(As of Nov 7.) On Nov 6, the Detroit Lions stunned the Green Bay Packers in a 15-9 victory, the Pack recording their fifth straight loss of the season, the first time since 2008 when Aaron Rodgers entered the season as the Packers starting QB. With this losing streak, Green Bay unofficially ended their regular season, with two months of football still remaining.

Coming into Week 9, the Packers had suffered upsets against the New York Jets, New York Giants, and Washington Commanders, three of the worst NFL teams last season. They headed into Week 8 against the Bills as an underdog and recorded their fourth consecutive loss. Last Sunday, the Detroit Lions entered their matchup as the worst NFL team by record with the worst defense in the league. But Aaron Rodgers threw three interceptions and the Packers were now 3-6. What exactly went wrong this season?

One issue is Aaron Rodgers. Surely the loss of star wideout Davante Adams has been a huge blow to the team’s passing game, but Rodgers’ dreadful performance against the Lions cannot be dismissed with the excuse that their inexperienced wide receivers in Adams’ place did not fulfill their roles. Rodgers threw a red-zone interception to end Green Bay’s first possession of the game. On their second possession, he threw another red-zone INT. Rodgers finished the game with 3 INTs, a rare feat for the veteran QB. His terrible passing game was not that of the 2020 and 2021 NFL MVP winner.

Green Bay’s losing streak is also attributed to the string of injuries that have plagued their season. On the Packers’ first play of the Detroit game, rookie Romeo Doubs suffered an ankle injury and did not return to the game. Rookie WR Christian Watson, who had just cleared the concussion protocol before the game, left the game after suffering his second concussion of the season, and LT David Bakhtiari also left at halftime with a knee injury, missing most of the second half before going onto the field for the team’s final drive. Star RB Aaron Jones left the second half with an ankle injury and did not return. The injury bug also bit their defense — CB Eric Stokes and OLB Rashan Gary both suffered knee injuries. 

The Lions matchup also showed hints of coach Matt LaFleur’s desperation to snap their losing streak, after the four-year head coach made some questionable calls during the game. The first was a trick play on fourth down at the goal line, which did not yield any results. Next was LaFleur’s unnecessary call to go for 2 after the Packers scored their first touchdown of the game. The Lions had converted 2 points on their first touchdown and were leading 8-0, so kicking a PAT instead would’ve put Green Bay in a 8-7 one possession game. Even with 20 minutes remaining in the game, LaFleur chose to go for 2. After failing to convert and allowing the Lions another score, what would’ve been a one-possession game with a PAT became two. The Packers were then forced to kick a 25-yard field goal on fourth down in the fourth quarter and the Lions killed the clock to clinch their second win of the season.

The players, coaches, and injuries have all been a hot mess for Green Bay this season, and losing to the Lions does not provide any hope that things will get better soon. With their next matchups against the Cowboys, Titans, and undefeated Eagles, who knows when they will snap their losing streak.