Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur expressed frustration over repeated questions about Jordan Love’s interceptions, calling them “annoying.”
The Packers’ recent struggles at home, including a second divisional loss and a third straight defeat to the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field, have been just as frustrating. Sunday’s 24-14 loss felt like “death by a thousand cuts,” but Love’s pick-six late in the first half dealt a decisive blow.
Entering Monday’s game between the Buccaneers and Chiefs, Love leads the league with 10 interceptions, matching Seattle’s Geno Smith, despite missing two-and-a-half games due to injury and throwing 102 fewer passes than Smith.
Love has thrown at least one interception in each of his seven games this season, marking the longest active streak in the NFL and surpassing any streak by former Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Love’s two pick-sixes this season also equal the number Rodgers threw in his first 12 years as Green Bay’s starter.
Trailing 10-3 late in the first half, Love faced pressure from Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone. Perhaps a healthy Love could have evaded the pressure, or dry conditions might have given him better ball control. Nevertheless, neither injury nor weather seemed to impact his choice to loft a pass intended for Josh Jacobs, which was intercepted by Lions safety Kerby Joseph and returned 27 yards for a touchdown.
The Packers fell behind 17-3 before halftime, with Detroit set to receive the second-half kickoff—a situation LaFleur saw as nearly sealing the game.
“He was trying to make a play,” LaFleur noted. “Under duress, he saw Josh, but Joseph, one of the league’s best safeties, made a great play.”
Despite outgaining the Lions 411 yards to 261 and earning 20 first downs to Detroit’s 17, the Packers only scored one touchdown out of four red-zone trips, contributing heavily to the loss.
LaFleur stressed that they can’t rely on passing every down in challenging conditions, noting, “One of four in the red zone is just not good enough. We’ve got to look at that this week and find ways to improve.”
The Packers’ mistakes, including penalties and miscues like low snaps, have been costly. According to LaFleur, the Lions’ disciplined play made the difference. He added, “They played a cleaner game.
We had too many penalties, self-inflicted wounds you can’t have against a good team. With them scoring before the half, our pick-six, and their early second-half touchdown, it was a lot to overcome.”
With a week off, the Packers are focused on fixing their errors before facing the Chicago Bears in a must-win divisional game, having already lost two home division games to the Vikings and Lions. Mistakes can’t be part of their game plan going forward.
