come against the AFC South, the division that traded him away to the Packers. 

On the year, Willis has 39 passing attempts for a 74.4% completion percentage with three touchdowns and zero picks. He has a passer rating of 130.3. He’s also a threat with his legs, rushing for 137 yards and a touchdown, averaging 8.6 yards per carry. 

While Love absolutely gives the Packers the best shot at winning on Sunday if he’s healthy, Willis has beyond risen to the occasion to keep the Packers competitive in Love’s absence. Green Bay doesn’t get to six wins without Willis and the incredible run he’s been on as Green Bay’s backup.