The Green Bay Packers fell to the Detroit Lions on Sunday afternoon by the score of 20-17. Early on, it seemed like the odds were stacked against Green Bay. After nine offensive plays, the Packers were down to their third-string center, John Williams, after Sean Rhyan and Jacob Monk both left with injuries.
Unfortunately, Green Bay continued to make the same mistakes on offense and special teams that have kept them from putting up points. Josh Jacobs dropped what would have been a go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter, and rookie kicker Trey Smack missed two field goals (one was blocked).
Indeed, the Packers had plenty of opportunities to win the game. These things, though, held them back, and some awful officiating did little to help team morale.
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) makes a pass against Green Bay Packers during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026.
Throughout the course of the game, the Packers were called for several penalties that, in the view of fans and national analysts, should not have been called. Devonte Wyatt, for example, was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for tackling a Lions player who was getting up to run even though the referees never blew the whistle.
Pass rusher Brenton Cox was shoved into Detroit quarterback Jared Goff and flagged for roughing the passer.
All game long, as it has seemed for the past few weeks, Green Bay's defense saw itself held to a much different standard than their opponents by the officials.
Both Wyatt and safety Xavier McKinney talked to reporters after the game about how the players view the calls that the officials have made against them all season long.
"If you asked me right now, I'd do the same thing 100 times over," Wyatt said (according to The Athletic ). "So that's the refs. They gotta figure out what they need to do because I definitely did my job … What if he would've got up and ran for a touchdown? Then everybody would be looking at D-Wy like, 'You let him go.'"
McKinney was a bit more bitter with his choice of words.
"The runner was still running and we didn't hear a whistle. We tried to get him down and then their player hit the ref and he falls, he gets mad on the ground and he just throws the flag. He don't even know who hit him. So it just be bulls–t that's going on, bulls–t calls … sometimes we're not seeing the same calls for our quarterback.
"We're not seeing the same calls for our offensive guys. I just don't really understand. It really don't matter if it's home or away. It's kind of been consistent throughout the year. Obviously, it's not to make it as an excuse, but I just say it got to go both ways, man. That's all I'll say."
He had more to say, though.
"I see what's going on and it's killing us. We all see it. We all see what's going on. Everyone sees what's going on. The fans see what's going on. We see what's going on when we're out there. I'm looking at the plays and I'm like, 'Hold up, why are they calling this?' It don't even make any sense and then the fact you're not even reviewing what you're calling … I'm asking the other refs and they're like, 'Oh, I'm not over there.' It's a lot of s–t that doesn't make sense right now."
As mentioned, the Packers are not using the referees as an excuse as to why the lost the game. Had they executed properly on offense and special teams, they certainly would have come away with the victory.
This being said, one can understand why Green Bay is frustrated. All they want is for the game to be called the same for both teams.
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) talks to center Cade Mays (64) before a play against Green Bay Packers during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026.
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