The last time Detroit played at Lambeau Field it knew the game was, by some definition, meaningless.
It was the final week of the 2022 season. Seattle had won earlier in the day, eliminating the Lions from the playoffs. Green Bay, however, had everything to play for; a wild card was there to be had.The Lions' effort was fueled in part because they are professionals, in part because they wanted to keep their rivals from the playoffs and in part because sending the Packers reeling might help push Aaron Rodgers out of town.
Love, like Rodgers before him, is a former first-round draft pick that spent multiple seasons learning under a legend. It’s the Green Bay way. Either way, this is when the work begins. Part of Green Bay’s formula for excellence over the last couple decades was built on owning the NFC North and skating to the playoffs with homefield advantage. It posted 5-1 marks in the division seven times and perfect 6-0 campaigns twice.
The thing is, when Brady left for Tampa Bay in 2020, the Patriots didn’t just install another Tom Brady the way Green Bay did with Favre to Rodgers. The Pats haven’t won the division since. Love is already 1-0 in the division after throwing three touchdowns to help the Packers win at Chicago. Beating the Bears this season probably isn’t much of an accomplishment, though.