Road games are never easy in the NFC North, but at least the Green Bay Packers have a pathway to defeating their rival Detroit Lions in their fated Week 7 matchup. After a rocky start to the season, the Pack are riding a three-game win streak into the Motor City at a time when the Lions have become one of the most lackluster defensive teams in the entire NFL.
Even with that being the case, the Packers cannot afford to take this game lightly, as every win counts in the chase for a playoff spot. This is their first real opportunity to separate themselves from Detroit in the standings, with the Vikings and Bears just ahead of both squads with five wins apiece.
If they can take care of the details and capitalize on Detroit's recent woes, the Packers will put themselves in a prime position to continue their hot streak into a tougher stretch of the schedule.
1. Green Bay needs to be wary of Brian Branch's return for Detroit.
Detroit safety and defensive back Brian Branch is making his season debut against the Packers in Week 7, and he'll certainly have a chip on his shoulder. The 25-year-old tore his Achilles tendon last December and has yet to make his 2026 debut, so he'll be highly motivated to provide a boost to a Lions secondary that's gotten absolutely shredded for nearly 300 passing yards allowed per game.
Obviously, Jordan Love will have an incentive to get his numbers and continue the trend, with multiple passing touchdowns in five of six games this year and four games with at least 275 passing yards. But the Lions will be similarly motivated to shut him down, and Green Bay cannot afford that at all.
2. What will Josh Jacobs look like in his first game back for the Packers this year?
It's hard to say which version of Josh Jacobs the Green Bay Packers will get in his first game of the NFL season. After spending the first six weeks on the NFL Commissioner Exempt List, Jacobs is expected to handle a significant workload, considering the rest of the Packers' running back room has been helpless so far this season.
If Jacobs is running hard and creating opportunities for first downs, it'll transform the outlook of this Packers running game. But if he needs time to shake off the rust, Green Bay might be in more trouble than they realize.
3. The Packers' league-leading secondary hopes to snag Jared Goff's first pick of the season.
What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? Not to be dramatic, but it seems like, on some level, we might find out when the Packers and Lions face off this Sunday.
Detroit quarterback Jared Goff has been extremely efficient through six weeks, completing two-thirds of his passes for 1,485 yards, 12 touchdowns, and zero interceptions. The Packers' secondary, however, has done a magnificent job of forcing turnovers with nine picks in six games, the highest mark in the NFL thus far.
Taking care of the ball has been a major point of emphasis for the Lions in 2026 with only one turnover in six games, so the Packers should not rely solely on those big plays to come out on top. Even so, it's hard to imagine any better motivation for the Packers' secondary than chasing down a pick against a division rival who has spent six weeks focused on avoiding that very scenario.
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