5 Packers on Thin Ice After Second Loss to Lions

Jayden Reed

Jayden Reed has been one of the Packers' most dependable and dynamic weapons this season, leading the team in receptions and receiving yards. Yet, Thursday night against the Lions, he vanished like a magician at halftime—poof, gone.

This disappearance was especially jarring considering the pregame buzz. Reed had some choice words after the Packers' Week 4 loss to Detroit, telling Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown on his podcast to “Wait until I come to Detroit.” Apparently, the Lions were the ones doing the waiting. Reed finished with zero touches, and a dropped pass on his lone target. It was as if he never even showed up.

Reed’s no-show raises questions on multiple fronts.

First, there’s Reed himself. Despite Detroit’s secondary missing key pieces, he struggled to create separation all game. In a fast track dome environment that should have suited his skill set perfectly, he couldn’t get free or make an impact. For a player with his talent, it was a puzzling letdown.

But this isn’t just on Reed. Head coach Matt LaFleur and the offensive staff deserve a share of the blame. How do you let your second-most explosive offensive weapon fade into the background? Why weren’t there more screens, jet sweeps, or quick slants designed specifically to get the ball in Reed’s hands? The Packers’ offense has succeeded all season in finding creative ways to utilize Reed’s versatility—so why go away from it in one of the season’s biggest games?

For a Packers team looking to solidify its playoff credentials, this can’t happen again. Reed is too important to this offense to be an afterthought. The next time Green Bay takes the field, he needs to be front and center.