GREEN BAY, Wis. — While the Green Bay Packers have enjoyed thrilling victories in their last two games with last-minute field goals against the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars, these wins also served as a reality check.

As the initial excitement from their locker-room celebrations faded and offensive players began to reflect, it became clear that another inconsistent showing against a top-tier team like the 6-1 Detroit Lions on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET) might not suffice if it comes down to a last-second field goal.

Statistically, the Packers’ offense seems solid, ranking sixth in the NFL for points scored per game. They’ve scored 24 or more points in six consecutive games and in seven out of eight this season—more than any other team. Josh Jacobs is currently fourth in rushing yards, while only two quarterbacks have more touchdown passes than Jordan Love, who has 15 despite missing two and a half games. Jayden Reed is the only player this season with at least 500 receiving yards and 100 rushing yards, and Tucker Kraft leads all tight ends with five touchdown catches since Week 4.

However, the memories of their struggles against the Texans, where they had six drives that failed to gain a first down (including four three-and-outs, a four-and-out, and an interception), as well as their lackluster start against the Jaguars with two punts and an interception in the first three drives, are fresh in the players’ minds.

“We need to take responsibility for our offense’s performance early in games,” Kraft stated. “That’s not how we play. We need to identify what we need to improve on early and start holding each other accountable.”

In the last two weeks, coach Matt LaFleur chose to receive the kickoff when winning the coin toss, aiming for a strong start, but this strategy resulted in a three-and-out against the Texans and only one first down and a punt against the Jaguars.

“I’m an offensive guy; I always want to take the ball,” Love mentioned this week. “I want to go down and execute a perfect drive and score to start the game. That’s the ideal start, but it hasn’t worked out for us, and we’re still trying to achieve that.”

The issues extend beyond just the beginning of games; a crucial fourth-quarter three-and-out against the Jaguars also allowed them to tie the game with 1:48 left on the clock.

“We have to start dominating our opponents instead of letting games come down to field goals,” said left guard Elgton Jenkins.

It’s uncertain whether the groin injury Love suffered against Jacksonville will prevent him from starting this week, although he expressed optimism about playing. Regardless of who takes the field—whether it’s Love or Malik Willis—Jenkins emphasized the need for effective run blocking.

Jacobs faced tough challenges on Sunday, rushing 25 times for 127 yards and two touchdowns, with 74 yards gained after initial contact. He currently has 667 rushing yards this season, ranking fourth in the NFL, and his 328 yards after contact are second only to Derrick Henry.

“I believe we still have room for improvement,” Jacobs noted. “While I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished, there are runs I wish I could redo. I’m still pushing for more.”

However, it may not be as straightforward as relying heavily on Jacobs and the run game, as Jacobs is dealing with an ankle injury, although he insists it won’t sideline him. Additionally, three-fifths of their offensive line—Jenkins (glute), left tackle Rasheed Walker (knee), and center Josh Myers (wrist)—are on the injury report.

In Willis’ two starts, the Packers ran designed plays 68% of the time, averaging 224.5 rushing yards per game, compared to 41% and 134.3 rushing yards in Love’s six starts.

To improve, the Packers need to become more efficient in the red zone and on crucial downs (third and fourth). Currently, they rank 25th in red zone touchdown efficiency, 15th in third-down conversions, and 17th in fourth-down success.