Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell labeled Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love the team’s “secret sauce” ahead of Sunday’s NFC North matchup at Ford Field.
The Packers enter on a three-game winning streak and sit at 4-2. Detroit is 3-2 after a bye and must contain Love’s deep passing attack to keep pace in the division.
Campbell made clear the challenge starts with the quarterback.
“Offensively, Love, man, he makes it go. He is the secret sauce,” Campbell said. “And Watson and Golden, man, they’re dangerous threats down the field and he’s going to give them opportunities that show up every week.”
Jordan Love’s Deep Passing Leads the NFL
Love leads the NFL with 988 passing yards on throws of 10 or more air yards, according to Next Gen Stats. He is 37-of-75 with six touchdowns and one interception on those attempts for a 116.4 passer rating. He also ranks first with 32 attempts of 20 or more air yards. Drops have limited the numbers further.
Overall, Love has thrown for 1,684 yards with 11 touchdowns and four interceptions through six games. The Packers rank among the league’s more efficient deep-ball teams during their recent stretch.
Detroit’s secondary has struggled against the same type of plays. The Lions have allowed a 128.7 passer rating on throws of 10-plus air yards, ranking 31st, and surrender a league-high 297.4 passing yards per game.
Christian Watson and Matthew Golden have fueled the Packers’ aerial success. Watson has 29 catches for 538 yards and six touchdowns. Golden has 30 receptions for 501 yards and three scores. The pair combined for 1,039 yards through six games.
Green Bay is the first team since the 2022 Miami Dolphins with multiple players reaching 500 receiving yards in the first six games of a season. Watson and Golden have also become the first Packers duo since Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams in 2016 to each record multiple games with 100-plus yards and a touchdown in the same season, per NFL Research.
Dan Campbell Details Defensive Challenges Against Packers
Campbell highlighted the receivers’ speed and ball-tracking ability.
“It presents some big challenges because these aren’t guys that can just track the ball down,” he said. “They have got speed now. I mean, they have got speed, and they can track the ball, and the quarterback gives them a nice, pretty ball, man, lays it out there. And really about 50% of these are either DPI or catches, which is, talk about explosive.”
He added that defending the deep shots creates other problems.
“So, that’s the danger in it. Wherever you’re having to use some resources, then now you have got to worry about (tight end Tucker) Kraft. If you’re going to use it to take the top off on some of this, well now you have got Kraft underneath, and you have got to worry about the backs. It does, it creates some issues, man, that you have got to be ready for. And some of it is you better pick your poison.”
The Lions’ defense showed improvement in its last outing against Arizona, but Campbell expects a different test against Green Bay’s vertical threats. He said the offense must match production if the game turns into a shootout.
“Look, they’re going to make some plays, but it’s about us making more of them,” Campbell said. “If we get an opportunity for something, we have got to make the most of it, something that swings in our favor. We have to capitalize on those.”
The Packers swept the season series last year after Detroit won both meetings in 2024. A win Sunday would strengthen Green Bay’s hold in a tight NFC North race.
Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. ET.
Dan Campbell Doesn’t Hold Back About Packers’ Jordan Love